NFL's Houston Texans and Texas Southern University Announce Partnership

The Houston Texans and Texas Southern University announced a two-year partnership that will positively impact the Houston community by creating opportunities for student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom. The partnership was announced at a reception honoring Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith at the TSU Library Learning Center.

"We are happy to honor Coach Lovie Smith for his historic elevation to head coach, and for his contributions to the entire Houston community,” TSU Board of Regents Chairman Albert Myres said. “Coach Smith embodies leadership qualities that we work daily demonstrate. We appreciate all that he does and all that he is to our community.”

“The Houston Texans are proud to partner with TSU to support the university’s student-athletes, coaches and staff,” Houston Texans Chair and Chief Executive Officer Cal McNair said. “It is our hope that this partnership will enrich the next generation’s love of the game of football while providing unique opportunities to our community’s future leaders.”

The partnership will focus on three core initiatives including improving athletic facilities, funding scholarship opportunities for female student-athletes, and student, faculty and staff engagement. Over the next two years, the Texans will:

*Donate the team’s artificial playing surface from NRG Stadium

*Support football field house improvements that will assist with recruiting top-tier student-athletes to TSU

*Award scholarships to five female student-athletes each year

*Create opportunities and programming that will provide access to professional development, internships and mentoring for TSU students, faculty, staff and athletics leadership

“This partnership with the Texans will assist in transforming the lives of our TSU students. This investment affords our scholar-athletes additional resources to ensure their success on and off the field,” Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young, PresIdent of Texas Southern University said. “Given the facilities enhancements to the professional development, internships, and scholarships, our young scholars will exhibit exemplary performance!”

Texas Southern University is a student-centered comprehensive doctoral university committed to ensuring equality, offering innovative programs that are responsive to its urban setting, and transforming diverse students into lifelong learners, engaged citizens, and creative leaders in their local, national, and global communities.

NAACP Statement on Police Killing Patrick Lyoya

NAACP President Derrick Johnson issued the following statement in response to the police cam video showing a law enforcement officer killing Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan:

"This is horrifying, heartbreaking, and deeply frustrating because we had meaningful legislation designed to avoid exactly what we are all witnessing in this video. The law enforcement officer involved has blood on his hands, and so do the partisan senators who killed the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, a bill aimed at reducing police brutality and holding law enforcement accountable for egregious abuses of power.

An unregistered license plate should not be a death sentence. Another Black man has died at the hands of police, and the officer in this video has got to be held accountable.

President Biden, sign the police reform executive order now. While we fully understand an executive order is not a substitute for meaningful legislation, we must do everything in our power to protect our community. This executive order is not sufficient, but it is necessary."

Wu-Tang Clan album 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (36 Chambers) now archived in U.S. Library of Congress

Librarian of Congress spokesperson, Carla Hayden named 25 recordings as audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage.

“The National Recording Registry reflects the diverse music and voices that have shaped our nation’s history and culture through recorded sound,” Hayden said. “The national library is proud to help preserve these recordings, and we welcome the public’s input. We received about 1,000 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry.”

Among those recordings nominated was the Wu-Tang Clan album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) which has now been archived in the U.S. Library of Congress.

"Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) would shape the sound of hardcore rap and reasserted the creative capacity of the East Coast rap scene," a spokesperson commented. "The group's individual artists would go on to produce affiliated projects that deepened the group's influence for decades in hip-hop."

Black on-ice officials work NHL game together for first time

Two Black on-ice officials worked a game together for the first time in NHL history Thursday.

Referee Jordan Samuels-Thomas and linesman Shandor Alphonso officiated the Chicago Blackhawks' 5-4 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks at United Center in Chicago. The game was Samuels-Thomas' NHL debut and the first time a Black on-ice official wore the orange-and-black referee arm bands since Jay Sharrers worked the New York Islanders-Carolina Hurricanes game at Carolina on April 2, 2004.

"It was a lot of fun," Samuels-Thomas said. "Growing up all you want to do is be in the NHL, and I'm 31 years old and it's been a lifetime of work and I had all my family here in the stands and friends and everyone who's been with me along the way. So, special to share the moment with them."

Samuels-Thomas wore No. 42, which was worn by Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier April 15, 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

"When I played I was No. 42 for a reason, and with the opportunity to wear this number [it] was easy," Samuels-Thomas said. "… Being able to wear Jackie's number is always special, so I got to do it as a player and now as an official. I wish I could keep this number forever."

Alphonso said Samuels-Thomas had a strong debut.

"He did a great job," Alphonso said. "Official supervision, I think he nailed it. He took what was given to him out there and I thought he did a good job and kept his composure out there the whole game. It was a lot of fun, for sure."

"I think it's just an exciting moment in NHL history," Sharrers said Thursday. "Just showing how the game has changed from the amount of Black players and players of different ethnic backgrounds who are now in the League, I think it's an exciting moment and it's nice to see our team now have that kind of representation."

[SOURCE: NHL]

USM Board of Regents Appoints Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby as Next President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County

The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents has appointed Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby as the next president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Ashby, currently Dean of Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, will begin her tenure as UMBC president on Aug. 1.

Ashby has been dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2015, and was reappointed for a second, five-year term in 2019. She received her B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and completed her postdoctoral research at the Universitat Mainz, Germany.

Ashby came to Duke from UNC, where she chaired the chemistry department from 2012-15 and was a faculty member since 2003. She has served on UNC’s Arts & Sciences Foundation Board of Directors and Research Advisory Council, and chaired the College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Diversity Task Force. Dean Ashby also directed the UNC National Science Foundation Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented students completing doctoral degrees and continuing into the professoriate in science, technology, engineering and math and social, behavioral and economics fields.

Ashby will succeed Freeman Hrabowski, who has led UMBC to national and international acclaim since his appointment as president 30 years ago in 1992.

“Dr. Ashby is clearly the impressive scholar and dynamic leader we need to build on the strong foundation of inclusive excellence at UMBC,” said Board Chair Linda R. Gooden. “UMBC is a jewel—nationally and internationally recognized for its innovative teaching and pathbreaking research.  All of this success is due to the dedication and hard work of President Hrabowski and his outstanding team.  The Board of Regents knows this legacy will be in good hands with Dr. Ashby.  I am grateful to the UMBC presidential search committee, chaired by Regent Michelle Gourdine, for finding such a distinguished leader among so many great candidates.”

“It is an incredible honor to be asked to lead a university that has excelled in so many ways that are essential both nationally and to me personally – particularly in regards to foregrounding inclusive excellence,” Ashby said. “I have tremendous respect for all the members of the UMBC community and am looking forward to working in partnership with the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who are the heart of this institution.”

“I’m excited to see how Dr. Ashby’s vision will shape the next chapter for UMBC,” said USM Chancellor Jay A. Perman. “Without question, she has the experience and the attributes needed to grow UMBC’s academic and research prominence, and she’s steeped in the culture of inclusive excellence that has made the university a national exemplar of access, equity, and achievement. It’s hard to imagine finding a better fit for a school whose future is as bright as UMBC’s.”

As dean at Trinity College, Ashby elevated the national and international prominence of the humanities and social science departments across the college by investing in faculty- and student-driven strategic areas. She completed the Duke Forward campaign, exceeding the $435 million Trinity goal by $45 million, including $200 million raised for financial aid post-campaign.

As a researcher, Ashby has focused on synthetic polymer chemistry with an emphasis on designing and synthesizing materials for biomedical applications such as X-ray contrast agents and drug delivery materials. She is the recipient of a National Science Foundation Career Development Award, the DuPont Young Faculty and 3M Young Faculty Awards, as well as numerous teaching awards.

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research, and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education recently placed UMBC into the category of doctoral universities with very high research activity, popularly known as Research 1 (or R1). UMBC is now ranked as one of only 146 R1 institutions nationally, including 107 public and 39 private universities. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. At the graduate level, UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy. More about UMBC’s mission and vision is here.

Chancellor Perman appointed the search committee in October 2021, informed by outreach to the campus community after President Hrabowski’s late August announcement that he would begin retirement at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. The committee reflected the board’s commitment to finding a successor who will continue UMBC’s impressive strength in education and research, its commitment to access and affordability, its embrace of community service, and its leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

President Hrabowski is nationally celebrated for his results-driven commitment to inclusive excellence, collaborative approach to leadership, and mentorship that pairs high expectations with strong support. Through his time at UMBC, these qualities have become core to the university’s unique culture and community. They have also inspired national and global recognition. 

In a combined statement shortly before the start of the current academic year, Chair Gooden and Chancellor Perman noted President Hrabowski’s influence and remarkable legacy at UMBC. “In fact, it’s UMBC’s commitment to the achievement of every student, and its work in cultivating a diverse corps of scholars and leaders, that has marked the university as one of the most respected (and emulated) pioneers in American higher education,” they wrote.

“To follow President Freeman Hrabowski is a distinct privilege,” Ashby said, “as he has been a role model for so many in higher education over the last 30 years, including myself. His extraordinary leadership and dedication to UMBC ensures that I am arriving at a university that is already performing at a very high level. There is no ceiling on what we can achieve from here.”

To learn more about UMBC, visit www.umbc.edu.

The USM comprises 12 institutions: Bowie State University; Coppin State University; Frostburg State University; Salisbury University; Towson University; the University of Baltimore; the University of Maryland, Baltimore; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; and the University of Maryland Global Campus. The USM also includes three regional centers—the Universities at Shady Grove, the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown, and the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland—at which USM universities offer upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses.

Systemwide, student enrollment is roughly 165,000. The USM and its institutions compete successfully for nearly $1.5 billion in external grants and contracts annually. USM institutions and programs are among the nation's best in quality and value according to several national rankings. To learn more about the University System of Maryland, visit www.usmd.edu.

Trinity Thomas Wins All-Around title at NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships

Florida senior Trinity Thomas scored a perfect 10 on her closing floor exercise to edge Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee for the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships all-around title on Thursday.

Thomas, a former U.S. national team member became the fourth Gator to win the all-around in the past decade. She also added uneven bars and floor titles to her all-around crown.

"I feel absolutely amazing," said Thomas, who finished with an all-around total of 39.8125, just ahead of Lee at 39.675 and Florida teammate Megan Skaggs at 39.6625. "I've been working through this ever since I got to school and just having a few setbacks, you know, I kept fighting. And to finally do it this time is literally a blessing."

Watch her winning floor exercise below:

Hampton University to Erase Outstanding Student Balances for the Spring 2022 Semester

Recognizing that many Hampton University students and their families have continued to experience financial hardships and have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton University President, has announced there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, all outstanding student account balances for the Spring 2022 semester will be erased.

“In keeping with the University’s efforts to help our students, there will be no increase in tuition, fees, room and board for the 2022-2023 academic year,” said Dr Harvey. “In addition, on behalf of the University, I am pleased to announce that all outstanding balances for the Spring 2022 semester will be erased. We hope that this action will continue to assist our students and their families at our Home by the Sea.”

This is the latest example of Hampton University assisting its student body financially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified students received distributions under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and those who had an outstanding balance at the completion of the Spring 2021 semester had their balances paid off. The University also issued a $200.00 book scholarship to all enrolled students for the Spring 2022 semester. In April of 2020, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey made a $100,000 matching donation of their own money to a $100,000 gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to provide each on-campus student $100 to assist with travel costs to retrieve their belongings from campus or to return to school in the fall. In May, Hampton University provided each graduate in the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021, who had a federal student loan, the sum of $500 toward repayment of that loan. These payments were sent directly to the U.S. Department of Education loan servicer that was the holder of the student loan. Those students who did not have student loans were reimbursed their graduation fee of $150.

Hampton University Names Alumnus and Retired Three-Star General Darrell Williams as New President

U.S. Army retired Lt. Gen. Darrell K. Williams, a 1983 graduate of Hampton University, will serve as the institution’s next president.

Williams, chosen president on March 30 by the university’s Board of Trustees, brings four decades of proven success in leading complex military and commercial business enterprises, as well as nonprofit and academic leadership experience, Board of Trustees Chairman Wes Coleman said. 

“Running a university is complex, as was made evident by the global pandemic. When President Harvey told us of his decision to retire, we knew we wanted to build upon what he has accomplished,” said Coleman. “We embarked on a search for a proven strategic leader. The skills Lt. Gen. Williams is bringing to Hampton encompass what institutions of our size need. In a global world increasingly dependent on technology, this kind of strategic leadership expertise and knowledge can only help to move our institution forward over the coming decades.”

Williams will succeed President William R. Harvey, who retires on June 30 after leading Hampton for 44 years.

Williams said he is honored to be chosen as Hampton’s 13^th president and is looking forward to “returning to serve.”  

“I love Hampton and bring a wealth of strategic leadership experiences, including management of large global organizations, as well as the academic and nonprofit experience necessary to successfully lead the university,” Williams said. “I am thrilled to have been selected as the next president. I will work tirelessly with students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community to prepare our graduates for today and for the continuously evolving, technology-driven workforce of tomorrow.” 

Williams, of Alexandria, Virginia, is presently employed by Leidos, a Fortune 250 technology company, and serves as the Leidos United Kingdom vice president and managing director of the U.K. Ministry of Defence Logistics Commodities and Services Transformation (LCST) programme, providing global logistical support to U.K. military forces. Williams attributes his business and leadership roles at Leidos with helping to prepare him for this next exciting chapter at Hampton.  

Williams retired from the U.S. Army in 2020 after 37 years of service. His last leadership position was as the first African American and 19^th director of the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). He oversaw a global workforce of over 26,000 civilian and military professionals. Under his watch, the DLA annually provided over $40 billion in global logistical support to all U.S. military services, designated international partner and allied military services, and 42 U.S. government organizations and federal agencies. During the early stages of the pandemic, the DLA provided over $1 billion in COVID-19 relief to the DoD and other federal agencies.  

From 2015 to 2017, Williams led the Army Combined Arms Support Command and the Fort Lee, Virginia, military installation. There, he was responsible for Army Logistics University and the Professional Military Education and the training of thousands of Army logistics junior officer, warrant officer and non-commissioned officer students. Additionally, he led the installation’s strategic engagement with the Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights communities, and he assured the welfare and safety of the over 25,000 students, staff and faculty, families, and support organizations. 

Early in his career he served as a leadership and logistics instructor at Fort Lee and was named as an Army instructor of the year, one of his many awards. 

Williams, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, earned his bachelor’s degree in 1983 at then-Hampton Institute. Williams also holds three graduate school degrees: a master’s in business administration from Pennsylvania State University; a master’s in military art and science from the Army Combined and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and a master’s in national security strategy (distinguished graduate) from the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.

Selection process

Williams was chosen from almost 300 applicants. The Board of Trustees created a presidential search committee in January 2021, after Dr. Harvey announced his retirement. Storbeck Search of Diversified Search Group, a Media, Pennsylvania-based firm, led the university's initial selection process. 

Based on a select set of competencies and through interviews, the applicants were narrowed to a pool of 15 and then three finalists. These three candidates were presented to the Board of Trustees. The board voted Williams as president at the end of March, and he accepted the position on April 8.

Personal life

Williams met his wife, Myra Richardson Williams, while attending Hampton. She also graduated from the university in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree. The couple, married in 1987, will be the first president and first lady to both hold Hampton degrees. 

While a student, Williams was Mister Freshman 1979, a three-year Reserve Officer Training (ROTC) scholarship cadet, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and senior class president. Myra Williams was a four-year member of the Hampton concert choir and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The couple has two grown children. Daughter Jocelyn Williams Cooper and her husband, Gerron E. Cooper, reside in Springville, Virginia. Son Colin E. Williams is a lawyer and works in New York City. 

MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day 2022

MLB's annual Jackie Robinson day celebrates something very special this year.

Seventy-five years on this day Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

This year’s celebration marks not just the 75th anniversary of Jackie’s debut but also the 25th anniversary of then-Commissioner Bud Selig’s announcement that Robinson’s No. 42 would be retired across MLB. Ten years after that landmark 1997 decision, Griffey requested and received permission to wear No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day, and a few other players took part. And in 2009, the practice of every player, coach and manager wearing No. 42 on April 15 became a new tradition.

That tradition will continue this year, but with a twist. In honor of the 75th anniversary, not only will all on-field personnel wear No. 42, but that 42 will be featured in Dodger Blue, regardless of a team’s colors.

Angela Davis calls recent attacks on Black Lives Matter predictable

In a roundtable with members of the Black press Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors addressed the purchase a $6 million mansion in October 2020 with donor cash.

During that discussion Angela Davis, the legendary freedom fighter and professor, addressed what she called “attacks” on Black Lives Matter, calling them predictable.

“I personally knew from the outset, from the time Black Lives Matter was created, that there would be attacks similar to the historical attacks launched against Black leaders,” Davis said. “You know, particularly when we saw the FBI come up with this notion of black identity extremists. This was a sign that there was continuity with COINTELPRO. I can’t say that I would have predicted exactly how these attacks would express themselves. But I was convinced that they would happen.”

“And I think that now we’re experiencing attacks that have been consolidated,” she added, “not only on the on the right-wing, but within liberal circles as well that are designed to cause people who have supported the end to question their support.”

“I think the other, the most important point is that those media sources … have attempted to create the impression that Black Lives Matter is not interested in creating and helping to create the possibilities for a better world.” Davis continued. “It’s not interested in abolishing the institutions of violence and racism that have caused so much pain and suffering over so many decades and centuries, but rather, is only interested in self-aggrandizement. And that makes no sense at all.”

“However, we know that media strategies and other strategies have become far more effective,” Davis noted, “and particularly given the place of social media and communications environment, it is possible to create the impression that the organization that we in the movement, that we admire and with which we have associated ourselves, is only consisting of people who want to create more wealth for themselves — and that is absolutely ridiculous.”

Robert F. Smith helps launch Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Bus to help Black men

Robert F. Smith and Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer have launched the very first mobile prostate cancer screening bus in the United States. Prostate cancer is a very common disease that many men are at risk of developing in their lifetime. In fact, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American men (outside of skin cancer), and it’s the 4th most common cancer diagnosis globally.

Another tragic fact is that Black men are at a much higher risk of developing this disease and eventually dying from it compared to white men. To address this issue affecting the Black community, Smith donated $3.8 million to Mount Sinai for the official launch of the Robert F. Smith Mobile MRI Unit to support prostate health awareness. This community effort will help provide increased education, awareness, and early detection screening to Black men across New York City’s greater neighborhoods of color to prevent prostate cancer from progressing further.

Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.1 times more likely to die from prostate cancer than white men. While a clear reason for these substantial differences can’t be exactly defined, a variety of different factors could be contributing to the inequity. In the United States, Black Americans can be at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving the necessary preventative care needed for health concerns making them at-risk for diseases such as prostate cancer. With increased care and awareness, the racial divide for prostate cancer in men is narrowing. Early detection of this hard-hitting disease is crucial to increasing survivability. That’s why Smith has partnered with Mount Sinai to offer prostate health screenings for the Black community.

The new Robert F. Smith Mobile MRI Unit will bring prostate cancer screening directly to Black men in the communities of Central, Eastern, and West Harlem; the Upper East Side; and Queens. These communities of color are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and dying from it than white communities. That’s why it’s crucial to have tools such as the Mobile MRI Unit in place for early detection and prevention of this disease.

This state-of-the-art mobile facility will provide the necessary tools for advanced screening for prostate cancer by trained medical professionals. Through this community outreach program, the Mount Sinai Health Center hopes to:

Raise awareness about prostate cancer and the screening services offered by the Mobile MRI Unit.

Set up prostate screening appointments in predominantly Black neighborhoods across New York City.

Schedule follow-up visits for patients with urologists at the Mount Sinai Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer.

The Mobile MRI Unit will be able to bring this technology and testing straight to the Black communities of Harlem and beyond. Access to an MRI can be life changing and aids in early detection of this disease in Black Americans. If abnormally high PSA levels are detected, Mount Sinai will develop a treatment plan for the patient which will include follow-up visits at Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby officially announces run for reelection

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has announced that she is running for reelection despite her federal indictment.

Watch her announcement video below:

Allyson Felix Announces Her Retirement After 2022 Track and Field Season

Allyson Felix confirmed in an Instagram post on Wednesday that she will compete during the 2022 track and field season, and then retire. Felix will retire as the most decorated U.S. athlete in Olympic track & field history with 11 medals.

Read her statement below:

As a little girl they called chicken legs, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d have a career like this. I have so much gratitude for this sport that has changed my life. I have given everything I have to running and for the first time I’m not sure if I have anything left to give. I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run. This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy. If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.

This season I’m running for women. I’m running for a better future for my daughter. I’m running for you. More to come on that, so stay tuned, but I’ll be sharing a series of announcements that I’m hoping will make the world better for women.

Here’s to my final season.

Senator Tim Scott failed Ketanji Brown Jackson, but it wasn't because he didn't vote for her

By George L. Cook III African American Reports.

Last week we saw the historical confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court.

She was confirmed by a 53-47 vote with only three Republicans supporting her. Those three were Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah.

Many African Americans were disappointed but not surprised that Tim Scott, the junior Senator from South Carolina chose not to support this historic nominee.

Now, let's be clear Tim Scott has the right to vote however he wants, and it's obvious by the lame excuses he gave for not supporting Jackson that he also has one hell of an imagination. That or he attends the alleged drug-fueled orgies that Madison Cawthorne was talking about and that has affected his better judgment.

But, to me not supporting Jackson is not where he failed her. He failed her by not speaking up for her as a person and as a Black woman.

After Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Tom Cotton, and Marsha Blackburn showed blatant disrespect during the confirmation hearings he said nothing afterward.

Scott could have spoken up by publicly saying that although he was ideologically opposed to Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation, she deserves respect and that his fellow Republican senators were wrong in their treatment of her.

Scott has a mother and I'm assuming aunts, cousins, and nieces that are also Black. He wouldn't want anyone treating them as Jackson was treated. He should have thought of those Black women in his life and spoke up not as a senator but as a Black man.

In my opinion, nothing but cowardice and ambition stopped him from speaking up.

Scott has gone on Fox News lamenting how he was treated by the left after not supporting Jackson. He should stop whining and think about how Jackson felt after being attacked for hours during those hearings.

During that time she showed more grace, bravery, integrity, and calm under fire than Scott ever will.

Sadly, Senator Tim Scott has forgotten where he came from, but we won't forget what he has shown himself to be.

National Urban League’s Marc Morial: Inflation will impact Black working families the hardest

Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, joins CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss the key takeaways from the organizaiton’s 46th annual State of Black America report.

National Basketball Coaches Association Names Monty Williams Coach of the Year

Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams is the 2022 recipient of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced today.

The Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award recognizes the dedication, commitment, and hard work of NBA Head Coaches and is presented annually to a Head Coach who helps guide his players to a higher level of performance on the court and shows outstanding service and dedication to the community off the court. It honors the spirit of Mr. Goldberg, the esteemed long-time Executive Director of the NBCA, who set the standard for loyalty, integrity, love of the game, passionate representation, and tireless promotion of NBA coaching. The award is unique in that it is voted upon by the winners’ peers, the Head Coaches of all 30 NBA teams.

All told, 6 Head Coaches received votes, once again reflecting the depth of coaching excellence in the NBA. In addition to Williams, the following Head Coaches also received votes [listed alphabetically]: Willie Green, New Orleans Pelicans; Taylor Jenkins, Memphis Grizzlies; Tyronn Lue, Los Angeles Clippers; Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs; and Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat.

“Congratulations to Monty Williams on winning the Michael H. Goldberg Award for a second consecutive season,” said Indiana Pacers Head Coach and NBCA President Rick Carlisle. “Each of his three seasons with the Suns has produced a double-digit increase in wins from the previous year, which is extraordinarily difficult to do. Congratulations again to Monty and his entire staff on a repeat of this most prestigious recognition by his peers.”

Coach Williams led the Suns to a 64-18 record, best in the NBA and a new Suns franchise record for most wins in a season. The Suns captured their second straight Pacific Division title. They also became the first team in NBA history to increase their win total by at least 11 games in three consecutive seasons.

The Suns were as formidable on the road as they were at home. They had a 32-9 record on the road, tied for the third best in NBA history. The team’s .780 winning percentage on the road is a better winning percentage than every other NBA team’s home winning percentage this season. The Suns join the 1969-70 New York Knicks as the only teams to ever accomplish this feat. The Suns were a perfect 8-0 on the road in both November and January. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Suns are the only team in NBA history with multiple unbeaten months (minimum 8 games) on the road in the same season.

Phoenix finished the season fifth in offensive rating (114.2), fourth in defensive rating (106.8), and first in net rating (7.5).

The Suns set an NBA record by going 47-0 when leading after three quarters, shattering the previous record (43-0), and were an impressive 17-17 when trailing after three quarters. This marks only the ninth time in NBA history a team has been .500 or better when trailing entering the fourth quarter. Phoenix was also a perfect 16-0 in November, the most wins in a month and the most wins without a loss in a month in franchise history.

Coach Williams won Western Conference Coach of the Month honors for October/November 2021 and January 2022.

“I am thrilled and overwhelmed to be recognized by my peers and receive the Michael H. Goldberg Coach of the Year Award from the NBCA,” said Phoenix Suns Head Coach Monty Williams. “The coaches in our league sacrifice so much to serve their teams, and there are so many outstanding coaches deserving of this honor. It is incredibly humbling to again receive this recognition from this group, for whom I hold the utmost respect. Thank you to my fellow coaches and to everyone at the NBCA…you guys deserve an award for the work that you do for us and our families.

This honor carries added significance because it bears Mr. Goldberg’s name. He cared dearly for all of the league’s coaches and worked tirelessly for our best interests. He was a consistent example of class and sacrificed his time so that we could have better jobs and livelihoods.

Individual accolades are a result of team success. My name gets attached to this award, but the success of our team is due to the work put in everyday by our players, coaching staff, and every member of the Suns organization. This honor is reflective of the efforts of countless people and it is a privilege to work alongside you all. It’s a get to, not a got to.

I am so grateful for each one of our players and staff. It is a blessing and a joy to interact with you all every day. I thank you for making this such a special season for our organization and for our fans – and also for me and my family.”

“Monty Williams is extremely deserving of this Award and the recognition that comes with it from his coaching peers,” said David Fogel, NBCA Executive Director and General Counsel. “Coach Williams’ hard work, commitment, and dedication to his craft and his players led the Suns to an incredible season and the best record in the NBA. Monty embodies the same high levels of integrity and excellence that Michael displayed every day of his life. Congratulations to Coach Williams, the Suns Assistant Coaches, and the entire staff on back-to-back Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year honors.”

In 1980, just four years after the NBCA was founded, Goldberg became its first Executive Director. Building on the existing NBCA foundation, he guided it during the years of the greatest growth in professional basketball. He helped gain significant benefits for NBA Coaches, including increased retirement funds and disability insurance. Prior to the NBCA, Goldberg was General Counsel of the American Basketball Association.

Bodybuilder Cedric McMillan has died at the age of 44

2017 ARNOLD Classic champion Cedric McMillan has died at the age of 44.

He is reported to have suffered a heart attack.

Cedric McMillan was born on August 17, 1977, in Maplewood, New Jersey.

McMillan joined the US Army after high school and was a Staff Sergeant and an instructor at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

McMillan is survived by his wife Patricia and his four children.

NBA unveils new trophies for division winners named after African American legends

The NBA unveiled six new trophies for the league’s division winners, each named after an NBA legend and African-American pioneer. The trophies, which will now be awarded to the division winners at the end of every season, celebrate the teams’ season success and honor the pioneers who helped pave the way for the NBA players that have followed.

The trophies are named after African-American pioneers Nat Clifton, Wayne Embry, Earl Lloyd, Willis Reed, Sam Jones and Chuck Cooper.

The trophies, designed by Victor Solomon, each suspend at its center a 200mm crystal ball, comprised of six segments representing each of the NBA’s divisions. One unique segment in each trophy is rendered in gold, representing its respective NBA division. The design of the trophy base is inspired by the division’s conference championship trophy. Each trophy is inscribed with its namesake, along with the name of the team recipient; the division standings are inscribed on the back of the trophy.

WNBA commissioner's update on Brittney Griner

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert kicked off Monday's WNBA draft with an update on Phoenix Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner, who remains imprisoned in a Russian jail. Watch that statement below:

Senator Raphael Warnock introduces bill to cap prescription drug costs for seniors

The out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs covered through Medicare would be capped at $2,000 a year under legislation introduced into the U.S. Senate by Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

More than 1.2 million senior citizens paid more than $2,000 for prescription drugs in 2019.“Our country should never allow for our seniors to have to ration or skip the medication they need because they can’t afford it.” Warnock said.

Warnock’s bill would reduce the cap on out-of-pocket costs of prescription drugs for seniors from the current $3,000. It also would require drug manufacturers to take on more of the cost burden, reducing government subsidies and saving tax dollars.

Warnock said he’s working to get the prescription drug cap for seniors through Congress as soon as possible.

[SOURCE: NORTH WEST GEORGIA NEWS]