Prominent Black Women Have Their Eyes Set On Open Senate Seats
by Atiya Jordan

May 24, 2023

Prominent Black Women Have Their Eyes Set On Open Senate Seats

In its 233-year history, the U.S. Senate has only ever sworn in two Black women: Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and Kamala Harris of California.

While Black women have made many contributions to this country, only eight Black women have secured major-party nominations out of 64 Black women who have run for the Senate since 2010, The New York Times reported. The lack of representation in the Senate has proven stark even before Vice President Harris departed from her seat in 2021.

Over the past two decades, the number of Black women candidates for the U.S. Senate has increased, and Black women have made tremendous gains overall. With the swearing-in of Jennifer McClellan as the first Black woman to represent Virginia in March, the House now has 28 Black women in its ranks, but the Senate has none. But there’s a chance that could change for the better in 2024.

State representatives Barbara Lee, Angela Alsobrooks, and Lisa Blunt Rochester are three prominent Black women politicians who have launched or are likely to launch U.S. Senate bids in 2024.

Barbara Lee

Rep. Barbara Lee, who is running to become the second Black woman senator from California, proudly launched her bid during Black History Month. She has officially entered the primary after California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 89, the oldest serving senator, announced that she will not seek re-election in 2024.

The race for the California seat among Democrats is predicted to be one of the most expensive, competitive, and crowded in the election cycle. Many prominent politicians, including Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter have already launched campaigns for the seat. And yet Lee remains undeterred.

“Our voices are sorely missed in the Senate,” Lee said, according to a previous statement. “My lived experience as a Black woman making true progressive change for Californians will give a voice in the U.S. to those who are currently voiceless.”

Lee is serving her 13th term in the House with a resilient story and political background. She is running for the Senate seat to find real solutions to homelessness, poverty, climate crisis, human rights, and more.

Angela Alsobrooks

Angela Alsobrooks’ bid for Maryland’s open U.S. Senate seat would make her the first Black woman elected statewide in Maryland and just the second woman senator from the state. A former state’s attorney and current Prince George’s county executive, Alsobrooks has joined a competitive Democratic primary to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, The American Independent reported.

The lifelong Marylander is running for the Senate to fight to create jobs, bring down the cost of living, improve the healthcare system, and strengthen kids’ education. Under her tenure, violent crime dropped by 50%, and she established a first-of-its-kind unit to investigate and prosecute police and official misconduct.

Alsobrooks explained to voters in her announcement video, “Look, I get it. There aren’t a lot of people like me in the U.S. Senate. People who live like, who think like, and who look like the people they are supposed to represent.”

Lisa Blunt Rochester

Proudly serving Delaware, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester is among the top contenders for the Senate seat in 2024. She has not yet launched a bid for the race, but she is receiving tremendous support from retiring Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), according to Axios.

Forbes reported that due to Rochester’s endorsements, she would not need to win over a new electorate in her potential bid. If elected, she would be Delaware’s first Black and female senator.

Currently, Blunt Rochester serves as an Assistant Whip for House Leadership. She also sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Her focus is on the economy and the future of work-related issues, reducing the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs for middle-class families, and more.

IYKYK: Another Study Links Black Women And Hair Relaxers To Cancer And Infertility
by Iman Milner

May 24, 2023

IYKYK: Another Study Links Black Women And Hair Relaxers To Cancer And Infertility

The natural hair movement of the last decade was spawned by Black women’s concerns about the chemicals in many hair straightening products and relaxers and their refusal to be bound by antiquated and harmful ideas surrounding Black hair.

Now, a study suggests that the use of chemical relaxers could have far-reaching health concerns due to the use of toxic ingredients like cyclosiloxanes, formaldehyde, parabens, diethanolamine, sodium hydroxide, phthalates, triclosan, and benzophenone-3, according to California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control. Multiple studies conclude that these and other chemicals found in common straightening products have been linked to uterine cancer, infertility, fibroids, breast cancer, and endometriosis.

Washington lawmakers are now calling on the Food and Drug Administration to “conduct a thorough and transparent investigation,” according to Cleveland.com.

U.S. Rep Shontel Brown, along with Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley, are two of the prominent voices urging the FDA to determine whether or not the products should be marketed as safe for use. “As a result of anti-Black hair sentiment, Black women have been unfairly subjected to scrutiny and forced to navigate the extreme politicization of hair,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter. “Hence, generations of Black women have adapted by straightening hair in an attempt to achieve social and economic advancement.”

Early this year, beauty company L’Oreal found itself at the center of numerous lawsuits filed by consumers who claimed their products caused cancer and other health problems. The lawsuits also claim that L’Oreal and other companies knowingly expose women to deadly chemicals without warning. For medical professionals like OB/GYN Dr. Lauren Bouchard of Cleveland, the responsibility should always be to arm people with the necessary information to make the best decisions for themselves. “I tell them that there are some studies that show there may be a link between products including perms and relaxers, and cancer, fibroids and endometriosis,” Bouchard said. “I ultimately leave it up to their discretion, but they should know that link is present.”

A Boston University School of Public Health study tested over 11,000 people and found fertility rates to be lowest among women who reported using relaxers for over 10 years or at least five times per year.

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

May 24, 2023

What Happens if the US Supreme Court Bans Affirmative Action?

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule by the end of June on whether colleges and universities can continue to consider race as part of their student admissions decisions, a practice known as affirmative action.

Here is an explanation of these policies, their history and the possible consequences of the court’s decision.

WHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION?

In the context of higher education, affirmative action typically refers to admissions policies aimed at increasing the number of Black, Hispanic and other minority students on campus.

Colleges and universities that take race into consideration have said they do so as part of a holistic approach that reviews every aspect of an application, including grades, test scores and extracurricular activities.

The goal of race-conscious admissions policies is to increase student diversity in order to enhance the educational experience for all students. Schools also employ recruitment programs and scholarship opportunities intended to boost diversity, but the Supreme Court litigation is focused on admissions.

WHICH SCHOOLS CONSIDER RACE?

While many schools do not disclose details about their admissions processes, taking race into account is more common among selective schools that turn down most of their applicants.

In a 2019 survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, about a quarter of schools said race had a “considerable” or “moderate” influence on admissions, while more than half reported that race played no role whatsoever.

Nine states have banned the use of race in admissions policies at public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT LITIGATION ABOUT?

The Supreme Court is weighing two cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group headed by Edward Blum, a conservative legal strategist who has spent years fighting affirmative action.

One case contends that Harvard’s admissions policy unlawfully discriminates against Asian American applicants. The other asserts that the University of North Carolina unlawfully discriminates against white and Asian American applicants.

The schools reject those claims. They have said race is determinative in only a small number of cases and that barring the practice would result in a significant drop in the number of minority students on campus.

The court’s conservative justices, who hold a 6-3 majority, expressed skepticism about the role of race in admissions during oral arguments in October. Most legal analysts expect the court to rule against the schools.

HOW HAS THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN THE PAST?

The court has largely upheld race-conscious admissions for decades, though not without limits.

A divided Supreme Court took up the issue in the landmark 1978 case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, after schools began usingaffirmative action in response to the Civil Rights era to correct the effects of racial segregation.

The swing vote, Justice Lewis Powell, ruled that schools could not useaffirmative action to rectify past racial discrimination and struck down the university’s practice of setting aside a certain number of spots for minorities.

Nevertheless, Powell found that increasing campus diversity was a “compelling interest” because students of all races – not just minorities – would receive a better education if exposed to different viewpoints. Powell ruled that schools could weigh race in admissions as long as it remained only one factor among many.

In 2003, the court struck down the University of Michigan’s use of a system that awarded “points” to minority applicants as going too far, but affirmed Bakke’s central finding that schools could use race as one of several admission factors.

The court in 2016 again upheld race-conscious admissions in a challenge backed by Blum to University of Texas policies.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES?

The court could choose to maintain the current system, eliminate race-conscious admissions altogether or settle on something in between such as more stringent limits on the practice.

A decision banning affirmative action would force elite colleges and universities to revamp their policies and search for new ways to ensure diversity in their student populations. Many schools have said other measures would not be as effective, resulting in fewer minority students on campuses.

In briefs filed with the Supreme Court, the University of California and the University of Michigan – top public school systems from states that have outlawed race-conscious admissions – said they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on alternative programs intended to improve diversity, but that those efforts have fallen far short of goals.

Thousands of Black Children Slighted On Social Security Benefits After Death Of A Parent, Here’s How
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 24, 2023

Thousands of Black Children Slighted On Social Security Benefits After Death Of A Parent, Here’s How

While losing a parent is never easy, it’s even harder when you have to depend on the government to assist you financially with Social Security benefits.

CBS News reports children, specifically Black children, are missing out on vital Social Security payments after losing a parent. Data from the Social Security Administration shows that only close to 26% of Black children who have lost a parent receive survivor benefits compared to 46% of other races. Former Social Security Administration executive and researcher David Weaver says the stats are alarming. “Social Security is supposed to be a social insurance program, so its benefits are supposed to be broadly distributed,” Weaver said.

“I think the numbers are startling.”

According to a Census report, just about 975,000 Black children have lost at least one parent as of 2021— with an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study from the Imperial College in London found that Black children lost caregivers at twice the rate of white children from April 2020 until the end of 2022.

There are several determining factors as to why Black children are left empty-handed after a parent’s death. The Hill reports that their parent may not have worked enough for Social Security coverage. Some of it comes from the hands of the SSA, such as budget cuts or not being aware of benefit eligibility. Other reasons, like computer glitches and the government’s lack of a solution, have caused issues with child survivor benefits.

In the United States, every employed person pays Social Security taxes. Those who have worked long enough eventually become eligible for monthly benefits once they retire or become disabled. After death, some family members could potentially qualify to receive those benefits. However, when the child is under 18, several factors regarding whether they qualify come into play. In 2022, surviving children received an average of $957.05 every month.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 24, 2023

Rick Ross Can’t Be Stopped, Moves Forward With His Car Show Despite Having No Permit

After recently being denied a permit to host a car and bike show in his current hometown of Fayetteville, Georgia, an undeterred Rick Ross announced the show would go on. But, according to Fox 5 Atlanta, despite the rapper reassuring folks there will still be a car show, South Fulton police officials have stated they will be “monitoring” the situation.

A council member explained to the media outlet that the traffic expectation around his event was a “logistical nightmare.”

“Anyone who wants to attend the event has to come through the city of South Fulton to get there,” Council member Linda Pritchett said, specifying that traffic could make it very difficult for drivers at the intersection of Old National Highway and Highway 138.

“For 12-plus hours, you will have a constant flow of traffic, a saturated, constant flow of people,” Pritchett continued. “Cars parked illegally and parked in shopping centers where patrons cannot park.”

Although residents have expressed wanting the event canceled due to the expected traffic nightmare, Pritchett said she is not looking for the Miami-bred entrepreneur to cancel the event. She is asking that Ross discourage people attending his show from parking near the side of the roads or the parking lots of the businesses in the immediate area.

The police department in South Fulton will be making sure the safety and well-being of South Fulton residents and businesses is their priority.

“However, rest assured, we will make every attempt to mitigate the impact on our local community. Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of South Fulton residents and businesses. We have formulated a strategic plan to manage the situation effectively,” a spokesperson for the South Fulton Police Department said in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Ross’s car and bike show will take place at his estate, The Promised Land, on June 3 with performances by Ross and Georgia hip-hop royalty Gucci Mane.

Target Removing Some LGBTQ Merchandise Following Customer Backlash
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 24, 2023

Target Removing Some LGBTQ Merchandise Following Customer Backlash

Target, which rolled out its Pride Collection at the start of May, is pulling some products from its stores after facing customer backlash, saying it was acting to protect employee safety, the company told Reuters on Tuesday.

Target Corp is offering more than 2,000 products, including clothing, books, music and home furnishings as part of its Pride Collection. The items include “gender fluid” mugs, “queer all year” calendars and books for children aged 2-8 titled “Bye Bye, Binary,” “Pride 1,2,3” and “I’m not a girl.”

“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work,” Target said in a statement.

“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior,” the Minneapolis-based retailer said.

Target has been celebrating Pride Month for more than a decade. But this year’s collection has led to an increase in confrontations between customers and employees and incidents of Pride merchandise being thrown on the floor, Target spokesperson Kayla Castaneda said.

Target’s action comes on the heels of a conservative backlash against Bud Light, after brewer Anheuser-Busch promoted the beer on social media last month with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

The products Target is withdrawing are being removed from all its U.S. stores and from its website, Castaneda said.

While various Pride Collection products are under review, the only ones now being removed are the LGBTQ brand Abprallen, which has come under scrutiny for its association with British designer Erik Carnell.

Carnell has faced social media backlash for designing merchandise with images of pentagrams, horned skulls and other Satanic products.

A search for Abprallen merchandise on Target.com on Tuesday showed “0” results.

Screenshots and posts on social media show that Target previously sold a $25 slogan sweater with the words “cure transphobia not trans people” and an $18 “too queer for here” tote bag.

Target is also reviewing certain transgender swimsuits and children’s merchandise, Castaneda said, but no decision on those products has yet been made.

For example, a swimsuit sold in the women’s section has come under scrutiny for the way its fit was described, as “tuck friendly,” highlighted its ability to supposedly tuck male genitalia.

A Fox News report earlier on Tuesday said that some Target stores in Southern states were shifting Pride-related merchandise away from the front of stores. An employee at a Target store in Arkansas told Reuters that they had shifted Pride-related swimsuits deeper into the store.

“We had swimsuits in the front…. but now they are in a random area in the back now,” the employee, who did not wish to be named, said. “We started shifting the merchandise on Sunday.”

(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Florida School Is Banning Poems Now, Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Ode On The Chopping Block
by Iman Milner

May 24, 2023

Florida School Is Banning Poems Now, Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Ode On The Chopping Block

National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman is speaking out after a Florida school banned the poem she read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration due to one parent’s objection.

“The Hill We Climb,” which had been turned into a short book for students, will not be allowed as reading for elementary school students at Bob Graham Education Center in Miami Lakes, Florida, after parent Daily Salinas determined it “is not educational” and contains “hate messages,” according to USA Today.

Gorman shared her frustrations in an Instagram post with her more than 3 million followers, alongside the formal complaint made by Salinas. “So they ban my book from young readers, confuse me with @oprah, fail to specify what parts of my poetry they object to, refuse to read any reviews, and offer no alternatives…,” her caption read. “Unnecessary #bookbans like these at @bgec_mialks @miamischools are on the rise, and we must fight back 👊🏿If you’d like to help, donate to my fundraiser to support @penamerica as they protect literature, spread the word, and follow great grassroots orgs like @flfreedomread.”

 

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A post shared by Amanda Gorman (@amandascgorman)

Salinas, who has two children at the school, said that the function of Gorman’s book was to “cause confusion and indoctrinate students.” She also named four other titles that she felt were offensive and inappropriate for students of all ages. This ban follows many others like it in the state where Gov. Ron Desantis has waged war on historical and cultural accuracy, especially regarding non-white people. For Gorman, these book bans threaten the natural curiosity children possess, allowing them to colorfully shape their own worldview.

“I wrote The Hill We Climb so that all young people could see themselves in a historical moment. I’ve received countless letters and videos from children inspired by The Hill We Climb to write their own poems,” she said. “Robbing children of the chance to find their voices in literature is a violation of their right to free thought and free speech.”

 

Odell Beckham Jr. Dodges Criminal Charges Due to Insufficient Evidence In Alleged Assault Case
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 24, 2023

Odell Beckham Jr. Dodges Criminal Charges Due to Insufficient Evidence In Alleged Assault Case

In April, Baltimore Ravens football player Odell Beckham Jr. was accused of assaulting a woman when he allegedly grabbed her by the throat in Los Angeles. Prosecutors have determined that he will not be charged in the alleged assault.

According to TMZ, after conducting an investigation into the allegations against the Ravens player, prosecutors in Los Angeles concluded that the victim’s accusation and video of the encounter do not match. The investigation began in April after an unidentified woman alleged that Beckham placed his hand around her neck while the two were at Delilah, a popular restaurant in L.A. Police officials said the woman claimed the 30-year-old approached her at the venue and grabbed her throat with light pressure.

Prosecutors said that the surveillance video they obtained from the lounge “contradicts the complaining witness’ account of events. The video does not capture any battery.”

Also, no one else could back up the accuser’s claims. She said that one of her friends was standing next to her when the alleged incident took place, but it seems they did not see an assault take place. From the onset, Beckham denied the incident, and the restaurant’s owner, John Terzian, disputed her recollection of what occurred. The prosecutors said there was “insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Now that this case is over before it started, Beckham can concentrate on preparing for the upcoming NFL season. The new Baltimore Ravens wide receiver recently signed a one-year, $18 million deal.

The agreement reportedly includes a $13.835 million signing bonus, a $1.165 million base salary, and $3 million in incentives. Beckham took the 2022 season off to recover from an ACL injury he previously suffered during Super Bowl LVI when he played with the Los Angeles Rams. Despite Beckham’s absence, the Rams won the championship game over the Cincinnati Bengals. In his career, Beckham has made three Pro Bowls and has amassed five 1,000-yard seasons.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 24, 2023

Legendary Queen of Rock & Roll Tina Turner Passes Away At 83

Tina Turner, a performer Rolling Stone once hailed as “one of the greatest singers of all time,” has passed away at the age of 83.

News of Turner’s passing was confirmed on her official Facebook page.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” the statement said.

“With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”

Fans of the legendary singer, credited as the Queen of Rock N’ Roll, flooded the comments section expressing their sadness over the news while celebrating Turner’s presence in the music industry for over five decades.

“I will always love you,” one fan wrote.

“Rip our queen ! The Best – always and forever! We will never forget you!” added another.

Turner was able to successfully recreate and rebrand herself in the 1980s as a solo artist following her divorce from Ike Turner in 1978. She has already rose to fame in the 1960s alongside Ike with their hits “Proud Mary” and “River Deep,” and “Mountain High.”

By the 80s, Turner was pushing out iconic hits like “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and “Simply The Best,” which showcased a new signature sound with her raspy vocals, edgy haircut, and toned legs and arms.

Her 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It garnered Angela Bassett her first Academy Award nomination. The film would help Turner reach a new generation and solidify her stamp as a music icon.

In total, Turner won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 as a solo artist. She was inducted alongside Ike Turner in 1991, via BBC.

Tina Turner is credited with inspiring a number of prominent chart toppers including Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Rihanna, Ciara, and many more.

RELATED CONTENT: Tina Turner Gets Her Own Barbie in Honor of ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ 40th Anniversary

 

by Black Enterprise

May 24, 2023

These 5 Organizations Double-Down On Travel Advisory Warnings Against Florida

The Human Rights Campaign and Equality Florida are the latest advocacy groups to issue a travel advisory warning for Florida. The two organizations published a joint press release on the Human Rights Campaign website, a decision that has been hastened as the state’s legislation grows increasingly stricter.

In the past year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who NBC News reports will soon be announcing his bid for the presidency, has signed into legislation restrictive and harmful laws targeting vulnerable groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, Black Americans, women, and immigrants, according to CNN.

In the wake of such changes, many civil rights groups have instructed Americans against visits or relocation to the Sunshine State. Organizations that have issued travel advisory warnings include:

⁃ Equality Florida
⁃ Florida Immigrant Coalition
⁃ The Human Rights Campaign
⁃ League of United Latin American Citizens
⁃ The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

The Human Rights Campaign is the country’s largest LGBTQ+ activism organization, according to NBC. Its travel advisory warning comes six days after USA Today reported that DeSantis signed into law a slate of new bills designed to limit LGBTQ+ rights on May 17. The four bills that are soon to go into effect, as reported by USA Today, are listed below:

SB 254 – This bill prevents minors from receiving gender-affirming care and restricts care among adults.

SB 1438 – This bill prohibits kids from attending “adult live performances,” a move intended to prevent young children from viewing drag performances, including those deemed “family-friendly” due to its vague language.

HB 1251 – This bill requires that Florida residents must use the bathroom of their assigned sex at birth, preventing transgender individuals from using the facilities that align with their gender identity.

HB 1557 – Called the Parental Rights in Education Act, this bill previously only applied to kindergarten classes through third grade. However, as of May 17, this rule has expanded to encompass grades 4 through 12. It prohibits schools from instructing on sexual orientation and gender identity in any capacity.

The LGBTQ+ community is not the only group facing DeSantis’ political ire.

Politico reports that DeSantis has signed SB 266, a law that prohibits spending related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs beyond what is required by accreditors, a decision many view as a direct effort to curb progressive measures and just one of the state’s many rejections to improve education.

According to Pensacola News Journal, Florida’s House has also passed a sweeping anti-immigration law titled SB 1718. This bill will implement certain employment requirements, prevent the government from contributing to identification cards for undocumented immigrants, and more.

As Florida enacts more restrictive legislation, residents are left to fear for their safety, especially as DeSantis gears up for the 2024 presidential election year, which is rapidly approaching.

RELATED CONTENT: NAACP Issues Travel Advisory Warning Black People Against Traveling To Florida

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