NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Names First Black Woman To State Supreme Court
by Derek Major

June 6, 2020

NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Names First Black Woman To State Supreme Court

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has named attorney Fabiana Pierre-Louis to the state Supreme Court on Friday, making her the first black woman to sit on the state’s highest court.

An NBC News report Friday states Pierre-Louis, 39, will succeed Walter Timpone, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 in the fall. Pierre-Louis is a Cherry Hill-based partner specializing in white-collar crime and government investigations in the firm of Montgomery McCracken.

“Many years ago my parents came to the United States from Haiti with not much more than the clothes on their backs and the American dream in their hearts,” Pierre-Louis told NBC. “I think they have achieved that dream beyond measure because my life is certainly not representative of the traditional trajectory of someone who would one day be nominated to the Supreme Court of New Jersey.”

Pierre-Louis also spent nine years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey according to her page on Montgomery McCraken’s website. Pierre-Louis worked as a federal prosecutor, responsible for supervising all aspects of criminal matters handled by the Camden Office.

Pierre-Louis has worked on a litany of cases including criminal trials, investigations, and prosecutions of large-scale mail and wire fraud offenses, healthcare and government fraud matters, and narcotics, firearms, and violent crime offenses.

Murphy said Pierre-Louis will carry the legacy of John Wallace, the last black judge on the state supreme court. Pierre-Louis knows Wallace well as she clerked for him previously. Murphy said it still bothers him that Wallace was not renominated when his first term expired in 2010—the first time that had happened under the state’s current constitution.

Murphy tweeted Friday that he was honored to appoint Pierre-Louis to the position.

“Her humility, empathy, and character will serve the people of New Jersey well,” Murphy said.

“Across this country, there are 33 states which do not have a woman of color on their highest court,” said Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver in a press release. “I cannot wait to see New Jersey leave that list with Fabiana’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.”

by Selena Hill

June 5, 2020

Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand Make $100 Million Pledge to Social Justice Orgs

Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand announced Friday a $100 million donation over the next ten years to organizations fighting to end racial inequality. The NBA legend and the Jordan Brand released a joint statement explaining their commitment to helping ensure justice and equality.

“Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community,” reads the statement, which was posted on the Nike News website. “Jordan Brand is more than one man. It has always been a family. We represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination in communities worldwide and that works every day to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice. The will, the work, the excellence the world has come to know is the result of one generation after another, pouring their dreams into the next.”

Although the statement doesn’t specify which organizations or initiatives will receive funding, Jordan’s spokesperson tweeted that the $100 million will go to “organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice, and greater access to education.”

Earlier this week, Jordan, who notoriously remained silent on political and social justice issues throughout his NBA career, released a statement in response to the death of George Floyd. “I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry,” read Jordan’s statement about Floyd, who died by the hands of Minneapolis police officers last week. The incident was recorded on video and sparked a wave of protests and riots across the calling for a stop to police brutality. “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people in our country. We have had enough.”

Jordan’s donation comes the same day that Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned city employees to paint a giant “Black Lives Matter” sign on 16th Street in Washington, D.C., which leads to the White House. That particular section of 16th Street was also renamed “Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

 

by Alisa Gumbs

June 5, 2020

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Trolls President Trump in the Blackest Way

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is my new favorite person.

I first saw the images, like many of you, on Instagram. “Black Lives Matter” painted in bright yellow down the middle of a D.C. street. I assumed it was street art that had appeared during the dark of night, the work of a protester making a loud but silent statement.

Well, it was a protest. And it is a statement.


Bowser had the phrase painted this morning on 16th Street between K and H Streets, leading to the White House. But she didn’t stop there. The street, where peaceful protesters were forced out of the way on Monday just before President Donald Trump walked through on his way to the now infamous Bible photo op, has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza—new street signs and all.

As her chief of staff, John J. Falcicchio, said on Twitter, “There was a dispute this week about whose street this is. Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is DC’s street and to honor demonstrators who [were] peacefully protesting on Monday evening.”

On what would have been the 27th birthday of Breonna Taylor, shot eight times by police in her own home in March when they raided the wrong address, Bowser is reminding everyone in our nation’s capital of our nation’s Constitutional freedom to protest violations of our nation’s supposed values of equality and justice.

Is it petty? Yes, in the best way. Is it “performative,” as the D.C. chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement tweeted? Also yes. I understand why they labeled it a “distraction from real policy changes” they’re fighting for, like defunding the police.

But it’s a distraction I desperately needed today, after another exhausting week of being black in America.

And it’s a message that needed to be sent—and not only to the occupant of the White House—that who you vote for in local elections, much like black lives, matters.

The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s and not necessarily the opinion of Black Enterprise.

Former NAACP President Ben Jealous Named President of People For the American Way
by Selena Hill

June 5, 2020

Former NAACP President Ben Jealous Named President of People For the American Way

Former NAACP president Ben Jealous has been tapped to lead People For the American Way (PFAW), a progressive advocacy organization. Jealous was also named president of PFAW’s affiliate, People For the American Way Foundation.

Jealous succeeds Michael Keegan and will take office on June 15. The announcement comes as the nation grapples with ongoing protests against police brutality, a global pandemic that disproportionately affects communities of color, and an upcoming presidential election.

Jealous, a respected civic leader, became the youngest president and CEO of the NAACP at the age of 35 in 2008. During his five-year tenure, he doubled the organization’s budget, grew its online activist base by hundreds of thousands, and increased its number of donors from 16,000 to 132,000, according to a news release. The organization also played a crucial role in advocating for the Trayvon Martin case, the fight against voter ID laws, and the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk policies. Under his leadership, the century-old civil rights group championed marriage equality, helped to mobilize 1.2 million new voters to the polls, and worked to pass the Affordable Care Act.

After stepping down from the position in 2013, Jealous became a senior partner at Kapor Capital, a venture capital investment firm that aims to create progressive social change in the tech sector, in 2014.  The Columbia University and Oxford graduate was elected as the Democratic nominee for governor of Maryland in 2018 but lost to incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.

“I am thrilled to be joining PFAW at this critical moment, when the people of our nation urgently need change,” said Jealous in a statement. “We are facing critical elections this fall. The pandemic has highlighted the necessity of finishing the work of MLK, Barbara Jordan, and FDR. And the rising generation in America has made clear that we must finally and fully reform the relationship between police and our communities. I’m honored to build on PFAW’s long tradition of multiracial organizing and defending freedom, opportunity, justice and equality.”

Keegan, who served as president of the PFAW for 11 years, praised his successor, who brings decades of experience as a social justice leader, coalition builder, and nonprofit executive. “Ben is a proven leader, and an inspiring and visionary individual who will continue building PFAW’s advocacy for progressive values and policies,” he said. “I look forward to cheering Ben on and helping in any way I can at this critically important juncture in our country’s and our organization’s history.” Keegan will continue to serve as a member of both the PFAW and the PFAW Foundation.

According to a news release, PFAW donations grew by more than 50%–while the number of individual donors doubled–and its membership grew threefold over the last decade. The left-leaning organization aims to fight right-wing extremism and focus on civic participation and equality for historically marginalized communities.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 5, 2020

Pro-Trump Republican Candidate Kimberly Klacik Wins Primary, Will Run Against Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume

Congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik, who describes herself as pro-Trump, has won the Republican primary in a bid to represent the Maryland district that was once held by the late Elijah Cummings according to The Washington Examiner.

After a public announcement that Klacik had won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland’s 7th congressional district, she took to Twitter and stated,  “I’m literally in tears.”


Klacik is trying to represent Maryland’s 7th District, which includes more than half of Baltimore City, parts of Baltimore County, and the majority of Howard County. The district has been a Democratic stronghold for several decades and was led by the late Cummings, who has represented the area in Congress from 1996 until his death last year in 2019.

“For so long, Democrats have taken the black vote for granted,” Klacik said earlier this year in February about her campaign’s message to Baltimore residents earlier this year. “I remember after Hillary Clinton lost in 2016, she spent two years traveling the country trying to figure out why she lost. But it is because they don’t actually go into the black community and talk to people, or they make promises they don’t keep.”

Klacik is gearing up for November, when she’ll go up against Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who defeated her in a special election two months ago in April to complete the rest of Cummings’s term. If Klacik wins the election, she would not only become the first woman, but also the first Republican, to represent the district.

The Walt Disney Co. Pledges $5 Million To Support Nonprofit Organizations That Advance Social Justice
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 5, 2020

The Walt Disney Co. Pledges $5 Million To Support Nonprofit Organizations That Advance Social Justice

The Walt Disney Co. has announced that it has pledged $5 million to support nonprofit organizations that advance social justice. The pledge started with a $2 million donation to The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to further its longstanding work promoting social justice by eliminating disparities and racial discrimination through its advocacy and education programs.

“The killing of George Floyd has forced our nation to once again confront the long history of injustice that black people in America have suffered, and it is critical that we stand together, speak out and do everything in our power to ensure that acts of racism and violence are never tolerated,” Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Co. wrote in a press release.

“This $5 million pledge will continue to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations such as the NAACP that have worked tirelessly to ensure equality and justice.”

The pledge from Disney is part of its ongoing commitment to support the organizations that advance social justice. Disney has been working closely, for many years, with groups that advocate for and empower communities of color, including the NAACP, whose mission is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. Disney has also provided millions of dollars in grants to provide funds to students from underrepresented groups to make the dream of attending college a reality. This includes $2.5 million to the United Negro College Fund.

When employees donate to eligible organizations, Disney will, through the Disney Employee Matching Gifts program, match the donations the workers make.

This past Tuesday night, the Walt Disney Co. aired a number of programs on several of its TV networks to encourage a discussion of racism and oppression in America. The programming included an ABC News prime-time special, America in Pain: What Comes Next?, that examined the protests and outrage across the country in response to the killing of Floyd. The special was preceded by the re-airing of two monumental and timely episodes of black-ish: “Hope,” which explores the issue of police brutality and flaws in the judicial system, and “Juneteenth,” which examines the lack of accurate representation of African Americans in our nation’s history.

California Police Mistake Hammer For Gun, Kill Man On His Knees
by Derek Major

June 5, 2020

California Police Mistake Hammer For Gun, Kill Man On His Knees

A San Francisco man was shot and killed by a police officer early Tuesday after the officer believed a hammer in the man’s waistband was a gun.

The Mercury News reported Wednesday that Sean Monterrosa, 22, was on his knees when a cop fired five shots from his Vallejo police patrol car, shooting through the car’s windshield. Monterrosa was declared dead several hours later. However, it took more than 24 hours for Vallejo police to publicly confirm that an officer had killed a man.

Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said the officer who shot Monterrosa has 18 years of experience on the force, but declined multiple times to say if the officer’s actions were an excessive use of force.

“The Solano District Attorney will make the ultimate finding if the force was legal,” Williams said Wednesday. Williams added an Internal Affairs investigation into the incident has been opened.

Monterrosa’s death comes at a particularly tough time for police-community relations across the country.

As protesters rally and march over unchecked police shootings and the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, multiple incidents of protesters being severely injured by police have been reported in recent days.

Assemblyman Tim Grayson released a statement calling it “absolutely unacceptable” that Williams waited so long to announce that an officer killed a man. Grayson called for an outside investigation, adding this was “especially important” in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

“I believe an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday must be conducted by the California Attorney General’s office or a federal agency,” Grayson said in the statement. “The family of Sean Monterrosa and our community in Vallejo deserve to have clear information about the events that occurred and the response from the Vallejo Police Department. Our community is in pain and we must look for ways to both heal and move toward meaningful change.

According to Williams, Monterrosa had a hammer at his waistband and moved his hands toward it in a way that the officer believed he was reaching for a gun.

Bay Area attorney John Burris has been retained by Monterrosa’s family. Burris has sued the city multiple times over fatal police shootings. Melissa Nold, an attorney with Burris’ firm, said Wednesday that the family has asked to view the body camera footage, video from the police cruiser, and any surveillance video from a nearby Walgreens.

Williams pledged to release body camera footage of the incident before the 45-day legal deadline.

Dallas Protester Loses Eye, Suffers Facial Fracture After Police Shoot Him With Unknown Object
by Derek Major

June 5, 2020

Dallas Protester Loses Eye, Suffers Facial Fracture After Police Shoot Him With Unknown Object

A black man lost his eye, seven teeth, and fractured the left side of his face when he was hit with a projectile fired by cops during a May 30 protest in downtown Dallas.

According to The Dallas Morning News, Brandon Saenz was looking for a friend during a May 30 protest when he came across a line of cops. A few seconds later, he was hit in the face with a “less-lethal projectile.”

Now, Saenz, his family, and attorneys are demanding Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall denounce the incident and find the person responsible. The Morning News reported that Saenz spoke with two police officers about the incident Wednesday.

A series of photos on Twitter show a cork-like projectile thought to be what Sanez was struck with as well him laying on the ground in severe pain.

“I just want my justice,” Saenz told reporters Wednesday.

Saenz’s attorney, Daryl Washington, said the incident is another in a long line of incidents of the police attacking people who do not pose a threat.

“Brandon was out peacefully protesting police brutality and now he’s a victim,” Washington said. “We can’t continue to have innocent individuals injured by police officers who have taken an oath to serve and protect.”

The protests, which are still happening in more than 50 cities nationwide, are in response to the killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd.

Less-lethal ammunition, such as rubber or pepper balls, “should never be used to intentionally target the head, neck, face, eyes, or spine, unless deadly force is justified,” according to the department’s internal policies.

Hall said she supports the right of peaceful protesters and said she denounced the killing of Floyd. However another attorney for Saenz, Jasmine Crockett, said Hall’s comments ring hallow.

“We don’t need your words, I need your actions,” Crockett said. “She can actually let the community know—not behind closed doors—but in front of everybody, she can let them know, ‘I’m demanding this action of my officers. They fall under my command.’ She needs to strongly proclaim that she will not stand for this kind of violence.”

San Francisco Mayor, Supervisor to Defund Police Department to Invest in Black Community
by Lydia Blanco

June 5, 2020

San Francisco Mayor, Supervisor to Defund Police Department to Invest in Black Community

Elected officials are hearing the voices of millions of people around the world pleading for police departments to be defunded after the recent deaths of black men and women killed by police officers.

In response to civil unrest caused by excessive force and the over-militarization of officers, San Francisco Mayor London Breed is working with District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton to defund the city’s police department. Money pulled from the department will be used to invest in the city’s black communities.

Mayor Breed and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti are two of the first elected officials to release official statements about their plans for their cities.

In a statement released by the San Francisco’s Mayor’s Office, obtained by the Mercury News, Breed said, “Reforms to any single system, such as the criminal justice system or the police department, must go in hand-in-hand with closing the gaps and ending the disparities that we know exist. By bringing the community into the process of making these decisions, we can ensure that those who have been voiceless in the past now have a seat at the table as we make decisions that will impact their community.”

Related: Black Lives Matter Advocates Running for Congress

Police brutality and misconduct appears to be one of the country’s biggest challenges.

According to Statista, “The trend of fatal police shootings in the United States seems to only be increasing, with a total 429 civilians having been shot, 88 of whom were Black, as of June 4, 2020. In 2018, there were 996 fatal police shootings, and in 2019 this figure increased to 1,004. Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 30 fatal shootings per million of the population as of June 2020.”

Walton, who leads the city’s largest community of black people, added, “In these times of continued systemic and systematic oppression of black people, we have to be innovative and strong with our solutions.”

He went on to say, “In order to change this dynamic and provide real opportunity for equity, we need to repurpose resources and give them to black-led organizations and communities in order to level the playing field and achieve successful outcomes. This is a concrete, bold, and immediate step towards true reparations for black people.”

In August, Breed and her team will submit a two-year budget that will be presented to the Board of Supervisors.

Accused Ahmaud Arbery Killer Overheard Spewing Racial Epither After Shooting
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 5, 2020

Accused Ahmaud Arbery Killer Overheard Spewing Racial Epither After Shooting

A Georgia state investigator testified Thursday that one of the men arrested in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery allegedly stood over Arbery’s dead body and blurted out a racial epithet, according to NBC News.

The allegation was revealed at a preliminary hearing on Thursday morning as the prosecution presented its case against defendants Gregory McMichael, 64, his son, Travis McMichael, 34, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, 50.

Bryan, who recorded the killing on his mobile phone, told investigators he overheard Travis McMichael using a racial epithet after fatally shooting Arbery, a black man, in Glynn County, GA, in February, according to the court testimony. Richard Dial, a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said that Bryan told law enforcement officials on May 13 that Travis uttered “f****** n*****” after he had shot Arbery three times with his Remington 870 shotgun and before police officers appeared on the scene.

Retired district attorney investigator Greg McMichael and his adult son, Travis, shot and killed Arbery, 25, as he jogged past the McMichael home in Brunswick, GA. Bryan, who filmed the killing, was also arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Dial added that Travis McMichael had used the n-word previously on social media back in January, allegedly when responding to an unspecified Instagram post that it would have been better if someone had “blown the f—ing n-word’s head off.”

The special agent also mentioned another instance when Travis McMichael, then in the Coast Guard, allegedly used the slur. “One particular one that comes to mind was he made the statement that he loved his job because he’s out on a boat and there aren’t any n-words anywhere,” Dial testified Thursday.

According to some of the evidence presented in court, Arbery was shot in the center of his chest, upper left chest around the armpit, and his right wrist. The first shot hit Arbery in the chest.

Dial suggested that there was evidence Arbery was struck by Bryan’s pickup after he allegedly drove to the confrontation and blocked the victim as he ran.

A prosecutor said in court Thursday that Arbery “was chased, hunted down, and ultimately executed at the hands of these men. He was defenseless and he was unarmed.”

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