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OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The United States is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not require workplaces to provide paid family and medical leave as a benefit of employment. When nearly all developed countries have acknowledged the importance of paid family and medical leave, the silence of the United States is ominous.
The post OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

October 25, 2023

Oakland Post

By Josephine Kalipeni

In a country where most people must work to make ends meet, work isn’t working for most families. The impossible, exhausting cycle of careers and caregiving doesn’t allow for real work-life balance. Workers and their families are tired, and we’re paying the price for living in a country that doesn’t have a care infrastructure to support them. We are struggling to hang onto our jobs while caring for our families. Fortunately, there is an opportunity to change that this week. Today, the Senate Finance Committee will hold its first-ever hearing on paid family and medical leave.

The United States is the only member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that does not require workplaces to provide paid family and medical leave as a benefit of employment. When nearly all developed countries have acknowledged the importance of paid family and medical leave, the silence of the United States is ominous. Nearly half of U.S. families live on the edge of financial ruin, according to the Corporation for Enterprise Development. This financial precariousness forces people to make the impossible choice between caring for sick or elderly family members and financial disaster.

The AARP found that there are 53 million caregivers in this country; that doesn’t include parents caring for children, grandparents caring for children, or young adults and children caring for an adult. Many of these caregivers are also working. Households of color are more likely to be multigenerational, with children and elders who depend on breadwinners. Women of color are disproportionately affected by the absence of paid family and medical leave. Black women, in particular, are more likely to participate in the workforce and serve as the primary breadwinners for their families, meaning we often face the difficult task of juggling both caregiving and work. Without paid family and medical leave, our entire families are vulnerable to circumstances that are often unpredictable.

Paid family and medical leave would allow workplaces to retain talent, provide financial leverage for people to participate in the economy, and keep families afloat during times of crisis. But it is also scarce — especially for people in lower-paid and hourly positions. Implementing paid family and medical leave at the national level not only benefits families, but it also has the potential to improve businesses and communities. Companies are likely to see reduced turnover and more job satisfaction and productivity from their employees. A financially secure family is better equipped to contribute to the local community and will have more money to spend — boosting local economies.

Crucially, paid family and medical leave also strengthens public health. When caregivers can take time off work without paying devastating financial consequences, our sick family members can more easily remain in their homes while they’re both contagious and convalescing. In a decade that will likely forever be associated with a global pandemic, the physical health of our communities has never been more important. Family Values @ Work and our state Network partners have been building this movement for more than 20 years and winning paid family and medical leave and paid sick and safe days state-by-state while building the political pressure necessary to win a federal bill. This hearing is a significant milestone in our work, and motivation to continue organizing, advocating, and winning policies that support families. It is because of the dedication and leadership of our Network that we’re here today.

Paid family and medical leave makes sense for families, businesses, and communities. It’s a win-win solution for everyone. To secure a brighter, more equitable future for working families, Congress should act now. The Senate Finance Committee’s next step is to pass the FAMILY Act out of committee immediately. The House should follow the lead of their colleagues and they don’t have to wait. The FAMILY Act has already been introduced in both chambers and meets Family Values @ Work’s definition of equitable policy. The FAMILY Act would provide workers with up to 12 weeks of paid time off for the birth or adoption of a new child and for personal medical needs, or the care of a seriously ill family member, and now includes safe leave for sexual or domestic violence. Workers will receive wage replacement on a tiered scale, and it ensures that workers will have a job to return to after taking time to care. No family should be forced to choose between a paycheck and their loved ones — especially not when practical policy decisions are ready to be enacted to help them.

Josephine Kalipeni (@malawian81) is an economic justice advocate and executive director of Family Values @ Work, a movement network of grassroots organizers and coalitions in more than two dozen states working to win paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe days, and affordable, high-quality childcare at the state and national levels.

The post OP-ED: Paid Family and Medical Leave Would Help Millions of Workers, Their Families and Employers first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park

ATLANTA VOICE — A mural depicting late journalist Jovita Moore, painted on the exterior wall of a building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee in Grant Park, was painted over in April. Moore passed away in 2021 after decades of working in Atlanta television news. Bellwood Coffee owners stated in May they were unaware of Moore’s identity or significance to the community before painting over the mural.
The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

At the corner of Boulevard, SE. and Rosalia St., SE., directly across the street from an abandoned home and a Methodist Church, is Bellwood Coffee. One of hundreds of coffee shops in Atlanta, this place of business would not be worth a solitary discussion if not for the way its exterior walls are currently painted. There was once a mural depicting the late Jovita Moore, a beloved journalist who worked in Atlanta for decades. Moore, who passed away in 2021, mentored many of the people you see on television newscasts today. Though her legacy will never be forgotten, it was the mural of her image that was erased.

In April, members of the Grant Park community voiced their disgust at the mural, which graced a side wall of the building now occupied by Bellwood Coffee’s Grant Park location, before it was painted over. In its place are the words “Bellwood Coffee; Cocktails, Biscuits, Dry Goods, Air Conditioning. *Heat Too”. In May, the business owners responded to the community pushback on social media by acknowledging they did not know who Moore was before painting over her image. And later admitted that they did not attempt to find out what she meant to the community.

On May 21, the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account had a post about being “in close contact with Jovita’s family and are actively working on next steps in this process.” Two months later, the mural has not been replaced, repainted, or repositioned on the property. Nothing has been done. Black history is often erased, most recently by the current Presidential administration, but oftentimes on a smaller, quieter scale. The mural was originally painted by muralist Tommy Bronx, who had been in contact with the business owners about repainting it. As of July 6, Tommy Bronx had responded to a direct message via his Instagram account from The Atlanta Voice about any updates on his plans to repaint the mural.

“We’re currently working on it. You should see some movement in the weeks to come,” he wrote in a response.

On Monday, July 6, the business had several patrons inside and was running smoothly with three employees manning the counter. The Atlanta Voice dropped by Bellwood Coffee to get a look at the exterior wall where the mural once stood as a memorial to a journalist and mother who lost her life to brain cancer at the young age of 54. Moore’s image added some color to the block. The grey wall in its place does not.

A direct message was sent to the Bellwood Coffee Instagram account, and there hasn’t been a response as of 7 p.m. on Monday.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Voice.

The post Jovita Moore Mural Still Has Not Been Repainted in Grant Park appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD — A New York man faces felony hate crime charges for allegedly posting a threat against New York State Senator Lea Webb. James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a social media news post about a Juneteenth celebration.
The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

A New York man is facing felony hate crime charges after allegedly posting that he’d be “proud to hang” New York State Senator Lea Webb from a tree in response to a news story about a Juneteenth celebration.

James A. Crosby, 49, of Binghamton, was arrested June 23 by New York State Police after investigators determined he posted a threatening comment on a WBNG 12 News Facebook post. “I’d be proud to hang her from a tree,” Crosby wrote, according to WBNG.

Crosby was charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, a class C felony, per the New York State Police. He is currently being held at Broome County Jail.

During the subsequent investigation, state police found Crosby was in illegal possession of firearms despite being prohibited from owning them due to a prior felony conviction. Investigators recovered a rifle, a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, and a firearm suppressor — all prohibited under New York state law, per the NYSP.

Crosby was charged with four additional counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, all class D felonies.

Webb, who represents New York’s 52nd Senate District, had been a featured speaker at a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Binghamton City Hall, where the celebration included prayers and the singing of the Black national anthem.

Police said Crosby’s comment was posted in response to a WBNG news story covering the event.

The day before his arrest, Crosby posted a Facebook apology claiming the comment “was not intended to be racial in any way” and was made in reference to what he described as a “criminal,” citing criticism of Webb over her use of nonprofit legal aid in a foreclosure case — a matter state watchdogs said created an appearance of a conflict of interest, per the Ithaca Voice. He was arrested the following day.

Webb issued a public statement June 25 condemning the threat.

“It was extremely disappointing and hurtful to see the now-deleted threat and attacks on my life in response to a story about Juneteenth, a national holiday that recognizes the ending of slavery in America,” she said. “Feedback and thoughts on policy are one thing, but to make a public call for lethal violence is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. We must recognize our shared humanity and reject violence in all forms.”

She thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and law enforcement for their “swift response.”

Following Crosby’s comments, social media users called for a boycott of his contracting business, Crosby Home Improvements.

The Binghamton City Democratic Committee also called for an investigation into the incident before his arrest.

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The post ‘Proud to hang her from a tree’: Man arrested for threatening Black Senator appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

Based on reporting by Atlanta Daily World.

The post ‘Proud to Hang Her from a Tree’: Man Arrested for Threatening Black Senator appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations

NEW YORK CARIB NEWS — Outgoing CARICOM Chairman Terrance Drew called on regional leaders to build a stronger and more effective Caribbean Community that benefits future generations. Speaking at the 51st Regular Meeting, Drew urged modernization of governance structures and improved implementation of Community decisions to make CARICOM safer and more prosperous.
The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 8, 2026

Oakland Post

Speaking Sunday at the opening of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Dr. Terrance Drew said the region must modernize its governance structures, improve the implementation of Community decisions, and ensure CARICOM becomes safer, more prosperous, and more relevant to the lives of its citizens.

The meeting, being held under the theme “CARICOM: From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World,” coincides with the Community’s 53rd anniversary. During the ceremony, Dr. Drew formally handed over the rotating CARICOM chairmanship to Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre.

Reflecting on his six-month tenure as chairman, Drew praised fellow regional leaders for maintaining their commitment to democracy, good governance, unity, and the rule of law despite mounting global economic and geopolitical challenges.

“Throughout these challenges, CARICOM chose engagement over isolation. Together, we reaffirmed our commitment to a fair and rules-based international trading system and ensured that the interests of small developing states continued to be heard.”
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He highlighted progress made in strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, including deeper trade cooperation, expanded labour mobility, and efforts to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth. Drew also noted the Community’s growing partnerships beyond the Caribbean, particularly with the African Union, while stressing that every international partnership should advance the interests of all parties involved.

The outgoing chairman also expressed appreciation to Dr. Carla Barnett and the CARICOM Secretariat for their professionalism and unwavering support during his tenure.

“Whenever I called, you answered. Whenever support was required, you and your team responded with diligence, competence, and excellence.”

Dr. Drew urged the Secretariat to continue preserving its impartiality while faithfully implementing decisions made by Heads of Government, saying that balance has helped strengthen the regional integration movement.

The conference continues in Saint Lucia with regional leaders expected to deliberate on key issues including regional security, climate resilience, trade, economic integration, food security, Haiti, reparations, and strengthening the CSME.

Based on reporting by New York Carib News.

The post CARICOM: Strengthen Integration for Future Generations appeared first on BlackPressUSA.