Barack Obama pays tribute to Nipsey Hussle

Former President Barack Obama paid tribute to rapper and community activist  Nipsey Hussle in a letter that was read at a Hussle's memorial. 

The full text follows:

Dear Friends and Family of Nipsey:

I'd never met Nipsey Hussle, but I'd heard some of his music through my daughters, and after his passing, I had the chance to learn more about his transformation and his community work.

While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going. His choice to invest in that community rather than ignore it -- to build a skills training center and a coworking space in Crenshaw; to lift up the Eritrean-American community; to set an example for young people to follow -- is a legacy worth of celebration. I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it.

Michelle and I send our sympathies to Lauren, Emani, Kross, and the entire Asghedom family and to all those who loved Nipsey.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Georgetown Students Vote to Pay Reparations

As debate over reparations heats us, Georgetown University students voted Thursday by a large margin to impose a fee on themselves to pay reparations for the university's ties to slavery.

The student election commission announced the results early this morning. The measure attracted just under two-thirds of voters and passed, 2,541 to 1,304.

The measure calls for the university to start with a fee of $27.20 per semester in fall of 2020, "in honor of the 272 people sold by Georgetown," referring to the slaves sold by Jesuits to finance the university in its early days. The resolution says that proceeds from the fund "will be allocated for charitable purposes directly benefiting the descendants of the GU272 and other persons once enslaved by the Maryland Jesuits -- with special consideration given to causes and proposals directly benefiting those descendants still residing in proud and underprivileged communities,"

The proposed fee would be a tiny fraction of the price of attending Georgetown, where tuition alone is more than $55,000 this year.

While the measure is not binding on the university, the vote comes as Democratic presidential candidates have elevated the national debate over reparations. The vote also marks a potential shift in higher education.

In recent years, many colleges -- including Georgetown -- have conducted studies of their ties to slavery. Those studies have led to publications, academic conferences and monuments that honor the labor of slaves.

But the vote by Georgetown is the first move to have students pay reparations.

[SOURCE: INSIDEHIGHERED]

NJ high school principal dies after bone marrow donation to help 14-year-old boy

A selfless act of kindness by Westfield High School (NJ) Principal Derrick Nelson to donate bone marrow to a 14-year-old boy in France led to the month long coma that ultimately took his life Sunday, according to his family.

Nelson, 44, underwent the donation procedure at a Bergen County hospital in February, his 81-year-old father Willie Nelson said Tuesday in an interview with NJ Advance Media.

“After the procedure he did, he couldn’t speak and was lying in the bed,” his father, 81, said. “His eyes were open and he realized who we were. But he couldn’t move. He never spoke again.”

Nelson said he and his wife, Juanita, also 81, his son’s fiancé, Sheronda, and the couple’s 6-year-old daughter kept vigil at his room at Hackensack University Hospital for weeks, hoping he would recover. Nelson died Sunday.

At Westfield High School on Tuesday, students recalled the beloved principal for his selfless act and compassion.

"I always knew that he was a great man. He was the type of man that used authority but was still such an approachable man. I can’t name a single person that didn’t like him,” said Marcela Avans a 16-year-old junior at Westfield High School. “When I found out that he was first ill, it broke my heart because he was helping someone, but it really made me respect him and appreciate his service to the community even more.”

Nelson’s grieving parents said they plan to have a funeral later this week at St. John’s Baptist Church in Scotch Plains. They said they would try to finalize and announce services later Tuesday.

Nelson served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve for more than 20 years and had recently re-enlisted, his father said. His military service included an assignment in the Middle East, school officials have said.

An online petition has been started to rename Westfield High School in the memory of Principal Derrick Nelson. You ca sign the petition here: Change the name of Westfield high school to Derrick Nelson high school

[SOURCENJ.COM]

EBONY Media Operations not affected by Johnson Publishing Company Bankruptcy Filing

EBONY Media Operations, LLC brands, which include EBONY magazine, EBONY.com, digital magazine JET at jetmag.com and its related businesses, have viably operated independently of Johnson Publishing Company dba/ Fashion Fair Cosmetics (JPC) since Black-owned Ebony Media Operations, LLC (EMO) purchased the media assets of JPC in 2016. Black-owned investment firm CVG Group LLC assisted in the formation of EMO.

EMO is unaffected by the Chapter 7 bankruptcy announcement regarding the dissolution of JPC. EMO is not able to comment further and is not familiar with the facts or events of the JPC business.

EMO looks forward to continuing to delight and serve the Black community in America and worldwide for years to come.

[SOURCE EBONY.COM]

NAACP STATEMENT ON BLACK CHURCH BURNINGS IN THE SOUTH

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, made the following statement in response to recent outbreak of Black church burnings:

“What is happening in Tennessee and Louisiana is domestic terrorism and we must not turn a blind eye to any incident where people are targeted because of the color of their skin or their faith. The spike in church burnings in Southern states is a reflection of the emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country. But this is nothing new. For decades, African American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community. As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been the targets of violence. The NAACP stands vigilant to ensure that authorities conduct full investigations.”

Police arrest two over vandalism of African American monument in North Carolina

Police on Monday arrested two people over the vandalism of a memorial to slaves and African American workers who helped build the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a campus still roiled by last year's toppling of a Confederate monument.

The Unsung Founders' Memorial, erected in 2005 at UNC's flagship campus, was vandalized at about 1:30 a.m. on March 31 by two people, including one with ties to a group called Heirs to the Confederacy, the university police said.

Vandals wrote racist language on it with permanent marker and defaced it with urine, police said, adding that the suspects were later identified through security video.

Media outlets, including news website Chapelboro.com, said Nancy McCorkle, 50, of Newberry, South Carolina and Ryan Barnett, 31, of Sanford, N.C., were arrested on misdemeanor charges of vandalism and ethnic intimidation, and released on bond.

A police representative was not immediately available to comment to Reuters early on Tuesday, and it was unclear if McCorkle and Barnett had legal representation.

[SOURCE: YAHOONEWS]

Cory Booker Announces Introduction of Bill for Study of Reparation Proposals for African-Americans

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced he will introduce a bill to form a commission for the study of reparation proposals for African-Americans. Final legislative language of the bill will be filed shortly. The bill is the Senate companion to HR40, introduced earlier this year by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).

The Commission will aim to study the impact of slavery and continuing discrimination against African-Americans and will make recommendations on reparation proposals for the descendants of slaves.

"Since slavery in this country, we have had overt policies fueled by white supremacy and racism that have oppressed African-Americans economically for generations," Booker said. "Many of our bedrock domestic policies that have ushered millions of Americans into the middle class have systematically excluded blacks through practices like GI Bill discrimination and redlining. This bill is a way of addressing head-on the persistence of racism, white supremacy, and implicit racial bias in our country. It will bring together the best minds to study the issue and propose solutions that will finally begin to right the economic scales of past harms and make sure we are a country where all dignity and humanity is affirmed."

"Since the initial introduction of this legislation in 1989, the importance of examining the institution of slavery in the United States has been recognized across a broad range of our society," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said. "I am pleased that Senator Booker has introduced a Senate Companion to H.R. 40. I salute his dedication to elevating the discussion of reparations and reparatory justice, and look forward to the dialogue that this issue engenders on and off Capitol Hill."

FBI investigating fires at 3 black churches in Louisiana

The FBI has joined the investigation into a string of suspicious fires at historically black churches in Louisiana. Three churches have burned in less than two weeks in St. Landry Parish near Baton Rouge.

New PSA with Harry Lennix on how prostate cancer disproportionately affecting African American men

Actor Harry Lennix   who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their personal risks for prostate cancer. 

"I am honored to serve as an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and to use my platform to raise awareness about this insidious disease which has affected so many people close to me," said Lennix.  "In honor of those I have lost, I am encouraging all men, including African Americans who are at heightened risk, to take the time to familiarize themselves with this disease and to take steps to reduce their risk for developing prostate cancer or to catch it early enough to survive it."

Despite recent reports of declining mortality rates for African American men, they remain the hardest hit by prostate cancer, with nearly 20 percent still being affected, and suffer the highest mortality rate from the disease of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. There remains a need to build public awareness about prostate cancer and to provide easy access to critical information, including screening guidelines, prevention and new targeted treatments.  Equally important is destigmatizing the disease through open, honest dialogue, such as this discussion featuring former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, Stacey Abrams, and her father, which will lead to more men becoming proactive about their health.

"Currently, there is focus and large commitment in place to understand why the disparities that affect African American men with prostate cancer exist, and we are finally seeing some progress. But this is not the time to take the foot off the gas; this is the time to accelerate," said Christine N. Jones, Chief Operating Officer, PCF.  "We have a two-pronged approach to address this issue -  education and awareness - which we know is saving lives on the front end, and investment in science, so we can better understand what is going on so precision treatments can be developed." 

National Minority Health Month Campaign Highlights

Actor Harry Lennix, who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their

• personal risks for prostate cancer, take charge of their health and save lives by breaking down barriers and talking about the disease. The PCF's new PSA featuring Lennix can be viewed at www.pcf.org/knowthenumbers.
• The PCF's new "PROSTATE CANCER: Additional Facts for African American Men and Their Families" is available for free download at www.pcf.org. The new guide provides actionable information about what men can do to prevent prostate cancer as well as information about risks and screening guidelines specifically for African Americans. The guide features comments from Chris Tucker, Brian Custer, "Uncle" Charlie Wilson and Snoop Dogg. Also available for free download is a comprehensive Prostate Cancer Patient Guide. 
• The PCF currently has more than $10 million invested in research focused on prostate cancer in African American men. Teams across the U.S. are investigating a range of topics such as environmental factors to targeted therapies and genomics. Commencing this month is recruitment for the RESPOND study, which represents a $1 million PCF investment and is the largest study of its kind aimed at identifying the environmental and genetic factors related to disproportionately high diagnoses of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. The study aims to recruit 10,000 participants over a three-year period to generate key biological and non-biological information that will help researchers reduce the rate of aggressive prostate cancer in this population. Find out more at www.pcf.org/RESPOND.
• Randy Jackson, Chris Tucker, Rev. Rosey Grier and others will be featured in month-long social media campaigns designed to reach men to encourage them to "Know the Numbers."

ABOUT THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $788 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at nearly 200 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise now extends to 19 countries. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.pcf.org.

Connect with PCF:Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

MEDIA CONTACT:
Colleen McKenna
Prostate Cancer Foundation
(310) 570-4722
cmckenna@pcf.org

New York man for threatening to assault and kill Ilhan Omar

Patrick Carlineo, a New York man is being charged after calling into Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN) office and threatening to assault and kill the congresswoman.

Teresa Weatherspoon Announced as Member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Today, at a press event presented by Haggar Clothing Company, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 12 honorees in the Class of 2019 to be celebrated September 5-7, 2019 during this year’s Enshrinement festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Class Announcement was made in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the site of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four and televised live on ESPN2.

One of those 12 honorees was New York Liberty star Teresa Weatherspoon

Weatherspoon is a five-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003) and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998). Recognized as an iconic player with the New York Liberty, she was the first player to tally 1,000 points and 1,000 assists in the WNBA. Internationally, Weatherspoon is a six-time Italian League All-Star (1989-1994), two-time Russian League champion (1995,1996), and an Olympic gold medalist (1988). A native of Jasper, Texas, Weatherspoon played for Louisiana Tech University (1984-1988) where she was named to the Kodak All-America Team twice (1987, 1988). In 1988, she led her team to an NCAA Championship and was named the recipient of the Wade Trophy. Weatherspoon was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sidney Moncrief going into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Sidney Moncrief is one of the most decorated players in Milwaukee Bucks history.

Moncrief can add the most prestigious honor to his accolades after being named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Moncrief is widely seen as one of the best defensive guards in NBA history. He was drafted fifth overall by the Bucks in 1979 after a standout collegiate career at Arkansas. Moncrief spent 10 of his 11 NBA seasons in Milwaukee.

He ranks third on the franchise's all-time list in points (11,594), second in games played (695), first in free throws made (3,505), second in assists (2,689) and third in steals (874).

Moncrief was named the NBA's defensive player of the year in 1983 and '84. He was a five-time all-star (1982-'86) and was on the league's all-defensive team four straight seasons from 1983-'86. Moncrief was honored as first-team all-NBA in 1983.

Jack Sikma, Vlade Divac, Paul Westphal, Bobby Jones, Theresa Weatherspoon, Bill Fitch, Al Attles and Carl Braun were among the other players voted into the hall of fame.

[SOURCE: JSONLINE]

Kamala Harris speech at 2019 National Action Network Convention

Speaking at the National Action Network's conference in New York, California Sen. Kamala Harris pledged to double the size of the Justice Department's civil rights division and to sign legislation creating a commission to study reparations to African Americans hurt by slavery. Watch her entire speech below:

Cory Booker speech at 2019 National Action Network annual convention

Democratic Presidential Candidate Cory Booker spoke at the 2019 National Action Network annual convention in New York City. Booker spoke about the importance of the Black Church and the moral crisis facing the United States when it comes to clean water and the injustice in the criminal justice system. Watch his full speech below:

Pope Names Wilton Gregory as New Archbishop of Washington

Pope Francis has tapped Archbishop Wilton Gregory to lead the embattled Archdiocese of Washington, giving the nation's capital its first African-American archbishop a veteran leader who guided the Catholic Church through its clergy sexual abuse crisis in the early 2000s.

The archbishop of Washington is traditionally elevated by the Pope to the college of cardinals, meaning that Gregory eventually could be the first African-American cardinal ever to serve in the Catholic Church in the United States.

Archbishop Gregory has was previously in charge of the Archdiocese of Atlanta in Georgia. He was appointed Archbishop in December 2004, and took office on 17 January 2005.

The Archbishop, who was born in 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, studied philosophy at Niles College and theology at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. He was ordained a priest on May 9, 1973 for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

In 1980 Archbishop Gregory obtained his Doctorate in Liturgy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant'Anselmo in Rome.

After his priestly ordination, he held the following positions: Parish Vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview; Student in Rome (1976-1979); Professor of Liturgy at Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelain, Member of the Archdiocesan Office for the Liturgy and Master of Ceremonies for Cardinals Cody and Bernardin (1980-1983).

In October of 1983 he was appointed titular Bishop of Oliva and Auxiliary of Chicago. He was transferred to the See of Belleville, Illinois, in 1993.

Within the United States Episcopal Conference, the Archbishop has held a number of positions including, President (2001-2004), Vice-President (1998-2001). He is currently Chair of the Committee on Divine Worship.

Tiana Mermaid a new children's book by Henry Davis

It can be difficult to find children's books featuring African American characters, so I'm always happy when I find a new book to share with you. Check out "Tiana Mermaid" a book by Henry Davis.

Henry Davis, a New York City-based author, US Marine, carpenter, electrician, and poet, has completed his book “Tiana Mermaid”: an entertaining story introducing a good-natured little mermaid inspired by the author’s own young daughter.

Henry shares, “Tiana is an African American mermaid who shows love, kindness and concern for all the creatures of the Boobiest Sea. Tiana is funny and a whole lot of fun; she has an underwater Halloween and dance party. She also has special healing powers and will have you laughing from beginning to end of her adventures. You will look forward to reading more adventures from Tiana. God willing this is only the first of a series of Tiana Adventures.”

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Henry Davis’s book is a sweet mermaid tale for young children and independent readers.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase “Tiana Mermaid” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON

PAPERBACK ------ KINDLE

Lori Lightfoot elected Chicago's 1st black, female mayor

Lori Lightfoot won a resounding victory Tuesday night to become both the first African-American woman and openly gay person elected mayor of Chicago, dealing a stinging defeat to a political establishment that has reigned over City Hall for decades.

After waging a campaign focused on upending the vaunted Chicago political machine, Lightfoot dismantled one of its major cogs by dispatching Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, whose candidacy had been hobbled in part by an anti-incumbent mood among voters and an ongoing federal corruption investigation at City Hall.

“Today, you did more than make history,” Lightfoot told hundreds of supporters at the Hilton Chicago on Tuesday night. “You created a movement for change.”

With roughly 97 percent of the city’s precincts reporting, Lightfoot had swept all 50 of Chicago’s wards, winning 74 percent of the unofficial vote to 26 percent for Preckwinkle, a 28-year officeholder who prior to her eight years as the county’s chief executive served 19 years as a Hyde Park alderman.

Lightfoot will be sworn in as Chicago’s 56th mayor on May 20 while Preckwinkle will return to her third term running the county after a humiliating defeat that included losing her own 4th Ward by 20 points.

Lightfoot will become the third African-American to serve as mayor. Harold Washington was elected in 1983 as the city’s first black mayor and won re-election in 1987 before dying in office later that year. Eugene Sawyer, the city’s second black mayor, was appointed to serve out Washington’s term until a 1989 special election.

[SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE]

Susan Rice comes to the defense of Joe Biden

In a series of tweets Susan Rice, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and national security adviser under former President Obama defended former Vice President Joe Biden amid accusations that he has inappropriately touched women. Rice called him "a dedicated ally, champion and defender of women and all of our rights."

Read the tweets below:

I respect every woman who chooses to share her uncomfortable (and worse) experiences with men. Their perspectives must be heard and taken seriously. 1/3

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) April 2, 2019

I have worked closely with @JoeBiden for many years. In my experience, he is warm and affectionate with women (and men). But never have I found his actions inappropriate or uncomfortable. I have always appreciated his kindness and warmth. 2/3

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) April 2, 2019

Most importantly, I know @JoeBiden to be a dedicated ally, champion and defender of women and all of our rights. There is no one I would rather be with in a foxhole. He is one of the most decent, honorable men I have been privileged to work with. 3/3

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) April 2, 2019

Shurontaya Festa is missing!

Pittsburgh police are asking for help locating a woman who has been missing since yesterday.

Shurontaya "Tay Tay" Festa, 22, was last seen in Oakland on March 31. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall and has brown eyes. She is known to frequent Duquesne, Wilkinsburg and East Pittsburgh, police said in a Facebook post.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Missing Persons Detectives at 412-323-7141.

Baltimore mayor, Catherine Pugh under fire over book sales, takes leave for health

Baltimore's embattled mayor began an indefinite hiatus on Monday, citing health reasons for her leave on the same day the state's governor called for a probe into sales of her self-published books to a health provider.

Mayor Catherine Pugh has been battling pneumonia for a few weeks and her physicians have advised her to focus on recuperating, her office said in a statement.

"At this time, with the mayor's health deteriorating, she feels as though she is unable to fulfill her obligations as mayor of Baltimore City," the statement from Pugh's office said. "To that end, Mayor Pugh will be taking an indefinite leave of absence to recuperate from this serious illness."

Pugh, who was elected mayor in 2016, has been under fire since the Baltimore Sun reported last month the University of Maryland Medical System paid her $500,000 between 2012 and 2018 to buy copies of her self-published children's book series, "Healthy Holly."

The series promotes healthy choices for children, such as exercise and eating vegetables.

Pugh, a Democrat, was serving on the board of the medical system when she received payments for the books. She was among nine members of the board with some form of business arrangement with the medical system, the newspaper reported.

Read more: Baltimore mayor, under fire over book sales, takes leave for health.