Statement by Rep. Donald Payne on passing of Protecting Our Kids Act

Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for the Protecting Our Kids Act today. The bill, H.R. 7910, would authorize several actions to increase gun safety, lower gun violence, and protect children. It raises the purchase age of certain semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old. It limits the flow of legal guns into illegal markets and shuts down gun trafficking to get illegal guns off the streets. It closes the ghost gun loophole by changing the definition of firearm to include gun kits and other equipment used to make ghost guns. It strengthens gun storage requirements to protect children from accidental shootings. It outlaws high-capacity magazines and bump stocks for civilian use.

In addition, it includes a provision for a federal buyback program for high-capacity magazines that could be the first step towards a national gun buyback program introduced in Rep. Payne, Jr.’s bill, the Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act.

“I am proud to help pass this bill because Americans are sick and tired of the constant mass shootings happening in our country,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. “They want action and this bill addresses issues that allow criminals and domestic terrorists to use guns to murder innocent Americans. As a father of triplets and anti-gun violence advocate, the mass shootings affect me personally. No parent should have to worry about whether they will see their child again when they send them to school. We must stop this insanity and obsession America has with guns and gun violence. We must take this threat seriously and do everything we can to protect Americans from gun violence.”

Rep. Jamaal Bowman Passed Resolution Condemning the Great Replacement Theory

Today, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, EdD (NY-16), passed a resolution condemning the Great Replacement Theory for the first time in history. The resolution passed 218-205 in the House. Rep. Bowman received widespread support from the Democratic caucus, including CBC Chairwoman Beatty, CHC Chairman Ruiz, CAPAC Chairwoman Chu, Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Chairman Cicilline, CPC Chair Jayapal, Rep. Higgins, Rep. Takano, and Rep. Raskin who co-led the resolution along with a diverse coalition of members of Congress who co-sponsored the resolution. The “Great Replacement Theory” has been the root cause of a string of hateful mass murders and terrorist acts around the world from Buffalo, NY to Christchurch, New Zealand. This resolution is an exercise of Congress’ duty to acknowledge and condemn acts of racial violence and the beliefs that are used to falsely justify them, as well as reaffirm the federal government’s responsibility to combat white supremacy in all forms, with a coordinated whole-of-government approach. 

“Gun violence is an existential threat to us all, but it takes deep hate and brainwashing to kill people simply for their race, religion or national origin. We must tackle both gun reform and fight against hate of all kind to truly eradicate these shocking and shattering mass killings. Congress cannot sit by idly and pretend not to see the impact of the Great Replacement Theory in fueling these acts of terrorism,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D (NY-16). “Today, I am proud to stand here and lead the introduction of this resolution that condemns the Great Replacement Theory as a white supremacist conspiracy theory that seeks to murder minorities, Jews, Muslims and immigrants alike. I am proud to be joined by my distinguished colleagues and fellow Democrats in taking a first step towards a future that is led by love and truth, not hate and lies.” 

“Congress and the Country are grateful to Congressman Jamaal Bowman for leading the charge on this important resolution condemning the bigoted ‘great replacement’ conspiracy theory,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12).  “Amid a surge of hate-fueled attacks, the House has a moral duty to condemn this abhorrent ideology for what it is: a call to racist violence. House Democrats remain committed to stamping out hate wherever and whenever it appears, and we will continue fighting to build a brighter, safer future for all of our children.”

“I commend Rep. Bowman for leading this effort and introducing this important resolution speaking out about the vile Great Replacement Theory and expressing condolences for the lives stolen in Buffalo, New York last month,” said Majority Leader Hoyer (MD-05). “This egregious and dangerous conspiracy theory has no place in our country and ought to be universally condemned. All Americans belong here and have an equal place in our diverse and democratic nation. No hateful conspiracy theories can ever justify violence and terror, and it is up to every Member of Congress to be on record stating so.  I urge Republicans to join us in condemning this conspiracy theory, which is harmful to our democracy, to public safety, and to the recognition of every American’s equal dignity and equal belonging in our nation.”

“I am proud to be one of more than 140 original co-sponsors of my colleague and CBC Member Congressman Jamaal Bowman’s resolution condemning the great replacement ‘theory.’ As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, I want to make sure everyone is aware this legislation is paramount to the safety of our communities. We cannot be silent while lives continue to be lost,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03). “We can no longer accept inaction and must confront this issue as the threat to national security it is. I commend my colleague Representative Jamaal Bowman for his leadership on this issue. For the families of every person who has lost their lives to hate crimes, we must make it clear that prayers and thoughts are not enough. Action is the only acceptable path forward.”

 "The Great Replacement Theory is one of the most pervasive, dangerous forces in our country today,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “It has stolen Black, Jewish, Latino, Muslim and immigrant lives, and it is on the rise. But while these forces may be resurgent, they are not new. These racist, white supremacist theories have been used from the beginning of our country — directed at different groups of people each time — to turn us against one another. That is why we insist on another way: to govern from love rather than fear, to put forward a vision of unity over separation. I am proud to join as chair of the Progressive Caucus and co-lead of Rep. Bowman's resolution — because this work is how we begin." 

“We cannot stand by and accept the horrific and senseless mass murder in Buffalo, New York, an act of domestic terrorism and hate that was fueled by far-right conspiracies and the easy acquisition of an extremely dangerous firearm,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Second Vice Chair of the CHC. “We stand united today to combat white supremacy, condemn dangerous rhetoric of hate and conspiracy, and call for urgent comprehensive gun violence prevention to help keep our communities safe. Far too many lives are at stake and the urgency for us to act is now.”

“From the Atlanta spa shootings targeting Asian women last spring to the recent mass shooting targeting the Black community in Buffalo, violent racist attacks have plagued communities of color for far too long. Fueled by the idea of the great replacement theory, this radical far-right conspiracy theory is destroying lives and shattering communities. We cannot allow baseless conspiracy theories to continue to stoke the flames of hatred across our nation,” said CAPAC Chair, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27). “This is why I was proud to join my colleagues in not only introducing, but passing this resolution condemning these acts of white supremacy. While there is still much work needed to build a brighter future, this resolution is another step forward toward eradicating hate, putting an end to needless tragedies and honoring the victims of these horrific crimes.” 

“As Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, I want to make it clear that our community stands in solidarity with all those targeted by the Great Replacement Theory – a vile,  racist, xenophobic, nativist, and antisemitic conspiracy theory,” said Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. “Too many people in positions of power have normalized and legitimized the underlying principles of this white supremacist conspiracy theory and we have seen the horrific consequences – most recently in Buffalo. We all must come condemn this dangerous, bigoted and unamerican conspiracy theory and the violence it has led to.”

“The vile, racially motivated act of domestic terrorism that occurred at a grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York is the result of radicalized right-wing extremists fueled by the conspiratorial belief in the great replacement theory and enabled by Republicans who refuse to address the threat this has on our country,” said Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41). “I introduced a resolution with my colleagues to condemn the great replacement theory and commemorate the victims of this mass shooting as the first step in recovering, but we cannot accept this as our reality, we must prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place.” 

“We need to call this out for what it is or it will continue to divide and devastate our communities,” said Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26).  “The Buffalo shooter was influenced and radicalized by racist, hate-filled garbage. As a result, Black people in Buffalo were targeted, killed and injured. Our community is forever changed. The resolution to condemn the great replacement theory and commemorate the victims in Buffalo reinforces the urgent need to replace the ignorance and hate that is driving division, perpetuating lies, and killing our neighbors. Today we are taking an important step to speak out against this violent and divisive rhetoric, but we must continue working to end these preventable tragedies.”

"White Replacement Theory is a toxic lie. It combines racism, anti-Semitism and paranoid conspiracy theory into a dangerous intoxicant for extremists,” said Rep. Raskin (MD-08). “We have seen multiple cases of young people ingesting this hate-filled propaganda and then going on shooting sprees and massacres against members of targeted minority groups. I am pleased that the House has passed our Resolution denouncing White Replacement Theory. I just wish all those politicians who have been so valiantly denouncing and banning the elusive villain of ‘Critical Race Theory,’ which has not been linked to any massacre of innocent human beings, would now take a moment and a fraction of the same energy to denounce White Replacement Theory, which is a proven and serious danger to human life in America as extremists and fanatics internalize it.”      

The resolution is being co-led by several caucus chairs including Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu (D-CA), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), and Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus Chair David Cicilline (D-RI). Congressmen Brian Higgins (D-NY), Paul Takano (D-CA), and Jaime Raskin (D-MD) are also co-leaders of this effort.

Including all of the co-leads, the resolution has the support of more than 142  original co-sponsors including Adams, Allred, Barragan, Blumenauer, Blunt Rochester, Bonamici, A. Brown, Bush, Bustos, Butterfield, Carbajal, Cardenas, Carson, Casten, Cherfilus-McCormick, Clark, Clarke, Cleaver, Cohen, Correa, Costa, Crow, Dean, DelBene, DeSaulnier, Dingell, Escobar, Eshoo, Espaillat, Evans, Gallego, C. Garcia, S. Garcia, Green, Grijalva, Horsford, Jacobs, Jeffries, E.B. Johnson, H. Johnson, Jones, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi, Langevin, Lawrence, Lawson, B. Lee, S. Lee, Leger Fernandez, A. Levin, Lieu, Lowenthal, Lynch, C. Maloney, McGovern, McNerney, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Napolitano, Holmes-Norton, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pappas, Payne, Phillips, Pocan, Porter, Pressley, Quigley, Roybal-Allard, Rush, Sanchez, San Nicolas, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Sherman, Sherrill, Sewell, Sires, Soto, Stevens, Suozzi, Swalwell, Titus, Tlaib, Tonko, N. Torres, R.. Torres, Trahan, Trone, Underwood, Vargas, Velazquez, Watson Coleman, Williams, Wilson, Yarmuth

The resolution is also supported by several leading national advocacy organizations including J Street, the National Urban League, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA). 

Rep. Donald Payne Jr. wins NJ Democratic Primary

Rep. Donald Payne Jr. easily defeated political activist Imani Oakley on Tuesday to win the Democratic nomination for another term in the congressional seat he has held for 10 years.

Payne was leading Oakley by more than 8,000 votes — or more than 80% of the vote — in the 10th Congressional District when the AP called the race shortly before 9:30 p.m.

“This is a victory for the hardworking men and women of the 10th District who showed that they demand experienced, effective leadership that puts their needs first and always shows up for them, and that’s exactly what I have always strived to deliver as their Congressman,” Payne said in a statement.

“I would like to thank our incredible supporters for working so hard to make this victory possible, from the many labor unions and progressive organizations that endorsed, to the elected officials and community leaders that engaged with their residents,” he added. “More than anything I want to thank the everyday folks who continue to put their trust and faith in me to represent them in our nation’s capital.”

Payne will face Republican challenger David Pickney in November’s general election for the seat, according to a projection by the AP.

VOTE TOTALS (76% of vote counted)

Donald Payne Jr. 26,342 votes 83.6%

Imani Oakley 3,230 votes 10.3%

Akil Khalfani 1,926 votes 6.1%

Buffalo massacre victim's son speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee on white supremacy and domestic terrorism

Garnell Whitfield's mother, Ruth Whitfield, was killed in the Buffalo mass shooting on May 14. He spoke before hearing on white supremacy and domestic terrorism pleading with them to do something about racial violence in America. Watch his passionate plea below:

AVA DuVERNAY TO RECEIVE 2022 INTERNATIONAL EMMY® FOUNDERS AWARD

NEW YORK, June 6, 2022 – The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced today that director, writer and producer Ava DuVernay, one of the most important contemporary voices in American film and television, will receive the 2022 International Emmy® Founders Award at the 50th International Emmy® Awards Gala, on Monday, November 21, 2022 in New York City. DuVernay’s mini-series When They See Us, based on the infamous Central Park Five case, portrayed the injustices brought by police treatment of five falsely accused teens to the attention of millions of people around the world.

“Ava DuVernay is a force of nature and this is reflected in the remarkable scope and volume of her work. She makes significant films and television programs, she uses her platform to reshape our industry and continues to lead a career-long effort to bolster women and people of color in entertainment and ensure inclusivity,” said International Academy President & CEO, Bruce L. Paisner. “We look forward to honoring her extraordinary talent and prolific decade of leadership at ARRAY, with our Founders Award.”

“This honor from the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is unexpected and wildly appreciated,” said DuVernay. “I thank the organization for recognizing my work and salute their efforts to ensure that storytellers of all backgrounds are amplified and celebrated.”

DuVernay is an Academy Award nominee and winner of the Emmy®, BAFTA and Peabody Awards, whose directorial work includes the historical drama Selma, the criminal justice documentary 13th and Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, which made her the highest grossing Black woman director in American box office history.

DuVernay is currently writing, directing and producing the narrative film adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s bestselling nonfiction book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent for Netflix. Through her ARRAY Filmworks production company, DuVernay is overseeing production on the final season of her critically-acclaimed TV series Queen Sugar (OWN), as well as recent and upcoming television productions including an untitled romantic drama for Starz, Colin in Black and White (Netflix), DMZ (HBO Max), Cherish the Day (OWN), Naomi (The CW), Home Sweet Home (HBO Max) and One Perfect Shot (HBO Max). Her critically-acclaimed series When They See Us (Netflix) received sixteen primetime Emmy® nominations.

Winner of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival’s Best Director Prize for her micro-budget film Middle of Nowhere, DuVernay amplifies the independent work of people of color and women of all kinds through her non-profit narrative change collective ARRAY. ARRAY is the 2021 winner of the Peabody Institutional Award. DuVernay sits on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, representing the directors branch. She is also a Vice-President of the Directors Guild of America and an advisory board member of the American Film Institute.

The National African Reparations Commission calls for beneficiaries of reparations to be broadened

California’s legislatively mandated task force on reparations for Black Americans recently released a 500-page report, recounting the State’s mistreatment of Black Americans dating back to its founding. In response to the report’s findings, The National African Reparations Commission (NAARC), the nation’s foremost organization for reparatory justice, has released the following statement calling for beneficiaries of reparations to be broadened:

“While California isn’t the only state where reparations are owed to African Americans, I commend the committee on its findings, while also challenging it to broaden its ruling. Limiting eligibility of African Americans who receive reparations will limit the repair for the enormous injuries suffered by all Black people in America across generations,” said Dr. Ron Daniels, Convenor of the NAARC.

“Reparations are also due for the legacies of enslavement: formerly enslaved Africans and newly arrived immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Diaspora, in response to the injuries and harms inflicted after Emancipation through racially exclusionary policies during the era of Jim Crow Segregation and right up to the present. NAARC holds to the position that all Black people who were harmed by America in America, should be repaired by America in America.”

“The historical fact is that centuries of enslavement, post-Emancipation racially exclusionary policies and practices, psychological trauma, racial oppression, violence, and mass incarceration have severely underdeveloped and, in some instances, outright destroyed families and communities in Black America. If America is serious about righting the wrongs of the past, discussions on reparations need to be broad and inclusive and include the descendants of all who suffered and continue to suffer from the effects of the enslavement of Africans in America.”

American Association of Community Colleges Elects Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy D. Hall to National Board of Directors

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has elected Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy D. Hall to its board of directors to represent the National Council on Black American Affairs (NCBAA). Dr. Hall will serve a three-year term, effective July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025.

AACC serves as the primary advocacy organization for community colleges across the nation. The Board consists of 32-members, six of which are representatives of affiliated councils. Two affiliated council representatives are elected annually. As an affiliated council of the AACC, the NCBAA assists African American staff and students at community colleges to achieve success in attaining educational and employment goals.

“I am honored to be selected to represent the National Council on Black American Affairs as a member of the AACC board of directors and look forward to serving the board as a champion for college access and success for African Americans and other underserved populations," Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy D. Hall said.

AACC is a founding partner of Achieving the Dream, a leader in championing evidence-based institutional improvement that supports positive outcomes for all students. Since taking the helm as president of Southwest in 2015, Dr. Hall has transformed the student experience and laid the foundation for its equity-first culture that focuses on closing achievement gaps and increasing graduation rates, especially among low-income students, first-generation students and students of color. In 2016, Southwest, a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) in Memphis, Tenn., joined the ATD network to redesign student-centered processes from recruitment to graduation. The College’s transformational work led to the college earning ATD’s prestigious Leader College designation in 2020 and winning the highly competitive national Bellwether Award for Planning, Governance and Finance in 2021.

Southwest also has won AACC awards for teaching and campus best practices to include the 2019 Community College Safety, Planning and Leadership Award and the 2018, 2020 and 2022 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Awards.

Dr. Hall is a member of AACC’s Commission on Economic and Workforce Development where she shares insights on how community colleges can close the skills gap and align their programs to support future jobs growth. Her term on the commission ends June 30, 2022.

President Hall also serves on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Board of Trustees as part of the College Delegate Assembly, and on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Memphis Branch, Greater Memphis Chamber and Memphis Medical District Collaborative.

Kansas City, Mayor Quinton Lucas "incredibly disappointed" by lack of action on gun violence

Mayor Quinton Lucas of Kansas City, Missouri, says federal lawmakers are "basically just throwing up their hands" in the wake of the recent spate of mass shootings.

Tulsa shooting victim Dr. Preston Phillips was a great man

The fatal shooting of Dr. Preston Phillips, one of the four people killed this week during a shooting at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr.Phillips was more than just a doctor, he was a man who cared deeply about his community.

Phillips was a Black orthopedic surgeon, too. Of 30,000 physicians in America in this discipline, only about 600 are Black, representing less than 2 percent of all orthopedic surgeons, according to 2018 data from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Phillips studied at Harvard Medical School and worked with renowned spine surgeon Augustus White at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He also frequently traveled to Africa to provide care in underserved nations.

Locally, Phillips took on extra responsibilities to serve and care for his fellow Tulsans.

He was also a member of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, and frequently volunteered with the Tulsa County Medical Society's free clinic, Project TCMS, according to an association spokesperson.

More recently, he had been serving on the board of the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation.

But Reuben Gant, interim executive director, said “board member” does not begin to do justice to Phillips’ efforts on behalf of the Tulsa nonprofit.

He chaired its scholarship committee, recruiting fellow members of his fraternity for black professionals, called Grand Boule of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Epsilon Iota), to review applications, nominate students for awards and mentor the winners through post-secondary education.

Gant estimated that more than 20 local high school graduates received scholarships and mentoring through vocational education, junior college or universities during the last five years.

Boston Celtics wear shirts in support of Brittney Griner

Members of the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts with "WE ARE BG" written across them at Saturday's practice ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia.

"The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA," Grant Williams said. "She's been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she's had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.

"We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court."

Williams, a vice president within the National Basketball Players Association, said the shirts were a collaboration between both the NBPA and WNBPA, as a way to show support for Griner as she continues to be held in Russia, where she's been in custody since early February.

"They sent them overnight to get them here for today," Williams said. "They did a phenomenal job, and want to credit them to make that process happen. We just wanted to do that as a team. It was one of those things where no one questioned it. Everyone said, 'Let's do it.' Everyone put the shirt on immediately when we got them, fresh off the box. They were ironed and good to go. So we wanted to show that love and support."

The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since being detained at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner has been wrongfully detained.

"We wanted to come out and show our support... We feel like enough is enough."

-Jaylen Brown discusses the @celtics all wearing t-shirts in support of Brittney Griner. pic.twitter.com/Gs14Zqr40x

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 4, 2022

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Cicely Gay appointed New Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Chair

Cicely Gay, an Atlanta activist has been appointed to straighten out the finances of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation

Cicely Gay's appointment was announced by BLM's Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) on April 27, as the group struggles to combat accusations that the money donated has not been wisely spent, or properly accounted for.

With over 20 years of nonprofit and philanthropic experience, Cicley Gay is a powerhouse and leader in the political and communications sphere — more often than not as the only Black woman in spaces she leads. Cicley built the grant allocations process and programmatic infrastructure of a multi-million-dollar national mentoring initiative for Black children and was the founding director of Students Take Action for New Directions, educating students on the impact of federal budget priorities on local communities.

She told The New York Times she had been appointed to straighten out the organization's finances, after BLMGFN faced intense scrutiny over its spending of donor cash.

'No one expected the foundation to grow at this pace and to this scale,' said Gay.

'Now, we are taking time to build efficient infrastructure to run the largest Black, abolitionist, philanthropic organization to ever exist in the United States.'

Rep. Hank Johnson calls on U.S. government to spend more with Black Press

Four years after D.C. Democratic Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton publicly condemned federal agencies after a Government Accountability Office report revealed they spend very little of their advertising dollars with Black-owned media, another member of the Congressional Black Caucus has openly aired the concerns.

“The federal government spends billions of dollars a year in paid advertising. However, the federal government’s process for allocating advertising dollars fails to recognize and value the unique relationship that Black-owned media have with their audiences,” Georgia Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden.

Co-signed by Norton, Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Val Demings (D-Fla.), and 34 other members of Congress, the letter pointed out that the standard process for spending federal advertising dollars consists of giving a prime contract to a large White-owned advertising agency with the stipulation that the agency includes a multicultural agency as a subcontractor.

“However, the prime contractor controls how much money goes to the subcontractor and how that subcontractor spends that money,” Johnson wrote.

“This routinely results in a smaller fraction of federal dollars going to the subcontractors. And, when the subcontractor does get to spend money, it is usually directed to spend that money with Black-targeted media and not with Black-owned media.”

He asserted that “successful Black businesses hire and promote Black Americans at a much higher rate than other businesses. They are, consequently, the key to building successful Black communities.”

In 2018, Norton commissioned a GAO report that revealed that the federal government spent more than $5 billion on advertising over five years. Still, Black-owned businesses received only $51 million, or 1.02 percent of those funds.

“I will work with minority publishers to press [my colleagues] in Congress to demand greater spending on minority-owned outlets to reach minority audiences that most traditional outlets do not,” Norton stated during a 2018 news conference with members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association on Capitol Hill.

“The GAO report showed, as we expected, that the federal government has a long way to go to ensure equal opportunities for minority-owned news outlets,” Norton continued.

“As the nation’s largest advertiser, the federal government has an obligation to provide advertising opportunities to news outlets and media companies owned or published by people of color.”

In April, dozens of federal agencies launched plans for more equity to open federal programs to more people and reduce racial disparities caused by government decisions.

“Advancing equity is not a one-year project. It’s a generational commitment,” Biden stated. “These plans are an important step forward, reflecting the Biden Harris administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every American, and I mean every American.”

In the Johnson-led letter, members of Congress have issued a request for Biden Administration to investigate and report back complex data on “the process by which they grant advertising contracts, and how they oversee those contracts after they are granted.”

“The federal government spends billions of dollars a year in paid advertising. However, the federal government’s process for allocating advertising dollars fails to recognize and value the unique relationship that Black-owned media have with their audiences,” Johnson wrote.

[SOURCE STLAMERICAN]

California Reparations Task Force Releases Interim Report Detailing Harms of Slavery and Systemic Discrimination on African Americans

 As part of California’s historic Assembly Bill 3121 (AB 3121), the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans (Reparations Task Force) today released an interim report providing an in-depth overview of the harms inflicted on African Americans in California and across the nation due to the ongoing legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination. The interim report includes a preliminary set of recommendations to the California Legislature and a final report is expected to be issued in 2023. The Reparations Task Force is a first-in-the-nation effort by a state government to study slavery, its effects throughout American history, and the compounding harms that the United States and Californian governments have inflicted upon African Americans.

“Without accountability, there is no justice. For too long, our nation has ignored the harms that have been — and continue to be — inflicted on African Americans in California and across the country,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “California was not a passive actor in perpetuating these harms. We must double down on our efforts to address discrimination in our state and nation and take a hard look at our own history, including at the California Department of Justice. This interim report is a historic step by the State of California to acknowledge the insidious effects of slavery and ongoing systemic discrimination, recognize the state's failings, and move toward rectifying the harm. I commend the Reparations Task Force for their commitment to this effort and for being a model for partners across the nation. I urge every American to read the task force’s report and join with us in recommitting ourselves to justice.”

 “It has been an honor and a privilege to supervise the release of this monumental interim report,” said Task Force Chair Kamilah Moore. “A year-long effort, this 500+ page report chronicles the harms against the African American community, starting with the transatlantic slave trade, the institution of U.S. chattel slavery, Emancipation and the broken promise of Reconstruction, genocidal Jim Crow, to contemporary harms; it is the most extensive government-issued report on the African American community since the Kerner Commission in 1968. Thus, it is my hope that people in California and across the United States utilize this report as an educational and organizing tool, as this interim report exceeds expectations in substantiating the claim for reparations for the African American/American Freedmen community on the municipal, state and federal level."

“It is a privilege to sit on a task force that has the moral obligation of fulfilling the task of developing measures that will right the wrongs which were collectively perpetuated against the African American community solely on the basis of the color of our skin,” said Task Force Vice Chair Dr. Amos C. Brown. "Other groups that have suffered exclusion, oppression, and downright destruction of human existence have received reparations, and we should have no less."

The institution of slavery is inextricably woven into the establishment, history, and prosperity of the United States. Constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned from 1619 to 1865, slavery deprived more than four million Africans and their descendants of life, liberty, citizenship, cultural heritage, and economic opportunity. Following the abolition of slavery, government entities at the federal, state, and local levels continued to perpetuate, condone, and often profit from practices that brutalized African Americans and excluded them from meaningful participation in society. This legacy of slavery and racial discrimination has resulted in debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships that are uniquely experienced by African Americans. 

AB 3121 charges the Reparations Task Force with studying the institution of slavery and its lingering negative effects on living African Americans, including descendants of persons enslaved in the United States and on society. The legislation, enacted on September 30, 2020, requires the task force to also recommend appropriate remedies of compensation, rehabilitation, and restitution for African Americans, with a special consideration for descendants of persons enslaved in the United States. The Reparations Task Force’s work is ongoing and the interim report primarily focuses on identifying and summarizing the myriad badges and incidents of slavery. The interim report builds on months of public hearings, hours of expert, public, and witness testimony, and numerous records submitted to the task force. 

In the interim report released today, the Reparations Task Force — over the course of 13 chapters — provides an accounting of many of the harms of slavery and systemic discrimination in California and across the nation. The interim report offers a synthesis of many of the relevant issues, ranging from enslavement and government sanctioned residential segregation to environmental injustice and political disenfranchisement. Some of the key findings noted in the interim report include:

• In order to maintain slavery, colonial and American governments adopted white supremacy beliefs and passed laws in order to maintain a system that stole the labor and intellect of people of African descent;
• In California, racial violence against African Americans began during slavery, continued through the 1920s, as groups like the Ku Klux Klan permeated local governments and police departments, and peaked after World War II, as African Americans attempted to move into white neighborhoods;
• Due to residential segregation and compared to white Americans, African Americans are more likely to live in worse quality housing and in neighborhoods that are polluted, with inadequate infrastructure;
• American government at all levels, including in California, has historically criminalized African Americans for the purposes of social control, and to maintain an economy based on exploited Black labor; and
• Government laws and policies perpetuating badges of slavery have helped white Americans accumulate wealth, while erecting barriers which prevented African Americans from doing the same. These harms compounded over generations, resulting in an enormous gap in wealth between white and African Americans today in the nation and in California.

Additional information about the work of the Reparations Task Force and the ongoing public hearing process is available here: oag.ca.gov/ab3121. 

A copy of the interim report is available here.

 

Coco Gauff reaches first Grand Slam final at French Open

American Cori "Coco" Gauff clinched her first appearance in a Grand Slam final with a straight-sets victory over Italian Martina Trevisan in a women's singles semifinal Thursday at the French Open

18-year old Coco Gauff has become the youngest woman to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament since Maria Sharapova did it at 17 years old in 2004.

Gauff, the No. 18 seed, will battle No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland in the final Saturday in Paris. The 18-year-old from Delray Beach, Fla., failed to advance past the quarterfinals in her previous 10 main-draw Grand Slam appearances.

"I think I'm in a bit of shock right now and I didn't know how to react at the end of the match," Gauff said following her semifinal victory. "I have no words to describe how I feel."

NY Attorney General Letitia James Cracks Down on Gun Sellers Illegally selling and advertising Ghost Gun Parts

On the first day of Gun Violence Awareness Month, New York Attorney General Letitia James today took action to crack down on firearms sellers illegally selling and advertising gun parts that are used to create homemade, untraceable firearms, known as ghost guns. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that 28 firearms sellers across the state advertised and/or offered to sell one or more unfinished frames, receivers, and/or kits containing both. The OAG’s investigation found that a majority of these gun sellers were located in Western New York and on Long Island. New York law prohibits the sale, exchange, or disposal of unfinished frames and receivers. In cease-and-desist letters to all 28 dealers, Attorney General James ordered these businesses to immediately stop advertising and selling the prohibited parts and warned of the legal consequences, including imprisonment, if they do not comply.

“Ghost guns are fueling the flames of the gun violence epidemic, and we will not sit idly as they proliferate in our streets and devastate communities,” said Attorney General James. “Across the nation, too many lives are being lost because of these untraceable and unregistered weapons that anyone can get their hands on without a background check. We are not going to wait for another tragedy, my office is taking action to crack down on gun sellers that are illegally advertising ghost guns. If gun sellers do not comply with the law, they will face the full force of my office.”

The OAG’s investigation found that most of these firearms sellers advertised the prohibited unfinished receivers, frames, and kits online or at gun shows. They advertised them on their websites, with some allowing consumers to buy online and others telling consumers to call and ask for the price. Today’s enforcement action is the result of the Jose Webster Untraceable Firearms Act and the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act, which recently came into effect and criminalizes the sale of ghost guns and requires gunsmiths to register and serialize all such firearms.

Nine of these businesses are in Western New York, six on Long Island, five in Central New York, four in the Hudson Valley, two in the Southern Tier, and one in the Capital Region.

Unfinished receivers and frames, also known as 80 percent frames, do not have serial numbers and can easily be used to make untraceable guns, or ghost guns, at home using basic tools. Unfinished receivers hold the upper, lower, and rear portions of a semiautomatic rifle together. Purchasers of unfinished receivers only have to make a few small changes with a common drill press to transform an unfinished receiver into a fully operational one. Once milled, a receiver may be readily turned into a fully-assembled, illegal assault weapon. Similarly, a purchaser of an unfinished frame can use commonly available tools to finish the frame, which may then be readily assembled into an untraceable handgun.

Some of the businesses identified by OAG were selling kits that contained unfinished frames and the tools needed to put a finished gun together at home. They advertised “blank serialization plates,” which makes the firearms untraceable.

The OAG identified the following illegal products advertised by these gun dealers.

Illegal gun kit advertised for sale online by a Western New York gun shop. Kit includes an unfinished frame, hardened rail pins, a finishing jig, drill bits, and an end mill, which are all components that can be used to make an untraceable gun at home.

Illegal, unfinished lower receiver advertised for sale by gun sellers across the state.

Illegal, unfinished frame advertised for sale online by a Capital Region gun shop.

In her cease-and-desist letters, Attorney General James reminds the gun sellers that it is illegal in New York for any person not licensed as a gunsmith or dealer in firearms to knowingly possess an unfinished frame or receiver, and false or misleading advertisements about the legal risks of buying an unfinished frame or receiver could subject them to disgorgement, restitution, and penalties of up to $5,000 for each violation.

“For too long, ghost guns have been haunting our streets and taking lives. I have been warning about these dangerous gun kits for years, and we must take more aggressive action now to stop them from further proliferating,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “The new federal rule issued by the Department of Justice earlier this spring will help keep ghost guns off our streets, but there is still more to be done. That’s why I’m proud to support Attorney General James in cracking down on New York gun dealers who are illegally selling and advertising ghost gun parts. The time is right now to take action on these ghost guns because they are too easy to build, too hard to trace, and too dangerous to ignore.”

“It is chilling that anyone — including convicted felons and domestic abusers — can bypass the background check system and purchase individual, untraceable gun parts to build a homemade assault-style weapon,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “We have to do more to combat the epidemic of gun violence in New York, and I thank Attorney General James for taking this decisive action to crack down on firearms dealers.”

“Uvalde. Buffalo. Sunset Park. New Yorkers are sick to their stomachs from bearing witness to horrific tragedies because of our federal government’s failure to properly regulate guns,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman. “In the federal void, New York is leading the way. Last year, we made ghost guns illegal. They are dangerous, untraceable firearms bought by people looking to evade New York’s robust background check requirements. Thanks to the leadership of Attorney General James, now the 28 firearm sellers across the state advertising or offering to sell these ghost gun parts are looking at serious consequences if they do not comply. I am proud of the progress we made and are continuing to make throughout New York state to help prevent further gun violence.”

“We passed the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act last year because too many people were exploiting a loophole in our gun laws and getting their hands on dangerous, untraceable ghost guns without ever going through a background check,” said State Senator Anna M. Kaplan. “I’m proud that the law I sponsored is now being used by Attorney General James to crack down on gun sellers who were selling these dangerous weapons in our community, and I applaud her efforts to hold these individuals accountable and keep our communities safe from the epidemic of gun violence.”

“Gun violence is ravaging communities across our state and country,” said Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine. “The last thing New Yorkers need is more untraceable guns flooding our streets and devastating communities. I am proud to have sponsored the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act to protect New Yorkers, and I thank Attorney General James for taking action to enforcing it.”

“No one is above the law. Contrary to the belief of many gun enthusiasts, that extends to firearms sellers now that my law to ban the sale, possession, and exchange of unfinished frames and receivers went into effect,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. “In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by guns in Buffalo and Uvalde, we must continue to take every action we can to protect every single New Yorker against preventable gun violence. I applaud Attorney General Letitia James for taking swift and aggressive action to crack down on firearm sellers and get ghost guns off the street. I look forward to continuing to provide her office, and law enforcement across the state — with powerful tools to get guns and the dangerous criminals who use them off the street.”

“Gun manufacturers and shops that flout the law by selling untraceable ghost guns are a central cog in the gun violence epidemic,” said Zeenat Yahya, policy director, March For Our Lives. “While gun shops and producers chase profits at any cost, children suffer the consequences. This last year guns became the leading cause of death for children in America, for the first time outpacing motor vehicle deaths. That horrifies us and scares us. We’re pleased that Attorney General Letitia James is taking this important step to ensure that our laws aren’t just paper tigers, and that they actually serve to protect young people and our communities.”

“When gun manufacturers and dealers break the law and flood our communities with illegal ghost guns, New Yorkers pay the price with our lives,” said Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and policy, Everytown for Gun Safety. “We’re grateful that Attorney General James is taking these lawbreaking members of the gun industry to task for their role in facilitating our gun violence epidemic.”

“There’s no reason why anyone should have access to untraceable, unserialized ghost guns — and when companies illegally sell those ghost guns, they’re putting our lives in danger,” said Nathalie Arzu, volunteer, New York chapter of Moms Demand Action, and a member of the Everytown Survivor Network whose 16-year-old brother, Jose Webster, was shot and killed in the Bronx in 2011. “Attorney General James has been a leader in getting ghost guns off our streets and going after those who put them on our streets in the first place, and New Yorkers are safer as a result of her decisive action.”

Today’s action is the latest example of Attorney General James’ commitment to cracking down on ghost guns and combatting gun violence in New York. In April 2021, Attorney General James sent a letter to U.S. DOJ urging them to strengthen federal regulations on ghost guns. In February 2021, Attorney General James led a coalition of 21 attorneys general from around the nation in filing an amicus brief in the case Grewal v. Defense Distributed before the U.S. Supreme Court, where the coalition fought a lawsuit that seeks to stop states from enforcing their laws against a company disseminating dangerous 3D-printed gun files on the internet.

In September 2019, Attorney General James sent cease and desist letters to the companies behind a number of websites selling incomplete weaponry pieces to New Yorkers that could be easily assembled into illegal assault weapons. In July 2020, Attorney General James announced that all the companies behind the sale of these firearms or firearms components had complied with her cease and desist letters and ended the sale of these weapons to New Yorkers.

To date, Attorney General James has taken more than 3,000 firearms, including dozens of ghost guns, out of communities through gun buyback events and takedowns of violent drug and crime rings since taking office in 2019.

Tops Supermarket shooter indicted on domestic terrorism & ten 1st degree murder charges

A grand jury on Wednesday charged the White 18-year-old accused of fatally shooting 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket with domestic terrorism motivated by hate and 10 counts of first-degree murder. Payton Gendron, who has been in custody since the May 14 shooting, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Erie County Court.

The 25-count indictment also contains charges of murder and attempted murder as a hate crime and weapons possession.

The suspect had previously been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting, which also injured three people. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors told a judge May 20 the grand jury had voted to indict the suspect but was continuing its investigation.

Federal authorities also are investigating the possibility of hate crime charges against the suspect, who apparently detailed his plans and his racist motivation in hundreds of pages of writings he posted online shortly before the shooting.

[SOURCE: CBS NEWS]

Sandra L. Thompson has been confirmed as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency

Sandra L. Thompson has been confirmed as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) by a 49-46 Senate vote.

Thompson had been serving as the agency's acting director since last June, and prior to that she was deputy director of the Division of Housing Mission and Goals, overseeing FHFA’s housing and regulatory policy, capital policy, financial analysis, fair lending, and all mission activities for government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

The Senate vote, which largely followed along party lines, helps solidify the Biden administration’s housing team at a time when mortgage rates are rising and the affordable housing crisis grows. Earlier this month, Julia Gordon was confirmed as commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration.

While key Democrats cited Thompson’s experience and urged her confirmation, Republican leaders opposed her nomination. “As acting director, Ms. Thompson has increased risk-taking at the GSEs and reduced taxpayer protections in order to advance the administration’s radical housing policy,” said Senate Banking Committee ranking member Pat Toomey (R-Pa). “I could not vote to effectively ratify policies that have made a red-hot housing market even hotter, and take ownership of the bailouts and foreclosures that may follow.”

Following her confirmation, housing industry groups were quick to congratulate Thompson.

“Since being appointed acting director in June 2021, she has repeatedly demonstrated leadership, expertise, and a strong commitment to sound risk management principles while safely expanding access to mortgage credit and creating equitable and sustainable housing solutions for homeowners and renters,” said Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association. “We look forward to continuing our important work with director Thompson, FHFA, the GSEs, and other stakeholders to provide affordable housing opportunities for all Americans, while protecting taxpayers and ensuring a robust secondary mortgage market for single-family and multifamily lenders of all sizes and business models.”

David Dworkin, president and CEO of the National Housing Conference, also praised her recent work as acting director.

“In less than a year, she has led the rewrite of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s Duty to Serve plans to expand the enterprises’ activity in underserved markets, and created a new Equitable Housing Finance framework to increase lending in markets not covered by the Duty to Serve program,” he said. “I have every confidence that she will continue to prioritize sustainably expanding racial equity and access to affordable housing now that she has been confirmed.”

As acting director, Thompson has taken steps to address the racial homeownership gap. Last August, FHFA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement on fair housing and fair lending coordination. The agencies said they will focus on improving their enforcement of the Fair Housing Act as well as oversight of the GSEs and the Federal Home Loan Banks.The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA), which supported Thompson’s nomination, also issued a joint statement.

“Thompson brings deep experience in the housing finance industry to the role. Her expertise, understanding, and insight in housing will prove valuable as the nation navigates the end of the pandemic and resulting financial distress,” said the groups. “Throughout her long career, director Thompson has recognized the importance of multifamily as a housing choice as well as the strong performance of the multifamily businesses of the enterprises, their underwriting business models and leadership in the industry.

“NMHC and NAA look forward to continuing to work with director Thompson and her team on policies that recognize the critical nature of the multifamily sector and improve housing affordability,” said officials with the organizations.

Jerry Konter, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a developer from Georgia, also shared his congratulations.

“We look forward to working with her to help address the nation’s housing affordability crisis by ensuring the appropriate federal support to provide affordable housing credit for home buyers and for multifamily housing in all economic and financial conditions,” he said.

Barack Obama reunites with boy from ‘Hair Like Mine’ photo

Former US President Barack Obama has shared his virtual reunion with Jacob Philadelphia, the boy who famously touched his head in the 2009 photo Hair Like Mine. Check out that video below:

Jacob Philadelphia was five years old when he visited the Oval Office and asked if his hair was like mine. That photo became one of our favorites – a reminder of the power of seeing yourself in your leaders.

Today, he's graduating from high school! Check out our recent reunion. pic.twitter.com/gB39hFS3Wp

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 27, 2022

Rep. Val Demings on gun control and investigating the police response in Uvalde Texas

In the wake of two mass shootings this month, former Police Chief of the Orlando Police Department, U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida said there are two pieces of gun control legislation that have broad support. Demings also said that she wants an investigation into local and federal authorities’ initial response to the shooting at Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Wach her interview on the CBS news program Face the Nation:

13 year-old Shaniyha Moore of Queens NY is missing

A 13-year-old Queens girl has been missing since Wednesday morning, police said Sunday.

Shaniyha Moore was last seen leaving her River Road home around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, officials said. She left home in a black shirt, black shorts and black shoes.

Moore is around 5 feet tall and weighs around 110 pounds. She has brown eyes and black hair.

Police asked for help finding her. Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).