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COMMENTARY: The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday

CHICAGO DEFENDER — Significantly, many of the orcas captured – including the famed Shamu – came from a small population of orcas whose trusting nature made them easy to catch. Southern Resident orcas, which historically spent the summer and fall months in Washington’s Puget Sound, are down to only 75 left in existence. Designated as “endangered” as of 2005, the Southern Residents remain one of the most critically endangered marine mammals in the United States.
The post COMMENTARY: The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

By Ben Jealous

Thanks to 20th century aquariums and marine theme parks, orcas – also known as killer whales – are the most iconic whales in America.

When the public learned their captivity involved torture, orca shows disappeared from those parks, as they should have. Now there are signs that certain groups of orcas could disappear entirely.

Significantly, many of the orcas captured – including the famed Shamu – came from a small population of orcas whose trusting nature made them easy to catch. Southern Resident orcas, which historically spent the summer and fall months in Washington’s Puget Sound, are down to only 75 left in existence. Designated as “endangered” as of 2005, the Southern Residents remain one of the most critically endangered marine mammals in the United States.

But it’s a different human activity that is now making it hard for these creatures to survive.

Dams that were constructed decades ago along the Columbia and Snake Rivers have greatly disrupted the populations of sockeye salmon – also now listed as an endangered species – that the Southern Residents depend on as a primary food source.

The impact of the loss of salmon has been devastating not only to the orcas, but to the Indigenous peoples of the Columbia River Basin whose culture and livelihoods were closely tied to the fish, and to ecosystems from Idaho to the Pacific Ocean.

Four of the dams on the Lower Snake River are among the most harmful to the salmon. The removal – or breaching – of the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite dams could bring back the fish and, in turn, give the Southern Resident orcas their best shot at a thriving future and growing numbers.

One of the fiercest leaders on Capitol Hill in the fight to get rid of these dams is Republican Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho. For nearly three years, Simpson has been pushing his Columbia Basin Initiative as a framework for salmon recovery and the restoration of the Lower Snake River to a natural, free-flowing river.

In today’s hyper-partisan political environment, people might be surprised that a Republican is leading the charge to protect endangered wildlife. But 50 years ago this month, it was a Republican president, Richard Nixon, who signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Both Rep. Simpson’s tenacity and the ESA’s 50th anniversary serve as reminders that environmental stewardship and conservation wasn’t always assumed to be a partisan issue. In 1973, the US Senate passed the ESA unanimously; the House passed it by a vote of 355-4. Can you imagine any piece of legislation getting near-universal bipartisan support in Congress today?

When he signed the bill into law, President Nixon said the law would preserve an “irreplaceable part of our national heritage – threatened wildlife.” Those words have proven prescient.

It’s estimated that, in its first 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has saved 99 percent of all the species listed as endangered under the Act from permanent extinction. These include the bald eagle – our national symbol – as well as the humpback whale, the grizzly bear, and the American alligator.

And it’s likely a testament to the effectiveness of the ESA that the Southern Resident orcas are still with us too. But it’s going to take both the strength of the ESA and shutting down the dams to save these whales.

Many of us might recall that in 2018 a female member of the Southern Resident clan made national news after her newborn calf died. The orca, known as J35, spent 17 days pushing the body of her baby through the water along a 1,000-mile stretch off the coast of British Columbia. It was a clear act of mourning – known behavior of orcas. But the length of time the mother pushed her calf and the dramatic nature of the display almost seemed intentionally aimed at getting the attention of humans – which it did.

It’s no wonder that people – myself included – feel an intense connection to these animals. The Lummi Nation, who has lived and fished alongside Southern Residents since time immemorial, call them “qwe lhol mechen”, which roughly translates to “our relations beneath the waves.” And a fish, that people love to eat but might not recognize as important to the survival of other lifeforms, is the key to saving this community of orcas, among the most majestic and intelligent creatures in all of God’s creation.

The story of the orcas and the salmon shows the interconnectivity of species in our natural ecosystems. It further illustrates the dire need to combat the extinction crisis and protect endangered species. And it shows the importance of protecting laws like the Endangered Species Act and passing more of them – as well as shutting down the damn dams.

Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

The post The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post COMMENTARY: The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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#NNPA BlackPress

Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

23 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

4 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

4 days ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,