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OP-ED: Pursuing Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community
NNPA NEWSWIRE — According to Dr. King, the creation of a beloved community would require the American people to address three great evils of society: racism, poverty, and militarism. My friend and former colleague, the late John R. Lewis, arguably Dr. King’s most ardent disciple, often invoked the concept to buttress his calls for a “just society.” John was committed to the pursuit, but I always wondered if such were possible until recently.
The post OP-ED: Pursuing Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC)
Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Ghana in 1957 to participate in the celebration of the country’s independence from British colonialism. Upon returning home, he delivered a sermon called “The Birth of a New Nation,” and introduced his idea for a post-Jim Crow society in this country. He explained the concept saying, “the aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community.” He equated a beloved community to a successful country.
According to Dr. King, the creation of a beloved community would require the American people to address three great evils of society: racism, poverty, and militarism. My friend and former colleague, the late John R. Lewis, arguably Dr. King’s most ardent disciple, often invoked the concept to buttress his calls for a “just society.” John was committed to the pursuit, but I always wondered if such were possible until recently.
The Biden-Harris Administration has planted significant pillars upon which a foundation is being laid to tackle the three great evils and undo the generational impacts of systemic racism in our communities. Their efforts and the response of the American people in last November’s elections have buttressed my faith in such a possibility. President Biden has spearheaded a “whole of government” approach, directing every agency across the federal government to develop policies that make America’s greatness more accessible and affordable to all regardless of skin color.
Racism is a clear and present danger to the success of our “pursuit of a more perfect Union” and the Biden-Harris administration is confronting it. Recognizing the importance of environmental justice to marginalized communities, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the Justice40 Initiative, directing 40 percent of federal investments toward underserved communities disproportionately burdened by pollution.
In their efforts to confront racism directly, the Biden-Harris Administration has begun to address the racial inequities in our health care system. My father often said that if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. President Biden signed the PACT Act to make it easier for veterans suffering side effects from the contaminated water, burn pits, and toxins they were exposed to at war to receive the care and benefits they deserve. Considering roughly 43 percent of active-duty military are people of color, this will help our Black veterans and their loved ones receive equitable health care.
Reducing poverty, King’s second great evil, is a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration. The American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure bill, and the Inflation Reduction Act, have created millions of opportunities for the American people to achieve upward economic mobility. President Biden’s targeting of student loan debt relief will relieve the disproportionate economic burden of student loan debt from the shoulders of over 1.6 million vulnerable borrowers. It will also restructure repayment plans to make them borrower friendly.
Home ownership is one of the quickest and sustainable ways out of poverty. President Biden’s Housing Supply Action Plan is designed to help close the housing supply shortfall in 5 years by increasing the supply and preserving the existence of affordable housing across the country. There is an extreme mismatch between the supply of and demand for affordable homes. Closing this gap will create more affordable rental units and purchase options for low- and moderate- income families.
Dr. King’s third evil, militarism, has not gone un-responded to by the Biden-Harris administration. No one can forget the images of police outfitted with military-grade equipment in cities across the country during recent racial justice protests. The militarization of police is a phenomenon that endangers everyday citizens and precipitates violent policing.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities law reforms policing by investing in violence interruption funding and children and family mental health services. The law provides over $250 million for community-based violence prevention programs, empowering communities to interrupt the cycle of violence by intervening on behalf of those most likely to commit offenses that require police attention. Similarly, bolstering programs and organizations that can help prevent and respond to emergency calls instead of armed police officers could stop incidents from ending in police violence.
In 2022, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety. This order mandates the reporting of police misconduct and use-of-force incidents and orders all federal law enforcement agencies to revise their use-of-force policies. Now Federal agencies cannot transfer or sell military equipment to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, cutting down on the militarization of our local police departments.
For us to continue our pursuit of a more perfect union, we must embrace Dr. King’s vision of a blessed community and confront the injustices that have stymied that pursuit for centuries. It is our solemn duty as Members of Congress to put forth legislation that advances liberty and justice for all. But for all our successes, much remains to be done. As we pause to commemorate and celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hopefully, as we move beyond this year’s celebration, we will revisit this idea of a beloved community and recommit ourselves to making his dream, the American Dream, a reality.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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