NAACP BOARD ELECTS DERRICK JOHNSON PRESIDENT & CEO

BALTIMORE (October 21, 2017) —The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), America’s largest and original legacy civil rights organization, has unanimously elected Derrick Johnson president & CEO, it was announced today. Johnson, 49, has served as interim president and CEO since July of this year.

A Detroit native now residing in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Johnson, who was also elected vice-chairman of the Board of Directors in February of this year, is a longtime member, leader and a respected veteran activist who will be tasked with guiding the NAACP through a period of tremendous challenge and opportunity at a key point in its 108-year history. The NAACP has undergone transitions in leadership this year as it re-envisions itself to take on a tumultuous and contentious social and political climate. He will have a three-year term.

“In his time serving as our interim president and CEO, Derrick has proven himself as the strong, decisive leader we need to guide us through both our internal transition, as well as a crucial moment in our nation’s history. With new threats to communities of color emerging daily and attacks on our democracy, the NAACP must be more steadfast than ever before, and Derrick has the vision, mobility and courage to help us meet that demand,” said Leon Russell, Board Chairman of the NAACP. “As both a longtime member of the NAACP, and a veteran activist in his own right – having worked on the ground to advocate for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, along with championing countless other issues – Derrick also intimately understands the strengths of the Association, our challenges and the many obstacles facing black Americans of all generations today. I look forward to continuing to work with him in this new role,” he added.

Mr. Johnson has an extensive history and career legacy of dedicated civil rights activism. He formerly served as state president of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, where he successfully spearheaded campaigns for voting rights, worker’s rights and equitable education, and he additionally is the founder and executive director of One Voice, Inc., a Jackson-based non-profit organization conceived in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to enhance the quality of life for African Americans through civic engagement training and initiatives.

Additionally, as a past regional organizer with Southern Echo, Inc., another local non-profit organization, Mr. Johnson provided legal, technical and training support to communities spanning the south. He was appointed to the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission by the chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, owing to his years of committed service to the people of the state.

Having earned a solid educational foundation, Mr. Johnson attended historically black Tougaloo College of Mississippi, before going on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. He was later awarded fellowships from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the George Washington University School of Political Management and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He proudly serves on the board of directors of both the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation.

ABOUT THE NAACP:
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas by visiting NAACP.org.
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FULL SPEECH: Barack Obama speaks in Newark with Phil Murphy

In these tumultuous times it was great to hear comforting and uplifting words from an intelligent person. It was even better that the person was former President of The United States, President Obama reminding us what an actual president looks and sounds like. At a campaign event in Newark NJ for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy, his first outing since he left office Barack Obama lamented the current state of politics. "We thought we put that to bed," Obama said. "That's folks looking 50 years back. This is the 21st century, not the 19th century." Watch his full speech below:

Singer Justine Skye kneels after performing national anthem at Brooklyn Nets game

Singer Justine Skye took a knee after performing the national anthem at Friday night’s home opener for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the latest in a series of defiant demonstrations during the anthem at professional sports games. Watch her take the knee below:

Got a bit shaky at the end.. was pretty uneasy about singing the anthem and probably won’t ever be invited to sing it again but I had to take a knee for the opening game in my city and let my voice be heard. We will not be silenced ✊🏾 #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by The Purple Unicorn (@justineskye) on Oct 20, 2017 at 5:08pm PDT

GoFundMe Raises More Than $600,000 for Army Sgt. La David Johnson

A GoFundMe campaign has already raised more than $600,000 at the time of this posting for the family of a soldier killed in Niger earlier this month.

Army Sgt. La David Johnson, a Green Beret, was killed along with three other soldiers during a operation in Niger on October 4. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Johnson leaves behind two children, ages 2 and 6, and his wife Myeshia Johnson, who is pregnant with their third child.

The GoFundMe page says that the money will be used to set up a scholarship in Johnson’s name.

The 5000 Role Model of Excellence Project, is establishing a Role Model Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson Scholarship to benefit his children by providing money towards their college education. We are asking you to donate to this worthy cause.

[SOURSE: HEAVY]

You may donate to the fund here: Sgt. La David T Johnson Scholarship

Trump to widow of fallen soldier Sgt. La David Johnson: 'He knew what he signed up for'

President Donald Trump told the widow of a US serviceman killed in the ambush in Niger that "he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt," according to Rep. Frederica Wilson.

The body of Sgt. La David Johnson was returned home to the Miami area late Tuesday afternoon, with the plane receiving a water cannon salute as it arrived near the gate.

The call from the President to Johnson's widow came shortly before Johnson's casket arrival, Wilson, a Florida Democrat, said on "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" Tuesday.

"Basically he said, 'Well, I guess he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt,' " Wilson said, adding that she listened to part of the call on speaker phone while in a vehicle with the family. "That's what he said," she added.

Asked earlier if she was sure the President said that, Wilson told CNN affiliate WPLG: "Yeah, he said that. You know, ... that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn't say that to a grieving widow. Everyone knows when you go to war you could possibly not come back alive, but you don't remind a grieving widow of that. That is so insensitive. So insensitive."

Listen to the congresswoman's comments below:

[SOURCE: CNN]

National Portrait Gallery Announces Artists Commissioned to Paint Portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery announced today that it has commissioned the museum’s official portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Artist Kehinde Wiley—best known for his vibrant, large-scale paintings of African Americans—will create the portrait of President Obama. Amy Sherald, first-prize winner of the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, has been chosen to paint Mrs. Obama. The two portraits will be unveiled at the museum in early 2018 and will be added to the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.

Over the course of his career, Wiley (b. Los Angeles, 1977), whom President Obama selected, has frequently portrayed young African American men wearing the latest in hip-hop street fashion. His rich, highly saturated color palette and his use of decorative patterns complement his realistic, yet expressive, likenesses. The theatrical poses and props Wiley assigns to his subjects make references to iconic portraits of powerful figures by Western artists.

Sherald (b. Columbus, Ga., 1973), who is based in Baltimore, was selected by Mrs. Obama to paint her portrait. Sherald challenges stereotypes and probes notions of identity through her life-size paintings of African Americans. Out of more than 2,500 entries, Sherald’s oil painting “Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance)” won first place in the Portrait Gallery’s 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Along with the exhibition that showcases all of the winning portraits, the first-place prize includes the opportunity to create a portrait of a living individual for the museum’s permanent collection.

“The Portrait Gallery is absolutely delighted that Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald have agreed to create the official portraits of our former President and First Lady,” said Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery. “Both have achieved enormous success as artists, but even more, they make art that reflects the power and potential of portraiture in the 21st century.”

At the end of each presidency, the museum partners with the White House to commission one official portrait of the President and one of his spouse. There are two sets of official portraits: one for the White House and one for the National Portrait Gallery. The museum began to commission Presidents’ portraits with George H.W. Bush.

The Portrait Gallery is continuing to raise private funds for the two commissioned portraits, the unveiling event, educational programs and an enhanced website. The museum is the only place outside the White House where visitors can view a complete collection of presidential portraits.

This past March, the Portrait Gallery installed a portrait diptych of President Obama by Chuck Close (2013) as part of the temporary “America’s Presidents” installation, which was on view until the updated version of the exhibition opened in September. The photographs by Close will remain on view until Obama’s official painted portrait is installed.

National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of America through the individuals who have shaped its culture. Through the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the American story.

The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture at Eighth and F streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Connect with the museum at its website (npg.si.edu), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTubeand the museum’s blog.

North Carolina Central University Awarded $16.3 Million by National Institute of Health

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has been awarded $16.3 million by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for a new Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) focusing on elevating the university’s health disparities research program. Led by Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute and principal investigator for the grant, the funding will support health disparities research activities across campus at NCCU.

NCCU is one of the seven minority-serving institutions that were recipients of this award. The research funding is the largest annual grant amount received for a non-Title III grant by NCCU and the largest funding for a single principal investigator on the campus.

The new RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research (RCHDR) will conduct three innovative basic biomedical and behavioral research projects, along with health disparities research pilot projects, involving robust mentoring, development of core facilities and leveraging of resources and partnerships with community-based organizations and neighboring institutions in the Research Triangle area. The center will also promote a collaborative research environment conducive to career enhancement for postdoctoral trainees and NCCU faculty at all levels.

“This major research grant will allow North Carolina Central University to engage in transformative research that examines health disparities and identifies real-world solutions that strengthen health care for minority populations throughout our state,” said University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings. “Moreover, the establishment of the new Research Center in Minority Institutions supports our shared goal of enhancing research opportunities, which will ultimately improve the quality of life of our citizens and generate economic growth.

Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D., chancellor of NCCU, said, “The significant research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health elevates North Carolina Central University’s noteworthy work investigating solutions to some of the nation’s toughest health disparities that persist as challenges to communities of color. Through this grant, I am thrilled that Dr. Kumar and his team are already fulfilling three of the six strategic priorities represented in ‘The Eagle Promise’initiative, which focus on expanding research, facilitating innovative strategic partnerships with the Research Triangle Park and building new infrastructure for the university.”

The mission of NCCU’s Research Center in Minority Institutions is to develop and strengthen the research infrastructure at NCCU for conducting cutting-edge health disparities research and to foster the next generation of minority biomedical researchers. It has three main objectives: 1) enhance the research capacity at NCCU within the areas of basic, behavioral and translational biomedical research; 2) diversify the biomedical research workforce and to prepare researchers who are successful extramurally funded health disparities investigators and 3) promote a collaborative environment for interdisciplinary research and establish sustainable relationships with neighboring research and community-based organizations to advance cutting-edge health disparities research at NCCU. The core of the research center will focus on: African-American men, stress, kidney and cardiometabolic disease; breast cancer disparities and metabolic stress; diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome; community engagement and pilot projects and mentoring.

“NCCU demonstrated its commitment to biomedical research by creating two biotechnology research institutes, BBRI and BRITE,” stated Kumar. “We are grateful to NIH/NIMHD for providing NCCU with this unprecedented opportunity to further enhance biomedical research by developing infrastructure, preparing the next generation of minority researchers and bringing faculty together in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research projects to advance our mission of addressing health disparities. The grant will foster collaborations and leverage resources from research and community-based organizations from the Research Triangle area and in North Carolina. This is a team effort across campus that will impact five NCCU colleges and schools, along with BBRI and BRITE. I am excited about Chancellor Akinleye’s ‘The Eagle Promise’ initiative and am grateful for his support and vision.”

In a press release announcing the award, NIMHD Director, Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable said: “Institutions with historical commitment to diversity are essential to supporting scientific research and providing healthcare to underserved communities. These institutions are uniquely positioned to engage minority populations in research, and in the translation of research advances into culturally competent, measurable and sustained improvements in health outcomes.”

Rep. Maxine Waters: Trump is unstable we should be moving on impeachment"

During an MSNBC interview California Rep. Maxine Waters said that there is enough evidence against Donald Trump for Congress to start "moving on impeachment,". Check out her statement below:

Florida Marlins Co-Owner Derek Jeter: It's OK if Marlins players want to take a knee

Derek Jeter wouldn’t say whether he would take a knee during the national anthem if he still were playing, but the Marlins’ new co-owner and future Hall of Famer wouldn’t have a problem if one of his players chose to protest social injustice and police brutality by doing so.

“Peaceful protest is fine,” the Miami CEO said Wednesday at the 21st annual Turn 2 Foundation Dinner at Cipriani on Wall Street. “You have a right to voice your opinion, as long as it’s a peaceful protest.”

As a player, Jeter rarely discussed social issues. But when asked his feelings about athletes taking a knee, which has become a major topic of discussion since former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee last year as a form of protest and has been followed by many other NFL players, he had no problem sharing his opinion. One MLB player, Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell, has taken a knee. Growing up biracial in Michigan, Jeter faced racism, and has said it shaped his life.

“The thing that I think is probably frustrating with this whole rhetoric that’s going back and forth is people lose sight of why someone was kneeling,” Jeter said. “They’re focused so much on the fact they are kneeling, as opposed to what they are kneeling for.

[SOURCE: NY POST]

U.S. Rep. Al Green, unveils articles of impeachment against Trump

U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, introduced formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on the House floor Wednesday but there was little enthusiasm for the move even among Green's Democratic colleagues.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, introduced formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on the House floor Wednesday, then abruptly stepped back from the measure later in the day.

In his argument for impeaching the president, Green read out several of Trump's tweets, arguing that his statements on several recent national controversies had “incited bigotry” against various minority groups, including African-Americans playing in the National Football League, transgender individuals serving in the military and Puerto Ricans recovering from a natural disaster. During his long-shot impeachment pitch, Green also criticized the president’s failure to condemn an August white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and called Trump out for claiming to have won the popular vote in November’s presidential election.

Just before the first round of afternoon votes, the presiding officer of the House floor called on Green to offer his resolution to move forward, but Green did not appear on the floor.

Green later told reporters that he wanted to allow more time for his colleagues to examine the legislation. But there was also active pressure put on the congressman to stop the effort, according to a half-dozen House Democratic sources.

Read more: U.S. Rep. Al Green, Houston Democrat, unveils articles of impeachment against Trump

Statement from the National African American Gun Association on Las Vegas shootings and gun laws

In light of the tragic shooting incident in Las Vegas in which 58 died, and over 500 were wounded I reached out to the National African American Gun Association for a statement. Phillip Smith,  president of the NAAGA, responded. While I don't agree with most of his response and much of it is what you would expect from a pro-gun organization, he did make some concessions as far as common sense gun laws that the NRA has not. Read his statement below. George L. Cook  III African American Reports.

To: George L. Cook III

Re: Las Vegas Shootings - Perspective

Hello George,

I want to say that first and foremost our Organization The National African American Gun Association would like to express our sorrow and deepest sympathy for the victims and families of the Las Vegas Shooting.
This is a tragic loss for everyone in the United States,  as Americans we all feel the pain from this......

When a Nation is hit with something like this it is easy and almost a natural reaction to point blame to a person, group, or Laws which might fill the void and provide some sort of rational answer...........we want to vent , scream, and talk about how this happened.........that is easy but it doesn't accomplish anything but becomes a divisive tool for certain organizations 
The first target of these conversations is almost always by default "Gun Laws" and how they need to be changed to take away people's rights to own Guns or severely limit them from the General public....typically the discussions range from taking Assault Rifles, enforcing background checks, improving Mental Health infrastructure, and changing the general public's taste for Guns

As in the case of the Las Vegas shooter he was a person who didn't have a previous record and was determined to
complete his mission.  Even the Las Vegas Police and Criminal Justice professionals have stated there was nothing Law Enforcement or the public could have done that would have prevented it.  He was an evil person acting as a "Lone Wolf" set out to do evil things to the public at a Concert.....

The Bigger question to me isn't what we should do next but what we shouldn't do as knee-jerk reaction

What we shouldn't do is start taking Gun Rights away from Law Abiding citizens like myself and millions of others in the United States.  You don't punish the good guys only to give Bad guys even more chances to kill folks because  Law Abiding Americans will now be totally defenseless.  Criminals and Mad Men are always going to find a way to have guns either Legally or Illegally that is a fact................ A good analogy is if you have a individual drunk driver kill several people on the highway and the  first reaction by the Government is to take everybody's car away in society because of the tragic event. That wouldn't seem logical or make sense,  nor does it seem rational to start taking guns away because of some evil person (s) action. 


You Can't legislate or force Morality upon the masses of the public......when you try do that you then become the next Dictator, Communist, or worse a Hypocrite. 
Do I believe in Practical and common sense laws when it comes to Gun Laws ........Yes I do...absolutely !

• No I don't think a person should have a "Bump Stock" because you basically have "Machine Gun" and that is too much 
• No  you can' have a gun if you are on the terror watch list
• No you can't have a gun if you beat your wife and kids and are considered a  serial Domestic Abuser.
• No if you have a violent Felony Record  you can't ever have a gun

We live in a Society where most of us are decent hard working Americans...but on occasion we will see someone lacking "Humanity for his fellow Man and wants to lash out and hurt as many individuals as they can....That is something that can't be corrected by any group of laws or local restrictions........unfortunately that is the nature of some people in society

Philip Smith

National President

National African American Gun Association

www.NAAGA.co

Cory Booker says he'll give donations from Harvey Weinstein to charity

Sen. Cory Booker's office said that the $7,800 he received in campaign contributions from movie producer Harvey Weinstein will be donated to a nonprofit group fighting sexual violence after The New York Times published allegations Weinstein harassed multiple women.

Booker's donation will go to the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, his office said. The coalition represents rape crisis centers in each of the state's 21 counties, and advocates for legislation centered on rape survivors.

Weinstein gave Booker three contributions of $2,600 each in October 2013, just days before he was elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. As of June 30, Booker's campaign account had more than $2 million accumulated for his next election, in 2020.

The $7,800 Booker received was part of a $10,000 contribution he made to Booker Senate Victory, a joint committee between the Senate campaign and the New Jersey Democratic State Committee. The NJDSC got the other $2,200, and will be giving that away as well, said spokesman Matt Farrauto.

Other democrats such as NY Gov. Cuomo and Sens. Charles Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Sen. Patrick Leahy,are also getting rid of contributions from Weinstein.

[SOURCE: USATODAY]

National Hockey League player J.T. Brown raises fist during national anthem

Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown raised his right fist during the playing of the national anthem before the team's first road game of the season.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown says he isn't going to back down anytime soon, standing behind his decision to fund the relocation of a Confederate statue in Tampa and stay vocal when it comes to issues concerning minorities.

It is the first known demonstration of any kind during the anthem in an NHL regular-season game. The NHL has no rules governing what players must do during the national anthem.

Brown, who was scratched for Tampa Bay's season-opening win against Florida, remained standing throughout the anthem Saturday night. Brown, one of approximately 30 black players in the NHL, used the same protest before a preseason game against the Panthers last month.

"I wanted to do something to show my support," Brown told the Tampa Bay Times after the Lightning's 5-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday. "There are some issues that we have to talk about. So, in my mind, just trying to bring a little more awareness, and any type of conversation that we can get started would be great. I know there's going to be negative backlash. But, in my heart, I know I did what was right."

The Lightning issued a statement later Saturday, saying, "The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate the moment before every game when we can unite as a community, paying homage to a flag that is representative of our nation and those who have sacrificed. At the same time, we respect our players and individual choices they may make on social and political issues."

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Congresswoman Barbara Lee says Trump turns deaf ear on black community’s concerns

Nearly five months to the day before his inauguration, then-Republican nominee Donald Trump tried to pitch his campaign to black voters with a single question: “What do you have to lose?”

Three months after his inauguration, the Congressional Black Caucus eagerly responded with a 130-page policy document entitled “We have a Lot to Lose,” outlining legislation they say would help African Americans and similarly marginalized communities.

That request fell on deaf ears, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said Saturday at an annual “State of Black America” panel at Laney College. She encouraged people at the Making Connections event to “be at the table with the black agenda and demand those resources,” with or without help from the administration.

“Remember President Trump said ‘What do we have to lose?’ to the black community? Well, we answered him and sent him an entire agenda as it relates to the African American community,” Lee said. Trump “invited us to come to the White House and Cedric Richmond, our chair, said no. He was fully disgusted with our president and his agenda on all of the issues that we’re talking about today.”

“The Congressional Black Caucus is not only the heart and soul of the resistance movement in Congress but also leading on so many issues that we care about here in the Bay Area,” said Lee, a caucus member.

The panel highlighted a number of concerns for the group of a few hundred people, predominantly African Americans, in the audience, including economic disparity between black and white communities, homelessness, housing struggles and criminal justice reform.

Speakers at the Oakland event included Lee, San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen, Oakland Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Mark Ridley-Thomas of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and National Urban League Vice President Don Cravins Jr.

[SFGATE]

Civil Rights icon John Lewis revives gun control push after Las Vegas shooting

Civil rights figurehead Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, re-upped the pressure on his Republican colleagues Wednesday to pass gun control legislation in the aftermath of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Lewis and several of his House Democratic colleagues held a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to honor the victims of the shooting and protest Congress’ inaction on gun control in recent years. He was joined by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and former Congressman Gabby Giffords, who narrowly escaped death after she was shot in the head at a constituent meet-and-greet in 2011.

“This Congress has failed the American people. As in Newtown and Aurora and Charleston and Orlando, now in Las Vegas, how many more must die? A hundred? A thousand? 10,000? A million? What is your blood price? How many more must die?” Lewis asked, according to Politico. “But there’s no number, is there? There’s no amount of blood or pain or death or suffering that would move this Congress to act. We hold moments of silence and vigil. We offer our thoughts and prayers, but it’s all a show, a placeholder until people forget.”

The group called for passage of a bill that would strengthen firearm background checks. Lawmakers also want Congress to establish a bipartisan Select Committee on Gun Violence to study the issue and recommend other potential legislation.

Their effort did not work. House Speaker Paul Ryan declined to bring up for a vote anything that would tighten gun laws and raised the prospect of punishing the Democratic lawmakers for breaking the chamber’s rules.

Minds are not likely to change this time either. Lewis reportedly approached Ryan earlier this week to see if he would come to Wednesday’s press conference, Politico reported. Ryan declined.

[SOURCE]

US Virgin Islands is grappling for attention after being hit by two hurricanes

Depending on what media outlets Americans engage, they might think that Puerto Rico is the only US territory hit by hurricanes recently, but that's not true.

The US Virgin Islands were hit twice - by Hurricanes Irma and Maria - and for the most part have been overlooked in the national disaster relief conversation, said US House of Representatives Delegate Stacey Plaskett.

The Category 5 storms left the community without power and Internet service, preventing many stores and pharmacies from serving customers who mainly use cards to purchase essential items.

"We hear headlines about what's happening in Puerto Rico," she told MSNBC's Joy Reid last week. "I can't tell you the low morale that the people of the Virgin Islands have right now about how the federal government and the rest of the Americans feel about them because we hear nothing - nothing about the people of the US Virgin Islands."

"And unfortunately, some of us are beginning to think that maybe it's because the US Virgin Islands is a primarily black territory that we're not hearing anything in the news," Plaskett added. "There's no discussion about us."

Read more: US Virgin Islands is grappling for attention after being hit by two hurricanes

African-Americans should apply for gun licenses to scare lawmakers into action

By Leonard Greene NY Daily News

America would have tighter gun laws in 24 hours if every black person in America went out and bought a firearm.

In fact, black people wouldn't even have to purchase the guns. All we would need to do is fill out the gun license applications and get background checks.

Lawmakers would be passing stricter gun laws quicker than you can say bump stock.

That's the evil attachment Las Vegas madman Stephen Paddock used to legally turn his semi-automatic weapon into a rapid-fire killing machine when he unloaded Sunday on a crowd of country music concertgoers, killing nearly 60 outside his Las Vegas hotel.

In the days since, the White House has reaffirmed its commitment to the Second Amendment.

But how quickly would that change if black people started exercising their Second Amendment rights, and took advantage of ridiculous open carry laws?

Elected officials would amend the Constitution in a heartbeat, because nothing would scare America more than the thought of a heavily armed black population.

Not a credit card data breach.

Not North Korean nukes.

And, nothing, not even holding a gun to their heads, would move members of Congress to pass meaningful gun control faster than a flood of applications from black people threatening to stockpile weapons of their own.

I call it the Hotel Pool Theory.

Not long ago, racist white people were so against swimming with blacks that many hotel owners shut down their swimming pools rather than desegregate their facilities.

Likewise, Republican senators, and even the National Rifle Association for that matter, aren't about to stand around and let law-abiding black people have equal access to guns.

Not under today's laws, where restrictions are so lax you can practically buy a gun out of a vending machine or get one free with a gas station fill-up.

According to the Congressional Research Service, there are already more guns in the United States than there are people.

What we need are stricter laws, and legislation that would outlaw bump stocks instead of imposing “additional regulations” as the NRA suggests.

Applications from African-Americans and background checks on black buyers would be more than enough to scare lawmakers into action.

Source: NY DAILY NEWS

March for Black Women Draws Hundreds in Washington, D.C.

A few weeks before the 20th anniversary of the Million Woman March, hundreds of Black women mobilized in Washington, D.C. last Saturday for the March for Black Women.

The rally was spearheaded by the civil and human rights organization Black Women’s Blue Print. A statement from the group said the gathering aimed to “denounce the propagation of state-violence and the widespread incarceration of Black women and girls, rape and all sexualized violence, the murders and brutalization of trans women and the disappearances of our girls from our streets, our schools and our homes.”

Saturday’s demonstration coincided with the March for Racial Justice. The intertwining of the two events was absolutely intentional, according to the executive director of Black Women’s Blue Print, Farah Tanis.

“I said to myself that there will not be another March for Racial Injustice that does not truly center black women and their issues,” Tanis told the Washington Post.

The organizers of the March for Black Women told the Post they wanted their demonstration to cater to women who felt left out of the Women’s March on Washington. Many women of color believed the January march was geared toward White feminism and felt excluded by the rally.

“In this highly political moment of the 20th anniversary of the Million Woman March, the March for Black Women will amplify the struggles of Black women in the rural South—the “Black Belt,” and demand a cease and desist of all threats to those of us who are immigrant women across the country living in fear of deportation,” the rally’s statement continued.

“On September 30, 2017, Black cis and trans-identified women will remove the gags from our mouths, protest in collective action and lift the foot of imperialist white supremacist patriarchy off our necks,” the page read. “We call on every Black woman from every U.S. city, every walk of life, every demographic to rise together within our differences and face our common oppressors.”

Read more March for Black Women Draws Hundreds in Washington, D.C.

Panthers QB Cam Newton says TD celebration was for 'Black Power'

After Cam Newton scored a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Patriots, the Panthers quarterback stood with a raised fist in the end zone.

Newton, who stood during the national anthem before the game, said Wednesday he might have some sort of protest in the wake of President Donald Trump's divisive comments last weekend.

Newton's touchdown gave Carolina a 30-16 lead early in the fourth quarter and the Panthers held on for a 33-30 victory. Newton, who threw for 316 yards and three scores while rushing for 44 yards and the 7-yard touchdown, explained his touchdown celebration following the game.

"It was to signify Black Power, but more importantly, I pray every night for God to give me a pinnacle to give people hope," Newton said. "I did it to raise — to show Black Pride because I am an African American, but more or less, I want all people just to see when I play, I want them to see the joy that I go out there and play with.

Read more: Panthers QB Cam Newton says TD celebration was for 'Black Power'

New Nielsen Study Reveals Growing Spending Power, Influence of Black Women

A new report detailing the record-setting spending power of African American women has further buoyed the confidence of Black female entrepreneurs, who said the information proves their undeniable value to the United States and the global economy.

The report titled, “African American Women: Our Science, Her Magic,” was released by Nielsen during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual legislative conference; it revealed that African American women’s consumer preferences and brand affinities are resonating across the mainstream culture, driving total Black spending power toward a record $1.5 trillion by 2021.

The report also noted that Black women comprise 14 percent of all females in the U.S. (“24.3 million strong”) and 52 percent of all African Americans.

With an average age of 35.1 years (versus 42.8 for non-Hispanic White women and 39.4 for all women), Black women have enjoyed steady growth in population, incomes and educational attainment.

Sixty-four percent of Black women currently enroll in college right out of high school and 23 percent over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher, up from 18 percent in 2005.

Further, the report noted that the number of businesses majority-owned by Black women grew 67 percent between 2007 and 2012, more than all women combined.

The latest U.S. Census figures show African- American women have majority ownership in more than 1.5 million businesses with over $42 billion in sales.

“This report is helpful to show banks and brands that Black women are highly qualified to be recipients of fair lending and to be fairly represented in advertising campaigns,” said Samantha Gregory, the founder of the website richsinglemomma.com, a platform developed to help single mothers earn extra cash. “As a Black woman in technology and personal finance, who is also a business owner, those statistics are useful, when I am making a case for working with brands for my blog and business.

Read more: New Nielsen Study Reveals Growing Spending Power, Influence of Black Women