American Airlines Apologizes for Accusing Black Basketball Players of Theft

American Airlines has apologized to two players on the Memphis Grizzlies' minor league affiliate who were kicked off a plane in Dallas after a flight attendant wrongfully accused them of stealing blankets, which an assistant coach suggested happened because they are black.

Airline spokesman Joshua Freed said Tuesday that Memphis Hustle guard Marquis Teague and forward Trahson Burrell boarded the Sunday flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The flight was operated by Envoy Air.

Two first-class passengers gave the players their blankets as they headed to their seats in coach. But a flight attendant, who is also black, accused them of theft and the players were asked to leave the plane following an argument.

An airline manager apologized to the players and they later flew first class to Sioux Falls, Freed said.

"We take pride in bringing people together, and we know that on this flight we let some of our customers down," Freed said. "Our team at American, along with Envoy Air, is reviewing what happened, and will be reaching out to them."

Read more: American Airlines Apologizes for Accusing Memphis Hustle Players of Theft

The Remarkable Career of Shirley Ann Jackson

Shirley Ann Jackson worked to help bring about more diversity at MIT, where she was the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate. She then applied her mix of vision and pragmatism in the lab, in Washington, and at the helm of a major research university.

Shirley Ann Jackson arrived at MIT in the fall of 1964 as one of just a handful of black students and the valedictorian of her public high school in Washington, D.C. In the midst of working on her first physics problem set, she emerged from her room and noticed all the other first-year women on her floor out in a common area, doing theirs together. “If you know anything about MIT, you know that working the problem sets is a big deal,” she says. “So I gathered up my paperwork and said, ‘May I join you?’

“One of them looked up and said, ‘Go away.’

“I said, ‘I’ve done half the problems already and I know how to do the other ones.’

“And another girl said, ‘Didn’t you hear her? She said go away.’”

And that was just the start. “It was pretty isolating,” Jackson says of her undergraduate years. Students avoided sitting next to her in lecture halls. If she joined others in the dining room, they would generally finish faster or skip their dessert. When that freshman study group rejected her, she went back to her room and cried. But after a while she told herself, “Well, I do have to hand in these physics problems.” So, she says, “I got myself together and finished the work.”

As a girl, Jackson studied the circadian rhythms of bees she captured from flowers and shrubs around her home.

Jackson would need that kind of resilience to see her through nine years at MIT, as both an undergraduate and a graduate student in physics. Becoming the first African-American woman to receive a PhD from the Institute—in any field—served as prologue to a career that has spanned research, public policy, and academic leadership. She’s worked as a theoretical physicist at Bell Laboratories and chaired the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She co-chaired President Obama’s President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and served on the boards of IBM and FedEx. And since 1999, she’s been president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

“It’s nearly impossible to understand the full sweep of Shirley’s career, from academia to government to business,” says Sylvester Gates, a physicist at Brown University who considered Jackson his mentor at MIT. “She has been extraordinarily successful in all of those realms. She also has a magnificent ability to understand organizations and how to be effective within them ... She has always been the cool head in the group.”

Read more: The Remarkable Career of Shirley Ann Jackson

Eric Garner’s daughter on life support in ICU after suffering heart attack

The oldest daughter of Eric Garner — who has become an advocate against police brutality since her dad’s death — suffered a heart attack Saturday night and was in critical condition on Christmas Eve, family members told the NY Daily News.

Erica Garner, whose father died in 2014 when NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold on Staten Island, was on life support in ICU in a Brooklyn hospital, the family said.

The 27-year-old mother of two is unable to breathe on her own, family said.

Esaw Snipes-Garner, Erica’s mother, told The News her daughter’s condition was grave but the family hadn’t given up hope.

“(She) is still with us. She’s fighting,” the mom said.

Read more: Eric Garner’s daughter on life support in ICU after suffering heart attack

Congressional Black Caucus to Speaker Ryan: Reauthorize, Fully Fund Children’s Health Insurance Program

Today, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan informing him that the caucus will only vote for a government spending bill that reauthorizes and fully funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Community Health Centers (CHCs) for five years and two years respectively without taking away funding from other programs that help children and families, such as those for vaccinations, youth suicide prevention, and substance abuse.

“One day after giving away $1.5 trillion in tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, it is unconscionable and un-American that Congress is likely to leave Washington for the holidays without a permanent solution for nine million children who depend on the Children’s Health Insurance Program and 27 million families who visit community health centers for primary health care needs,” CBC Chairman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02) said.

CBC Chairman Richmond continued, “The holidays are a time to reflect on how fortunate we are and help those in need. In that vein, the Congressional Black Caucus will only support a government spending bill that reauthorizes and fully funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Community Health Centers without taking away from other programs that help children and families.”

Text of the letter is below:

Dear Speaker Ryan:

On behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), I write today to strongly urge you to provide a more permanent solution for close to 9 million children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and more than 27 million people that visit Community Health Centers (CHC’s) for critically needed health care. It is completely irresponsible for Congressional Leaders to have created this crisis. Moreover, it is now unconscionable for Congress to head home for the holidays without taking action to right this wrong.

The holidays are a time to reflect on how fortunate we are and help those in need. In that vein, the CBC will not support a Continuing Resolution unless CHIP is reauthorized and fully funded for five years and Community Health Centers are reauthorized and fully funded for two years. Moreover, the offsets for these programs must not harm other vulnerable communities by reducing funding for other programs, such as the Prevention Fund. For this to be the state of play one day after giving away $1.5 trillion to huge corporations and the wealthy is absurd and offensive.

Close to 2 million children across this country are in danger of losing CHIP coverage in January, with another 1 million set to lose coverage in February. A short term approach to providing these children and their families with certainty is absolutely irresponsible. Without swift reauthorization and fully funded coverage, young lives hang in the balance. Congress’ failure to act will set off a chain of dire consequences for children, as well as their families, communities, and states. A family without insurance is a family more likely to fall victim to financial crisis related to medical costs, such as bankruptcy.

Similarly, Community Health Centers play an essential role in low-income communities as they protect and expand access to critical and affordable care. The Community Health Centers Fund (CHCF) provides mandatory funding for federal health centers, which provide primary, dental, and other supportive care in medically underserved areas. Robust and reliable support for Community Health Centers results in more health centers, an increased number of patient visit, and more available services. These services save lives, especially in communities struggling to provide affordable care to poor, largely minority communities.

The CHCF is even more essential to the more than 27 million people it helps support in light of recent efforts to the dismantle our nation’s health insurance market. As you well know, the elimination of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate will add 13 million uninsured Americans, increase premiums by 10 percent, and make it harder for sick people to get insurance.

The Congressional Black Caucus has been the conscience of this Congress since its inception in 1971. We have provided moral leadership and courageous advocacy for our constituents and for all Americans that have felt disenfranchised or left behind. At the time of year when we are supposed to be most charitable, it is urgent that Congress act to reauthorize CHIP and Community Health Centers and provide robust funding for both. Children and families do not need to spend the holidays worrying about their health. It is time for Congress to do what it is responsible and moral. Accordingly, the CBC will not support any legislation to prevent a shutdown unless these critical programs are addressed.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  Fabrice Coles is our Executive Director and can be reached at Fabrice.Coles@mail.house.gov or 202-226-9776.

Sincerely,

 Cedric Richmond

Chair

Mary Norwood concedes: Keisha Lance Bottoms Officially Mayor Elect of Atlanta

Just two weeks after being narrowly defeated in the Atlanta mayoral runoff, Mary Norwood has officially conceded the race, making Keisha Lance Bottoms election night win official.

"For the future of this city, I believe it is the right thing to do to move on and hold a new administration accountable to serve this great city well," Norwood said in a video shared online.

The decision comes after a tumultuous several days following the election which was earlier in the month. Norwood first requested a recount and later challenged whether an entire recently-annexed neighborhood should be counted.

The admission, which follows the recount results showing an even bigger win for mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, further paves the way for the city's next mayor.

"I wish my opponent a term of governance that embodies all that my campaign did embracing every Atlantan and working hard for all Atlantans with grace and dignity," Norwood said in closing.

Thursday afternoon Bottoms released this statement:

“This was a long, hard fought campaign and I remain grateful for the support we received across this city. We truly are stronger together and we will move forward as one Atlanta. I appreciate the passion Ms. Norwood has shown towards our city and look forward to working with leaders across Atlanta to continue to improve our communities.”

[SOURCE]