October, 2022 - Greater Diversity News

IN MEMORIAM: The Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, Venerable Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, Passes at 73

An announcement that Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III had died on Friday morning, Oct. 28, resonated with sorrow across the social media and news networks. For more than a generation, the venerable Rev. Butts was the pastor at Abyssinian Baptist

Affirmative Action Activists Descend on U.S. Supreme Court

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, in collaboration with the African American Policy Forum, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and other civil rights groups, are rallying outside the U.S. Supreme Court in support

New York to Pay $25 Million to Two Men Falsely Convicted of Killing Malcolm X

In 1965, Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam were wrongfully convicted of killing Malcolm X and spent over 20 years behind bars after being wrongfully convicted. Even though the February 21, 1965 murder of Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom in

Chromatic Black™, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, NAACP Nextgen, Southern Black Girls, and Black Girls Do Bike Launch ‘I Am Fannie Lou Hamer’ Campaign

[fvplayer id=”4″] ATLANTA, GEORGIA – chromatic black™, a 10,000+ collective of artists and activists dedicated to building cultural power and advancing justice for Black communities, alongside National Coalition on Black Civic Participation NAACP NextGen, Southern Black Girls and Women, and Black Girls Do Bike, announced the

COMMENTARY: Georgia Is Ground Zero for Democracy

Like so many of us right now, I’ve got Georgia on my mind. As I write this, I’ve just gotten back from meeting with Black ministers who are working nonstop to get out the vote across the state. And with

Student Loan Forgiveness Denial Another Reason to Cast a Vote

Of all the eligible voters in our country, just 10% actually do, according to a recent Unite America Institute study. Don’t you want to be in that minority? You have to register first. And if you think you’ve missed the

Federal Court Halts Biden’s Student Loan Debt Forgiveness for Now

A federal appellate judge on October 21 temporarily blocked the Biden Administration from cancelling student debt in response to a lawsuit filed by six conservative states alleging they could be hurt financially by the plan. The court blocked the plan

American Voters Are Angry – That Is a Good Thing for Voter Turnout, Bad Thing for Democracy

Regardless of whether they live in a red state or a blue state, identify as Democrats or Republicans, or claim to be ideologically liberal or conservative, Americans have one thing in common. They are angry – especially about this year’s

Ye or Nay: Should We Continue to be Bothered with Kanye West?

While many continue to examine the complexities of hate speech versus free speech and the role of Black media in taking Kanye West to task, a younger – and perhaps more influential – generation appears at a crossroads with the

U.S. Economy Post Strong Third Quarter Gains

President Joe Biden, for months, noted how doomsayers had argued that the U.S. economy is in a recession and Congressional Republicans have been rooting for a downturn. “But today we got further evidence that our economic recovery is continuing to

Black Cosmetologist Reinvents Herself After Near Death Experience, Launches Online Course For Entrepreneurs

Angie Ravenel, a 30-year veteran hairstylist from South Carolina, never thought that she wouldn’t retire happily from working in her salon of 25 years. However, a life-changing experience forced her to change her plans and now she is the creator

Black Mental Health Therapist and Her 8-Year-Old Daughter Release New Book to Give Young Girls a Voice

Michelle Davey and her 8-year-old daughter, Laiya, from Baltimore County, Maryland are the authors of My Voice Is My Superpower, an inspiring book that reminds young girls of the many ways in which they can use their VOICES as their

Entrepreneur From Florida Selected as Leader of Impact in American Heart Association’s Heart Ball

Every year across 150 cities, community leaders step up to join Leaders of Impact in an effort to bring the work of the American Heart Association into the community. This 7-week blind competition is relentlessly focused on driving equitable health

Black Woman Entrepreneur Known For Her Fleet of Trucks to Host 2022 Conference in Houston

Kristi Jackson-Muhammad’s Global Power Tour, a collective of leadership workshops and entrepreneurial networking events to uplift Black women in business, will take place at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston on November 2nd through November 6th, 2022. Tickets to

Black Mental Health Therapist Launches Newest Book on How to Make Progress Toward Discovering Your Life Purpose

Marcia Blane, a Licensed Professional Counselor and the founder of Peculiar One Counseling & Consulting, is making a positive impact for disadvantaged families nationwide simply by fundamentally changing relationship dynamics. She comments, “Sadly, generations of BIPOC families have been conditioned

Why is the Florida Bar Trying to Silence These Two Civil Rights Attorneys?

Orlando, FL — In late May 2021, a Florida jury awarded Kenyan native, Dr. Baiywo Rop, $2.75 million in his racial discrimination suit against AdventHealth, formally known as Florida Hospital. The verdict was a historic civil rights victory in the

Alabama Health Organizations Encourage Alabamians to Get a Flu Shot

Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama Hospital Association, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama are encouraging Alabamians to get a flu shot with the No

Locked Out: Millions of Voters Are Disenfranchised Ahead of Midterm Elections

With the midterm election just days away, the District of Columbia-based think tank, The Sentencing Project, has released a new report which found that 4.6 million people can’t vote because of felony convictions. Researchers pointed out that the number amounts

Attorney Ben Crump Files Lawsuit on Behalf of User of Chemical Hair Straightening Products

Researchers have discovered that hair products used predominately by Black women are likely to contain hazardous chemicals with endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic properties. Armed with that information and research by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, civil rights attorney Ben

Russian Court Upholds Brittney Griner Conviction

WNBA Star Brittney Griner will remain in a Russian prison and serve the bulk of her 9-year sentence following the Moscow Regional Court’s decision on Tuesday to uphold her earlier conviction and sentence. The court slightly reduced the sentence by

New York School added to Dozens Adopting AP African American Studies Courses

Earlier this year, about five dozen educators attended a four-day seminar at Howard University to discuss course concepts and best teaching practices. During the summit, Howard officials maintained their desire to attract Black and Latinx high school teachers to an

Women Elevating Women Conference Provides Support to Women Looking to Successfully Grow and Scale Businesses

Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member, [email protected] The multi-cultural, multi-ethnic Women Elevating Women (WEW) conference, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, returned to D.C. this past weekend to bring women business owners and executives together to discuss and

Hope Abounds Cancer Network Hosts Annual Gift of Hope, Saturday, November 12

Hope Abounds Cancer Network, Board of Directors will host their annual Gift of Hope. Saturday, November 12, 2022. The event will be held at Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort….1706 Lumina Avenue. Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480. The evening

Wells Fargo’s first Black American Board Foundation Member Shares His Perspective on His New Post and Discusses His Career Journey

Otis Rolley possessed a desire to drive positive change in local communities, a craving that led him to Wells Fargo, where he would lead social impact at the banking giant. He said he approached the interview process with Wells’ CEO

Study Reveals the Most Streamed Musicians in Atlanta (Plus How Much They Earn From Their Atlanta Fanbase)

Ever wondered which city has the best music scene of them all? Researchers at Replay Poker have analysed the music fan bases of 34 US cities to discover which artists have the greatest popularity. Their research considers the size of each

HBCU Week Culminates at Walt Disney World Resort with Scholarships, Sizzle and Showmanship

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – For the first time in its six-year history, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week was held at Walt Disney World Resort this past weekend, Oct. 7-9, 2022. The event culminated with unprecedented success, from

Letter to the Editor: Good and Bad News – Donald John Trump’s Name Will Not Be On Your Mid-term Ballot

However, his infamous twin sisters and brothers who genuflect to kiss his ring and worship his golden Idol will be on your ballot. The bad news first Two of his twin brothers, Ted Budd and David Rouzer are on my

Black Left Student Radicalism of the 1970s: The February First Movement

SNCC’s Atlanta staff in 1963. (Photo by Richard Avedon). During the 1970s, Black student radicalism in the United States, which began in the 1960s with organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), continued to evolve. Student activists began

New Generation of Leadership – Johna Speller, President of the NC NAACP Youth & College Division

Can a 16-year-old be a leadership guru? If anyone thinks that it is not possible, Johna Speller is testing that limited thinking. She has been a life member of the NAACP since age 3! She knows the challenges of living

NAACP Youth and College Division (YCD) Launches Its Midterm Election Podcast Series – A GDN Exclusive

President of the North Carolina Youth and College Division of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Johna Speller, continues her critical student engagement, voter education, registration, and mobilization efforts through a series of planned podcasts designed to

Attorney Ben Crump Files Class Action Suit Against U.S. Gov’t on Behalf of Black Farmers

America’s “Black Attorney General,” Civil rights attorney Ben Crump on Wednesday, October 12, announced a class action suit against the United States government on behalf of the National Black Farmers Association. The lawsuit comes amid findings that Black farmers lost

Coalition Kicks off Votercade with Goal of 10 million More Black Voters

The bar is set high: 10 million more Black voters. That’s the goal as the Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Rainbow Push, the Hip Hop Caucus, and others set out on a bus tour across

Uniformed & Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) Vote-By-Mail Ballots to Be Mailed for the November 8, 2022, General Election

BROWARD COUNTY, FL. — Over 4,000 Vote-By-Mail ballots for the General Election were sent to military and overseas citizens on September 24, 2022. In addition to registering to vote online, UOCAVA voters may request a Vote-By-Mail Ballot by using the

OP-ED: Relieving the Burden of Student Loan Debt

Higher education should be a staircase to economic mobility, but student loan debt has become a barrier for far too many. More than $1.6 trillion in outstanding federal student loan debt is crushing 43.4 million borrowers in the United States

Black Female Excellence Takes Center Stage at St. Jude Spirit Of The Dream

Astronaut, doctor and non-profit executive are honored for outstanding achievements in advancing lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the first time in its history, the St. Jude Spirit of the Dream event selected women

Nielsen Study Shows Media Industry and Marketers Often Miss the Mark in Connecting With Black Consumers

With authentic representation lacking and increased consumer demand for brands to directly benefit Black communities, 2022 saw a 10-point decline in Black viewers who are more likely to buy from brands that advertise in inclusive content NEW YORK — Nielsen’s

Where Is the “Fair Share” for Black Businesses? A GDN Exclusive

My name is Dr. Victor Hebert. I lived in Fayetteville for 24 years (1984-2008) and served as a professor at Fayetteville State University. In visiting Fayetteville, North Carolina, this past week, I noticed a $97 million Bond issue on the

Collision Course – A 20th Century Crucifixion of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I have always believed that the government was part of a conspiracy, either directly or indirectly, to assassinate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” — Jesse L. Jackson in the foreword to James Earl Ray’s 1997 autobiography “Who Killed Martin Luther

Baseball Legend Helping to Rebuild Africatown

AfricaTown is considered a dying municipality in Alabama that sits along the Gulf Coast and next to Mobile. At its peak, Africatown had about 12,000 residents. Now, about 1,800 call it home. It is famous – or infamous – for the Clotilda,

Last Chance for High School Students to Apply for 2023 Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

Applications for the once-in-a-lifetime inspirational program targeting Black teens from underrepresented communities accepted through Oct. 31 LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Applications for the 2023 Disney Dreamers Academy, a career-inspiring program targeting Black teens and students from underrepresented communities, closes on Oct. 31. It’s

Comedians Eric André, Clayton English Sue Clayton County for Unconstitutional Stops at Atlanta Airport

Actors and comedians Eric André and Clayton English filed a lawsuit today against Clayton County for its police department’s program of racial profiling and coercive stops in jet bridges at Hartfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL). The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of

Biden Issuing Full Pardons for Federal Marijuana Possession Convictions

President Joe Biden has issued a pardon to all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession, fulfilling a campaign promise of getting rid of possession convictions and loosening the drug’s federal classification. “Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has

Young African American Lawyers Working to Fight Voter Suppression ahead of 2022 Midterm Elections

A nonpartisan and community-centered movement reminiscent of the Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights era is on a mission to help Black communities resist and overcome voter suppression during the 2022 midterm election and beyond. The Young Black Lawyers’ Organizing

George Floyd’s Daughter Plans $250 million Lawsuit against Kanye West

Calling comments by Kanye West repugnant, the family of George Floyd said they are filing a $250 million lawsuit against the troubled superstar. Filed by Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, the lawsuit also will include West, his

Does tutoring work? An education economist examines the evidence on whether it’s effective

With reading and math scores plummeting during the pandemic, educators and parents are now turning their attention to how kids can catch up. In the following Q&A, Susanna Loeb, an education economist at Brown University, shines a light on the

With the Movie ‘Till,’ Mamie Till-mobley’s Quest To Educate the World About Her Son’s Lynching Marches On

After 14-year-old Emmett Till was kidnapped, severely beaten and killed in the Mississippi Delta on Aug. 28, 1955, his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, made the courageous decision to reveal her son’s corpse for all to see. Till-Mobley’s choice allowed audiences to

So You Want to Vote by Mail – 5 Essential Reads

As the midterm elections approach, much of life has returned to its busy post-COVID-19 normal, even as the pandemic continues. Being busy and wary of sharing space with large numbers of strangers are among the many reasons people might consider

Why the US House of Representatives Has 435 Seats – And How That Could Change

As the population of the U.S. has grown over the past century, the House of Representatives has gotten worse at being representative of the people it serves. That doesn’t have to happen – and it wasn’t always the case. The

Experts Grade Facebook, TIKTOK, TWITTER, YouTube on Readiness To Handle Midterm Election Misinformation

The 2016 U.S. election was a wake-up call about the dangers of political misinformation on social media. With two more election cycles rife with misinformation under their belts, social media companies have experience identifying and countering misinformation. However, the nature

Museum Exhibit Reveals True Story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley and How It Influenced the Civil Rights Movement

Three years in the making, the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley: Let the World See exhibit has made its national debut at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and runs through October 30, 2022. It will then make a historic tour

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