The COVID-19 relief bill includes $5 billion in aid for farmers of color

For over a century, Black farmers faced discrimination from the US Department of Agriculture and were largely excluded from federal loans and farm improvement initiatives.

In an effort led by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that passed on Saturday included Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act which is a $5 billion provision that will forgive debts for Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and other farmers of color, to enable reforms that will assist farmers with building generational wealth.

Warnock's measure includes references to several other issues that are a priority for the Black agricultural community, such as heir’s property, access to the legal system, and better support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The goal of the measure is also to help instill generational wealth into Black farming families.

Warnock, who is the first Black senator to serve from Georgia, told Rolling Stone magazine that this federal assistance “will not only help farmers of color, but will also lift up the economies of our rural communities working to recover from the economic turndown.”

“We are one more important step closer to bringing emergency debt relief to Black, Native American and other Farmers of Color in this country,” John Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association, said in a statement. “Generations of discriminatory behavior by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has contributed to significant economic differences between white farmers and farmers of color that directly impact their access to credit. Sec. 1005 and Sec. 1006 of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will help address the ongoing effects of discrimination by reducing the risk of foreclosure and increasing access to credit.”

Among its many facets, the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack to “pay to each lender of farm loans guaranteed by the Secretary an amount equal to the principal and interest outstanding as of the date of enactment of this Act on all farm loans held by the lender, the borrowers of which are socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, such that the borrowers shall be relieved of the obligation to repay the principal and interest due on those guaranteed farm loans.”

Vice-President Kamala Harris statement on International Women's Day

Vice-President Kamala Harris released the following statement on International Women's Day:

Today is International Women’s Day and #ADayWithoutAWoman, an opportunity to recognize the progress we have made, to celebrate our accomplishments, and to acknowledge how far we still have to go to achieve full equality for all women. I ask everyone to look at the role of women in our society -- in our families, in our workplace, in our schools, in our government, and in our military -- and realize what a day without women would actually mean.

Imagine a day without Harriet Tubman or Dolores Huerta. Imagine a day without Shirley Chisholm or Maya Angelou. Imagine a day without Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Constance Baker Motley. Imagine a day without Ibtihaj Muhammad or Serena Williams. Imagine a day without Aung Sang Suu Kyi or Malala Yousafzai.

We stand on the shoulders of the women who came before us as well as the women who are marching in the streets and fighting for our civil rights. Today and every day, I stand with all women. I will keep fighting for you.

Charges permanently against Breonna Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker dropped

A judge on Monday ruled that charges against Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, for shooting a Louisville, Ky., police officer would be permanently dropped.

Jefferson Circuit Judge Olu Stevens declared that the charges against Walker would be dismissed with prejudice preventing him from being charged with the March 13 incident that resulted in his girlfriend’s death, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

The charges were dropped after Jefferson Commonwealth Attorney Tom Wine’s office filed for their dismissal with prejudice last week.

Wine had requested a further investigation after charges against Walker were dismissed in May 2020, but his office noted last week that “no new information relevant to the charges against [Walker] in this matter has been brought to the commonwealth’s attention.”

"As such, the commonwealth moves the court to amend its prior dismissal of this matter without prejudice to a dismissal with prejudice," the document from Wine’s office said, according to the newspaper.

Walker commented on the office’s request to dismiss charges last week in an Instagram post, saying, “I’m blessed for sure but there’s a lot more to be done we gonna get justice for Breonna Taylor.”

His lawyer Steve Romines said in a statement obtained by the Courier-Journal, "We believe the city used Kenneth as a pawn to cover up the events that took place on March 13, 2020, and further used him to cover up the deep-seated failures within the Louisville Metro Police Department.”

“It does not go unnoticed that neither the city nor the LMPD has apologized for using Kenneth as a scapegoat for an improper raid gone bad,” Romines added.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Michael B. Jordan to interview VP Kamala Harris before tipoff of NBA All-Star Game

TNT’s NBA All-Star Game coverage to open with special conversation featuring the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris & Michael B. Jordan tonight at 8p ET.

They’ll talk about the important role of HBCUs, why everyone should get vaccinated when it’s their turn, and more.

President Biden urges Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act

In pre-taped remarks at the Martin & Coretta Scott King Unity Breakfast which was held on the anniversary the march in Selma, President Biden urged Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

...I also urge Congress to fully restore the Voting Rights Act, named in John Lewis’ honor.

Today, on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, I am signing an executive order to make it easier for eligible voters to register to vote and improve access to voting. Every eligible voter should be able to vote and have that vote counted. If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.

I’ll close with this – a few days before he passed, Jill and I spoke with John, Congressman Lewis.

But instead of answering our concerns about him, “how are you doing, John,” he asked us to stay focused on the work left undone to heal and to unite this nation around what it means to be an American.

That’s the God’s truth. John wouldn’t talk about his pending death or his concerns. He said we just got to get this done.

That we are all created equal. That we all deserve to be treated equally.

On this day of reflection, please, let’s stay focused on the work ahead.

Let’s remember all those who came before us as a bridge to our history so we do not forget its pain, and as a bridge to our future so we never lose our hope.

May God bless their memory. May God bless you all.