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Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions

Predominantly Black Institutions represent an increasing cadre of 4-year and 2-year institutions that educate urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states On Wednesday, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) […]
The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

October 29, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

Predominantly Black Institutions represent an increasing cadre of 4-year and 2-year institutions that educate urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states

On Wednesday, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) announced the establishment of a new Congressional Caucus focused on educating policymakers and uplifting the needs of Predominantly Black Institutions.

The Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus will unite policymakers who share the goal of understanding and advancing policies to support PBIs.

PBIs were established in 2007 via P.L. 110-84, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, to expand access to important federal grants to assist institutions with limited institutional wealth to include colleges and universities serving large percentages of low-income African-American students.

Prior to 2007, these support grants assisted only a subset of institutions that educate low-income students who are underrepresented in higher education, including: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions; Hispanic Serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.

The 2007 law created grants for PBIs, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Native American-Serving, Non-tribal Institutions to better support low-income and minority students.

Rep. Davis, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), and Rep. Major Owens (D-NY) championed the legislation to establish PBIs because these under-funded institutions that serve hundreds of thousands of students could not receive institutional aid as similar colleges. Although there were grants to support the important work of HBCUs, PBIs cannot be HBCUs because HBCUs must have experienced affirmative discrimination by the federal government prior to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Thus, Congress changed the Higher Education Act to better assist under-funded colleges in graduating low-income minority students.

PBIs represent an increasing cadre of four-year and two-year institutions that serve as the access point for a growing number of urban and rural Black students whose personal and financial situations limit their ability to pursue higher education in many states.

There are approximately 110 such institutions that serve over 480,000 students. These institutions have minimal institutional wealth and serve a population of students who are low-income, minority, and first-generation, and whose personal finances present special challenges to educational success.

PBIs are required to meet stringent eligibility requirements related to student enrollment, family income, institutional wealth, and percentage of minority students. The PBI Caucus will work to help policymakers understand the needs of PBIs so that policies better assist these important institutions.

“Predominantly Black Institutions play an essential role in educating Black students in Chicago and across the country,” said Rep. Davis. “I am proud that my work to create PBIs helped bring over $45 million to the PBIs in Chicago, including: Chicago State University; Kennedy-King College; Malcolm X College; Olive-Harvey College; Prairie State College; and South Suburban College. I am pleased to join with Reps. Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly to establish the PBI Caucus to help legislators understand the importance of these colleges and universities and to advance policies to help these institutions and their students thrive.”

“For decades, Predominantly Black Institutions have served to empower students of color with an equitable and quality education,” said Rep. Clarke. “I’ve long fought to ensure PBIs have the funding they need to support our nation’s future leaders and take great pride in my work to secure more than $31 million in funding for New York PBIs, including the City University of New York, Medgar Evers College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Metropolitan College of New York, and others. As members of Congress, we have a moral responsibility to support these colleges for the students who rely on them, and I am honored to stand alongside my colleagues in the creation of this critical PBI Caucus.”

“Black Americans deserve institutions of higher learning that are focused on helping them grow and thrive,” said Rep. Jackson. “That’s why I’m so excited to join my esteemed colleagues to form the first congressional caucus whose sole goal is to advance policies to support Predominantly Black Institutions. Chicagoland is home to a number of these scholarly institutions, and I look forward to working to aid and uplift them and other PBIs across the country.”

“I’m proud to support Predominantly Black Institutions across the nation and at home in the Chicagoland area. PBIs foster Black student success, offer direct support to first-generation and low-income students, and address some of the most pressing challenges facing Black students,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. “I am happy to join with Reps. Davis, Clarke, and Jackson to establish the PBI Caucus to advance policies that support these institutions and ensure that their students can achieve their dreams.”

Organizational Quotations:

Chicago State University

“We want to thank Reps. Davis, a Chicago State University alumnus, and Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly, for their leadership in forming the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus, lifting up the importance of PBI institutions in supporting Black students in higher education all across the nation,” said Zaldwaynaka (“Z”) Scott, Esq., President of Chicago State University. “Minority Serving Institutions play an important role in providing college access to millions of students, often the first in their family to attend college, and the new PBI caucus will aid in bringing needed federal focus to the vital priorities which are unique to this important classification of MSIs.”

Complete College America

“Predominantly Black Institutions are a critical part of our nation’s college completion strategy, creating educational and economic opportunity for learners who have been historically underserved by higher education in America. Complete College America is proud to work closely with numerous PBIs who have been industrious in their work to level the playing field for Black students across the US. Supporting PBIs and providing these institutions and their students with resources and tools tailored to the specific needs of their campus communities will advance local, state, and national goals to educate and train a skilled, smart, and engaged future workforce.” – Yolanda Watson Spiva, President, Complete College America

Kennedy-King College, City Colleges of Chicago

“Funding from PBI grants has allowed Kennedy-King College to build essential systemic supports to ensure positive academic and economic outcomes for our Black students, who comprise over 70% of our student population,” said Dr. Katonja Webb Walker, President of Kennedy-King College. “The flexible nature of these funds leverages our ability to deploy innovative and responsive solutions in ways that traditional funding sources do not. We are truly appreciative of Congressman Davis, Congressman Jackson, Congresswoman Kelly, and Congresswoman Clarke for their continued support of the needs of our students.”

Malcolm X College, City College of Chicago

“PBI funding has served as a critical vehicle for community colleges to eliminate barriers to access, resolve equity issues and support students in successfully completing their educational objectives. Malcolm X College has received nearly $7M in PBI funding to help Black students realize the American dream. My deep appreciation goes to U.S. Reps Danny K. Davis, Yvette Clarke, Jonathan Jackson and Robin Kelly for their advocacy and support of our students.” – David A. Sanders, President, Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY)

“I am pleased Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), and our Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, of the U.S. House of Representatives (Medgar Evers College’s Representative), along with House of Representatives Jackson (D-IL), and Kelly (D-IL), established a new Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Caucus to educate policymakers about PBIs and the great work that PBIs do in positively impacting the social mobility index. Because PBIs serve some of the nation’s neediest students, it is critical that these institutions are provided with adequate resources to positively impact student success and contribute to the knowledge economy of this nation. Many thanks to these Representatives,” said Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President of Medgar Evers College-CUNY

National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)

Lezli Baskeville, President & CEO of NAFEO, the membership and advocacy association for all HBCUs and PBIs, is especially grateful to Congressman Danny Davis and the other Members of Congress who joined him in establishing a Congressional PBI Caucus. Baskerville recalls, “With leadership from Congressman Davis and then-Congressman Major Owens of New York, in 2004, NAFEO began leading the advocacy group effort that resulted in passage of the legislation establishing a grant program for under-resourced institutions that educate disproportionate of low-income Black Americans. The establishment of PBIs, as part of the class of American colleges and universities known as Minority Serving Institutions, assured that America’s richly diverse higher education system would open wider the doors of opportunity for Black Americans of fewer financial means for whom a high education might not otherwise be possible. Since then, as the ranks of champions for PBIs swelled with unstinting leadership from Reps. Davis, Yvette Clarke (NY), Robin Kelly (IL), and Jonathan Jackson (IL), funding for PBIs has increased but it still lags behind others in its class. The PBI Caucus will provide a potent vehicle through which to raise the volume and expand the ranks of those who will relentlessly advocate for more equitable congressional funding and other investments in PBIs. NAFEO will continue to provide leadership in this vital next step toward equity for PBIs.”

Olive-Harvey College, City Colleges of Chicago

“As a leader of a predominantly Black institution, I would like to thank the U.S. Representatives for creating the PBI Caucus to advance policies that improve Black student retention and graduation rates,” said Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth, President of Olive-Harvey College (OHC). “Their leadership has been instrumental in increasing college access for Black students and has helped OHC recruit and financially support Black students as they reach their educational goals.”

Prairie State College

“There are not enough words to express my personal gratitude, and the gratitude of the Prairie State College community, to Reps. Davis, Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly for their formation of the PBI Caucus. Rep. Kelly is a resident of our district and a long-time supporter of our work. As a former faculty member at PSC, she knows that we, and other PBI’s, are on the front lines of teaching the next generation of Black and low-income scholars, while simultaneously meeting the workforce needs of our community and local employers.” – Dr. Michael D. Anthony, President of Prairie State College

South Suburban College

“At South Suburban College, we support the creation of the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions Caucus, extending our appreciation to Representatives Davis, Clarke, Jackson, and Kelly for championing Predominantly Black Institutions. These institutions are vital in offering accessible higher education, particularly for marginalized students, and are often a gateway to the collegiate journey for minority and low-income populations. As a dedicated institution to student achievement, we recognize the invaluable role PBIs play in promoting educational equity. SSC looks forward to collaborating with the PBI Caucus, striving to advance policies that empower PBIs in their mission to deliver high-quality education.” – Dr. Lynette Stokes, President of South Suburban College

Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)

“We extend our sincere thanks and congratulations to Representatives Davis, Jackson, Clarke and Kelly on the establishment of the Congressional Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Caucus,” said Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) President and CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams. “PBIs play a critical role in educating Black Americans, helping to close the racial wealth gap and educating the diverse workforce needed to ensure America’s global competitiveness. TMCF is proud to represent Chicago State University, Medgar Evers College and York College, three PBIs that do the tremendous work everyday of serving the underserved and we look forward to working closely with the new PBI Caucus for the betterment of these institutions and their students.”

The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post Davis, Clarke, Jackson, Kelly Create Caucus for Predominantly Black Institutions first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Rep. Al Green Files Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Rep. Green told Newsweek that he is moving on impeachment now before “tanks are rolling down the street.”

Published

2 days ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

Congressman Al Green (D-TX) has filed articles of impeachment against President Trump. Rep. Green, 77, has served in Congress since 2005. President Trump is the only President who has been impeached twice by the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Green told Newsweek that he is moving on impeachment now before “tanks are rolling down the street.” The impeachment resolution filed by Rep. Green on May 19, states that President Trump is, “unfit to represent the American values of decency and morality, respectability and civility, honesty, and propriety, reputability, and integrity, is unfit to defend the ideals that have made America great, is unfit to defend liberty and justice for all as extolled in the Pledge of Allegiance, is unfit to defend the American ideal of all persons being created equal as exalted in the Declaration of Independence, is unfit to ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare and to ensure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity as lauded in the preamble to the United States Constitution, is unfit to protect government of the people…” Whether Rep. Green can force a vote in the U.S. House on impeachment remains an unknown issue. President Trump was impeached on December 18, 2019, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He was then impeached a second time on January 13, 2021, for “Incitement of insurrection” in the wake of the violent January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump’s supporters.

The White House stated Black Press USA on Rep. Green’s effort to impeach the President. “This week, Democrats ousted their DNC ‘leader,’ opposed the largest tax cut in history, and were exposed for actively covering up Joe Biden’s four-year cognitive decline. Now, Democrats have turned their sights to threatening impeachment. We are witnessing the collapse of the Democrat Party before our eyes. Not a single one of these efforts will help the American people. The contrast could not be more clear: President Trump is fighting for historic tax relief for the American people, Democrats are fighting themselves,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly in a written statement. Several decisions and legal interpretations by the Trump Administration are currently being challenged in federal court. On May 15, the U.S. Supreme Court debated the issue of birthright citizenship after a legal challenge on the issue by the Trump Administration.

During that legal challenge, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson challenged Trump’s solicitor general Dean John Sauer by saying, “Your argument seems to turn our justice system into a catch-me-if-you-can kind of regime … where everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people’s rights.” Rep. Green’s impeachment resolution also focused on the issue of ignoring judicial orders by the executive branch. A notable example was the deportation case of Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Garcia was deported to a prison in El Salvador by federal officials on March 15, 2025.“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it. To permit such officials to freely ‘annul the judgments of the courts of the United States’ would not just ‘destroy the rights acquired under those judgments’; it would make a solemn mockery’ of ‘the constitution itself.’” “You have no mandate,” Congressman Green stood up and yelled at President Trump during his State of the Union Speech on March 4. After the incident, Republicans who control the U.S. House considered sanctioning Rep. Green, but they did not complete an action against him.

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Affordable Childcare Remains a Barrier: Solutions in New Report

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — We also still haven’t put a dent in affordability for working families. That’s why we urgently need increased funding and new solutions.”

Published

2 days ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

While America’s childcare supply grew nationally, the price of that care continues to rise—placing affordable, high-quality care out of reach for many families. A new report released by Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, shows that despite promising signs of increased supply, affordability remains a major barrier — and underscores the need for increased sustained federal and state investment.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of childcare centers increased by 1.6% (to 92,613) and the supply of licensed family childcare (FCC) homes increased by 4.8% (to 98,807). The national growth in FCC homes’ supply is driven largely by four states (CA, KS, MA, VA) and is especially notable as it reverses a year-long downward trend.

At the same time, the national average price for childcare rose by 29% from 2020 to 2024, outpacing inflation and exceeding other major family household expenses like rent or mortgage payments in many states. Childcare is now so expensive that it consumes 10% of a married couple with children’s median household income and a staggering 35% for a single parent. In most states, families pay more for childcare than rent, mortgage payments, or in-state university tuition.

“Childcare supply is increasing, and that is a win—but it’s not enough,” said Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer of CCAoA. “Recent federal and state pandemic-era investments have stabilized and grown supply in some places, but a significant supply gap still exists — especially in rural communities and for infants and toddlers. We also still haven’t put a dent in affordability for working families. That’s why we urgently need increased funding and new solutions.”

CCAoA’s Childcare in America: 2024 Price & Supply report also found that:

The average price of childcare increased by 29% from 2020 to 2024, outpacing the national inflation rate of 22%.
In 45 states plus Washington, DC, the average annual price of center-based childcare for two children exceeded mortgage payments, in some states by up to 78%.
In 49 states plus Washington, DC, the price of center-based childcare for two children exceeded median rent payments ranging from 19% to over 100%.
In 41 states plus Washington, DC, infant care in a center cost more than in-state university tuition.

CCAoA urges policymakers to increase childcare funding at both state and federal levels to maintain the momentum of growing supply, address rising prices, and expand access to childcare for families. Federal funding increases have fallen short of the need and our research shows that total state investments in child care or preschool vary widely from state to state, putting children, families, and communities across America on an uneven playing field. Further, targeted investments in childcare supply building and stabilization and childcare workforce recruitment and retention strategies are essential to help sustain an adequate supply of high-quality childcare options nationwide.

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the only national organization that supports every part of the childcare system. Together with an on-the-ground network of people doing the work in states and communities, it helps America become child care strong by providing research that drives effective practice and policy, building strong child care programs and professionals, helping families find and afford quality child care, delivering thought leadership to the military and direct service to its families, and providing a real-world understanding of what works and what doesn’t to spur policymakers into action and help them build solutions.

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Sex, Coercion, and Stardom: Diddy Case Mirrors Music’s Ugly History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — It started with a Reddit post that didn’t just speculate on Diddy’s fate but questioned the very foundations of the culture that made him

Published

2 days ago

May 19, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

As Sean “Diddy” Combs faces a federal sex trafficking case and the slow unraveling of his once-untouchable legacy, a larger question looms: Is this the moment the music industry finally confronts its darkest secrets?

It started with a Reddit post that didn’t just speculate on Diddy’s fate but questioned the very foundations of the culture that made him: “How much damage could Diddy do to the state of hip hop?” the user asked. “Supposedly, he has incriminating evidence against those who attended his parties. The same parties that had a lot of bad things happen, to say the least.” The implication was chilling—if Diddy were to cooperate with federal authorities, the fallout might not stop at his feet. Names floated in the post—Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Usher, Justin Bieber—aren’t confirmed in any court filings, but their inclusion highlights the breadth of Diddy’s influence and the potential reach of any revelations. If even a fraction of the speculation proves true, the reverberations wouldn’t stop at hip-hop—they’d hit every corner of the music industry. For his part, Combs denies all allegations. His legal team has described the now-infamous “freak-offs” as consensual encounters, part of his non-monogamous lifestyle. But prosecutors allege something much more sinister: a criminal enterprise powered by the machinery of his music and business empire—one that trafficked women, coerced labor, obstructed justice, and used influence and intimidation to maintain control. Still, for all the headlines Combs generates, his alleged crimes do not exist in isolation. The music industry has long tolerated, enabled, and even glamorized behavior that would trigger career-ending consequences in other arenas. Diddy’s story might be shocking—but it’s not new.

Rock music has its own rogue’s gallery. Jerry Lee Lewis nearly destroyed his career in 1958 after marrying his 13-year-old cousin. Elvis Presley met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu when he was 24 and later moved her into his home in Memphis. In more recent years, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler faced (and ultimately evaded) a lawsuit from a woman who says he sexually assaulted her in the 1970s when she was 17. A judge dismissed the case due to the statute of limitations. Phil Spector, the genius producer behind the “Wall of Sound,” died in prison after being convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson. Gary Glitter was convicted of possessing child pornography and later child sex abuse. Kid Rock and Creed frontman Scott Stapp were filmed with strippers in a sex tape that leaked online in 2006. A new biography of the Rolling Stones claims Mick Jagger had sexual relationships with at least two of his male bandmates, raising further questions about the power dynamics inside even the most celebrated groups.

Journalist Ann Powers, writing for NPR, once noted that the “history of rock turns on moments in which women and young boys were exploited in myriad financial, emotional and sexual ways.” Powers added: “From the teen-scream 1950s onward, one of the music’s fundamental functions has been to frame and express sexual feelings for and from the very young… relating to older men whose glamour and influence encourages trust, not caution.” This brings the spotlight back to Diddy—not just as an accused individual but as a symbol. He was once the archetype of success: Harlem-born mogul, founder of Bad Boy Records, and kingmaker behind artists like Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, and French Montana. He transformed hip-hop into a global business and amassed influence far beyond the recording booth. He sold more than 500 million records, earned multiple Grammy Awards, and was honored by MTV, Howard University, and the City of New York—until those honors were swiftly revoked after a video surfaced showing him physically assaulting singer Cassie Ventura. Ventura, his longtime partner and protégé, has accused Combs of brutal physical abuse and psychological control. Her lawsuit and the video evidence ignited a wave of allegations from other women and men, describing similar patterns of coercion, manipulation, and fear. “This is not just about bad behavior. This is about systemic exploitation and abuse made possible by fame, money, and silence,” said one advocate for survivors in the entertainment industry.

While hip-hop has long been a target of criticism for misogyny and violence, what’s now being laid bare is a broader, genre-defying truth: from rock and pop to hip-hop and beyond, the music industry has operated for decades without accountability for its biggest stars. “Sex isn’t the problem,” one Reddit user responded. “Coercion via job opportunities is.” Another added, “Zero [impact], just like R. Kelly and MJ did zero to R&B,” referencing the R&B superstar’s conviction and Michael Jackson’s controversial legacy. Others argued hip hop would endure, regardless of Combs’ fate. Maybe it will. But the Diddy scandal pulls back the curtain—not just on the parties, the rumors, or the headlines—but on an industry-wide culture that has, for too long, allowed power to shield predation. As one survivor put it outside a recent court appearance: “This isn’t just a hip hop problem. It’s not even just a music problem. It’s a power problem.” And now, the music industry has to decide: Will it finally tune in, or will it keep playing the same old song?