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Group Fights Normalization of Violence Amid Rise in Child-Related Shootings

WASHINGTON INFORMER — On average, about 19 children are shot daily in America and about 1,300 youths under age 18 die yearly from firearms, with about 6,000 going to the hospital for non-fatal gun injuries, says the 2017 Journal of Pediatrics. In one bloody weekend in Chicago this year, 60 people were shot, seven murdered, in all 1,998 people shot and 393 dead from firearms so far this year. In D.C., home of the Pentagon that safeguards the world, 98 people were murdered this year with six of the victims younger than 18; one, bludgeoned to death, was only 2 years old.

Published

7 years ago

October 9, 2019

Oakland Post

Photo by: Somchai Kongkamsri | pexels.com

Will Hold Oct. 19 Town Hall in D.C

By Barbara Reynolds

On average, about 19 children are shot daily in America and about 1,300 youths under age 18 die yearly from firearms, with about 6,000 going to the hospital for non-fatal gun injuries, says the 2017 Journal of Pediatrics.

In one bloody weekend in Chicago this year, 60 people were shot, seven murdered, in all 1,998 people shot and 393 dead from firearms so far this year. In D.C., home of the Pentagon that safeguards the world, 98 people were murdered this year with six of the victims younger than 18; one, bludgeoned to death, was only 2 years old.

To some, these are just numbers, statistics, nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary — if their significance can be judged by the time spent on these tragedies in presidential debates, news coverage or from the pulpits.

Such tragedies falling beneath the care line, are what keeps Stephanie Myers trying to shine the spotlight and national attention on violence, an urgent matter of life or death. It is why, as co-founder of Black Women for Positive Change, she is co-hosting a town hall meeting on Oct. 19 seeking solutions. The panel is called Violence is Not Normal — which raises the quick question of why it has become so normal, so accepting, that the idea that it is normal has to be refuted.

Looking deeper into the statistics, it is easy to see why Myers and others might wonder is race the reason for the apathetic response? The same Journal of Pediatrics’ Study shows that black children suffer the most from gun violence overall, making up 35 percent of its child victims in the United States, even though only about 13 percent of Americans are black.

“About 400 black children under the age of 18 are thought to be killed in firearm homicides each year,” the study says. “In fact, black children are about 10 times more likely to die in gun murders as their white and Asian-American counterparts.”

Despite these heartbreaking facts, what pulls black murders out of the no-news file are when they serve a larger politicized issue, such as a white cop shooting an unarmed black person, but when it’s black-on-black homicide, the tears and hurts are hidden behind a wall of apathy, shame, fear or frustration.

Stephanie Myers is trying to break through this wall. She and Daun S. Hester, co-chairs of Black Women for Positive Change and the Positive Change Foundation, will hold the town hall from 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. EST on the D.C. campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital, 1100 Alabama Avenue SE.

Myers is hoping that her national group of partners can help create a platform that each murder will be treated with the sensitivity that the fallen could be our own mothers, our daughters or sons.

“While some of us have not suffered personally from the tragedies, we do not want this to get to our homes before we take it personally enough to act,” she says.

Susan Bro is one of the panelists. Her daughter Heather Heyer was murdered when a member of the Klan-Nazi hate group ran an automobile into the crowd of peaceful protesters in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Other speakers include Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Howard University professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, attorney Donald M. Temple, Kent Alford, director of Prince George’s Capital Region University Medical Systems and Care, and Queen Afi, mental health/domestic violence consultant.

Youth will also participate from the Jim Vance Media Program at Archbishop Carroll High School, Luke Seymour Academy and the Purpose Program.

The town hall meeting is one of many events Myers and Hester, along with good brothers, such as Frank Malone, head of 100 fathers, have led in an effort to Change the Culture of Violence nationally and globally. This year they will be holding their eighth annual Week of Non-Violence, which has chapters in eleven states as well as the UK.

Over the years the group has produced three films, “On Second Thought,” “The Red Flags of Domestic Violence” and “The Drop,” stressing the importance of youth getting an education, was viewed in 52 schools in 18 states. Their workshops, media events, congressional meetings, film screenings and essay contests all seek ways to de-escalate violence, control anger, eliminate racism and to respond to implicit bias.

Nationwide, the public is invited to participate in the free annual Week of Positive Change, Nonviolence and Opportunities from Oct.12-20. Honorary chair is former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, vice chair is Rep. Gwen Moore (Wis.) and honorary co-chairs are MSNBC reporter Michelle Bernard, social justice activist Kemba Smith and Charles Steele, president/CEO of SCLC.

The week’s activities in cities around the nation, will provide opportunities for individuals, organizations, youth, millennials, faith institutions, business leaders, athletes and educators to organize large and small events, around the United States and the world that promote non-violence, de-escalation, peace and getting along.

This post originally appeared in The Washington Informer.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

1 week ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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1 week ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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