#NNPA BlackPress
NAACP’s Derrick Johnson and Donna Brazile: The ‘State of Black America’
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “What the president has done has opened up the eyes of so many people,” said NAACP President, Derrick Johnson. “This nation has still not dealt with race and its appeal to the lowest common dominator of us as a community. We really need to take a step back and focus on what’s important, particularly in this era.”
By Lauren Poteat, NNPA Washington Correspondent
Following the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Political Strategist Donna Brazile took part in a special “State of Black America” forum in search of the answer to, “Where do we go from here?”
Held at the Howard University Interdisciplinary Building, Johnson utilized the event as an opportunity to give his rebuttal to what some deemed a “contentious presidential address” and issued a call to action.
“It’s unfortunate that [Trump’s State of the Union speech] was a distraction from Stacey Abrahams’ ‘State of the Union,’ that served as a reality for African Americans who weren’t accepting the fact that the current president has been one of the best galvanizing forces to turn out the Black vote,” Johnson said
Recalling the 2008 presidential elections and the nostalgia that it left behind, Johnson went on to reference the wakeup call that all Americans were handed — post President Barak Obama — during the Trump era.
“If you remember in 2008, we celebrated what we thought was impossible,” Johnson continued. “Commentators then began to talk about a post-racial society, and here we are some 11 years later, recognizing that the occupant of the White House gives us a daily reminder of why we as a people must stick together and stay together.”
“What the president has done has opened up the eyes of so many people,” Johnson continued. “This nation has still not dealt with race and its appeal to the lowest common dominator of us as a community. We really need to take a step back and focus on what’s important, particularly in this era.”
Moderating the discussion, Donna Brazile gave reference to Trump’s statement that we as a nation “could choose greatness” but in doing so, would also need to choose his ideals and values.
Following this statement, Brazile posed the question to Johnson, “How would you, choose greatness for America in the 21st century?”
“Greatness in this county is when we ensure that we take care of our elderly people,” Johnson said. “That we prepare our young people so that they can have a brighter future. That we protect the rights of the disadvantaged, however we place the label. That is what makes a healthy society. That is what makes us great.”
“We need to strengthen free public education, so that in the global economy, our children won’t get left behind. We need to examine the issue of healthcare and how many individuals are using a substantial amount of their income on healthcare, and we need to be a nation that is of one nation and not allow for individuals to divide us.”
Closing out the session, focused on the NAACP, Donna Brazile proudly posed the timely question: “What role do women still play within the NAACP organization?”
“Women have a huge role,” Johnson said. “Women, just like the church, make up the backbone of the organization. We’ve had six Black female presidents before consolidating titles and roles, so perhaps it’s time now [that] we have a first female President and CEO.”
In support of the “State of Black America” discussion, Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick also gave remarks during the meeting.
“This is a very interesting time in our nation’s history,” HU’s Johnson said. “And the event tonight, continuing Black History Month ‘Where Do We Go from Here,’ is a very appropriate topic.”
“I recently did an interview for CNN,” he continued, “and one of the things that I pointed out to them was that I don’t believe there is a monolithic ‘Black Vote.’ “If these people came on my campus and polled all of the students on a variety of topics, they would get a variety of opinions… That is an example of why discussions such as these are so important. We need a clear idea as to where we are and where we should be going.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Trump Set to Sign Largest Cut to Medicaid After a Marathon Protest Speech by Leader Jeffries
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S.

By Lauren Burke
By a vote of 218 to 214, the GOP-controlled U.S. House passed President Trump’s massive budget and spending bill that will add $3.5 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S. With $175 billion allocated in spending for immigration enforcement, the money for more police officers eclipsed the 2026 budget for the U.S. Marines, which is $57 billion. Almost all of the policy focus from the Trump Administration has focused on deporting immigrants of color from Mexico and Haiti.
The vote occurred as members were pressed to complete their work before the arbitrary deadline of the July 4 holiday set by President Trump. It also occurred after Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took the House floor for over 8 hours in protest. Leader Jeffries broke the record in the U.S. House for the longest floor speech in history on the House floor. The Senate passed the bill days before and was tied at 50-50, with Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski saying that, “my hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.” There were no changes made to the Senate bill by the House. A series of overnight phone calls to Republicans voting against, not changes, was what won over enough Republicans to pass the legislation, even though it adds trillions to the debt. The Trump spending bill also cuts money to Pell grants.
“The Big Ugly Bill steals food out of the hands of starving children, steals medicine from the cabinets of cancer patients, and equips ICE with more funding and more weapons of war than the United States Marine Corps. Is there any question of who those agents will be going to war for, or who they will be going to war against? Beyond these sadistic provisions, Republicans just voted nearly unanimously to close urban and rural hospitals, cripple the child tax credit, and to top it all off, add $3.3 trillion to the ticking time bomb that is the federal deficit – all from a party that embarrassingly pretends to stand for fiscal responsibility and lowering costs,” wrote Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) in a statement on July 3.
“The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make college less affordable. Three million people will lose access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And up to 16 million students could lose access to free school meals. The Republican bill does all of this to fund tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations,” wrote Education and Workforce Committee ranking member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) in a statement. The bill’s passage has prompted Democrats to start thinking about 2026 and the next election cycle. With the margins of victory in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate being so narrow, many are convinced that the balance of power and the question of millions being able to enjoy health care come down to only several thousand votes in congressional elections. But currently, Republicans controlled by the MAGA movement control all three branches of government. That reality was never made more stark and more clear than the last seven days of activity in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

#NNPA BlackPress
Congressional Black Caucus Challenges Target on Diversity
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — we found that the explanations offered by the leadership of the Target Corporation fell woefully short of what our communities deserve and of the values of inclusion that Target once touted

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Target is grappling with worsening financial and reputational fallout as the national selective buying and public education program launched by the Black Press of America and other national and local leaders continues to erode the retailer’s sales and foot traffic. But a recent meeting that the retailer intended to keep quiet between CEO Brian Cornell and members of the Congressional Black Caucus Diversity Task Force was publicly reported after the Black Press discovered the session, and the CBC later put Target on blast.
“The Congressional Black Caucus met with the leadership of the Target Corporation on Capitol Hill to directly address deep concerns about the impact of the company’s unconscionable decision to end a number of its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” CBC Chair Yvette Clarke stated. “Like many of the coalition leaders and partner organizations that have chosen to boycott their stores across the country, we found that the explanations offered by the leadership of the Target Corporation fell woefully short of what our communities deserve and of the values of inclusion that Target once touted,” Congresswoman emphasized. “Black consumers contribute overwhelmingly to our economy and the Target Corporation’s bottom line. Our communities deserve to shop at businesses that publicly share our values without sacrificing our dignity. It is no longer acceptable to deliver promises to our communities in private without also demonstrating those values publicly.”
Lauren Burke, Capitol Hill correspondent for Black Press of America, was present when Target CEO Cornell and a contingent of Target officials arrived at the U.S. Capitol last month. “It’s always helpful to have meetings like this and get some candid feedback and continue to evolve our thinking,” Cornell told Burke as he exited the meeting. And walked down a long hallway in the Cannon House Office Building. “We look forward to follow-up conversations,” he stated. When asked if the issue of the ongoing boycott was discussed, Cornell’s response was, “That was not a big area of focus — we’re focused on running a great business each and every day. Take care of our teams. Take care of the guests who shop with us and do the right things in our communities.”
A national public education campaign on Target, spearheaded by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the NNPA’s board of directors, and with other national African American leaders, has combined consumer education efforts with a call for selective buying. The NNPA is a trade association that represents the more than 220 African American-owned newspapers and media companies known as the Black Press of America, the voice of 50 million African Americans across the nation. The coalition has requested that Target restore and expand its stated commitment to do business with local community-owned businesses inclusive of the Black Press of America, and to significantly increase investment in Black-owned businesses and media, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU, Black-owned Banks, national Black Church denominations, and grassroots and local organizations committed to improving the quality of life of all Americans, and especially those from underserved communities. According to Target’s latest earnings report, net sales for the first quarter of 2025 fell 2.8 percent to $23.85 billion compared to the same period last year. Comparable store sales dropped 3.8 percent, and in-store foot traffic slid 5.7 percent.
Shares of Target have also struggled under the pressure. The company’s stock traded around $103.85 early Wednesday afternoon, down significantly from roughly $145 before the controversy escalated. Analysts note that Target has lost more than $12 billion in market value since the beginning of the year. “We will continue to inform and to mobilize Black consumers in every state in the United States,” Chavis said. “Target today has a profound opportunity to respond with respect and restorative commitment.”
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