Is NJ Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter planning a run for governor?

While the names of mostly white male Democrats (Fulop, Sweeney, Lesniak, Murphy) have been tossed around during speculation about who will run for Governor of New Jersey in 2017, it seems that there may someone else looking to run. According to NJ.Com that someone might be African American Democrat Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter.

From NJ.Com:

Certainty about whether Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, D-Passaic, will be running for governor dramatically grew today -- though not exactly as she planned it.

At an event in Jersey City this morning where Sumter was scheduled to speak, state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, D-Jersey City, mistakenly introduced the assemblywoman as having already thrown her hat in the ring.

"If you've been watching the news, and you've heard about who's running for governor, you may not have heard her, but she announced that she is running for governor," Cunningham said.

Sumter, who was running late to the event and arrived shortly after Cunningham's introduction, quickly responded to the senator's gaffe with a sense of humor.

"Senator Cunningham just shared with me that she shared the good news prior to my announcement," the 35th District assemblywoman said to laughs from dozens of people in the audience.

Shortly after her remarks at today's event, Sumter declined to confirm with The Jersey Journal that she is running for governor, only going so far as to say the possibility is under "serious consideration."

Hillary Clinton speech at Trayvon Martin Foundation 05/22/2016

Here is Hillary Clinton's Circle of Mothers speech given at a Trayvon Martin Foundation event (5-22-16). She discussed the NRA and "Donald Trump's America". All proceeds raised went to supporting the Trayvon Martin Foundation/Circle of Mothers. Check out here entire speech below.

The Trayvon Martin Foundation is a social justice organization committed to ending senseless gun violence, strengthening families through holistic support, S.T.E.A.M. education for women and minorities and mentoring. Learn more here: http://trayvonmartinfoundation.org/

Tessa Thompson to portray Valkyrie in Thor Ragnarok

Marvel has revealed Tessa Thompson's role in the upcoming “Thor: Ragnarok.”

The studio released the full cast list on Friday, announcing that the “Creed” star will play the sword-wielding warrior goddess, Valkyrie, a character previously depicted in the comics as white. While I'm sure Thompson will do a great job and make the role her own, I'm also sure that wont stop the fanboy outrage. LOL.

Obama signs measure striking 'oriental' and 'negro' from federal law

President Obama has signed legislation striking outdated racial terms such as “Oriental” and “Negro” from federal laws.

Two sections in the U.S. Code written in the 1970s governing public health and civil rights attempted to define minority groups by using the outdated terms.

Thanks to the new law, references to the term “Oriental” will be replaced with “Asian American” and the word “Negro” will be changed to “African American.”

[SOURCE]

Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic National Convention Survival Kit

Yeah I'm a Hillary Clinton supporter and since I'm a nice guy and I do feel for Bernie Sanders supporters, I have decided to introduce the Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic Convention Survival Kit. Check out the video below:

Dem. Congressman Donald Payne: Bernie Sanders wants to destroy Democratic Party

During an interview with the political site PolitikerNJ, NJ Congressman Donald Payne (A Hillary Clinton supporter) voiced his displeasure with democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Payne went so far as to say that "Sanders Is Trying to ‘Damage and Destroy’ Democratic Party."

Other comments he made:

On Bernie running as a democrat: “We need to remember that Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat,” Payne told PolitickerNJ. “Everyone has a right to run for president in this country but he should have run as an independent as he has been for the past 30 years rather than using the Democratic Party in order to gain traction in his campaign.”

On Sanders supporting Hillary Clinton if she wins the primary: “It is incumbent upon him, if he is going to do this properly, that once the decision is made by the voters in the Democratic primaries that he comes together and says he is supporting the nominee so lets see what happens,” Payne said. “If he doesn’t do that then the whole thing was a sham. I feel very strongly about it. It is really beginning to annoy me that he has turned out the be this divisive and it is not right.”

On Hillary Clinton winning the general election: “Last time I checked, she is leading in the popular vote. I believe and I am confident that she will win the Electoral College and she will have the popular vote. She is heads above either candidate,” said Payne, referring to both Sanders and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

NAACP FILES LAWSUIT OVER FLINT WATER CRISIS

State Officials, Companies Named in Class Action Civil Suit

BALTIMORE — Attorneys with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have filed a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of people and businesses affected by the failure to provide safe drinking water to the city of Flint, Michigan.

The civil suit filed in U.S. District Court alleges that the state of Michigan, many city and state officials and two engineering firms hired to evaluate water quality in Flint failed to detect problems and properly treat water that caused extensive lead contamination in the city while Flint was under supervision of state-appointed emergency managers.

The plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit include Flint residents and members of the local branch of the NAACP, whose national attorneys are working with the firms of Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll of Washington, D.C. and the Houston-based firm of Susman Godfrey.

The complaint seeks property damages, pain and suffering damages, emotional distress damages, medical monitoring, and other injunctive relief for affected city residents and businesses to be determined by the court.  

“The people of Flint have been harmed through the failure of state officials to provide professional and accountable basic services mandated by federal law and expected by any person living in a major city,” said Cornell William Brooks, the national president and CEO of the NAACP. “Our organization stands with the citizens of Flint to demand a clear timeline, deadline and price tag for fixing this crisis as well as effective remedies for the harms that have already occurred and complete compensation for each and every victim of this unimaginable tragedy.” 

Governor Rick Snyder is named as an individual defendant in the suit, along with six former high-ranking officials with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and three men who were emergency managers during the prolonged exposure period. Two engineering firms hired to analyze water in the city, Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam Inc. and Veolia North America, also failed to satisfy their professional duties and affirmatively worsened the extent of the lead exposure, according to the complaint.

The 103-page complaint alleges that the officials and companies supervising the water system failed to properly treat the water supply for salt and other chemicals, which caused lead to leech from corroded pipes into the drinking water for years. Officials repeatedly denied and dismissed reports of poor water quality and pipe corrosion before acknowledging widespread failures to act.  

The NAACP’s Flint Branch and Michigan State Conference have diligently worked over the last two years to inform the public about the poisoned water and its potential effects on city children and residents, and called for federal and state action to provide relief.

The NAACP and attorneys in the case are planning to host Town Hall meetings with residents in the near future in Flint to discuss further action.

Visit here to read the full court complaint.

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Hank Aaron wants to see more African Americans in baseball

While attending the SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal 2016 Sports Business Awards, baseball legend Hank Aaron made the following comment about the lack of African Americans in baseball.

“I think from the commissioner’s office to every major-league team in baseball should look at it because it is an American sport,” Aaron said. “Jackie Robinson held his head up high, Willie Mays, myself and Frank Robinson, all of us. And now it’s a dying sport as far as African-Americans. It’s got to be turned around.”

22-Year-Old Symone Marshall Dies in Texas Jail

After being involved in a car accident in which her car flipped over several times, 22 year old African American mother Symone Marshall was not taken to a hospital but to a Texas jail. While in jail she reportedly received no medical care for her injuries although she asked for medical attention. Two weeks later she would die while in jail.

Many questions remain:

Why was she jailed instead of being taken to a hospital first?

Was she every charged with anything?

Why aren't the police talking about either the accident or Marshall's death?

Watch more on this story below.

National Urban League' Releases 2016 State of Black America Report

The National Urban League has released the 2016 State of Black America Report, Locked Out, Education, Jobs, and Justice.

Here are ten facts from the 2016 findings

Since 1976, Black unemployment has consistently remained about twice that of the white rate across time, regardless of education.

Black Americans are only slightly less likely today to live in poverty than they were in 1976.

Highest median household income for Blacks ($66,151) & whites ($109,460) was in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area.

Toledo, OH had lowest median Black household income ($22,386). White household income low but still more than double Black income.

Foreclosure crisis has left Black homeownership rates the same as in 1976, while white homeownership went up 5 percentage points.

For Latinos, median household incomes were closest to white household income in Urban Honolulu, HI, at 80 cents for every dollar.

The metropolitan area with the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate, at 4.6%, was Tulsa, OK,

There has been some progress: slow, ongoing reduction in poverty. Black poverty rate is 2.4 percentage points lower than in 1976.

Despite progress for Black America, there's been much less progress towards economic equality w/whites, especially in education.

Gap in civic participation between Blacks and whites has narrowed 7 percentage points since 1976.

Read the entire report here: 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BET to air documentary on Black Lives Matter Movement

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dubbed the new “civil rights movement”, #BlackLivesMatter launched a transformative grassroots movement that moved from social media to the streets across America. As news and images of the senseless deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Grey and others spread online, a new generation of civil rights activists came together demanding institutional change. From scheduled marches, to assembled sit-ins and to heated rallies across the country, protesters and communities pushed the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter into a worldwide rallying cry. This is the real story of brave young people who have found their voice to lead a powerful social movement. Now these activists face the daunting challenge of turning protest - into lasting change. Directed and produced by Laurens Grant (Black Panthers - Vanguard of the Revolution) and executive produced by actor/activist Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy) the BET original documentary STAY WOKE: THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT,” will have its broadcast premiere on Thursday, May 26 at 9 PM ET/PT.

“The moment was electric. Black Lives Matter was a brilliantly framed set of marching orders-slash-slogan-slash-plea. Young black people, they are plugged in and they’re moving.”

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“I'm personally inspired by the people that construct today's movement and we so easily forget that movements are not magic, they are led by people, often making great sacrifice. I wanted to lift up not only their voices but their experiences, and catalog this place and time. The movement for Black lives is claiming its place in history by building the future it knows we damn well deserve.” said Executive Producer Jesse Williams, “We can make progress with gratitude, all the while demanding more of ourselves and humanity.”

“While there is no easy answer on how to address or solve the systemic issues of race and justice across our nation, we have a commitment to bringing these conversations and stories of social change to light through platforms like our ‘Truth Series’. BET is determined to encourage meaningful dialogue that galvanizes change.” said Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks.

Directed by Peabody and three time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Laurens Grant, “STAY WOKE: THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT,” chronicles the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement through the first person accounts of local activists, protesters, scholars, journalists and celebrities including Jesse Williams, Nelly, Deray McKesson, Michaela Angela Davis, Wesley Lowery, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett and others.

KEEANGA-YAMAHTTA TAYLOR on the Black Lives Matter movement:

“The Black Lives Matter movement is the most important development in black life in the last 40 years and the most important aspect of it is that it’s ordinary people fighting this fight. It is something that we have been responsible for getting out onto the streets and I think the movement is here to stay.”

ALICIA GARZA on where the inspiration to #BlackLivesMatter came from:

“Many people were trying to make sense of what happened, but I felt like the ways that people were trying to make sense of what happened and what we needed to be doing about it were actually destructive… and so I wrote a letter to black people on Facebook saying that there was nothing wrong with us and we deserved dignity and respect.”

MICHAELA ANGELA DAVIS on the death of Trayvon Martin:

“Trayvon Martin was that tragedy that broke us open. He was our Emmett Till but there was no one around with a Twitter account around Emmett Till to tell what really happened, right, but there is now.”

JESSE WILLIAMS on the creation of #BlackLivesMatter:

“The moment was electric. Black Lives Matter was a brilliantly framed set of marching orders-slash-slogan-slash-plea. Young black people, they are plugged in and they’re moving.”

DERAY MCKESSON on running for Mayor of Baltimore:

“So I am running for Mayor in Baltimore because we need to implement changes on the inside. It’s about concrete things that can happen at the policy level to structurally end police violence.”

“STAY WOKE: THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES,” is executive produced by Jesse Williams and produced & directed by Laurens Grant.

Launched in July 2015, BET’s The Truth Series features original documentary films, directed by award-winning filmmakers that showcase stories about the African-American experience. The 2015 BET Truth Series documentary film ALI: The People’s Champwas recently honored with the 2015 NAACP Image Award for best documentary and Katrina 10 Years Later: Through Hell and High Water was awarded the 2016 NAMIC Vision Award for best documentary film.

Log on to the New BET.com for exclusive digital video content and join the conversation on social media by logging on to BET’s multiple social media platforms by using hashtag: #StayWokeBET; and following us @BETNews.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

Contacts

BET Networks
Luis Defrank, 212-205-3156
luis.defrank@bet.net

African American WWII Veteran Receives Congressional Medal

A World War II veteran from Michigan has been honored for his service, 70 years after he enlisted. 92-year-old John Willie Jordan was among the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. His son, Tracey, watched on as his dad was given a Congressional Gold Medal Monday.

U.S. Senator Gary Peters presented Jordan with his medal at a ceremony Monday morning in Farmington. Corporal Jordan trained at Camp Montford Point in North Carolina.

Wendell Pierce withdraws as Rutgers-Newark graduation speaker

Rutgers-Newark is switching commencement speakers after its original honoree was arrested over the weekend, campus officials said Monday.

Wendell Pierce, star of HBO's "The Wire," was arrested Saturday and charged with battery after a fight at an Atlanta hotel just days before he was scheduled to pick up an honorary degree and serve as Rutgers-Newark's commencement speaker.

"This morning Rutgers University- Newark was informed by actor and humanitarian Wendell Pierce that in order to assure that commencement 2016 will be a celebration of the accomplishments of our students free of distractions, he is declining to join us and consequently must decline the conferral of an honorary degree," Rutgers officials said in a statement.

Pierce will be replaced by journalist Soledad O'Brien, Rutgers officials said. O'Brien will deliver the commencement address to Rutgers-Newark students at Wednesday's ceremony at the Prudential Center in Newark.

[SOURCE]

WATCH: President Obama's Rutgers commencement speech

President Barack Obama addressed the graduates at its commencement ceremony Sunday, 05/15/2016. Watch his entire speech below.

Meet Jahana Hayes, 2016 National Teacher of the Year

Washington, D.C. (April 28, 2016) - The Council of Chief State School Officers today announced that Jahana Hayes, a high school history teacher in Waterbury, CT is the 2016 National Teacher of the Year.

Hayes teaches at John F. Kennedy High School, but the community is her classroom. Connecting lessons learned in school to real life is an integral part of her instruction. Hayes seeks to send students into the world not just academically prepared but as conscientious and productive members of society.

"I am honored to be the 2016 National Teacher of the Year," Hayes said. "In the course of the next year, I hope to stoke a national conversation about education that is inclusive of everyone. I want to engage people who have not traditionally been part of the conversation to join in this important effort to prepare well-rounded students for success in life."

The National Teacher of the Year program, run by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and presented by Voya Financial, Inc., identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, engages them in a year of professional learning, amplifies their voices, and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels.

As the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, Hayes will spend a year traveling the nation to represent educators and advocate on behalf of teachers. Hayes looks forward to sharing her belief in the importance of service-learning, and in making the teaching profession more attractive and appealing to young people across all demographics.

"CCSSO is honored to support the nation's great teachers, and I am excited that people across the nation and the world will soon learn from Jahana Hayes' commitment to education," said Chris Minnich, executive director of CCSSO.

"Jahana values a quality education for all students, and she finds ways to engage students outside of her classroom walls to improve her community - and strengthen the character of her kids. I look forward to the year ahead and all that parents, students and fellow educators will learn from Jahana."

Every year, exemplary teachers from each state, the U.S. extra-state territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity are selected as State Teachers of the Year. From that group, the National Teacher of the Year is chosen by a panel representing 15 renowned education organizations, which collectively represent more than 7 million educators.

"The Selection Committee selected Jahana Hayes as the 2016 National Teacher of the Year because we believe her message of service-learning resonates in the education discussion today," the committee stated. "In addition, we believe she has a strong story that speaks to educators and will bring an important perspective to the public discourse over the next year."

"Teachers like Jahana Hayes are leading the way to a brighter future for America. What an exceptional educator - we are all proud," said Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. "Extraordinary academic rigor, high expectations, and unwavering commitment to service outside the classroom are the characteristics that Jahana brings to Waterbury students each and every day. She is truly preparing the next generation of global citizens. I want to congratulate Jahana and thank her for making a difference in the lives of so many Connecticut children and families."

"Jahana Hayes inspires her students to believe in their ability to change the world. She ignites a love of learning and builds their self-confidence. This well-deserved distinction provides Jahana the platform and opportunity to share her gifts, passion, and talent with students and educators across the nation. Without question, Jahana will inspire others to believe in the power of teachers to change the world through education," said Connecticut Department of Education Commissioner Dianna R. Wentzell. "Connecticut is so proud of Jahana. She is a true role model for educators across the nation who seek to deliver on the promise of an outstanding education for every student."

"To be the National Teacher of the Year requires not only pedagogical precision, but also the ability to connect to the hearts and minds of a school community," said Waterbury Superintendent Kathleen M. Ouellette. "Jahana's own life experience, her passion for education, and the inspirational manner in which she impacts her students, all contribute greatly to her success. Jahana has masterfully refined a focused, pragmatic, yet heartfelt approach to an evolving global vision of education, bringing her to this pinnacle - the 2016 National Teacher of the Year! We in Waterbury, Connecticut are very proud!"

The finalists for 2016 National Teacher of the Year are Nathan Gibbs-Bowling, (Washington), Daniel Jocz, (California), and Shawn Sheehan, (Oklahoma).  You can read more about the finalists here. 

Hayes and the other 55 State Teachers of the Year have been invited to an event Tuesday at the White House, where they will be honored by President Barack Obama.

Learn more about Jahana Hayes, including video, photos and a bio.

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The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.

- See more at: http://www.ccsso.org/News_and_Events/Press_Releases/Connecticut_Teacher_Named_2016_National_Teacher_of_the_Year.html#sthash.LqGWuCkb.dpuf

Misty Copeland’s Life Story Coming To The Big Screen

New Line has acquired Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, and has set Remember the Titans scribe Gregory Allen Howard to adapt the biography of Misty Copeland. She made history by becoming the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. The bestselling book, and the movie, will chronicle humble beginnings and effort to reach that pinnacle. Offspring Entertainment’s Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot will produce with Philip Sandhaus.

[SOURCE]

Susannah Mushatt Jones, world's oldest person dies at age 116

The world's oldest living person, 116-year-old Susannah Mushatt Jones, died on Thursday in New York City, a research group said.

Jones' death makes Emma Morano-Martinuzzi, a 116-year-old woman in Italy, the oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

Jones, who was born in the southern U.S. state of Alabama in 1899, was the daughter of sharecroppers and granddaughter of slaves.

After graduating from high school she moved north in 1922 to New Jersey and then New York, where she worked as a housekeeper and childcare provider, according to Guinness World Records and the Vandalia Senior Center in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where she lived.

Jones, who retired in 1965, had said that lots of sleep is the secret to her longevity and that she had never smoked or drank alcohol.

The oldest verified person was Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at 122 years and 164 days, the research group said.

[SOURCE]

Mother of Michael Brown releases book about son's death and its aftermath

Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy, and Love of My Son Michael Brown

The revelatory memoir of Lezley McSpadden—the mother of Michael Brown, the African-American teenager killed by the police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9, 2014—sheds light on one of the landmark events in recent history.

“I wasn’t there when Mike Mike was shot. I didn’t see him fall or take his last breath, but as his mother, I do know one thing better than anyone, and that’s how to tell my son’s story, and the journey we shared together as mother and son." —Lezley McSpadden

When Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was born, he was adored and doted on by his aunts, uncles, grandparents, his father, and most of all by his sixteen-year-old mother, who nicknamed him Mike Mike. McSpadden never imagined that her son’s name would inspire the resounding chants of protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, and ignite the global conversation about the disparities in the American policing system. In Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil, McSpadden picks up the pieces of the tragedy that shook her life and the country to their core and reveals the unforgettable story of her life, her son, and their truth.

Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil is a riveting family memoir about the journey of a young woman, triumphing over insurmountable obstacles, and learning to become a good mother. With brutal honesty, McSpadden brings us inside her experiences being raised by a hardworking, single mother; her pregnancy at age fifteen and the painful subsequent decision to drop out of school to support her son; how she survived domestic abuse; and her unwavering commitment to raising four strong and healthy children, even if it meant doing so on her own. McSpadden writes passionately about the hours, days, and months after her son was shot to death by Officer Darren Wilson, recounting her time on the ground with peaceful protestors, how she was treated by police and city officials, and how she felt in the gut-wrenching moment when the grand jury announced it would not indict the man who had killed her son.

After the system failed to deliver justice to Michael Brown, McSpadden and thousands of others across America took it upon themselves to carry on his legacy in the fight against injustice and racism. Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil is a portrait of our time, an urgent call to action, and a moving testament to the undying bond between mothers and sons.

BUY THE BOOK

HARDCOVER_______KINDLE

West Point clears black cadets over raised-fists photo

Inquiry concludes cadets just wanted to show unity

The 16 female, African-American cadets who appeared in a photograph with raised fists in uniform will not be punished for their controversial "Old Corps Photo."

The U.S. Military Academy announced Tuesday that no punitive action will be taken against the cadets, according to a school press release.

The official inquiry concluded the photograph did not violate any Army or Department of Defense regulations and was only intended to demonstrate unity and pride.

"As members of the Profession of Arms, we are held to a high standard, where our actions are constantly observed and scrutinized in the public domain," said academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., in a letter.

In addition to finding no official violations, the findings stated that no one in the photo intended to show support for a political movement, said the release.

"We all must understand that a symbol or gesture that one group of people may find harmless may offend others. As Army officers, we are not afforded the luxury of a lack of awareness of how we are perceived," Caslen said.

[SOURCE]

First look inside the National Museum of African American History & Culture

Thanks to the Washington Post we can all take a sneak peek at the inside of the unfinished National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is set to open September 24, 2016. Watch the video below.