Archive

Focusing on Black Male Leadership, Rodney C. Burris Graces the Cover of Speakers Magazine

The September issue of Speakers Magazine is proud to feature a speaker from Baltimore, Maryland who is driven to share his skills, talents, and wisdom. When Rodney C. Burris first began his speaking career over 15 years ago, it was

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After his Conviction, R. Kelly Faces Life in Prison and More Trials

He has sung, performed, and wrote many hits, but Robert Sylvester Kelly will now sing a new tune: perhaps something along the lines of “Jailhouse Rock,” or just “Jailbird” – perhaps for the rest of his life. A federal jury

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Congress Passes EQUAL Act, a Bill that Seeks to Eliminate Sentencing Disparities Harshly Doled out to African Americans

Two minutes before members of the U.S. House of Representatives cast their votes, District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine weighed in on H.R. 1693 – the EQUAL Act. “Congress should pass the EQUAL Act to finally end the unfair

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CFCC Welcomes Three New Members to Board of Trustees

WILMINGTON, NC — Cape Fear Community College is pleased to welcome Deborah Dicks Maxwell, Deloris Rhodes, and Bill Rivenbark to its board of trustees. Wilmington-native Deborah Dicks Maxwell serves as president of the New Hanover County NAACP and as District

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Wilmington City Council Donates Property for LINC’s All-Boys Boarding School

Wilmington, NC – Wilmington City Council recently heard a proposal from LINC Incorporated, asking the city to donate a fire station that’s no longer in use. LINC is a non-profit corporation established in 1999 that helps men and women returning

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Congresswoman Bass Says It’s More than Just Manchin and Sinema Holding Back Democratic Agenda

When President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris defeated Donald Trump and Mike Pence to win the White House, the new administration claimed that they had won the battle for the soul of America. Less than two months later,

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Congress Poised to Pass EQUAL Act, Game Changing Legislation in the Racist ‘War on Drugs

  Many have identified New York City in the 1980s as the epicenter of the War on Drugs. With the February 1988 assassination of NYPD Officer Edward Byrne in Queens, federal officials and law enforcement agencies around the country descended

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Federal Police Reform Talks Have Failed – But Local Efforts Stand a Better Chance of Success

Bipartisan talks over police reform ended with no agreement on Sept. 22, 2021, with House Democrats and Republicans blaming each other for the lack of progress. It isn’t the first time that reform at a federal level has been attempted

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School Year off to a Rocky Start? 4 Ways Parents Can Help Kids Get Back on Track

Sending a child to school in the morning is a daily ritual for millions of families worldwide. Unfortunately, the attendance process has become highly disrupted due to COVID-19. The fact that many kids have been away from a physical school building for

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How Civil Rights Activist Howard Fuller Became a Devout Champion of School Choice

As a longtime civil rights activist and education reformer, Howard Fuller has seen his support for school choice spark both controversy and confusion. That’s because it aligns him with polarizing Republican figures that include Donald Trump and Trump’s former secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.

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Award-Winning D.C. Pediatrician Says Vaccines are Masks are Effective like Airbags and Seatbelts in Vehicles

Dr. Yolanda Lewis-Ragland, a double-board certified physician in pediatrics and obesity medicine, minces few words when protecting children. After all, Dr. Lewis-Ragland has lived and practiced medicine in the Ward 8 section of Washington, D.C., for nearly two decades. In

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Shaquille O’Neal: Has a Reality Check for All of the Fakeness Associated With Stardom

Shaquille O’Neal, the larger-than-life former NBA player, and TNT announcer, has a reality check for all of the fakeness associated with stardom. “I came from nothing. But, just because I made it doesn’t mean I’m bigger than you, smarter than

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Music Legend and Beauty Icon Florence LaRue Shares Insights About Beauty, Aging, and Growing Up Black in New Book “Grace in Your Second Act”

  “Don’t regret growing older. It’s a privilege denied to many.” — Florence LaRue  LOS ANGELES  – Florence LaRue, six-time GRAMMY-Award winner and lead singer of legendary group The 5th Dimension, shares revelations about beauty, aging, and self-improvement in her

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Why America Has a Debt Ceiling: 5 Questions Answered

Republicans and Democrats are again waging a battle of wills over the U.S. debt ceiling, which is a statutory limit on how much the government can borrow to pay its bills. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says no member of

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Some Rich People Will Love at Least One Sweetener in Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Plan

While liberal lawmakers look for ways to raise taxes on the rich to finance their US$3.5 trillion spending package, some House Democrats are aiming to lower them. Specifically, several Democrats from high-tax states such as New York and New Jersey

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UDC President Perfectly Explains the Tremendous Value of HBCUs

Historically Black colleges and universities in America remain as vital as ever, and University of the District of Columbia President Ronald Mason Jr. took less than a minute to explain. “We’ve held America together until it’s able to figure out

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Temptations Mark 60th Anniversary with Release of New Single with Smokey Robinson

LOS ANGELES, CA – This year marks the 60th Anniversary celebration of The Temptations, the legendary, Grammy Award-Winning group known as the “No. 1 R&B Artists of All Time” (Billboard). And releasing today is their brand-new single, “Is It Gonna

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American Cancer Society and Four HBCUs Announce Diversity in Cancer Research Program to Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The American Cancer Society (ACS), along with four historically black medical schools including Charles Drew Medical School, Howard University, Meharry Medical College, and Morehouse School of Medicine, today announced a groundbreaking Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Program to help improve

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Senators Fail to Reach Deal on George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Talks to enact the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act were halted on Wednesday after a bipartisan Senate negotiations team announced it failed to reach a deal. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) called off the

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African American Entrepreneurs Head SPAC in $126.5 Million IPO to Acquire Black-owned Firms

Shawn Rochester, who authored the spellbinding book “The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America,” and Robin Watkins, a highly regarded financial and operations accountant, have made Wall Street history. And the two are poised to break through

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Black Woman Entrepreneur Launches Shoe Company That Caters to Sororities and Fraternities in the Divine 9

Birmingham, AL — Meet Kam Ballard, founder of b.c.e Shoes, an online company that customizes shoes for the sororities and fraternities in the Divine 9. She says that she started the company to offset college costs for her children. She

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Lawyer Launches Legal Fund to Support Black-Owned Businesses Using Crowdfunding to Raise Capital

Chicago, IL — Meet Elizabeth L. Carter, Esq., founder and owner of a Black woman-owned securities law firm that has launched a legal fund to support Black businesses that plan to raise capital through crowdfunding campaigns and other means. The

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Facebook Has Known for a Year and a Half That Instagram Harms Teens – Here’s the Research

Facebook officials had internal research in March 2020 showing that Instagram – the social media platform most used by adolescents – is harmful to teen girls’ body image and well-being but swept those findings under the rug to continue conducting

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Nurses Are Leaving the Profession, and Replacing Them Won’t Be Easy

The fourth wave of COVID-19 is exacerbating the ongoing crisis for the nursing workforce and has led to burnout for many nurses. As a result, many are quitting their jobs in substantial numbers all across the country, with 62% of

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Facebook’s Algorithms Fueled Massive Propaganda Campaigns During Election – Here’s How They Manipulate You

An internal Facebook report found that the social media platform’s algorithms – the rules its computers follow in deciding the content that you see – enabled disinformation campaigns based in Eastern Europe to reach nearly half of all Americans in

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United States Ryder Cup Team Donates $2.85 Million to Community Outreach and Youth Golf Development Programs

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Sept. 21, 2021) – United States Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker, his five Vice Captains and the 12-member U.S. Team have finalized their $2.85 million commitment to the 43rd Ryder Cup Outreach Program, which will go

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How Reparations Can Be Paid Through School Finance Reform

White public schools have always gotten more money than Black public schools. These funding disparities go back to the so-called “separate but equal” era – which was enshrined into the nation’s laws by the Supreme Court’s 1896 decision in Plessy

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Recommendation From a Doctor May Be the Final Push Someone Needs to Get Vaccinated

Have you found yourself feeling frustrated when trying to convince a friend or family member to get vaccinated for COVID-19? Or maybe you are that friend or family member, and you’re fed up with people pushing you to get vaccinated.

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2021 NNPA Leadership Awards Delights Viewers, Insidersss

In perhaps the best produced National Leadership Awards – or any virtual conference – since the pandemic forced most to move away from in-person gatherings, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) celebrated its annual soiree in style. Sen. Raphael Warnock

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Haiti Residents Still Struggling in Aftermath of Deadly Earthquake

Some have called the situation in Haiti “a forgotten disaster.” That’s because it appears that much of the western world hasn’t bothered to call to mind what residents in the Caribbean nation have experienced. In August, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake

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President Biden Calls for End to Systemic Racism During CBCF Conference

President Joe Biden applauded the work of the Congressional Black Caucus and called for ending systemic racism during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Phoenix Awards. The awards closed out the week-long Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference. “I got

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Pfizer Vaccine for Children 5 to 11 is Safe with Robust Antibody Response

A Phase 2/3 trial conducted by Pfizer and BioNTech revealed that the Covid-19 vaccine was safe and generated a “robust antibody response” in children ages 5 to 11. These are the first such results released for this age group for

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Back to the Classroom: A Game Plan for Reducing Anxiety

Back-to-school supplies were a bit different this year for 13-year-old Kamsi Anomnachi. Along with a day planner, an array of pens, and a couple of thick notebooks, Kamsi added face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and disposable gloves. “I’m excited

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Author Geeta N. Kapur Will Present Her Book About the Struggle for Racial Equality at UNC to Student Leaders

Durham, NC— Geeta N. Kapur, civil rights and criminal defense lawyer, two-time UNC alumna, and author of the recently released book To Drink from the Well: The Struggle for Racial Equality at the Nation’s Oldest Public University, will present her

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Afghanistan: After 20 Years, Thousands Dead and Trillions Spent, Rep. Barbara Lee Proven Right

On September 15, 2001, only three days after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., Congress voted to give the authority for military force to President Bush. The vote in the U.S. Senate was unanimous: 98-1. In the U.S.

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Senate Democrats Reportedly Near Deal on Voting Rights Legislation

  Senate Democrats reportedly are expected to agree as early as Tuesday on an updated version of voting rights legislation the party believes will have the full support of all Democratic senators. “The member-level discussions are complete,” a source told

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American Business Leaders Step Up to Fight Inequities in the South

Even as the pandemic has laid bare societal inequities that have been eroding the foundation of our democracy, political leaders in Washington and in state capitols are mired in a level of rancor and partisanship not seen since the ideological

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Ben’s Original™ Launches “My Original Recipe” Chef Stories with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

  Series Continues this Fall with Acclaimed Mississippi Chef Nick Wallace   CHICAGO – BEN’S ORIGINAL™ and award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson have teamed up to launch the brand’s “My Original Recipe” chef stories debuting September 10, 2021. Complementing the brand’s

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Senator Cory Booker (D-NY), Environmental Justice Advocate, Proud to Receive NNPA Leadership Award

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Ironbound Community Corporation, and New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance for an environmental justice tour of the

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Cox and Former NFL Star Partner on Digital Equity Initiative

  Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl champion and Share the Magic Foundation founder, and Cox share vision to connect diverse, low-income, school-aged kids online ATLANTA — Cox has announced a new collaboration to narrow the learning gap in diverse, low-income neighborhoods

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Rep. Beatty Introduces Legislation to Establish National Rosa Parks Day

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In coordination with Reps. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and Terri Sewell (AL-07), U.S. Congresswoman and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty (OH-03) introduced legislation to establish Rosa Parks Day as a Federal Holiday. “Through her willingness to sit, Rosa Parks

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Music Lovers Reunite at Capital Jazz Fest 2021

  Capital Jazz Fest 2021 After a 24-month COVID hibernation, the Capital Jazz Fest reconvened as a special edition at Merriweather Park in Symphony Woods in Columbia, Maryland. Normally an annual June event, which was canceled in 2020, the fest

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Warnock, McEachin Introduce Bicameral Legislation Establishing Voucher Program to help Close Digital Divide

In the increasingly digital world, internet services and the devices to access them have quickly become essential to participate in the 21st-century economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated this need and underscored the stark disparities that currently exist in

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Call-A-Thon with Goal of 50,000 Calls to Senators in 50 Hours, Urging Passage of Police Reform Bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Nationally renowned civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci today launched a call-a-thon that will run through September 16, asking supporters to call their U.S. Senators to urge them to pass the George Floyd Justice in

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Should We Vote Yes, or No? A Response from Vote No Fayetteville Committee

‘We are a group of concerned citizens whose goal is to advocate against the efforts to change the current structure of our City Council.  We have, in turn, established and filed with the local Board of Election, a referendum committee, VOTE

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African American officials to discuss the housing investments in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge convened a virtual roundtable discussion with over 90 mayors, state legislators, county commissioners, and local municipal leaders on the housing investments and racial equity opportunities that would

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Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Named to TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People

TIME named nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump to the 2021 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, making him the only personal injury trial lawyer to make the list.

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Report Reveals that Los Angeles Sheriff Department Rife with Gangs and Cliques

Approximately 16 percent of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and supervisors continue to operate and recruit personnel to join in secret cliques or gangs like “Banditos” and the “Executioners,” according to an explosive new report authored by The Rand Corporation.

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Woman Jailed at 14 for Allegedly Shoving White Teacher’s Aide Releases Memoir Detailing Life in the Aftermath

ShaQuanda Cotton, who in 2006 was sentenced to up to 7 years confinement at a Texas juvenile detention facility as a black teen following accusations that she pushed a white teacher’s aide, announces the release of her new book, ‘Memoir

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Black, Hispanic and Asian American Donors Give More to Social and Racial Justice Causes as Well as Strangers in Need

More than a year after protesters around the world responded to the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and other people of color, U.S. donors of all backgrounds are still responding to calls for an end to

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