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OP-ED: At Last! TN Gov. Haslam Frees Cyntoia

THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — Statement of Beatriz Beckford, campaign director, and Monifa Bandele, senior vice president of MomsRising.

Published

5 years ago

January 13, 2019

Oakland Post

By Beatriz Beckford and Monifa Bandele

Statement of Beatriz Beckford, campaign director, and Monifa Bandele, senior vice president of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s decision to grant clemency to Cyntoia Brown.

“Fair-minded people across the country are celebrating today’s long overdue move by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to grant clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a victim of sex trafficking who has already served 15 years in prison. We applaud Gov. Haslam for taking this step.

“Cyntoia deserves to be free. Our justice system failed her again and again – first, by failing to protect her when she became a victim of sex trafficking at age 16, then by trying her as an adult when she was still underage, and finally by sentencing her to life in prison for defending herself against a 43-year-old armed child predator who had kidnapped and sexually assaulted her. This cruel and unusual punishment flew in the face of our country’s standards for sentencing children and it was past time for it to end.

“We believe Brown should be freed now and not have to wait until August 7 but are grateful that her horrific ordeal will soon end and she will finally be free.

“MomsRising followed the outstanding leadership of Black Lives Matter Nashville, which organized tirelessly to bring this injustice to Gov. Haslam’s attention and convince him to do the right thing by bringing Cyntoia Brown home. More than 16,000 MomsRising members signed petitions to Governor Haslam to press for clemency. We thank all of the allies, including Color of Change, Movement for Black Lives, and #MeToo for fighting for Cyntoia with us.

“MomsRising will continue fighting against the injustices that pervade our legal system that so often criminalize and penalize Black youth, and for survivors of sex trafficking.”

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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California Black Media

Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Yahushua Nyerere Robinson (Courtesy Photo)

By California Black Media

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.

The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.

The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.

Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”