#NNPA BlackPress

Areva Martin Continues to Advocate for Those with Special Needs and Those Facing Discrimination and Injustice

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “St. Louis is one of the most segregated cities in the nation,” Martin told National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. “When I saw folks who lived on the other side of town, their homes were bigger than a city block. They had massive amounts of wealth. I didn’t have the words, but I knew something wasn’t right about the disparity.”
The post Areva Martin Continues to Advocate for Those with Special Needs and Those Facing Discrimination and Injustice first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

October 30, 2022

Stacy M. Brown

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

Areva Martin grew up in North St. Louis, Missouri, and she said she intuitively knew that something was different about her neighborhood.

“St. Louis is one of the most segregated cities in the nation,” Martin told National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

The conversation took place inside the NNPA’s state-of-the-art television studio in Washington where Chavis films the PBS-TV show, The Chavis Chronicles.

“When I saw folks who lived on the other side of town, their homes were bigger than a city block. They had massive amounts of wealth. I didn’t have the words, but I knew something wasn’t right about the disparity.”

As her bio states, Martin is passionate, outspoken, and insightful.

Not many can boast a resume like Martin’s.

Martin has appeared on just about every platform available as a producer, content creator, commentator, and talk show host.

Growing up, she desired to attend law school.

After attending the “challenging and predominately white” University of Chicago, Martin went to Harvard Law School and ultimately began a career in corporate law.

After just one year, she opened her own firm.

“I’ve not worked for anyone since then,” she stated. Instead, Martin began representing clients in high-stakes litigation, including discrimination and police brutality cases.

She pointed to the Bruce family in California, who formally received the deed to two parcels of coastal land from county officials in Manhattan Beach in July.

That unfolded more than 90 years after their ancestors — and the original owners (who were Black) — had the land taken from them for racially-motivated reasons.

“The community as a whole has suffered like the Bruce family,” Martin offered. “That’s restorative justice. A lot of people think of it as reparations, but it means an injustice was done to someone. So, we have an obligation morally and legally to make them whole.”

She said there are many more cases like the Bruce family, including some she’s working on currently.

Martin said discrimination remains a hurdle for many, including her two daughters, who attend law school at Columbia.

“They worked this summer at a large firm in New York and had a very similar job that I had,” Martin recounted. “The number of African Americans at these firms today is less than or the same as when I was a first-year law student at Harvard. One of my daughters worked at a firm that hired its first diversity and inclusion officer. At the firm, they showed a videotaped orientation that had all white lawyers and other people. A few African Americans had to go and suggest they consider getting a new video. It’s outdated, and that’s appalling to me.”

Martin also laments the regression seen in the legal and medical professions. “That is a profession starving for Black and Brown students,” Martin stated.

With a son on the autism spectrum, Martin said she’d learned resilience from him.

“Despite his peers ostracizing him and the struggles with things we take for granted, he never complains,” Martin said.

As proactive in her son’s life as any mother would desire, Martin founded the Special Needs Network to help families find resources for autism.

She said the network also helps to build valuable connections.

“One way we have accomplished this is through our community health fair and carnival each year for those with special needs and their siblings,” Martin remarked.

“The kids do arts and crafts, and there are games they play.

“I tell parents to find your village. This is not a journey that parents should undertake on their own,” Martin insisted.

“There is no glory in going at it alone. Seek help from family members, friends, and other parents to help with tasks from housework to medical appointments. Also, be proactive. Learn as much as possible about autism and the resources you can use to help your child.”

The post Areva Martin Continues to Advocate for Those with Special Needs and Those Facing Discrimination and Injustice first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

Up Next

IN MEMORIAM: The Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts II, Venerable Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, Passes at 73

Don't Miss

Black American Authors Change the Narrative at The World’s Largest International Book Fair

Stacy M. Brown

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”