The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced the postponement of Fall sports

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced the postponement of all scheduled fall contests along with SWAC championships due to continuing concerns related to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The fall sports impacted include men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. The conference has started the process of formalizing plans to conduct a competitive schedule for the fall sports during the 2021 spring semester.

Specifically, in the sport of football the plan includes a seven-game conference schedule beginning with an eight-week training period in January 2021. Each member institution will play a total of six conference games (four divisional/two non-divisional) with the option to play one non-conference game. 

Additional details regarding scheduling for women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country along with the Cricket Wireless SWAC Football Championship game will be released at a later date.

Fall sports teams and student-athletes will have the opportunity to attend classes and practices in preparation for a spring 2021 competitive schedule upon return to campus. Student-athletes will have the ability to participate in conditioning, strength training and practices in all sports provided all required local, state, and federal health and safety guidelines are met. There have been no final decisions made regarding competitive schedules for the league’s winter sports at this time.     

The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors felt this action was necessary out of growing concern for the health, safety and well-being both mentally and physically of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, team staff, campus faculty, fans and supporters.

The continued increase of COVID-19 cases across many portions of the league’s geographic footprint and Southern regions of the country played a significant role in the council’s decision, along with data that suggests African-American communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The SWAC shares in the disappointment that will undoubtedly be felt by student-athletes, fans, and supporters impacted by the postponement of fall sports competition. The league will continue to review appropriate measures to ensure the health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and the local community which continues to be the primary responsibility of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions.
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
 

Georgia Democrats pick State Senator Nikema Williams to replace John Lewis on November ballot

Today, after a full review process of 131 applicants and a vote by the Executive Committee, the Democratic Party of Georgia announced that the Democratic nominee for the Fifth Congressional District will be Nikema Williams.

DPG General Counsel Sachin Varghese said:

“This was a very difficult decision to make so soon after Congressman Lewis’s passing, and the Executive Committee is grateful to every applicant who submitted their name for consideration. We have done our best to keep this process open and fair, while working within the strict framework and timeline set forth in Georgia law. After discussion and voting, the Executive Committee agreed that Nikema Williams’ years of service to the Fifth District and commitment to justice make her the best possible candidate for this role, with a very important legacy to uphold.

“When Nikema Williams decided to seek the nomination she recused herself from her role as chairwoman, handing off the process to other party leaders including myself. Today she recused herself from the vote and the discussion of the candidates among Executive Committee members, and was treated the same as every other candidate.”

DPG Executive Director Scott Hogan said:

“As a Party, we remain committed to upholding Congressman Lewis’ legacy of fighting for justice and for free and fair elections for every Georgian. We acknowledge that despite our best efforts here, both law and circumstance require us to use a system that falls short of a full district-wide election to ensure that we have a strong Democratic nominee on the ballot in November. While this system was not perfect and we were forced to use what the Secretary of State and Georgia law demands, we know that we have the absolute best candidate in Nikema Williams who will fight hard for Georgians.

We congratulate Nikema on this appointment, and look forward to working with her in this new capacity as we uphold and build on Congressman Lewis’ legacy and elect Democrats across Georgia this November.”

Below are the recorded vote totals from today’s Executive Committee:

• After a nonbinding poll of 41 votes, Nikema Williams had 37 votes, Park Cannon had 2 votes, and James “Major” Woodall had 1 vote, with one abstention.
• Upon reaching a 50% + 1 majority, the Executive Committee voted to approve Nikema Williams as the nominee.

Rep. Payne, Jr.’s Statement on the Passing of Congressman John Lewis

Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. released the following statement regarding the passing of Congressman John Lewis. The Georgia Representative and civil rights icon died on July 17, 2020, after fighting cancer for several months. Congressman Lewis spent more than 30 years in Congress, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and fought for racial equality across the country during his storied and historic life.

“This is just a devastating loss for me and our entire country,” said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. “Congressman Lewis was such a great fighter for the right thing in our nation. For me, I have lost one of my fathers on the floor of the House. I was in awe of how he could convey such power and strength with a gentle demeanor. His passion and love for his country and people brought out a ferociousness in this mild-mannered man. He didn’t just speak for civil rights, he stood up against abuse and suffered to make this a better country for all Americans.

I learned so much from him. One of my greatest honors happened when we held a ‘sit-in’ on the floor of the House to try and get a vote on gun control legislation. It was his leadership that sparked that effort. There were so many situations like that I could mention. He always said it was important to ‘get into good trouble’ and those words have inspired me to this day. He was a hero, a mentor, a leader, and a great, great friend. As I said before, this is a tragic loss for our entire country.”

Congressman Lewis’ leadership was evident in hundreds of actions in and out of the House of Representatives. In 2016, Congressman Lewis led a ‘sit-in’ on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to protest the Republican leadership’s refusal to allow a vote on gun control after 49 people died and 53 were injured during a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, FL.

Rep. Jim Clyburn: Edmund Pettus Bridge should be renamed after John Lewis.

While appearing on Meet The Press Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), echoed calls for the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., to be renamed after the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died on Friday.

NEW: Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) says the Edmund Pettus Bridge should be renamed after John Lewis. @ClyburnSC06: Pettus “was a grand wizard of the [KKK]. Take his name off that bridge and replace it with a good man, John Lewis, the personification of the goodness of America.” pic.twitter.com/tYV4rWEUKd

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 18, 2020

Watch full John Lewis speech at the March on Washington

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died at the age of 80, famously gave a speech at the March on Washington in 1963. At just 23, he was the youngest civil rights activist to deliver an address to the crowd that day, which is best remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Lewis' remarks also left a lasting impression although it is not as well remembered.

Watch the civil rights icon's March on Washington speech below: