Attorney General Lynch speaks out on violence in Ferguson

Attorney General Loretta Lynch, made the following comments on the current unrest in Ferguson during an appearance at the national conference of the Fraternal Order of Police:

"Recent events in communities across the country have served as stark and tragic reminders of the tensions that exist in too many neighborhoods between law enforcement officers and the people we serve,'' Lynch told the police group Monday. "One year after the tragic events in Ferguson, Mo., we have yet again seen the consequences for officers and residents when those tensions erupt into violence and unrest.''

"We know that trust is not just a benefit of good police work,'' the attorney general said. "It is essential to its fulfillment. When officers and residents share a foundation of mutual trust and a reservoir of goodwill, residents are more likely to help with investigations: Victims and witnesses of crime are more likely to speak up; and all of us in law enforcement are better able to assist community members when they face difficult circumstances.''

State of emergency declared in Ferguson

St. Louis County authorities declared a state of emergency Monday as they prepared for a second night of protests marking a year since a police officer killed Ferguson, Missouri, teen Michael Brown.

Black Lives Matter Interrupts & Takes Over Bernie Sanders Rally

Black Lives Matter members momentarily took over a Bernie Sanders Rally in Seattle, WA. Several Black Lives Matter members took the stage and microphone to speak, listen to one of the organizers 4 minute speech at that event below:

Bernie Sanders Taps African-American As Campaign Press Secretary

The presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced Saturday it had tapped a young, black criminal justice advocate to serve as its national press secretary.

Symone Sanders, who is of no relation to the junior senator, serves as the national youth chair of the Coalition on Juvenile Justice, a nonprofit that focuses on appropriate care of American youth in the justice system.

She introduced the presidential contender at a rally in Seattle on Saturday that drew 12,000 people -- the largest crowd to attend a Sanders event yet -- with remarks about racial inequality.

"You know which candidate for president will shut down the private prison industry," she said, according to CNN. "You know which candidate will have the courage to fight unjust mandatory minimums and the death penalty."

Though Symone Sanders began to interview for the position several weeks ago, her hiring suggests the campaign is working to attune itself more closely with the cause of Black Lives Matter protesters, who interrupted the candidate for a second time at a different Seattle rally on Saturday. Both the senator and his fellow Democratic presidential hopeful Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley were interrupted by Black Lives Matters protesters at a Netroots Nation event in Phoenix last month.

Read more: Bernie Sanders Taps African-American Organizer As Campaign Press Secretary

Better retirement planning needed for African-Americans

While they’re experiencing greater optimism and increasing affluence, African-Americans are hindered in building long-term wealth because of gaps in retirement planning.

Those are some of the findings from the “2015-2016 African American Financial Experience” study from Prudential Financial, Inc., which also found that African-Americans are not taking full advantage of financial and investment tools.

More than half of survey respondents said that they’re better off than they were five years ago and feel that they’re better off than their parents were at their age.

Interestingly, they also describe themselves as savers rather than investors. Most African-Americans (52 percent) feel very well prepared to make smart financial decisions, while only 40 percent of the general population feels the same way.

Read more: Better retirement planning needed for African-Americans