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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: What Matters 2020 – Issues That Impact Minority Communities

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In an exclusive interview, Cullors tells the NNPA Newswire that BLM was invited to attend the third installment of the Democratic Presidential Debate, which was hosted in Houston, Texas, at Texas Southern University (TSU), which is an HBCU located in the heart of Houston’s historic Third Ward – a place known for its rich Black history and culture. The debate marked the first presidential campaign debate at an HBCU since 2007.

Published

7 years ago

October 6, 2019

Oakland Post

BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors (standing) announcing new 'What Matters 2020' initiative while in Houston for the Democratic Party debate.

Black Lives Matter Rolls Out Nationwide Voter Registration and Turnout Initiative to Increase Voter Registration and Turnout for the 2020 Presidential Election

By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor

Every vote counts and Elections have consequences!

The 2020 presidential elections will definitely have consequences and it will be important that every vote is counted and accounted for.

Everyone and everything in this country is impacted by someone in a position of political leadership who shapes public policy and who makes decisions regarding the very legislation that we must all adhere to, in one way or another. This includes city councilmembers, mayors, governors, judges, county, state and federal representatives, and even our President.

Knowing how important it is to vote is one thing but getting engaged in the process is an entirely different thing altogether. One group that has made a major impact in this country and that has done a great job of engaging and energizing people of color relative to getting involved in social issues and politics has been the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Global Network.

Founded in 2013 by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman, what started as a hashtag, has now grown into a global chapter-based, member-led organization in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The organization’s mission has been to mobilize determined activists who are committed to fighting anti-Black racism and discriminatory reforms worldwide.

In an exclusive interview, Cullors tells the NNPA Newswire that BLM was invited to attend the third installment of the Democratic Presidential Debate, which was hosted in Houston, Texas, at Texas Southern University (TSU), which is an HBCU located in the heart of Houston’s historic Third Ward – a place known for its rich Black history and culture. The debate marked the first presidential campaign debate at an HBCU since 2007.

While in Houston for the debate, Cullors announced that BLM was rolling out a new nationwide initiative to help increase voter registration and turnout. Cullors, along with co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of BLM Melina Abdullah and Managing Director Kailee Scales, introduced the new nationwide initiative entitled – ‘What Matters 2020 – Issues That Impact Minority Communities’, with a dedicated focus on getting the vote out for the 2020 presidential election.

Cullors states that BLM’s goal is to hit all major cities where Black folks live and engage Generation Z to increase voter registration, turnout and overall engagement.

“Black voters have traditionally been the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituency and younger voters represent the future of the party,” said Cullors. “We thought it was important that we use this platform to ensure that our constituency has the resources to be informed when tuned into the debate and that the candidates know just how impactful our vote will be to this election.”

Working in conjunction with a cross-section of partners from all sectors, BLM leaders are seeking to directly impact the 2020 election cycle by ensuring candidates are held accountable for the issues that systematically and disproportionately impact minority communities across the nation.

“‘What Matters 2020 – Issues that Impact Minority Communities’ will increase voter registration and turnout by deploying technology applications, establishing candidate accountability and employing grassroots strategies to access, inform and empower minority communities during the 2020 election cycle,” Cullors tells the NNPA Newswire.

Issues this initiative will mobilize around include:

Racial Injustice
Police Brutality
Criminal Justice Reform
Black Immigration Environmental Conditions
Voting Rights & Suppression
Economic Injustice
Healthcare
Education
Commonsense Gun Laws
LGBTQAI
Human Rights

In addition to introducing this initiative, BLM plans to directly interact with candidates and students, and will be launching technology applications aimed at increasing voter registration and turnout in 2020.

“We will engage and empower all Black folks, our allies, and under-served communities to use their collective voices and votes to achieve the outcomes we want, need and deserve in 2020,” Cullors tells the NNPA Newswire. “We will educate BLM constituents about candidates and the issues that impact Black voters most, and promote voter registration and voter turnout among the Black community, our allies, and Generation Z. This initiative will inspire and motivate people to ask themselves and their candidates are you really addressing ‘What Matters in 2020?’”

In measuring the success of the initiative, Cullors states that they will be monitoring the results based off of the outcomes that come prior to the 2020 election.

“We will know that we are successful when each candidate has an acceptable and tangible comprehensive plan that specifically addresses racial injustice, criminal justice reform, police brutality and reparations, among other issues that impact the Black community,” Cullors states.

Since the organization’s inception in 2013, BLM has been on the frontline of many issues impacting minority communities including police brutality, criminal justice reform, education, Black immigration, public policy and more.

For these efforts, they have been widely recognized, received and in many instances, criticized. They continue with the work, however, and hope this effort will galvanize marginalized and minority communities all across this country. Perhaps more importantly, BLM has reminded the Black community of its own power and collective strength.

To find out more about this effort and initiative, people can visit blacklivesmatter.com/what-matters-2020, to learn about key issues and candidates, register to vote, pledge to vote and join the ongoing conversation by engaging them on social media platforms using #WhatMatters2020.

Jeffrey Boney is a political analyst and frequent contributor for the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com and the associate editor for the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey is an award-winning journalist, dynamic, international speaker, experienced entrepreneur and business development strategist. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter @realtalkjunkies.

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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.

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2 weeks 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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2 weeks 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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2 weeks 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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