Education
Mfume, Cummings Testify For JHU Police
THE AFRO — Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Chair of the House Oversight Committee, delivered powerful personal “surprise” testimony before the Maryland House of Delegates.
By J. K. Schmid
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Chair of the House Oversight Committee, delivered powerful personal “surprise” testimony before the Maryland House of Delegates, March 12..
“I am not telling you do to it,” Cummings told the legislative panel led by Del. Cheryl D. Glenn. “That’s none of my business. But…I have come here begging you to do something.”
Cummings plea is that the Maryland general assembly do something about violence on Baltimore City streets. He recounted a time when he himself was robbed at gunpoint and the shooting death of his 20-year-old nephew.
“I literally saw his brains splattered on the wall,” Cummings testified. “Why am I telling you this? This is one of those situations where I believe we have to do something.”
While recommending no particular policy, Cummings’s remarks came during the debate over Johns Hopkins University’s (JHU) request for a 100-officer private police force to secure its campus. Generally, such forces are forbidden by Maryland statute JHU is looking for an exception to be made similar to Coppin State University, Morgan State University and University of Baltimore.
JHU currently relies on a police force of off-duty officers of the Baltimore Sheriff’s Department and Baltimore Police Department (BPD) that the JHU administration has characterized as unreliable.
Cummings 7th District predecessor, Kweisi Mfume, the Chair of Morgan State’s Board of Regents, and JHU graduate, has unequivocally come out for, Senate Bill 793 and House Bill 1094.
“We face a challenge that demands a new level of cooperation and investment from all of us who call Baltimore home,” Mfume wrote in a letter to committee members. “Violent crime in our city has risen to staggering heights. Too many citizens know the tragedy of losing a loved one to violence, or the daily worry of being out at night. This situation demands new solutions like the comprehensive approach proposed.“
JHU officials have described Morgan State’s police force as a model for what students and community members can expect when it comes to how JHU will be policing.
“I know firsthand the painful history of abuse of power by law enforcement that has overwhelmingly impacted people of color,” Mfume wrote.”Yet it is precisely that raw and real history that gives me hope about the draft legislation you are considering.”
JHU touts the endorsement of former Baltimore Mayor and University of Baltimore President, Kurt Schmoke. The new force will be accountable to Baltimore Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcements Civilian Review Board as well as further accountable to boards on JHU and the administration itself.
“I don’t see this as exceptional,” JHU President Ronald J. Daniels told the AFRO. “I see this as very much on par with what the other institutions in Baltimore currently enjoy. I think the percentage is 70 percent of universities in the United States, both public and private, that have an excess of 2,500 students, have sworn police forces,” Daniels added. “So, again what we’re talking about here, is not the exception, but in fact what seems to be the best practices standard for how one ensures the safety and security of a university community.”
Daniels referred to page 35 of it’s Interim Study Report, and recommendation from the committee last year, when similar bills failed to pass. Daniels and the administration infer that JHU’s rising crime rate across three campuses is best explained by the absence of a police force similar to campuses like Morgan, Coppin and University of Maryland.
However, the figures don’t seem to explain why crime is stable or in decline on other Baltimore campuses when they have the exact same force JHU has envisioned.
Daniels referred the AFRO to a study of police force at the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. As further evidence of how JHU’s police force could and should work.
However, this study indicates that there is no longitudinal data to determine the long term impact of focused policing by committing more officers to restricted locations. The study could not determine if crime was eliminated to simply pushed outside the force’s area of operation and could not determine whether crime would resurge in the new established order.
“We cannot police our way out of poverty, economic stratification or any of the other ills that fuel violent crime in our city or our country,” Mfume’s letter reads.
“a lively, dynamic street life is the best way that one can deter violent crime,” Daniels told the AFRO. “In that respect, we have first and foremost, spent considerable time, effort and money over the last decade that I’ve been at Johns Hopkins, investing in and around our two major university campuses in Baltimore.”
JHU is a lead investor in the $2 billion East Baltimore Development Initiative (EBDI). EBDI characterizes itself as a rejuvenation project, the project overlaps with JHU campuses. JHU’s reports its endowment at $4.3 billion.
This article originally appeared in The Afro.
Activism
Self-eSTEM Empowers BIPOC Women, Girls in Science, Math
In January 2025, Self-eSTEM will launch digital and generative AI programming, which provides digital literacy and AI literacy training through an entrepreneurial project-based activity. This programming will be a hybrid (i.e. in-person and online). Additionally, thanks to a grant from Comcast, in spring 2025, the organization will have a co-ed series for middle and high school students.
By Y’Anad Burrell
Special to The Post
In a world where technology plays an increasingly central role in all aspects of life, the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education cannot be overstated. Recognizing the significance of STEM for the future, focusing on young women and girls is a critical step in achieving gender equality and empowering the next generation.
Self-eSTEM, an Oakland-based non-profit organization, was founded by Adamaka Ajaelo, an Oakland native who had a successful corporate career with several Bay Area technology and non-tech companies. Ajaelo boldly decided to step away from these companies to give 100% of her time and talent to the non-profit organization she started in 2014 in the belief that she can change the game in innovation and future STEM leaders.
Over the course of a decade, Ajaelo has provided futurist tech programming to more than 2,000 BIPOC women and girls. The organization has an Early STEM Immersion Program for ages 7-17, Emerging Leaders Workshops for ages 18-25 and volunteer network opportunities for ages 25 and up.
In January 2025, Self-eSTEM will launch digital and generative AI programming, which provides digital literacy and AI literacy training through an entrepreneurial project-based activity. This programming will be a hybrid (i.e. in-person and online). Additionally, thanks to a grant from Comcast, in spring 2025, the organization will have a co-ed series for middle and high school students.
While the organization’s programs center on innovation and technology, participants also gain other valuable skills critical for self-development as they prepare for a workforce future. “Self-eSTEM encourages young women to expand on teamwork, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The organization allows young women to enter STEM careers and pathways,” said Trinity Taylor, a seventh-year innovator.
“Our journey over the last decade is a testament to the power of community and opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds as we continue to break barriers and spark dreams,” said Ajaelo.
“By encouraging girls to explore STEM fields from a young age, we foster their intellectual growth and equip them with the tools needed to thrive in a competitive global economy,” Ajaelo says.
Empowering young girls through STEM education is also a key driver of innovation and progress. When young women and girls are encouraged to pursue careers in STEM, they bring unique perspectives and problem-solving approaches to the table, leading to more diverse and inclusive solutions. This diversity is crucial for driving creativity and pushing boundaries in scientific and technological advancements.
Self-eSTEM has fundraising opportunities year-round, but year-end giving is one of the most critical times to support the program. Visit www.selfestem.org to donate to the organization, as your generosity and support will propel programming support for today’s innovators.
You will also find more details about Self-eSTEM’s programs on their website and social channels @selfestemorg
Activism
LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST
Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST
Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST
Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?
Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.
STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa
Bay Area
Election Day Across the Bay: “Oh, Thank God, It’s Over!”, Anxious and Hopeful Voters Share Their Thoughts
Millions of people across the country stood in long lines and sat around their TVs waiting to see what the fate of the next four years would look like. In the Bay Area, college students, residents young and old, and hopeful voters shared feelings of excitement, but also a sense of dread.
By Magaly Muñoz
Millions of people across the country stood in long lines and sat around their TVs waiting to see what the fate of the next four years would look like.
In the Bay Area, college students, residents young and old, and hopeful voters shared feelings of excitement, but also a sense of dread.
The Post visited polling sites and election night parties to talk to voters about how they felt after a whirlwind election cycle.
These reactions were taken before the presidential race was called and Donald Trump was declared president-elect.
First Time Voters
At UC Berkeley, students piled into a cramped building, Eshleman Hall, to cast their votes in between classes.
Outside of the hall, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) were handing out free pizza and “Go Bears. Go Vote” stickers to students who proved they submitted their ballot.
“We want to make sure that there are reduced barriers to entry for people who may be voting for the first time or challenge themselves to get to the polls. We want to make sure that people are rewarded for being civically engaged,” Carmen Berry, ASUC student, said.
Berry, who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, said this was her first experience voting in a presidential election and she’s kept in mind all there is to lose, such as reproductive rights, should Donald Trump win.
“We need to vote for ourselves, and we need to vote for the America that we want to become,” Berry said.
Katie, a Business and Cognitive Science major, told the Post that being from California, a traditionally Democrat state, makes her feel like her vote doesn’t actually matter because she knows the results will sway Harris’ way regardless.
She’s also worried about reproductive rights, and the future of the Department of Education, a department Trump has vowed to end when in office.
“My brother is special needs. He’s on IEP and without the Department of Education, he would not have been able to graduate high school. So, for me, it’s definitely personal,” Katie said.
Long Lines at Oakland Public Library
At 6 p.m. on election night, the Oakland Public Library on 14th Street had a line of voters wrapped around half the building. People toward the front of the building said they had been waiting for nearly an hour to get inside and cast their votes.
Nakia White, an Oakland resident, said she voted against the recalls for Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price. She thinks the entire recall process has been a waste of time and money, though she acknowledges the recalls will likely succeed because of the big pockets backing them.
“I feel like the people who are funding [the recalls] are doing this so they can get someone in who will let them buy up all the property and raise property values, which means local residents will not be able to afford to live here, as we already can’t,” White said.
Mark A, a recent Oakland resident, said he voted for Harris because she fits more into the mold of the progressive policies he supports. Being Latino, he said that Trump’s negative rhetoric turned him off as a voter.
Mark said that if he had to choose one word to describe the current election cycle, it would be “chaotic”.
Election Parties Start to Show Loss of Hope
Fluid510, a bar lounge across the street from Oakland City Hall, started seeing trickles of voters in the early evening as they kicked off their election party.
The location was adorned with “Bay Area for Harris/Walz” signs and red, white, and blue decor. Patrons were giddy with excitement until voting results started piling in on the big screen around 7 p.m.
ReAnn Scott, a Berkeley resident, told the Post that watching the NBC coverage was starting to scare her. There was too much red, signifying the states where Trump was winning, on the screen.
But she’s enthusiastically said she’s glad the election cycle has ended. She’s tired of all the political messaging that’s been forced on people for months now.
“Oh, thank God, it’s over!” Scott said.
Over in San Francisco, Manny’s, a civic and political event space, hosted a block party with a huge screen outside on Valencia Street and a packed venue at their 16th Street location.
Speakers attempted to talk down the crowd as more votes started to skew toward a Trump win. Those in attendance had weary faces and conversations were starting to show doubt that Harris could pull through and win the presidential race.
“I’m just so pissed,” one patron said as the CNN electoral map filled with red state wins.
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