George Soros Commits $220 Million To Dismantle Systemic Racism
by Derek Major

July 14, 2020

George Soros Commits $220 Million To Dismantle Systemic Racism

George Soros is investing $220 million into the push for racial justice through his philanthropic organization Open Society Foundations.

According to a news release, the largest share, $150 million will be given through a set of five-year grants to Black-led justice organizations.


“It is inspiring and powerful to experience this transformational moment in the racial justice movement,”  Open Society Foundations president Patrick Gaspard said in a release. “We are honored to be able to carry on the vital work of fighting for rights, dignity, and equity for oppressed people the world over started by our founder and chair, George Soros.

The remaining $70 million will go toward more immediate efforts to advance racial justice. This includes investments in a set of cities re-imagining public safety, moving beyond criminalization and incarceration to create safe, healthy, and racially just communities.

A further set of investments will nurture the civic engagement of young citizens, who have engaged in activism for the first time. Funds will also be allocated toward ongoing efforts to fight voter suppression and disinformation,and to ensure safe and secure elections in the midst of the pandemic.

“Sustaining this extraordinary momentum toward centering justice for Black lives is fundamental to getting our democracy on track,” said Gaspard. “We need to combine long-term commitments to this movement with near-term opportunities, to ensure that the millions who have stepped up to take action can see enough results to stay engaged.”

George Soros began his philanthropic work in the 1990s, challenging drug laws that unfairly targeted African Americans. The Open Society Foundations, which Soros founded, has been working for more than two decades to advance racial justice in the U.S.

In 2011, Soros and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg partnered for a program addressing persistent poverty, incarceration, and unemployment among young Black and Latino men.

In recent years, the foundation helped launch the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, investing nearly $20 million over several years. The foundation also gave $50 million to help the ACLU’s campaign to reduce mass incarceration.

Chicago Teens Convert Old Liquor Store Into A Pop-Up Fresh Food Market
by Dana Givens

July 14, 2020

Chicago Teens Convert Old Liquor Store Into A Pop-Up Fresh Food Market

Since the start of the COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, pandemic, many families have been dealing with economic hardships as a result of the public health crisis resulting in the loss of employment with small businesses in danger of shutting down. In a residential neighborhood in Chicago a group of teens decided to team up and transform a liquor store into a pop-up market to help out the community.

For certain neighborhoods, it can be very challenging to get access to fresh, healthy food options. The initiative was coordinated when an organization called By the Hand Club for Kids had a local session for the youth to voice their frustrations in light of the current protests around police brutality and racial injustice. One of those things was the lack of grocery stores in the area with many having to shut their doors after being looted during the protests.

“What I heard coming out of that was that students wanted to take all those raw and powerful emotions and turn them into something good and do something from a social justice standpoint,” said Donnita Travis, executive director of the group according to Block Club Chicago.


The group was able to come together and with the help of local NFL athletes including NFL linebacker Sam Acho, the NHL’s Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, and MLB White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito were able to raise $500,000 to convert an old liquor store into a fresh market selling fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

“We would have fresh [produce], but it would also be a place where people feel safe and want to hang out,” Travis added. “We could have some music and maybe we can do some healthy cooking and nutrition demonstrations and education, because not everyone knows or appreciates nutrition. This is a real entrepreneurship opportunity for them, but also an opportunity for them to bring food justice to our neighborhood.”

 

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 14, 2020

NBA Legend Charles Barkley Says the NBA is Turning Social Justice Into a Media ‘Circus’

NBA legend and sports commentator Charles Barkley, who is no stranger to voicing his opinion, feels that with the current environment surrounding police reform and police brutality, with players concentrating more on placing messages on the back of their jerseys, fans may miss the message.

The NBA Hall of Fame player said his “concern is this is turning this into a circus instead of trying to do some good stuff, ” according to an interview he did on CNBC last week.

Barkley, in a telephone interview last week with CNBC’S Power Lunch, discussed the matters that are circling the return of the NBA season from the disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“What’s happening now is we’re turning into a circus. Instead of talking about racial equality, racial justice, and economic justice, we spend all our time worrying about who’s kneeling and not kneeling, what things are being said on buses, what’s being said on jerseys. I think we’re missing the point.”

Nearly two weeks ago, the NBA stated that the league is allowing players to wear individual personalized jerseys with messages about social justice during the upcoming restart of the season.

As this would be an optional choice, Oklahoma City Thunder guard and union president Chris Paul had said the players will be given a list of suggestions for players looking for a cause to support. This could include utilizing phrases (like “Black Lives Matter” or “I Can’t Breathe”), names of social justice organizations, or the names of individuals who were killed by the police.

“We need police reform, prison reform. Those are No. 1 and No. 2 things to focus on. We need the cops, good cops out there policing bad cops …. When we spend time focusing on what’s on the jersey, that’s gonna defeat the purpose. My concern is this is turning into a circus instead of trying to do some good stuff.”

Barkley feels the fans need a break from what’s been going on in the last several months with the pandemic and people losing jobs.

“The last thing they want to do is turn on the television and hear arguments all the time. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the public reacts,” he said.

Nelson And Winnie Mandela’s Youngest Daughter, Zindzi Mandela, Dies At 59
by Dana Givens

July 14, 2020

Nelson And Winnie Mandela’s Youngest Daughter, Zindzi Mandela, Dies At 59

Nelson Mandela made his mark in history as a prolific activist turned president of South Africa after serving more than 20 years behind bars for wrongful imprisonment. This week it was announced that Zindzi Mandela, the youngest daughter of Nelson and his former wife Winnie Mandela, has passed away at the age of 59.

The Associated Press reported that the diplomat passed in the early morning in a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa while serving as the country’s ambassador to Denmark. Mandela rose to international prominence in 1985 during her father’s imprisonment. Last year, she created controversy by calling for the return of the white-owned land to the country’s Black majority.

“I offer my deep condolences to the Mandela family as we mourn the passing of a fearless political activist who was a leader in her own right,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in the statement according to CNN. “Our sadness is compounded by this loss being visited upon us just days before the world marks the birthday of the great Nelson Mandela.”

The cause of Mandela’s death is still unknown. She is survived by her husband and four children.

“We have been shocked to wake to the news of the untimely passing of Zindziswa Mandela. On a day when we are marking the anniversary of another terrible moment – when Madiba’s son Thembekile died in a car accident in 1969. Zindzi was someone we had come to know well and to love. She was our friend,” said the Nelson Mandela Foundation in a statement in regards to the recent tragedy.

“Zindzi will be remembered for a rich and extraordinary life, marked by many iconic moments. The years she spent banished with Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to the small town of Brandfort. That summer’s day in February 1985 at Jabulani Stadium when she read to the world Madiba’s rejection of President Botha’s offer of a conditional release from prison. Her own courageous work in underground structures [and public] service as South African Ambassador to Denmark.”

U.S. Can Turn Coronavirus Pandemic Around In 2-3 Weeks: U.S. Surgeon General
by Derek Major

July 14, 2020

U.S. Can Turn Coronavirus Pandemic Around In 2-3 Weeks: U.S. Surgeon General

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said the country could turn around coronavirus infections in less than a month if “everyone does their part.”

According to Yahoo Finance, Adams made the comment on CBS’s Face The Nation Sunday, two days after the country recorded more than 65,000 new infections. According to Adams, if Americans follow recommendations like social distancing and the use of face masks, the US could see near-immediate decreases in infections.

“So just as we’ve seen cases skyrocket, we can turn this thing around in two to three weeks if we can get a critical mass of people wearing face coverings, practicing at least six feet of social distancing, doing the things that we know are effective,” Adams said.

In March at the beginning of the outbreak, Adams said wearing face masks could actually increase a person’s risk of contracting the coronavirus.

“You can increase your risk of getting it by wearing a mask if you are not a health care provider,” Adams said. “Folks who don’t know how to wear them properly tend to touch their faces a lot and actually can increase the spread of coronavirus.”

When pressed on those comments by host Margaret Brennan, Adams compared the advice he gave to doctors who prescribed cigarettes to asthmatics and leeches and cocaine to people as medical treatments.

“I was saying that then because of everything we knew about coronaviruses before that point told us that people were not likely to spread when they were asymptomatic,” Adams said Sunday. “So the science at the time suggested that there was not a high degree of asymptomatic spread. We learned more.”

“We follow the science and when we learn more, our recommendations change. But it’s hard when people are continuing to talk about things from three, four months ago,” Adams added.

Despite his reversal and optimistic outlook, Adams is against an official face mask mandate saying it could be counterproductive and over-policing.

“We need people to understand why they’re doing it,” Adams told Brennan. “And we need people to understand how they benefit from it because if we just try to mandate it, you have to have an enforcement mechanism.”

Last week, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order requiring people in the city to wear facemasks when outdoors.

Pregnant YouTube Star Nicole Thea Dies at 24
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 14, 2020

Pregnant YouTube Star Nicole Thea Dies at 24

Nicole Thea, a London-based YouTube personality, has died at the age of 24 over the weekend, according to The New York Post.

Her unborn son also died and the cause of her death has not been revealed. A statement was posted to her Instagram account announcing the sad news. “To all Nicole’s friends and supporters it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Nicole and her son she and Boga named Reign sadly passed away on Saturday morning,” it reads.

Thea, who had a following of over 209,000 Instagram users, was a dancer and accessories designer. She announced her pregnancy in April.

“We can’t hide this any longer, secrets out … GOD gave us the biggest blessing yet. I’m finally creating a beautiful little human inside of me,” the caption read. “Honestly, @global_boga has been the best support EVER and GOD made no mistakes making him the father … We are already obsessed with you our little miracle baby. Thank you for choosing us to be your parents and best friends.”


 

View this post on Instagram

 

Can’t wait to meet you little man, soon to be 3 of us 🥺💙 __ This was a spontaneous home shoot shot by @kymages__ 🎥 #8monthsPregnant

A post shared by Nicole Thea – QR2 (@nicoletheatv) on

 

Video Shows Pennsylvania Police Officer Kneeling On Black Man’s Neck During Arrest
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 14, 2020

Video Shows Pennsylvania Police Officer Kneeling On Black Man’s Neck During Arrest

Another incidence of a police officer kneeling on a Black man’s neck has been reported.

A video shows an Allentown, Pennsylvania, police officer kneeling on a man’s neck, which is eerily similar to the way former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck back in May, according to Lehigh Valley Live.


The video clip was recorded early Saturday evening at approximately 6:45 PM right outside of St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Hospital on the 400 block of West Chew Street. Black Lives Matter to Lehigh Valley posted the video to its Facebook page after the incident.

“Just last week, the Allentown Police Department praised themselves for releasing their use of force policy.

“No sooner than a week after the APD released this policy, a police officer was viewed applying the same use of force, knee to the neck, procedure that killed George Floyd.

“At approximately 6:45 this evening, there was a situation in front of St Lukes Hospital, Sacred Heart campus.

“WE DEMAND ANSWERS!

“What good is a use of force policy if Allentown lives will still be disregarded?!

“It is clear and evident that black and brown lives DO NOT matter to the city of Allentown!”

State Representative Peter Schweyer posted a statement on his Twitter account about the incident.

Another State Representative Mike Schlossberg also reacted.

The Allentown Police Department has released a statement discussing the issue.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Attacks Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Over Reopening Schools
by Derek Major

July 14, 2020

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Attacks Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Over Reopening Schools

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) pulled no punches in her attack against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos over her plan to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to The Hill, Pressley called out DeVos on Twitter saying “You have no plan Teachers, kids and parents are fearing for their lives.”

“You point to a private sector that has put profits over people and claimed the lives of thousands of essential workers. I wouldn’t trust you to care for a house plant let alone my child,” she continued.

Pressley’s words came after DeVos was interviewed on CNN’s State of The Union early Sunday. During the interview, DeVos doubled down on her call for schools to resume in-person classes in the fall and pushed back on social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending children’s time meeting in groups be limited to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

“What we’re saying is that kids need to be back in school and that school leaders across the country need to be making plans to do just that. There’s going to be the exception to the rule, but the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall,” DeVos told CNN. “Where there are little flare-ups or hot spots, that can be dealt with on a school-by-school or a case-by-case basis.”

DeVos also downplayed the CDC guidelines on schools reopening. “The CDC guidelines are just that, meant to be flexible and meant to be applied as appropriate for the situation.”

Additionally, DeVos said she was “very seriously” looking at withholding federal funding from schools that stay closed in the fall despite CDC warnings saying putting children in groups “can put everyone at risk.”

President Trump threatened to do the same in a tweet last Wednesday.

“The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families. May cut off funding if not open!” Trump tweeted.

However, the Trump administration has no control over how much money goes to schools as Congress is tasked with appropriating federal funding for schools.

Attorney generals in 17 states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its guidance to not allow foreign students to take online-only courses this fall semester.

This isn’t the first time DeVos has upset politicians. In April, DeVos blocked students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from receiving emergency grant aid as part of the CARES Act.

by Selena Hill

July 14, 2020

Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation Donates $3 Million to Help Residents in South Los Angeles Impacted by COVID

The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation (OWCF) announced Monday a $3 million donation to South LA Forward, a newly-created coalition between SoLa I Can Foundation, SEE-LA, and the Watts Healthcare Corp.

According to a news release, the media mogul reached out to the three Los Angeles-based grassroots organizations to aid South L.A. residents impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will be used to address urgent needs in the community such as food insecurity, access to healthcare, and economic disparity.

“As I continue to seek out ways to support underserved communities, I was struck by the unique multi-layered approach to effect real change to the systematic barriers of access to healthy food, quality health care and educational opportunities,” said Winfrey in a statement.

The donation comes months after the OWCF pledged to give $12 million toward COVID-19-related relief efforts in underserved communities in Chicago, Baltimore, Nashville, Milwaukee, and Kosciusko, Mississippi. The OWCF has contributed millions in grants and donations to organizations that serve children, families, and communities since its launch in 1993.

“We were incredibly honored to be selected by the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, along with SEE-LA and Watts Healthcare” stated Sherri Francois, the executive director of the SoLa Impact’s I Can Foundation. “We believe addressing economic inequality and racial injustice requires a multi-pronged approach, and are thrilled that Ms. Winfrey has taken such a holistic approach in addressing these issues.”

South LA Forward was established to provide 200 tons of fresh food to feed 80,000 Angelenos, 200 scholarships to those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and expand COVID-19 testing and primary care for South LA residents.

“South LA Forward will dramatically expand our COVID-19 emergency food distribution program and help SEE-LA address entrenched obstacles to food access in my community,” said Marie-Alise de Marco of SEE-LA. “As a South LA native, I know first-hand that food insecurity and historic inequities in our food system walk hand in hand. It’s time to forge sustainable local solutions once and for all.”

Dr. Roderick Seamster, president and CEO of Watts Healthcare Corp., added, “The grant will enable Watts Healthcare to more effectively carry out its mission and greatly expand our ability to provide care to South Los Angeles individuals at risk for COVID-19 due to chronic health conditions.”

Lt. J.G. Madeline Swegle Becomes The First Black Female U.S. Navy Tactical Jet Pilot
by Dana Givens

July 14, 2020

Lt. J.G. Madeline Swegle Becomes The First Black Female U.S. Navy Tactical Jet Pilot

According to the Navy Times, naval aviation is overwhelmingly filled with white males serving as the face of the field and in a 2018 Military.com investigation, it was founded that there were only 26 Black pilots out of a total of 1,404 and less than 2% of Black pilots were assigned to jet platforms. This week, Madeline Swegle made history as the first Black woman to become a U.S Navy tactical jet pilot.

The 2017 U.S. Naval Academy graduate is currently assigned to the Redhawks of Training Squadron (VT) 21 at Naval Air Station Kingsville based in Texas where she will earn her wings at a ceremony July 31. Swegle joins the ranks of other Black female pilots such as Lt. Cmdr. Brenda Robinson who would go on to become the first Black female flight instructor in the Navy along with Capt. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour , who became the first Black female pilot in the Marine Corps and combat pilot in the entire U.S. military.

The news comes as the military branch announced it will be creating a new task force centered around diversity and inclusion in light of the recent protests on racial injustice and police brutality. “As a Navy—uniform and civilian, active and reserve—we cannot tolerate discrimination or racism of any kind.  We must work to identify and eliminate individual and systemic racism within our force,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, chief of naval operations in an announcement on the Navy website.“That is why we are standing up Task Force One Navy, which will work to identify and remove racial barriers and improve inclusion within our Navy.”

 

×