VP Kamala Harris statement on Derek Chauvin guilty verdict

Vice President Kamala Harris released the following statement via Twitter after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on three counts in tbe murder of George Floyd:

We are all part of George Floyd's legacy. And now our job is to honor it—to honor him.

Today’s verdict brings us a step closer to making equal justice under law a reality. But the verdict will not heal pain that has existed for generations. It will not take away the pain felt by the Floyd family. That’s why we must recommit to fight for equal justice.

The Senate should pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to hold law enforcement everywhere to the highest standards of accountability and help build trust between law enforcement and our communities.

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

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

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

Barack Obama statement on the Chauvin guilty verdict

Former US President Barack Obama released the following statement after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on three counts in tbe murder of George Floyd:

Today, a jury in Minneapolis did the right thing.

For almost a year, George Floyd’s death under the knee of a police officer has reverberated around the world — inspiring murals and marches, sparking conversations in living rooms and new legislation. But a more basic question has always remained: would justice be done?

In this case, at least, we have our answer. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial.

True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day. It requires us to recognize that millions of our friends, family, and fellow citizens live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last. And it requires us to do the sometimes thankless, often difficult, but always necessary work of making the America we know more like the America we believe in.

While today’s verdict may have been a necessary step on the road to progress, it was far from a sufficient one. We cannot rest. We will need to follow through with the concrete reforms that will reduce and ultimately eliminate racial bias in our criminal justice system. We will need to redouble efforts to expand economic opportunity for those communities that have been too long marginalized.

And as we continue the fight, we can draw strength from the millions of people — especially young people — who have marched and protested and spoken up over the last year, shining a light on inequity and calling for change. Justice is closer today not simply because of this verdict, but because of their work.

Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, in the hopes that they may find peace. And we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied.

Rep. Karen bass hopeful on passing police reform bill

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) on Sunday said she is “hopeful” that Congress will come together to pass police reform in the wake of two recent fatal police shootings of people of color.

Rep. Karen Bass on police reform: "All communities deserve to be protected and served by law enforcement and you shouldn't have law enforcement that protects and serves one community and acts as though they're in a war zone in another community ... that's what we have." #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/KTsmzXLdkz

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 18, 2021

The Art Institute of Chicago names Denise Gardner new board chair

The Art Institute of Chicago on Tuesday elected Chicago philanthropist and art collector Denise Gardner as its next board chair, beginning in November.

A 15-year trustee of the museum, Gardner will be the first African-American and first woman leader of the governing body for the museum and the School of the Art Institute. It is believed that she will be the first Black woman to head the board of a major U.S. art museum, although such demographics are hard to come by.

“I knew I was the first at the Art Institute. I didn’t know I was the first in the nation. Wow,” said the beauty products entrepreneur, 66. “I feel a little extra pressure to succeed. But I don’t have a problem with that. I welcome that. And I enjoy exceeding people’s expectations.”

“I’m looking forward to helping the museum move forward to becoming even more of a dynamic and leading cultural gathering place and institution in the city.”

Gardner has been a vice chair on the board for the past five years and was a clear choice as his successor, said Robert M. Levy, the current board chair.

“She’s been so active with the museum and the school for many years so we knew how good she was and how committed to who we are,” Levy said. “She has exactly the right resume, which is business experience, involvement with the school, substantial involvement with the museum and art. She and her husband, Gary, are noted collectors.”

For her part, Gardner was quick to praise women who have served on boards before her, particularly Jetta Jones, the Art Institute’s first Black woman trustee. Serving from 1995 to 2006, Jones, who died Friday in Los Angeles at age 95, brought Gardner into contact and then deep involvement with the museum, Gardner said.

“I learned so much from watching her, watching how she managed progress and change at the board level at the Art Institute,” Gardner said. “And so I think about her and people like her. She certainly could have been chair.”

[SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE]

White House issues a Proclamation on Black Maternal Health Week, 2021

President Joe Biden released the following proclimation acknowledging Black Maternal Health Week, 2021:

In the United States of America, a person’s race should never determine their health outcomes, and pregnancy and childbirth should be safe for all.  However, for far too many Black women, safety and equity have been tragically denied.  America’s maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the developed world, and they are especially high among Black mothers, who die from complications related to pregnancy at roughly two to three times the rate of white, Hispanic, Asian American, and Pacific Islander women — regardless of their income or education levels.  This week, I call on all Americans to recognize the importance of addressing the crisis of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in this country. 

Ensuring that all women have equitable access to health care before, during, and after pregnancy is essential.  The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to addressing these unacceptable disparities, and to building a health care system that delivers equity and dignity to Black, Indigenous, and other women and girls of color.

Health care is a right, not a privilege, and our country needs a health care system that works for all of us.  That is something both Vice President Harris and I have fought for throughout our careers.  As a Senator, Vice President Harris was a champion of Black maternal health, introducing legislation to close gaps in access to quality maternal care and educate providers about implicit bias.  And during my time as Vice President, I fought for the Affordable Care Act and to strengthen Medicaid, both of which ensure access to critical services to support maternal health.  Within just a few years of the Affordable Care Act’s passage, Black uninsured rates dramatically declined — a key factor in ensuring better maternal health outcomes — as did the persistent health insurance coverage gap between Black and white Americans, which fell by more than 40 percent in the wake of the law’s implementation.

As we fight to bring an end to the COVID-19 crisis, we will continue to make quality health care more accessible and affordable for all Americans, as we did through the passage of the landmark American Rescue Plan.  We will also work to ensure that everyone — including hospitals, insurance plans, and health care providers — do their part to provide every American with quality, affordable, and equitable care.

Vice President Harris and I are committed to pursuing systemic policies that provide comprehensive, holistic maternal health care that is free from bias and discrimination.  The morbidity and mortality disparities that Black mothers face are not the results of isolated incidents.  Our Nation must root out systemic racism everywhere it exists, including by addressing unequal social determinants of health that often contribute to racial disparities such as adequate nutrition and housing, toxin-free environments, high-paying job sectors that provide paid leave, and workplaces free of harassment and discrimination.

Addressing systemic barriers across the board will improve outcomes for Black mothers and their families, and make our entire country stronger, healthier, and more prosperous.  At the same time, the United States must also grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, improve how we collect data to better understand the causes of maternal death and complications from birth, and invest in community-based organizations to help reduce the glaring racial and ethnic disparities that persist in our health care system. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 11 through April 17, 2021, as Black Maternal Health Week.  I call upon all Americans to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by understanding the consequences of systemic discrimination, recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for urgent solutions, amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities, and committing to building a world in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, their wellbeing, their dignity, and their lives before, during, and after pregnancy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

Kaniya Weddle is Missing!

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a woman who has been missing since Wednesday.

30-year-old Kaniya Weddle may be traveling in a 2019 Black Jeep Cherokee, license plate: 550 -YVI.

She was last seen around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

If you have any information regarding where Kaniya Weddle may be, call investigators at 501-371-4829.

Patricia Ramsey Appointed President of Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York

The board of trustees of the City University of New York appointed Patricia Ramsey as the sixth president of Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. The CUNY senior college, a predominantly Black institution that was established in response to community advocacy in 1970 and named for the iconic civil rights leader who was slain seven years earlier in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi. His murderer was not convicted for more than three decades.

Medgar Evers College enrolls nearly 5,800 students, according to the most recent data supplied to the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 76 percent of the student body.

Dr. Ramsey, whose appointment is effective May 1, will be the first woman to serve as the president of Medgar Evers College. A biologist by training, she comes to CUNY from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in Washington, D.C., where she spent the past year as a senior executive fellow. She previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of the slain civil rights leader and noted social activist, said that “Dr. Ramsey is a passionate, courageous, and innovative educator with a well-established track record of inspiring students, faculty, and administration at historically Black colleges and universities. Dr. Ramsey is committed to creating an environment in which students know they are valued for their pursuit of excellence in their educational endeavors, and where their success is understood to be inextricably linked to that of the community. Our family is very grateful to the MEC family, community, and CUNY for their dedication to this new beginning, which will truly honor the life and legacy of Medgar Wiley Evers and brings a promising new future to the college that was named for him.”

In accepting the appointment, Dr. Ramsey stated that “during these times of heightened awareness of social justice issues, I have the unique opportunity to lead Medgar Evers College, an institution with social justice in its DNA. It is my firm belief that if we work together, we can move Medgar Evers College to a new level of excellence.”

Dr. Ramsey earned a bachelor’s degree in biology education from Norfolk State University in Virginia. She holds a master’s degree in botany from Howard University, a master’s degree in biology from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in biology from Georgetown University.

NAACP PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT ON RECKLESS KILLING OF DAUNTE WRIGHT

NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, released the following statement in response to the reckless killing of Daunte Wright:

“Daunte Wright was shot and killed yesterday, just north of where George Floyd was suffocated less than a year ago. Both were fathers, both were Black men, both died at the hands of police. Whether it be carelessness and negligence, or a blatant modern-day lynching, the result is the same. Another Black man has died at the hands of police.”

Hank Aaron’s name will replace a Confederate general’s on an Atlanta school

An Atlanta high school that bears the name of a Confederate Army general who was a leader of the Ku Klux Klan will be renamed for Hank Aaron, the Hall of Famer who broke baseball’s career home record and challenged racial barriers.

The Atlanta Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to change the name of Forrest Hill Academy, named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, to Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy. School district policy requires a five-year waiting period after the death of a notable person unless the vote to change the name of a school building is unanimous. Aaron died in January at age 86, and the name of the public alternative school for middle and high school students will occur sometime this year.

“It is very important that we understand our history,” board member Michelle Olympiadis said during the Monday meeting. “It’s very important that we understand where we are coming from.”

[SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST]

Grandmother sues OKC police, saying they broke her arm after illegally entering her home

A 74-year-old grandmother has filed a lawsuit against three Oklahoma City police officers who she says broke her arm and illegally entered her home during an encounter last summer.

Army sergeant charged with assault after video shows him accosting, shoving Black man

A white non-commissioned Army officer depicted in a viral video accosting and shoving a Black man in a South Carolina neighborhood has been charged with third-degree assault.

House panel approves bill to set up commission on reparations

Legislation that would create a federal exploratory commission on reparations for Black Americans was approved Wednesday by a House committee for the first time, setting up a vote by the full Congress if Democratic leaders choose to bring it to the House floor.

Spearheaded by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who took up H.R. 40’s cause after the late Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) retired from Congress in 2017, the bill passed through the House Judiciary Committee along party lines.

The committee held a hearing on H.R. 40 back in February, which featured multiple reparative justice experts. The idea of reparations, while not new, has gained steam in recent years, and the legislation currently has 176 co-sponsors in the House, its most ever.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) did not commit to bringing the bill to the floor, saying he was waiting to see what the Judiciary Committee would do. In the meantime, he called on President Biden to form his own reparations panel from the White House — a process that would not force any centrist Democrats to take what might prove a difficult vote.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE ANNOUNCES ACCREDITATION CANDIDACY AFTER NEARLY TWENTY YEARS

Morris Brown College (MBC) is proud to announce it has received accreditation candidacy by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a Virginia-based accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This monumental achievement came after nearly 20 years of effort – marking a historical milestone for the 140-year-old college.

Morris Brown College earning accreditation candidacy is a major achievement demonstrating that it can meet quality standards and is engaged in continuous improvement. Candidacy indicates that the institution is in compliance with the standards and criteria, has been evaluated by an on-site peer team, and in the professional judgment of the evaluation team and the Accreditation Commission, the institution provides sound instruction and student services. As of July 1, 2020, the United States Department of Education holds all accrediting agencies to the same standards, and it no longer holds a distinction between regional and national accrediting agencies. In 2002, Morris Brown’s accreditation was revoked due to debt and financial mismanagement, which barred students from applying for Federal Financial Aid. In obtaining accreditation candidacy, Morris Brown is now eligible to apply to the U.S Department of Education to participate in financial aid programs and Title IV funding.

Founded by formerly enslaved religious leaders at Big Bethel AME Church in 1881, MBC is the first college in Georgia to be owned and operated by African Americans. The iconic Fountain Hall and the current Morris Brown campus are where Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “The Souls of Black Folk” in 1903. Notable alumni include Alberta Williams King, mother of Martin Luther King, Jr., and James Alan McPherson, the first Black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Bishop of the 6th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church said, “We’ve made tremendous progress within the past two years under Dr. Kevin James’ leadership. The funds raised at Homecoming 2020 and Founder’s Day 2021 marked the largest Homecoming and Founder’s Day fundraising events respectively in the past 20 years.

Overall, giving is up and the momentum under this administration is like none we have seen in recent history. The revitalization of the institution’s academic programs and student services, including new programs such as Global Management & Applied Leadership, E-Sports Performance, and Hospitality Management, will place the next generation of students as global competitors.”

The accreditation candidacy comes on the heels of a rewarding partnership between the college and CGI Merchant Group, LLC, a minority-owned global investment management firm with a focus on real estate and private equity. It will make a $30 million investment in the historic college to convert existing facilities into a 150-key upscale Hilton hotel and hospitality management training complex. Construction of the 90,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility is expected to begin the latter part of 2021.

“We are elated about accreditation candidacy and making history. I want to thank all the faculty and staff for their hard work. We intend on making history as the first HBCU to regain its status after a twenty-year hiatus and the first HBCU to have a flagged hotel on its campus for a hospitality education program. These achievements have sparked other closed HBCU’s to try again.

Without the resilience, support, and prayers from the Board of Trustees, African Methodist Episcopal church, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community, we would not be here. We have so many amazing projects coming up in the pipeline that will prepare our students for academic success and jobs. We ask the community to continue to support our mission by donating to the college. Additionally, we are seeking a seven-figure gift from an individual or corporation to move the institution forward. It is a new day for Morris Brown College!” said.

VP Kamala Harris statement on shooting of Daunte Wright

During a roundtable on Black maternal health, Vice President Kamala Harris makes a statement about the death of Daunte Wright in Minnesota. Harris stated that Wright should be alive today. Watch her full statement below.

Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand opens up million dollar grants program for Black Americans

As part of its 10-year, $100 million commitment to the Black Community to fight systemic racism through a focus on social justice, education and awareness and economic justice, Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand announce the opening of their first cycle of Community Grants, providing $1 million to local, grassroots organizations that are creating more equitable futures for Black Americans.

Facilitated by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the first Community Grants Program cycle will open for 30 day beginning March 31, 2021 and will end on April 30, 2021. All completed applications submitted by organizations with a mission or programs that align with one of the focus areas will be reviewed by an advisory committee comprised of members from the Jordan Brand and Michael Jordan Family Office teams. All U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations working to improve outcomes for the Black community, with an annual budget of $3 million per year or less, are encouraged to apply.

“Since announcing our commitment to the Black community in June of 2020, we’ve been focused on two things — action and impact,” explains Craig Williams, President of Jordan Brand. “I’m excited about the impact these grants will have in local communities. We know that when we create positive change for the Black community, it benefits everyone.”

The Community Grants Program continues the long-term vision set by Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand beginning in summer of 2020. Last year, donations between $500,000 and $1 million each were given to the commitment’s first national partners: the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), the Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People & Families Movement (FICPFM) and Black Voters Matter. All share a history of driving transformative change at the national level.

Click here to access the application portal and read instructions on how to complete your submission.

NY Yankees star Aaron Hicks to sit out baseball game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright

Aaron Hicks approached manager Aaron Boone on Monday afternoon, and told him that he didn’t want to play on Monday night in the New York Yankees’ game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hicks, who was set to bat sixth in the lineup in Florida, made the decision to sit out in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright in Minnesota on Sunday.

“I would say that Aaron is hurting in a huge way,” Boone said via SNY. “I think in a way felt like it was probably the responsible thing to take himself out and knowing that it was going to be hard for him to be all in mentally in what’s a high stake, difficult job to go out there and perform for the New York Yankees.”

Though the Yankees may miss him Monday night, Boone said he wasn’t bothered by Hicks’ decision.

“I don’t really even give two thoughts to that,” Boone said, via SNY. “My consideration is with Aaron and his well being and making sure as best we can we support him and try to be there as best we can for him right now. This is something in the immediate that’s real emotion that he’s feeling, and right now I’m going to support that.”

NBA postpones Nets-Timberwolves game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright

The NBA released the following statement on the postponement of the Nets-Timberwolves game due to the shooting of Daunte Wright:

The National Basketball Association announced today that in light of the tragic events in the Minneapolis area yesterday, tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed. The decision to postpone was made by the NBA after consultation with the Timberwolves organization and local and state officials.

Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Daunte Wright during this difficult time.

The Timberwolves and the minnesota Lynx also released a statement on the shooting of Daunte Wright:

pic.twitter.com/zJMX8kh9rt

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 12, 2021

Virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed Afro-Latino Army officer fired

Joe Gutierrez, a Windsor, Va., police officer who pepper-sprayed an Afro-Latino Army officer during a traffic stop last year has been fired according to a statement released by the Windsor Police Department.

Read the full statement below:

The Town of Windsor, Virginia, acknowledges the unfortunate events that transpired on December 5, 2020 involving Lt. Caron Nazario and officers of the Windsor Police Department, Joe Gutierrez and Daniel Crocker.

The pursuit and ultimate stop resulted in the use of pepper spray against Lt. Nazario by Officer Gutierrez. As a result of this use of force, Department policy requires an internal investigation to determine the appropriateness of such actions. The investigation of this event began immediately. At the conclusion of this investigation, it was determined that Windsor Police Department policy was not followed. This resulted in disciplinary action, and department-wide requirements for additional training were implemented beginning in January and continue up to the present. Since that time, Officer Gutierrez was also terminated from his employment.

The Town of Windsor has remained transparent about this event since the initial stop, and has openly provided documents and related video to attorneys for Lt. Nazario. The Town will continue to provide information related to this event in its commitment to openness. The Town has also requested an investigation of this event by the Virginia State Police, and joins with elected officials who have called for a full and complete review of the actions of these officers.

The Town of Windsor prides itself in its small-town charm and the community-wide respect of its Police Department. Due to this, we are saddened for events like this to cast our community in a negative light. Rather than deflect criticism, we have addressed these matters with our personnel administratively, we are reaching out to community stakeholders to engage in dialogue, and commit ourselves to additional discussions in the future.

Kentucky partailly bans no-knock warrants

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a partial ban on no-knock warrants Friday after months of demonstrations set off by the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in her home during a botched police raid last year.

The law signed by the Democratic governor is not the total ban many protesters and some Democratic lawmakers had sought -- a proposal that had been introduced as "Breonna's Law" -- but it also doesn't prevent individual cities and towns from banning the warrants completely.

The measure drew bipartisan support in the Legislature, where Republicans hold veto-proof supermajorities in the House and Senate. The law permits no-knock warrants only if there is "clear and convincing evidence" that the crime being investigated "would qualify a person, if convicted, as a violent offender."

Under the law that was passed, no-knock warrants must be executed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and officers are required to take additional steps to obtain warrants. Judges are also required to sign legibly when approving them and an EMT must be nearby during execution of the warrant.

Members of the Taylor family stood behind the governor during the bill signing at Louisville's Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, shed tears as she accepted the pen the governor used to sign the measure.

"While it's not the full legislation that they wanted in terms of a complete ban on no-knock warrants, they are satisfied that this is a start and a win in a deeply divided General Assembly," said the family's attorney, Lonita Baker.

Baker added that the family looks forward to working with lawmakers on future legislation to further restrict the warrants and increase police accountability.