Man charged for threatening to kill Rep. Bennie Thompson

Prosecutors on Wednesday said a federal grand jury indicted a Pennsylvania man for threatening to kill House Jan. 6 Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) in a letter sent to his Capitol office last week.

Maverick Vargo, 25, threatened President Biden, Thompson, Thompson’s family, and U.S. District Court Judge Robert Mariani in the letter, also sending what appeared to be a white powder and alluding to anthrax, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Vargas wrote to Thompson, “I’m going to kill you! I will make you feel the rest of our pain & suffering. There is nowhere or nobody who can keep you from me. I am going to kill you & those you love. I promise you that I will keep my promise until the day of my death.”

The letter also allegedly said, “you & Joe Biden soon will face death for the wrongs you’ve done to US.”

Vargo, who is from Berwick, Pa., is charged with threatening the president, sending interstate communications with a threat and influencing a federal official by threat, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced.

Prosecutors alleged Vargo sent the letter from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and he could now face up to 25 years in prison for the new charge.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Tuskegee University receives $7.9 million for new cancer research facility

Rendering of Tuskegee University's new cancer research facility

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Tuskegee University is one step closer to becoming a globally renowned center of excellence in cancer genomics focused on health disparities in underrepresented populations thanks to a $7.93 million grant to build a new biomedical annex to the Carver Research Center facility.

The grant proposal, authored by Dr. Clayton Yates, director of the Center for Biomedical Research, and Dr. Channapatna Prakash, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, received one of the highest scores possible of any institution that entered the national competition involving all major research universities. The competition was funded by the NIH Biomedical Research Facility for the Center for Geonomics Health Disparity Research. 

“Tuskegee has a long, rich history as an advocate for research and healthcare for the underserved community,” said Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, Tuskegee University president. “What this grant will do by funding a new facility to support our work around cancer research cannot be understated. Tuskegee’s efforts to understand cancer genomics will impact generations within this community and beyond.”

“This is the first time TU has received an infrastructure grant of this size in a competitive arena and only the second science building to be built in the past 30 years and a third one in the past 70 years,” said Dr. Prakash. “This building will be transformational in providing a 21st century science setting for our cancer genomics research and will help attract top talent as well.”

The 8,600-square-foot biomedical research building will house Tuskegee scientists focusing on computational and genomics related to health disparities. The proposed facility will expand the number of research faculty, students (graduate and undergrad) and post-doctoral fellows engaged in health disparities and biomedical research at Tuskegee.  Construction is expected to begin in Summer of 2023 and will be completed by Spring of 2025.

The research quality will be significantly enhanced due to the state-of-the-art laboratory and supporting spaces from a quantity and quality perspective. The open-floor lab design will allow the university to foster an intellectual environment that encourages scientists to work together in an integrative and interactive fashion that leverages various faculty strengths.

“This award is recognition for the dedicated effort of the faculty, staff and students within the Center for Biomedical Research (CBR) to eradicate health disparities, particularly in Alabama Black Belt,” said Dr. Yates. “We further envision that the new annex will facilitate increased publications, proposal submissions and partnerships and collaborations with other institutions, agencies and the private sector. Students, particularly African Americans and other underrepresented minorities, will receive training to become excellent biomedical research scientists, significantly benefitting from this state-of-the-art enhancement.”  

State Department Recognizes 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities as Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) recognized today 19 HBCUs as “Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leaders.” This recognition is based on the strong partnership between the Fulbright Program and HBCUs during 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years. In addition, this recognition delivers on the Department’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) both through policy and practice.

The 19 Institutional Leaders from 13 states and Washington, D.C. are: Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS; Bennett College, Greensboro, NC; Bluefield State University, Bluefield, WV; Central State University, Wilberforce, OH; Delaware State University, Dover, DE; Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC; Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Tallahassee, FL; Howard University, Washington, DC; Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX; Jarvis Christian University, Hawkins, TX; Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA; Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS; Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC; Spelman College, Atlanta, GA; Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN; Texas Southern University, Houston, TX; Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL; and Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. Government’s premier international academic exchange program. A hallmark of the Fulbright Program is its longstanding commitment to diversity, striving to ensure that its participants reflect U.S. society and societies abroad. The program collaborates with a host of diversity-related groups, such as the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, the American Association of Community Colleges, Diversity Abroad, and many others.

For over 75 years, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants – selected for their academic merit and leadership potential – with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to seeking solutions to challenges and supporting goals of communities and countries worldwide, such as addressing climate change and fostering economic prosperity, public health, and food security. Over 1,900 diverse U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants annually to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas. In addition, more than 800 U.S. scholars, artists, and professionals from all backgrounds teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually.

Individuals and U.S. host institutions interested in the Fulbright Program may go online to learn more.

Raymond K. Boseman’s new book “Things Black People Aren't Taught” a tool to help Black Americans financially prepare for retirement

Raymond K. Boseman, a US army veteran with over three decades worth of service and a bachelor’s degree in business with an associate degree in criminal justice, has completed his new book “Things Black People Aren't Taught”: an eye-opening look at the world of financial planning and investing for Black Americans who have not been taught how to do so.

“As we grow up as Afro Americans, we are taught to go to school, work hard, get a degree, then get a good job, and put your money in the bank,” writes Boseman. “Well, that is fine, but most twenty-one-year-olds don’t even know the rate of inflation. They cannot understand how interest is compounded daily on a vehicle loan, or that an income tax refund is their own money that has been invested then given back to them after the government has used it all year and refunded it back at 0 percent interest.

“This is the reason I felt this book needed to be written for all people, no matter your age bracket, no matter your race or sex or who may not have learned the basics of investing, not living beyond their means, or just have maybe had unfortunate life situations happen to them. I heard this once, and it stuck. (You will get punched in the face during your life; it’s how you handle it is what matters.) You can sit there and take the hard life jab, or you can roll with the punches. I have also heard that when you get knocked down, you want to fall face up so you can get back up.”

Published by Page Publishing, Raymond K. Boseman’s informative guide demystifies the world of investing and takes the confusion out of understanding how to use one’s money to generate more capital. Through his well-paced and thorough advice, Boseman shows how to network and work with what one has access to move up in the world and create a better life for oneself despite the failures and temporary setbacks that might lie in wait along the way.

Readers who wish to experience this informative work can purchase “Things Black People Aren't Taught” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

CHECK OUT THE BOOK ON AMAZON

Henrietta Lacks’ family appointed World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination

WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today appointed the Lacks family as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination. The appointment recognizes their efforts to champion cervical cancer prevention and to preserve the memory of Henrietta Lacks, who died from cervical cancer in 1951.

Henrietta Lacks’ story is one of injustice, with the vast contribution she made to science hidden from the world for many years. While she sought treatment for her cancer, researchers took biopsies from her body without her knowledge or consent. The cells they took, known as HeLa cells, subsequently became the first “immortal” cell line - meaning they are the only cells which have continued to live outside the human body and replicate.

Since the procedure was undertaken, these HeLa cells have contributed to countless medical breakthroughs, including the development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, as well as COVID-19 research.

“Much like the injustice of Henrietta Lacks’ story, women all over the world from racial and minority ethnic groups face disproportionately higher risks from cervical cancer,” said Dr Tedros. “WHO’s goal is to eliminate cervical cancer, which means the innovations created with Henrietta Lacks’ cells must be made available equitably to all women and girls. We look forward to working with the Lacks family to raise awareness on cervical cancer and advance racial equity in health and science.”

The family, represented by Henrietta Lacks' son Lawrence Lacks, Sr., and his granddaughters, Victoria Baptiste and Veronica Robinson; and Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr., Henrietta Lacks’ grandson, accepted the appointment at the World Health Summit in Berlin, during a session titled, “A Next Era for Women's Cancer Control.”

On behalf of the Lacks family, Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr. said, "Today, I humbly accept this honour to serve as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Cervical Cancer Elimination in the spirit of my mother - Deborah Lacks, who lost her mother, Henrietta, to Cervical Cancer, and worked to make certain the world recognizes her impact. Our Hennie's legacy lives on in us, and we will continue to stand in solidarity with WHO, patients, survivors, and families around the world to ensure that no other wife, mother, or sister dies needlessly from cervical cancer."

The appointment of the Lacks family as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination adds momentum to the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, launched by WHO in 2020. The global effort represents the first time ever that WHO Member States have collectively committed to eliminate a cancer.

The strategy lists three goals that countries should reach by the year 2030: First, 90% of eligible girls should be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine. Second, 70% of women should be screened using a high-performance test. And third, 90% of women with pre-cancer should have access to treatment and 90% of women with invasive cancer should be managed appropriately, including access to palliative care.

Currently, a woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes. Nearly 90% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries due to inadequate access to cancer prevention, diagnosis and care. In all geographies, women in marginalized communities are disproportionately affected.

The Lacks family joins other ambassadors from WHO, including Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba, Brazilian world champion footballer Alisson Becker, Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term Mayor of the City of New York, Cynthia Germanotta, President of the Born This Way Foundation, and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The Ambassadorship follows the bestowment of a special posthumous award to Henrietta Lacks from the WHO Director-General, given to her family on her behalf in 2021. It reflects WHO’s ongoing commitment to the active participation of people affected by cervical cancer as central to the elimination effort.>/p>