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Sickle Cell Advocates Sound Alarm as Georgia Bill Advances, Federal Dollars Bypass Black-Led Groups

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE – As funding for sickle cell programs grows, Black-led organizations say they remain overlooked—raising questions about who truly benefits from increased investment.

Published

7 months ago

April 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Alexandria Green Jones

As momentum builds around new sickle cell legislation in Georgia, advocates say a deeper issue continues to threaten the very communities the disease impacts most. Black-led organizations on the front lines are still being shut out of critical funding.

The urgency grew on March 26, 2026, when the Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act advanced out of the Georgia Senate Health and Human Services Committee. While the bill still must clear the Senate floor, return to the House, and ultimately reach the governor’s desk, its movement has renewed attention around the fight for equitable support for sickle cell patients and the organizations serving them.

At the same time, frustration is mounting over how federal sickle cell funding is being distributed. In February, Congress approved a fiscal package that included more than $20 million for sickle cell programs. But many Black-led organizations doing direct, community-based work say they are not seeing those dollars.

Instead, advocates argue, much of the money is being directed to larger white-led organizations that are often far removed from the day-to-day realities of families living with sickle cell disease and may not reinvest those resources directly back into the communities most affected.

For Dr. Lakiea Bailey, the issue is both personal and political.

Diagnosed with sickle cell disease at age 3, Bailey endured multiple surgeries and repeated hospitalizations throughout her life. Despite those challenges, she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and later a doctorate in molecular hematology and regenerative medicine.

“As someone who has lived with sickle cell disease since childhood, I know firsthand that community support can mean the difference between surviving and truly living. That is why investing in community-based organizations is not optional. It is essential,” said Dr. Bailey.

After seeing firsthand how many people living with sickle cell disease struggled to access adequate treatment and resources, Bailey founded the Sickle Cell Community Consortium. The organization was created to bring together patients, caregivers, community-based organizations, researchers, and health care leaders to address the urgent and often overlooked needs of the sickle cell community.

Now, as legislative conversations continue, Bailey and other advocates are calling attention to what they see as a painful contradiction: sickle cell disease is finally gaining more visibility in policy spaces, but the Black-led groups with the deepest roots in impacted communities are still being left out of the funding conversation.

“For too long, Black-led organizations have been expected to do the hardest work with the fewest resources,” said Dr. Bailey. “It is deeply troubling to see millions allocated for sickle cell programs while the very organizations rooted in the community are being shut out. If the goal is to help patients, the dollars must reach the people doing the work on the ground every single day.”

That exclusion, advocates say, has real consequences. Community-based organizations are often the first to help families navigate care, connect patients to resources, provide education, and push for policy change. Without equitable access to funding, many say the work becomes harder to sustain, even as the need continues to grow.

The debate also highlights a broader concern that has long followed public health funding, whether resources meant to address disparities are truly reaching the people and institutions closest to the problem.

For Bailey, the answer must include intentional investment in Black-led organizations with proven ties to the sickle cell community.

“We cannot keep celebrating progress in legislation while ignoring the inequity in funding. Visibility without investment is not justice,” Dr. Bailey explained. “If lawmakers and decision-makers are serious about changing outcomes for sickle cell patients, then they must also be serious about funding the Black-led organizations. The Black community built the advocacy, carried the burden, and sounded the alarm on sickle cell. We should not have to beg for a seat at a table we built.”

As Georgia lawmakers weigh the future of the Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act, advocates say the larger question cannot be ignored: Who is being trusted to lead this work, and who is being left behind?

For families living with sickle cell disease, that answer could shape far more than policy. This could determine the alignment of awareness with action and the allocation of funding to the communities that have been fighting this battle for generations.

From April 7 to 11, Dr. Bailey will host the largest convening of Sickle Cell patients, Advocates, physicians, and the community at The Westin Atlanta Airport, 4736 Best Road, Atlanta, Georgia.

“This moment represents more than a convening; it represents alignment,” said Dr. Lakiea Bailey, Founder and Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Consortium. “By bringing together leadership, community voice, and national strategy in one coordinated effort, we are creating space for real progress and collective impact.”

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

1 month ago

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Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.