57Subcommittee Chairman Raskin’s Opening Statement at Briefing on Abusive Policing Practices and Need for Justice in Reform Act
Below is Chairman Jamie Raskin’s prepared opening statement for today’s hearing on on “Voices from the Front: An Overdue Reckoning with Structural Racism in Policing”.
SPLC Action Fund Statement on President Trump’s Rally in Tulsa, Okla.
Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund President and Chief Executive Officer Margaret Huang released the following statement ahead of President Trump’s rally on Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. — the day after Juneteenth, near the 1921 massacre that left up to 300 Black people dead in the area once known as Black Wall Street.
Rush Introduces Legislation to Commemorate the Memory of Mamie Till Mobley
In celebration of Juneteenth, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) introduced the Mamie Till-Mobley Memorial Stamp Act, which directs The Postmaster General to issue a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till. Emmett was kidnapped and lynched in 1955 and his death — as well as Mamie’s decision to show the world the horrors inflicted on her son with an open-casket funeral — was a preeminent and catalytic event in the civil rights movement.
Racial Divide of Coronavirus Is Real, So Are Innovations That Can Help
News about the novel coronavirus, which has now claimed over 100,000 American lives, is all around us. A subtext told in this reporting is the painful story of the pandemic’s devastating effect on people of color.
Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Two Dozen Cyclists Ride the 51-mile Emancipation Trail Ride
After the Civil War, freed slaves made their way from Galveston to Houston shortly via the Emancipation Trail. On Sunday, June 14, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and more than two dozen cyclists road the 51-mile route to commemorate Juneteenth.
Rep. Thierry Requested Houston City Council To Paint BLACK LIVES MATTER Street Mural
Also, Requested A BLACK LIVES MATTER Blvd In Downtown Houston
Today Rep. Thierry addressed the Houston City Council and made a special request of Mayor Turner, Mayor Pro Tem, and the esteemed mem- bers of city council.
Supreme Court Blocks Trump - DACA
Ruling Leaves 700,000 Dreamers Safe
The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US as children from deportation.
COMMENTARY: Faith and Common-Sense, Ways to Fight Coronavirus
Fannie Mae Miles Bradford, at 89, has experienced more in her lifetime than many of the government officials who are advising us about our lives today. So, Mrs. Bradford is approaching the coronavirus scare with similar stamina that has seen her through many nerve shattering eras.
Racism Is the Great Divider
"I can't breathe," pled George Floyd in Minneapolis and Erik Garner in New York City and Javier Ambler in Austin, Texas, before police killed them. Amid the protests against brutality, Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, whom police found asleep in his car, was shot twice in the back and killed. In Austin, Justin Howell lies in critical condition in the hospital shot during a protest by a policeman using a "less-lethal weapon." His mistake?
Atlanta Police Officer Who Killed Rayshard Brooks Charged With Felony Murder
The Atlanta Police officer who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy's parking lot last week was charged with felony murder and other charges, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced Wednesday.
Harris Statement on Senate GOP Policing Bill
U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Wednesday released the following statement on Senate Republicans’ policing bill:
Juneteenth Virtual Performance of Mzuri Aimbaye's Award-Winning Play: The Fannie Lou Hamer Story
Joy Reid, Host of MSNBC's AM Joy, will provide a special introduction and Mary Pat Hector, nationally recognized youth activist, will moderate a panel discussion after the performance
The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have sparked global protests, elicited calls for record voter turnout in the 2020 Elections, and amplified the voices of a new generation of civil rights activists.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Calls for Federal Investigation Into The Recent Hangings In The Harris County/Houston Area
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the House Committee on Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget released the following statement on the recent hangings in her Congressional district:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Honors Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher with Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) with the Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award. This distinction honors the top 20 members of the House of Representatives and top 10 Senators who have demonstrated bipartisan leadership critical to advancing policies that support America’s free enterprise system.
CAIR-Houston Joins Houston Justice in Call for Criminal Justice Reform
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Houston), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announces support and partnership with Houston Justice in their police accountability efforts. CAIR-Houston demands the following immediate changes to the HPD:
Rare Safe Space for Black Men to Share, Heal & Strategize: IN THE HUDDLE W/CHRIS HOWELL ANNOUNCES CONVERSATION
June 18th’s conversation theme, The Measure of a Man, to explore national and internal sentiments
In The Huddle with Chris Howell, hosted by The Chris Howell Foundation, is a virtual conversation designed for a diverse cross-section of men to have an intimate, safe space to share, heal and grow.
The Roots Picnic 2020 Partners With Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote For Virtual Festival Experience
This year, in partnership with Michelle Obama’s national, nonpartisan nonprofit organization, When We All Vote, The Roots are launching the 13th Annual Roots Picnic as a virtual broadcast experience on Saturday, June 27th, exclusively on YouTube. The event is Executive Produced by Shawn Gee (Live Nation Urban), Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tarik Trotter (Two One Five Entertainment) and Dan Parise (DPS).
Black Entertainment Television (BET) Founder Encourages Black Lives Matter (BLM) To Form An Independent Black Political Party
Johnson Memo to BLM Echoes CBC Founding Principle "Black People Have No Permanent Friends, No Permanent Enemies….Just Permanent Interests"
Stop Killing our Patients: Pandemic, Protest and the Outcry for Justice
Professor Bryan Pilkington holds weekly conversations with leading experts from medicine, nursing, and the health sciences, as well as political theorists, economists, ethicists, philosophers and legal experts.
Louisiana Technology Park Member Company Pixel Dash Studios Partners with New Orleans Production Company to Build Digital Sets for FOX Show The Masked Singer
Pixel Dash Studios, a Louisiana Technology Park member company which develops video games and other digital media, partnered with New Orleans-based production company Top Right Corner to develop digital versions of The Masked Singer stage using LIDAR technology. The digital sets were used in various promotions for the television show, including a spot for the upcoming movie Scoob!
Statement on the Fifth Anniversary of the Charleston Emanuel AME Church Shootings
As the country marks the fifth anniversary of the Charleston Emanuel AME church shootings that claimed nine lives, Rev. Leslie Watson Wilson, director of People For the American Way Foundation’s African American Religious Affairs program, released the following statement:
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is Organizing a Leadership Summit to Address Racism in America
The Nation Needs an Immediate Cure for Racism, Just Like the Coronavirus, SCLC Leader Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. Says
Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), announced today that the civil rights organization is organizing a major summit of leaders to help America find a cure for racism.
Art Colony Association Announces Launch of Online Bayou City Art Festival Marketplace
The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA), the producer of Bayou City Art Festival, has announced the launch of its online festival marketplace with 30 merchandise items available for purchase at www.artcolonyassociation.org/store.
Saturday: National Walk to Find Cures for Crohn's & Colitis Go Viral
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation to host TAKE STEPS + VIRTUAL to unite the inflammatory bowel disease community nationwide
On Saturday, June 20, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation will host its first-ever virtual Take Steps walk to help find cures for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) live on Facebook and YouTube at 12 p.m. EST. TAKE STEPS + VIRTUAL will bring together IBD patients, caregivers, professionals, and more from more than 50 cities for an inspiring online event featuring:
Here's what doctors know about immunizations right now: You still need them
There's no vaccine for COVID-19 yet. But there are routine immunizations that people aren't getting for a host of debilitating and potentially deadly diseases.
PFAW: GOP "More Afraid of Police Unions than Police Killings"
Following today's unveiling of a Senate Republican police reform bill, PFAW President Ben Jealous and Senior Director of Outreach and Public Engagement Diallo Brooks released the following statements:
LiveXLive & Live Nation Urban In Partnership With Color Of Change Announce Lift Every Voice: A Juneteenth Special
Featuring Performances, Interviews & Discussions Commemorating African American Freedom & Celebrating The Unifying Language Of Music
Artists Participating Include Common, Fantastic Negrito, Justine Skye, Jonathan Mcreynolds, Joy Oladokun, Leon Bridges, Lion Babe, Mick Jenkins, Ti, Trea Tha Truth, Vic Mensa + More LiveXLive Media, Inc. and Live Nation Urban join forces with Color of Change for a 90-minute Special, Lift Every Voice: A Juneteenth Special, this Friday, June 19th at 5 P.M. PT/8 P.M. ET. The event will commemorate African American freedom and celebrate the unifying language of music streamed across LiveXLive digital platforms, which will be available http://livexlive.com/juneteenth.
Expand Access to Voting as COVID-19 Cases Rise in Texas, Advocacy Groups Urge Government Officials
The ACLU of Texas along with 14 other civil rights organizations highlighted measures that should be put into place to protect the health and safety of Texans as they exercise their right to vote. The organizations ask that state and local elections officials take urgent steps to ensure safety and accessibility in the July and November elections, in a letter sent to Governor Abbott, Secretary of State Hughs, and all 254 County Clerks.
Independent Artist Najee Janey Releases his Reflections During Covid and Chaos with "As Is" an EP Sound Stream
When we contemplate the past several months years from now, the collective will all likely agree on one thing; the energy that the Covid-19 pandemic brewed, the civil unrest unleashed. And, so it is for new independent lyrical artist, Najee Janey. His latest EP release, "As Is," is a scorching, five song revelation delivered as one continuous track. A reflection of Janey's life and times during the chaos of the Coronavirus quarantine, "As Is" echoes raw as unmastered, unpolished and unapologetic musical poetry. With "As Is," Janey prevails as a brilliant melodious spectator, emerging from the ashes of turbulence, undaunted by the doggedness of unrelenting societal change.
The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and Action On Smoking and Health (ASH) File Lawsuit Against The FDA
he Complaint Highlights the Lack of Action to Protect Thousands of African Americans From Tobacco-Related Deaths
Today, The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) held a virtual press conference announcing their joint complaint against the FDA, represented by Pollock Cohen, LLP. The complaint requests the court compel the FDA to fulfill its mandate to take action on FDA's own conclusions that it would benefit the public health to add menthol to the list of prohibited characterizing flavors and therefore ban it from sale.
Body Count Releases New Radio Edit Of "No Lives Matter" Today
In light of current events, Body Count announces the release of their radio single "No Lives Matter" today via Century Media Records. Watch the music video for "No Lives Matter", which is off their 2017 full-length album Bloodlust HERE.
Texas Legislative Black Caucus Virtual Town Hall Meeting
June 18, 7PM-8:30PM Register Here: BIT.LY/TLBCHC
Keep Your Cool & Energy Bills Low While You Stay at Home
With people continuing to spend more time at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19, residential energy use has been rising in the United States and so have electric bills. With summer beginning and temperatures climbing, turning on the air conditioning could increase energy costs even more. But there are inexpensive and easy ways you can reduce your energy consumption and stay cool, too.
The Museum of Black Beauty and Author Dr. Kimberly Brown Pellum Will Host a Panel of Beauty Queens to Discuss Juneteenth, Black Beauty and Freedom
Guests Include Carole Gist (First Black Miss USA), Ericka Dunlap (Miss America 2004), Miss FAMU and Miss Jackson State
Miss USA, Miss America and HBCU queens join together for a meaningful conversation about the origins of Juneteenth traditions and the intersection of Black beauty and Black freedom. The event is hosted by The Museum of Black Beauty.
Rev. Barber and Steyer Oped for NBC News: Republican vote suppression is a 2020 scandal. Georgia's primary proved it.
Last week, as historic protests for racial justice grabbed the nation's attention, voters in some of Georgia's predominantly Black and poor precincts reported chaos, long lines and faulty machines at their polling places. While state officials blamed local poll workers, voting rights advocates saw a continued pattern of voter suppression by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. It is a pattern Republicans seem determined to reproduce.
Class of 2020 Survey: Half of Graduating Seniors Change Plans for After High School Due to COVID-19
Changes Include Delaying Start of College, Working for Money, and Switching Career Plans, According to Research by JA and PMIEF
Roughly half (49%) of Class of 2020 graduating seniors say their plans for after high school have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey by Junior Achievement (JA) and the PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF). Of those whose plans have changed, more than a third (36%) say they will now work, nearly as many (32%) expect to delay their start date for college, and almost a fifth (16%) changed the career path they wish to pursue. The survey of 1,000 U.S. teens graduating high school in 2020 was conducted by Wakefield Research for JA and PMIEF in support of new educational initiatives by the two organizations.
Applications Being Accepted for This Year’s Bird City Texas Program
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Audubon Texas are now accepting applications for the Bird City Texas Program’s (BCT) community certification. Communities selected each year must meet certain criteria showing how their city is working to protect birds and their habitat.
Houston Metro Shows 5.1% Decline in New Residential Construction
When the coronavirus pandemic upended the U.S. economy, many states halted or limited construction work. While real estate development is beginning to resume, recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed an unprecedented drop in residential building permits comparing April of this year to April of 2019. Nationally, there was a 20 percent decline in new housing units authorized by building permits, a drop that represents nearly $4.4 billion in value.
Alex Elle, Dr. Siri Nat Nam and Samantha Smith Will Feature in Black AIDS Institute's Virtual Speaker Series
THE BLACKER THE PLAN: Our People. Our Problem. Our Solution. is a thoughtfully curated, compelling and relevant virtual event, that is a part of Black AIDS Institute’s (BAI) WE THE PEOPLE: The Pandemic Edition, a four-part virtual speaker series. These 45-minute online experiences will not only fuse meaningful perspectives, engage partnerships and brand content, but also provide a multi-generational Black audience with the resources they need to strengthen themselves and their families during this historical moment in our community’s history.
More Than 100 Racial-Justice and Civil-Liberties Groups Urge Congress to Defund Police Surveillance and Stop Targeted Spying on the Movement for Black Lives
On Wednesday, more than 100 racial-justice and civil-liberties groups urged House leaders to defund police surveillance technology that is used to spy on communities of color, protesters and others currently demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality.
Freeda The Frog™And The Two Mommas Next Door
For toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids too, the world of grown-ups is often confusing and sometimes scary. In her Freeda the Frog™ children’s book series, author Nadine Haruni makes coping with various life challenges easier for little ones with the help of a momma frog, Freeda, and her three little tadpoles, Frannie, Frank, and Jack. The first four books deal with common issues: divorce; a parent’s remarriage and becoming part of a blended family; moving to a new city or town and starting a new school; and the loss of a pet or loved one.
The Power of Play Geomagworld Educates and Excites
Geomag knows that it is easier to learn when you are having fun, that is why all of their toys are educational with a fun-spin. It’s the fun aspect which allows a child to play, whilst engaging their mind to learn key skills in the process. Skills such as perseverance, cause and effect, investigation, hand-to-eye coordination, and STEM.
Exercising Bayh-Dole march-in rights would handicap COVID-19 innovation
Scientists across America are working hard to develop treatments for and vaccines against COVID-19. Unfortunately, several activist groups are making their jobs harder.
Conservative Clergy of Color Denounces Google's Anti-Conservative Bigotry
Conservative Clergy of Color’s leadership denounced Google this morning in response to the tech company’s deliberate censorship of The Federalist and ZeroHedge. Google banned both sites from using monetized ads because Google, in its own words, has “strict publisher policies that govern the content ads can run on and explicitly prohibit derogatory content that promotes hatred, intolerance, violence or discrimination based on race from monetizing,"
Author Sam Brown Offers Safe Dining Options for the Houston Area During the Pandemic
With state and local governments adjusting to the reality of measured reopening and social distancing, Sam Brown, author of Unique Eats and Eateries of Houston, has put together a number of safe and socially conscious places to eat from the book.
Comcast Houston Is Looking for Hispanic Heroes
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Comcast will soon host its fifth annual Hispanic Hero Awards to honor eight community volunteers from Houston’s Hispanic community. Our honorees will be recognized for their outstanding volunteerism, mentorship, advocacy and/or civic engagement.
Houston-Based Film/ TV Production Company Will Host A Black Ride In Honor Of Juneteenth!
Local production company, KVK Productions is responsible for several notable reality shows on various networks, but their efforts to contribute to the celebration of the freedom of African-Americans is the reality they want to encourage others to be a part of.
Houston Food Bank & Windsor Village Food Distribution Site Reopens
The Windsor Village Church Family Partners with The Houston Food Bank and The City of Houston
Beginning Thursday, June l8th, The Food Bank, in partnership with The Windsor Church Family and the City of Houston, will resume distribution of fresh produce and dry goods to families facing challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands of Houstonians have been impacted by this global disaster. With so many people still out of work, the demand for food has increased. The distribution will take place on Thursdays until further notice.
Railroad Commission Delays While the Planet Melts, Floods, Storms, and Weeps
Today the Texas Railroad Commission failed to take decisive action on controlling gas flaring and venting at fracking sites and at petrochemical industrial complexes that the Commission is responsible for around the state of Texas.
METRO Bus Operator, a Records Clerk and a Credit Union Employee Test Positive for COVID-19
METRO has received confirmation a bus operator, a records clerk and an employee with Met Tran Federal Credit Union, which is housed at METRO Headquarters, have tested positive for COVID-19.