• News

by Derek Major

July 21, 2020

Rep. Maxine Waters Jumps Out Her Car To Help Black Man Stopped By Police

---

Rep. Maxine Waters was all over social media over the weekend for ensuring a Black man was safe after he was detained by police in her L.A. district.

According to Madame Noire, Waters (D-Calif.), who was driving around, saw several cops from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office who stopped a Black motorist. Waters immediately pulled her car over and began approaching the police to make sure there was no foul play.

“They stopped a brother, so I stopped to see what they were doing,” Waters, 81, says to the individual recording the incident which took place on Friday, according to TMZ. The car was stopped on South Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles.

The police, seemingly unfazed by Water’s appearance, told her if she didn’t leave she would get a ticket because of where she stopped her car. Water’s responded to the cameraman as she walked back to her car.

“They said I’m in the wrong place and that they’re going to give me a ticket,” she adds in reference to the LA County sheriff’s deputies who can be seen in the frame.“That’s OK as long as I watch them.”

https://twitter.com/TheMauriceAsh/status/1285030671241682944

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” another woman says off-camera.

“I will,” Waters responds.

In May, actor Denzel Washington dealt with a similar situation when he encountered a distressed man on the street in L.A. and stayed when officers arrived to make sure the man was OK.

Maxine Waters has become a fan favorite of young and old protesters across the country due to her battles with President Trump and the Republican Party and her ability to tell them exactly how she feels. In March, Waters wrote a series of tweets slamming the president for his response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to an economic depression and more than 120,000 citizens dying.

Waters, who has served as the U.S. Representative for California’s 43rd congressional district since 1991, also commented on the passing of Rep. John Lewis saying “his image, his knowledge and understanding of what democracy is all about should be remembered by everybody because of the work that he has done.”

• Politics

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 21, 2020

Missouri Governor Insists on Sending Kids Back to School, Says ‘They’ll Get COVID, But They’ll ‘Get Over It’

---

A Republican governor stated in a radio interview late last week that children have to go back to school in the fall and that some of them will get COVID-19 but they will “get over it,” according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

With spirited debates across the country about the reopening of schools amid the coronavirus, in an interview with The Marc Cox Show last week, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said, “These kids have got to get back to school. They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctor’s offices. They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it.”

Last week, civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis died after a long battle with cancer. Spelman College recently came forward to announce that it would be honoring his legacy with an endowed namesake scholarship worth $10,000 to five social justice fellows each school year.

“As we navigate today’s turbulent waters, we draw inspiration and courage for our challenges from the Congressman’s decades of selfless sacrifice, ardent advocacy and steadfast commitment for not just racial equality, but equity for all,” wrote Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman, in a post on the school’s website.

“Spelman was blessed to have him on our campus, engaging with our students, numerous times over the years. Just last spring he encouraged our social justice fellows to stay vigilant in the fight for truth and righteousness when the College joined the UNCF in honoring congressional lawmakers who have served as true champions and strong advocates for HBCUs and their students,” she added. “He set a stellar example of how, in his words—to get into “good trouble”—in service of justice can transform our country and the world.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

John Lewis loved Black people unconditionally. And he loved justice just as much. With the death of the Georgia Congressman, the world has lost a valiant social justice warrior. On behalf of the trustees, faculty, students and staff of Spelman College, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Congressman Lewis brought his heart, body and soul to his life’s work. As a young man, he was a global ambassador for nonviolent protests as a path to eradicate injustice. As a Congressman, he never lost an opportunity to champion equity for all of his constituents. He never stopped fighting. Spelman College intends to name an endowed scholarship after Congressman Lewis to celebrate his life. When funded, the scholarship will provide a one-time tuition contribution of $10K, awarded every year to five Social Justice Fellows, led by Dr. Cynthia Neal Spence. As we navigate today’s turbulent waters, we draw inspiration and courage for our challenges from the Congressman’s decades of selfless sacrifice, ardent advocacy and steadfast commitment for not just racial equality, but equity for all. Spelman was blessed to have him on our campus, engaging with our students, numerous times over the years. Just last spring he encouraged our social justice fellows to stay vigilant in the fight for truth and righteousness when the College joined the UNCF in honoring congressional lawmakers who have served as true champions and strong advocates for HBCUs and their students. John Lewis leaves behind an extraordinary civil rights legacy: organizing the March on Washington; challenging segregated interstate travel and pioneering new territory with voter registration as one of the original 13 Freedom Riders; co-founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; and using his voice to be an outspoken supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. He set a stellar example of how, in his words – to get into “good trouble” – in service of justice can transform our country and the world. We mourn this loss and celebrate his brave, radiant life. With sorrow, Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. President, Spelman College Read more on Spelman.edu.

A post shared by Spelman College (@spelman_college) on Jul 18, 2020 at 3:23pm PDT

• Business

by Derek Major

July 21, 2020

Thousands of Essential Workers Walk Off Jobs In Strike For Black Lives

---

Thousands of essential workers walked off the job Monday in the Strike For Black Lives, demanding corporations raise wages, provide healthcare and paid sick leave, and the right to unionize.

According to CNN, the walkout, called the Strike for Black Lives, took place in more than 100 cities across the U.S. Protesters included Black and Latino fast-food workers, home health aides, janitors, and others in industries where Black workers are disproportionately represented.

The Strike For Black Lives was organized by the Movement for Black Lives along with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Fight for $15, the Poor People’s Campaign, and other labor advocacy organizations.

More than 30 blue-chip companies—including the likes of Capital One, ExxonMobil, Nissan North America Inc., and Procter & Gamble Co.—have pledged to support Black businesses and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The companies will provide funding as partakers “In This Together Campaign,” a new drive by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) to help its certified minority firms and other minority businesses overcome the dire blows of COVID-19.

NMSDC President and CEO Adrienne Trimble told Black Enterprise that the campaign hopes to raise $1 billion over the next 12 to 18 months from corporate donors to support minority business development,  economic inclusion, and growth. NMSDC has raised about $600,000 in the opening weeks of the campaign. Trimble elaborated on why additional support is needed.

“Prior to the pandemic and social injustice events, NMSDC was working strategically to close the economic gap between Black and minority businesses; now, the gap has widened due to the unprecedented activities that changed the trajectory globally,” she says. “This is not a social call to action but one that will position Black and minority businesses to sustain throughout and propel beyond this pandemic as well as continue to recreate job opportunities for the communities they serve.”

The corporations responded to a recent challenge from Trimble to “not only lend a hand to our Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), but to take definitive action and stand up against the systemic racial barriers plaguing our society.” She made the remarks at the NMSDC’s 2020 Virtual Leadership Awards Ceremony and on its website.

The NMSDC matches over 12,000 certified MBEs with roughly 1,450 corporate members who boost their supplier diversity efforts by buying goods and services from the MBEs. The firms can range from small businesses to companies with over $1 billion in sales. NMSDC reports its corporate membership includes many of the country’s biggest public and privately-owned companies, along with healthcare firms, colleges and universities. The NMSDC  claims it was initiated as a result of the civil rights movement in the late 1960s and continues to be the nation’s leading minority business development organization.

The council’s latest campaign comes as the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 shutdowns—combined with closures as civil protests erupted in many communities–is particularly devastating to black businesses, Trimble says. The group added the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has helped some Black businesses.

However,  NMSDC reports its surveys have identified that many of the smaller firms still need extra support. The council maintains many Black-owned businesses in America are now at risk of having to close permanently. Already, 41% of Black-owned businesses had closures due to COVID-19 as of May 2020, according to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The campaign includes initiatives and programs to help expedite recovery efforts within the Black business community. Initiatives The NMSDC is asking corporate members to show their commitment by supporting initiatives that include:

1. The REBUILDING Fund

NMSDC has established “The REBUILDING Fund” to invest in minority businesses struggling to recover from the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as those sustaining damage and vandalism during protests.

2. The Minority Business Advocacy Initiative

NMSDC established an inter-organization coalition focused on eradicating the racial wealth gap and startup capital gap to build and scale minority businesses.

3. The Business Consortium Fund

The NMSDC Business Consortium Fund has accelerated its work with its Business Consortium Fund, the only U.S. non-profit CDFI focused exclusively on financing the growth and development of NMSDC certified MBEs throughout the United States operating in corporate and government supply chains and helping raise capital for low-interest loans to MBEs.

The  NMSDC established a partnership between its Business Consortium Fund and Midwest BankCentre to provide MBEs direct access to PPP funds here. The website provides step-by-step instructions for completing a PPP loan application. There was over $132 billion in PPP funds unclaimed as of July 10.

4. The NMSDC Academy

NMSDC Academy provides a range of immersive professional development and learning opportunities for MBEs and our Corporate Partners including: Emerging Young Entrepreneurs; Minority Business Leadership Academy; Centers of Excellence Certificate Program; and Women of Color initiatives.

Additionally, several of NMSDC’s certified MBEs stepped up with funding to support the campaign,  including Blue Springs Metals, LLC; Chemico, LLC ); Cloudtrack, LLC, Diversity-Vuteq, LLC; James Group International, Inc., MCL JASCO, Inc.; Mitchell Black, LLC; Superior Maintenance Co.; and Zephon, LLC.

• Travel and Leisure

by Dana Givens

July 21, 2020

Bahamas Bans American Travelers From Entry Amid Spike In COVID-19 Cases

---

At the beginning of June, numerous Caribbean islands including the U.S Virgin Islands and Jamaica began to reopen their borders to leisure travelers in attempts to restart the economy. Since then, other islands from Barbados, Bermuda, and Antigua and Barbuda, have all reopened. However, tourism officials began noticing a steep rise in COVID-19 cases that were traced back to American travelers. As countries begin to start to reopen, many of them are now specifically barring American travelers from entry.

The Bahamas has become the latest country to bar American travelers from entry. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis made the announcement on Sunday in a national address. The move comes only three weeks since the country officially reopened. The Minister has said that the island’s situation has dropped “at an exponential rate since we reopened our international borders,” according to USA TODAY.  Since the reopening, the country has reported 49 new cases.

Today I announced changes to International travel during my National Address. Read my full remarks here: https://t.co/xBC7n9Os5G pic.twitter.com/fG8mi3wYSX

— Dr Hubert Minnis (@minnis_dr) July 19, 2020

“In neighboring countries, hospitals are overwhelmed and deaths are increasing. For some places it is unclear when or how they will get this virus under control,” said Minnis tells USA TODAY. He added that his country’s progress in fighting the disease can be reversed because of how citizens in other countries “are following or ignoring health guidelines.”

“Our current situation demands decisive action, if we are to avoid being overrun and defeated by this virus,” he adds. “We cannot allow our hospitals to be overrun. Many priorities must be balanced, be they health, social and economic. Chief amongst these though is the health.”

The hotel industry has also been drastically affected by the rise in cases. The famous Atlantis Resort, which serves as a huge tourism hub for the island, has recently announced that they will be delaying their opening to protect both employees and guests as they continue to assess the situation. The resort has since partnered with the Cleveland Clinic to launch its Atlantis Clean & Safe Promise to set new health guidelines for the property.

“We have made the difficult decision to extend Atlantis’ closure, prioritizing the health and safety of our team, our guests, and our community first,” said Audrey Oswell, president and managing director of Atlantis in a press statement. While we are excited and energized by the opportunity to welcome our guests with warm Bahamian hospitality, we believe that extending our closure is in the best interest of public health at this time.”

• Politics

by Derek Major

July 21, 2020

Sen. Nikema Williams To Replace John Lewis On November Ballot

---

The Georgia Democratic Party has tapped Nikema Williams to replace the late Rep. John Lewis on the ballot for Georgia’s 5th congressional district in November.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Williams, a state senator, was selected from a group of 131 applicants narrowed down to five choices by the party’s executive committee. The group selected Williams during a Zoom meeting as they were coming up against a legal deadline.

Since Lewis easily won the June primary, state law gave Democratic Party leaders until 4 p.m. Monday to decide whether to leave Lewis’ name on the ballot or find a replacement.

Williams, a veteran activist who was arrested in 2018 at the state Capitol during a voting rights demonstration after Stacey Abrams lost to Brian Kemp, believes she’s right for the job.

“We need someone who is not afraid to put themselves on the line for their constituents in the same way Congressman Lewis taught us to do,” Williams said during a virtual address.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCxVPzahcDr/?utm_source=ig_embed

Williams is considered a certainty to win the Atlanta-based district, which is so heavily Democratic that Lewis often won easily as his opponents were usually token Republicans. Williams will face Republican Angela Stanton-King, an ally of President Donald Trump, in November.

Although Williams was seen by many in the party as the best candidate, several Democrats questioned if Lewis would have supported the obscure and quick process to select his successor through a quick vote rather than an election.

Michael Collins, Lewis’ former top aide, urged the committee in a letter sent Monday to select a “place-holder” candidate who would serve only one two-year term or resign in January to clear the way for a wide-open vote.

“He believed very strongly that the people who represent the citizens should be elected by the citizens,” Collins wrote in the letter about Lewis. “And that a free and fair election, where all individuals have a level-playing field, is in the best interest of our democracy.”

Republicans were quick to pounce on the moment, accusing Democrats of the same voter suppression tactics they’ve been accused of.

“In a near unanimous vote, the Georgia Democratic Party executive committee chose their own chairwoman for the slot. And no one is surprised except for the other 130 folks who applied for it thinking they had a fair fight,” Paul Bennecke, an operative who was once executive director of the Republican Governors Association told the AJC. “Let the spinning begin.”

A massive 25 million Americans each could lose $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits by late July the Wall Street Journal reported.

That’s because the extra payments to laid-off workers who lost jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic will end July 31. That stoppage, without an extension of those benefits or a quick action by the federal government, could potentially force scores of individuals and families to find new ways to support themselves.

Actually, when asked how long they could live without that extra $600 a week, nearly 32% of Americans reported “less than one month,” according to a new study by The Ascent. Some 33% said “one to two months;” 25% reported “three to six months;” and 11% proclaimed “more than six months.”

And for those with income loss over the next three months, about 53% are “very likely” to get a side job, 32% borrow money from family or friends, 23% take an early retirement plan withdrawal, 22% take out a personal loan, and 14% borrow against their home.

Another startling finding was that 1 in 4 Americans lost all of their income due to the pandemic economy since early March.

Further, 22% of Americans are confident they’ will get back to their financial state before the pandemic started within three months and 28% think that will happen within six months. About 47% believe it will take more than half a year to recover, and a small but notable number, 3.3%,  think they won’t recover at all.

The Ascent surveyed nearly 2,000 Americans in early June who have experienced income loss due to the pandemic to learn how much they’ve lost and what financial moves they are making to endure COVID-19. A Motley Fool firm, The Ascent reviews financial products including credit cards, savings accounts, mortgages, and other items to help people make informed decisions on money matters.

But the report indicated some of these moves could have long-term negative impacts, especially taking a retirement plan withdrawal or a personal or home equity loan. One might do well to consider if those loans are not repaid on time, they could lead to severe credit score damage.

How to Earn Extra Cash

Still, those with income loss possibly could benefit by taking actions to help make up the deficit. Matt Frankel, a certified financial planner at The Ascent, offered tips to Black Enterprise on how Americans can make ends meet without the extra $600 weekly payment provided by the CARES Act.

“There are several ways Americans can get extra cash to help make ends meet—tapping into retirement accounts, using credit cards, and borrowing from family and friends are just a few examples. But if you’re worried about your $600 CARES Act enhanced unemployment benefit running out, it’s important to know which types of borrowing can be smart, and which to avoid.”

For starters, it’s typically a good idea to leave your retirement accounts alone unless you don’t have another option. The CARES Act certainly made it easier to borrow and withdraw from retirement accounts, but you’ll be robbing your future self if you use the money prematurely.”

Credit cards can be a good fallback option, especially if you can avoid interest with a 0% introductory APR offer. This way, if you use the card to help with bills and living expenses for a few months, you at least won’t be accumulating interest on top of it.”

Finally, it’s important to mention that borrowing money and drawing down savings are just one side of the equation. The most effective way to cope with an income interruption could be to temporarily reduce your expenses, and that can be easier than you think.”

For example, most mortgage borrowers are legally entitled to a forbearance of up to 12 months on their mortgage payments right now. Most auto lenders and credit card companies are eager to work with struggling borrowers as well, so if you’re worried about how you’re going to make ends meet once the extra unemployment support runs out, one of the smartest things you can do is to call your lenders and see if you can temporarily reduce your monthly payments.

• Politics

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 21, 2020

Republican Bill Would Hold Corporations and Celebrities Accountable for Profiting From Slave Labor

---

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican lawmaker from Missouri, introduced a bill that will hold corporate America accountable for making profits off the merits of slave labor, according to a press release.

The bill, “The Slave-Free Business Certification Act,” increases the corporate supply chain disclosure requirements while mandating regular audits. It will also require CEOs to certify that their companies’ supply chains are not participating in forced slave labor and will create penalties for firms that fail basic minimum standards for human rights.

“Corporate America and the celebrities that hawk their products have been playing this game for a long time —talk up corporate social responsibility and social justice at home while making millions of dollars off the slave labor that assembles their products. Executives build woke, progressive brands for American consumers, but happily outsource labor to Chinese concentration camps, all just to save a few bucks,” says Sen. Hawley.

“If corporate America wants to be the face of social change today, they should have to certify they are completely slave-free. Participate in independent audits to verify it and disclose steps to ensure slave labor won’t become part of the equation later on. And if they refuse to do so, they should pay the price. That’s social responsibility.”

The Slave-Free Business Certification Act does the following:

• Compels companies to disclose the steps they are taking to eradicate forced labor, slavery, and human trafficking from their supply chains
• Directs major companies to undergo independent audits to ensure they are not complicit in forced labor and trafficking in their supply chains
• Mandates public reports to the Department of Labor on the results of their independent audits
• Requires CEOs to certify that their supply chains are free from slave labor or that they have reported all instances of forced labor in their companies