Dream Detroit Skating Academy (DDSA) is the first Black owned ice skating academy based in Detroit, Michigan.
DDSA was founded by Angela Blocker-Loyd and Candice Tamakloe, two of only a few competitive African American skaters in the metropolitan Detroit area.
Watch more about the Dream Detroit Skating Academy below:
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that would rename a post office in southwest Atlanta in honor of late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis.
Atlanta's main post office, located along 3900 Crown Road SW, could soon be renamed the "John R. Lewis Post Office Building," following approval from Georgia's Congressional delegation.
To rename a United States Postal Service building takes the entire Congressional delegation and both US Senators representing the state where the building is located.
“Renaming the Fifth Congressional District’s main United States Post Office after Congressman John Lewis is a proper, lasting tribute to the life of a civil rights hero” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who spearheaded the legislation. “Congressman Lewis was my friend and mentor, and his sacrifices paved the way for me to serve Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District."
The bill now heads to the US Senate for a vote. If passed, it will continue on to the White House where President Biden is expected to sign it into law.
U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced the Senate companion to Representative Jamaal Bowman’s (D-NY-16) African American History Act. This legislation provides important resources to strengthen opportunities to educate the American public about the richness and complexity of African American history and the impacts racism, white supremacy, and the struggle for justice have had on the fabric of America.
“The story of Black people in America is inextricably linked to the story of America. This story must be reckoned with so that we can honestly reflect upon our nation’s past moral wrongs and the long and ongoing quest for justice that has been undertaken by Black Americans,” said Booker. “As we begin Black History Month, I am proud to introduce this legislation that will invest in initiatives to make African American history education programs more accessible to the public, help educators incorporate these programs into their curriculum, and develop additional resources focused on Black History for students and families to engage with.”
“It is our moral imperative to tell the truth about our past to finally reconcile with this nation’s history of racism and white nationalism, and our legislation will serve as a vital component in our fight to do just that,” said Bowman. “The moment we are in requires of us a clear-eyed vision to ensure that not just our children but people of all ages, have access to resources and education that accurately recount African American history. Senator Booker and I’s legislation invests $10 million over 5 years to support African American history education programs that will be available for students, parents, and teachers. As a Black man and an educator, I cannot make clear enough how important it is to the success of our democracy for us to come to a collective understanding and agreement that we must take our commitment to learn from our past seriously. From the moment Africans were forcefully brought to the Americas as enslaved peoples and the segregation of our society to the economic and agricultural redlining of entire Black communities and the efforts to suppress our vote, it is on us to tell the truth about our entire history. I urge our colleagues to support this legislation and join us in using truth to overcome lies.”
Booker and Bowman’s legislation invests $10 million over 5 years in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to support African American history education programs that are voluntarily available for students, parents, and educators.
This bill will help the NMAAHC expand and improve upon their work in a variety of ways, including:
· Developing and maintaining a variety of accessible resources to promote an understanding of African American history. This includes a collection of digital content, housed on the NMAAHC website, to assist educators, students, and families across the country in teaching about and engaging with African American history
· Engaging with the public through programming, resources, and social media to increase awareness of African American history through a social justice and anti-bias lens
· Convening experts and creating and disseminating scholarly work
· Translating new and existing NMAAHC work into multiple languages
Further, the bill supports the NMAAHC’s work to increase national capacity for African American history education, including:
· developing and disseminating high quality pedagogy related to teaching African American history
· providing opportunities for Professional Development for early childhood, elementary, and secondary teachers
· designing and implementing a teacher fellowship program
· engaging with local and state leaders interested in incorporating these resources in curricula
“Let’s start with a basic fact: You cannot understand American history without knowing African American history,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. “Some people are making this a wedge issue - even bullying teachers and trying to stop us from teaching students accurate history. This bill will make sure every student learns about the history and contributions of African Americans throughout the years. And every educator should have the training and tools they need to engage and teach African American history.”
The Original Co-sponsors of this legislation in the Senate include Senators: Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
The Original Co-sponsors of this legislation in the House of Representatives include Representatives: Alma S. Adams, Ph.D, Jake Auchincloss, Karen Bass, Joyce Beatty, Earl Blumenauer, Shontel Brown, Anthony G. Brown, Cori Bush, G.K. Butterfield, Tony Cárdenas, Andre Carson, Yvette Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver II, Steve Cohen, Gerald Connolly, Danny K. Davis, Dwight Evans, Ruben Gallego, Jesús ‘Chuy’ Garcia, Al Green, Steven Horsford, Sheila Jackson Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Mondaire Jones, Kaiali‘i Kahele , Robin Kelly, Ro Khanna, Brenda Lawrence, Barbara Lee, Andy Levin, Carolyn Maloney, Betty McCollum, James P. McGovern, Gregory W. Meeks, Grace Meng, Gwen Moore, Jerrold Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Donald M. Payne Jr., Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Bobby L. Rush, Jan Schakowsky, David Scott, Bennie G. Thomspon, Rashida Tlaib, Juan Vargas, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams and Frederica Wilson.
Minor League Baseball has announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.
Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión -- the Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.
The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.
“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”
In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.
Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.
MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.
With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.
Two white men, Gregory and Brandon Chase were arrested earlier this week, days after Demonterrio Gibson, a Black Fed Ex driver accused them of chasing him and shooting at him after he dropped off a package in a Mississippi city.
Gregory Case has been charged with conspiracy and is being held on a $75,000 bond. Brandon Case has been charged with shooting into a motor vehicle and is being held on a $150,000 bond.
