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South Carolina Democratic Black Caucus Chair Says Tom Steyer Understands all of the Issues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Tom Steyer is genuine. I was at an event talking about judicial executions with police and Black folk’s being slaughtered by the cops,” Cordero stated. “And Steyer got it. That’s the moment that I knew that this is a man that we could trust, and when you go through his policies and programs and notice his dedication to people who don’t always have a voice, he’s putting his money where his mouth is.”

Published

4 years ago

February 29, 2020

Oakland Post

Democratic Black Caucus of South Carolina Chairman, Johnnie Cordero (Photo: Johnnie Cordero / Facebook)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Johnnie Cordero knows it’s nearly impossible for any Democrat to win in South Carolina without the Black vote.

The chair of the Democratic Black Caucus of the Palmetto State and a Tom Steyer surrogate, Cordero said he listened carefully to all of the candidates before choosing to throw his support behind the New York philanthropist.

“What I have said from the very beginning is that it is presumptuous to think, and certainly to say, that you have the black vote in your pocket,” Cordero stated.

“I spoke with almost every candidate except Elizabeth Warren. Early on, I endorsed Tom Steyer and what I said to him is what I said to all of the candidates. I told him if he wanted to reach the Black community in South Carolina, he needed a plan, and I laid out that plan,” Cordero said.

He continued:

“You can come in and kiss some babies and pat people on the head, shake hands and think all of a sudden you’re okay. We know that nobody is going to walk into the White House and wave a magic wand and change things.

“What we’re interested in is the candidate who understands our issues, who has empathy. And we believe Tom Steyer has integrity and character and that he will fight for us and our issues when he becomes president.”

Cordero said Steyer has a track record of tackling issues that are paramount to Black life.

Since Steyer didn’t make the debate stage in Nevada, it was equally important that he sat down for a fireside chat in Las Vegas with the National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

The interview was broadcast live over the various social media channels of the Black Press of America.

“Tom Steyer is genuine. I was at an event talking about judicial executions with police and Black folk’s being slaughtered by the cops,” Cordero stated. “And Steyer got it. That’s the moment that I knew that this is a man that we could trust, and when you go through his policies and programs and notice his dedication to people who don’t always have a voice, he’s putting his money where his mouth is.”

Many of Steyer’s campaign employees are Black, and Cordero believes that will remain the case if he’s elected president.

He also believes Steyer’s numbers are on the rise, and he stands as good a chance as any of the candidates to capture the Democratic nomination.

“You can’t get the Democratic nomination if you don’t carry South Carolina, and you can’t carry South Carolina without the Black vote. Tom Steyer has recognized that, and he’s in this for the long haul,” Cordero stated, adding that he believes his candidate will perform well during Super Tuesday in March.

“I predict, in my humble way, is that after people see what he does in South Carolina, they’re going to start jumping on the bandwagon. Regardless of what happens Super Tuesday, he’s going to keep going. As this moves forward, what African Americans are going to understand is that there’s only one candidate who doesn’t come with baggage, one that understands that there’s been a stream of detrimental things that have happened to the African American community,” Cordero said.

“Let me tell you what a USC student said. He said if a candidate doesn’t support reparations for Black people, they could kiss his [behind]. That student now works for Tom Steyer.”

That Steyer was among the first to publicly call for the impeachment of President Trump only made it easier for Cordero to support him, he stated.

“My sense is that Steyer was very disappointed but not surprised that the Senate [voted to acquit Trump],” Cordero said. “I had signs in my yard long before impeachment that was calling for impeachment, and Steyer felt the same.”

“Look, everybody is for climate control. Everybody is against gun violence and everybody is against Medicaid fraud. But, there’s only one candidate we need in the White House who we know that understands all of the issues and will fight for them. That’s Tom Steyer.”

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.