by Daniel Johnson

November 12, 2023

Atlanta Wants To Explore Reparations For Black Residents, But Not Direct Cash Payments

The effort in Atlanta is coinciding with efforts from Fulton County to determine recommendations for reparations and a program in Evanstown, Illinois to give Black residents access to better housing.

Under Georgia law its cities can not make cash payments to individuals in the name of reparations, so the City of Atlanta is getting creative about how it is approaching their implementation. According to Atlanta News First, on Nov. 6, the Atlanta city council included an item on its agenda list that created a task force to explore reparations.

Michael Julian Bond, the son of famed Civil Rights leader Julian Bond, is a leader in the effort to examine how Atlanta can provide reparations to its citizens. Bond told the outlet, “The possibilities are limitless,” Bond explained, “Because we’re creatures of the state, we’re limited in our power and authority. But there have been wrongs that have been committed and are well documented.”

The nature of reparations was not immediately specified, but the “City of Atlanta Reparations Study Commission” intends to investigate the city’s historical involvement in discriminating against African American residents and offer suggestions for suitable reparations, as outlined in the agenda item.

The effort in Atlanta is coinciding with efforts from Fulton County to determine recommendations for reparations and a program in Evanstown, Illinois, to give Black residents access to better housing. The federal government has been very slow to give Black people reparations despite awarding, in one example, Japanese families who were placed in internment camps during WWII. In 2015, The Barack Obama administration awarded $12 million for assistance to Holocaust survivors. According to Axios, Fulton County plans to make its announcement regarding recommendations for reparations no later than October 2024. In Atlanta, citizens made calls for the city to establish a committee to study reparations during a public council committee meeting in October.

Merchuria Williams, who moved to the city in 1965 to attend Spelman College, said during her remarks, “People of African descent who are citizens in this city are due restitution for wrongs done and opportunities blocked.”

Dr. Cynthia Spence, a reparations expert and professor at Atlanta’s Spelman College, told Atlanta News First, “And so for hundreds of years, Black people have been looking for that proverbial 40 acres and a mule and certainly, we did not receive it. It’s a complicated process, but certainly I think that it is a necessary process for all of us to engage in.”

She went into the ways reparations can happen aside from cash payments.

“Those outcomes have included things like reducing property taxes, providing monetary payments to Black individuals – African Americans in communities – to help with housing, there have been discussions about educational access,” Spence said. “Universities have been involved in this reparations work.”

Spence also added, “This isn’t a new idea, it can happen, it’s been done before and it was actually a promise that was made that was not delivered upon. It’s very complex, but the complexity should not prevent us from actually moving forward because we can all agree that harm was done.”

Bond says that the committee can study the effects of discrimination and their recommendation could be any number of things that have disproportionately affected Black people in Atlanta, telling the outlet, “They may come back and say hey, maybe we’ll give folks some down payment assistance, maybe we’ll have some type of incentive program for them for small business or something of that nature.”

Bond added, “So this will be the job of this committee, to make those recommendations and bring them back to the City of Atlanta.”

by Jameelah Mullen

November 12, 2023

Alabama Teacher Awarded $1K Grant By Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

For more information on how to support this initiative email etaxiomega.uplift@gmail.com

Jeniqua Johnson, a Tuscaloosa, Alabama, elementary school teacher, was chosen as the first recipient of the First Year Educator grant from members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Johnson said she was “really surprised” when she received the $1,000 grant and she looks forward to using the money to provide her students with much-needed educational tools. She added that the grant will be especially beneficial to her English Language Learner students and her students with autism.

The Southview Elementary School teacher was nominated by members of the Eta Xi Omega Chapter in Tuscaloosa.

The grant was designed to help first-year teachers during a time where they face significant challenges.

“The first year of teaching is a period of immense growth. First-year teachers learn not only about their students but also about themselves as educators,” Dr. Shanté Morton, president of the Eta Xi Omega Chapter, told the Tuscaloosa Thread.

In an interview with Tuscaloosa’s WBRC, Morton acknowledged the high turnover rate for teachers. She says that she hopes by offering support, they can encourage teachers to stay in the field.

“We’re doing this to support local educators in west Alabama. About 50% of teachers who have been teaching for three years leave the field, so it’s a critical time,“ Morton said.

The grant is a part of the sorority’s Uplift Our Local Community Initiative, a pledge to support and empower members of their communities.

Southview Elementary Principal Romika Amerson said Johnson has a “unique ability” to connect with students and their parents.

“Students know that she expects the best from them and she believes in their ability to perform well. She takes time to know her students individually,” Amerson told the Tuscaloosa Thread.

Marla, Gibbs, AAFCA, member, 227, actress

by Mary Spiller

November 11, 2023

African American Film Critics Association To Celebrate Black Excellence In Television With Dec. 3 Event

The AAFCA Honors luncheon was pushed back from August due to the writers and actors strikes.

The African American Film Critics Association’s 5th annual AAFCA Television Honors will finally take place Dec. 3.

On top of the new stars winning awards for their “outstanding achievements in television and streaming,” the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) will celebrate the winners with a luncheon at the Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, California.

Some big names being recognized from the hits this year are Quinta Brunson, Jessica Williams, Marla Gibbs, and Jennifer Hudson.

The private event was postponed due to the writers and actors strikes, but the AAFCA is excited to have a new date set in place for the stars who tell the stories of different avenues of the “Black Diaspora.”

Among the awards set to be handed out, the influential winners will be receiving Legacy, Impact, Legend, and Inclusion titles for their work on the screen, telling the stories of the Black experience.

The AAFCA Co-Founder and President Gil Robertson said, “We are happy that our industry can take a collective sigh of relief and get back to work. We love a good party here at AAFCA and we’re going to pull out all the stops to celebrate our winners and honorees. With the industry in flux for so many months, we’re really looking forward to finally getting to recognize and celebrate these incredible talents.”

Among the television shows that will be honored at the event include: P-Valley, Abbott Elementary, Dahmer–Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Shrinking, and Shooting Stars.

An organization of Black film critics across the world who review movies and television that emphasize the ubiquity of the Black experience in different places, AAFCA was founded in 2003.

by Mary Spiller

November 11, 2023

Settlement with Anton Black’s Family Includes Reforms To Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office

The family of Anton Black was awarded $100,000 with an additional $135,000 going to the activism organization under his name.

The Board of Public Works has unanimously approved a financial settlement that resolved a lawsuit filed by Anton Black’s family against the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for his suspicious death.

The long-awaited settlement is set to be $100,000; another $135,000 will be paid to the lawyers who represented the Coalition for Justice for Anton Black. Much-needed changes to the protocols and procedures for the Office of the State Medical Examiner go along with the financial payout.

The policies outline explicitly how deaths are to be handled when they occur in custody and what guidelines the office will have to follow. The newly enforced guidelines align with the national standards for cause of death determination and the following investigations that are to be conducted with specific designations.

Specifically, the settlement “requires a death to be ruled a homicide whenever it is determined that the death would not have occurred but for the intentional conduct of another person.”

In addition to the investigative standards, all procedures have to be performed without “improper police influence” maintained by the strict rules that no one outside of medical examiner office employees can contribute to autopsy or examinations, and even still decisions must be checked by the chief medical examiner before the results are released to the broader public.

The founder of the Coalition for Justice for Anton Black, Richard Potter, said, “This settlement is an excellent first step, but as we engage in this new process, community members must stay vigilant and engaged to make sure it’s effective.”

He added that the new reforms would invoke responsibility and accountability within the systems that judge wrongful death cases.

“The best frontline approach to eliminating harm is increasing accountability within. That is why I hope that with this settlement, agencies will begin to recognize their own wrongdoings, catch them, and change them before they cause harm,” Potter said. “What is needed is a sense of shared ownership that can only come through trust and mutual accountability, with police confronting their own biases about mental illness, committing to de-escalation, and truly serving a diverse community.”

Black, 19, was killed on Sept. 15, 2018, after he was physically restrained by several white police officers and a white civilian while in front of his mother’s home in Greensboro, MD.

After the teenager was reportedly seen fighting with an acquaintance, he was chased by three officers and a civilian back to his mom’s home. While the officers tried to subdue Black, they threw him to the ground, used a stun gun several times on him, and sat on him for multiple minutes, ultimately resulting in his early death.

An autopsy, conducted by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examine,r determined that Black’s death was the result of cardiac arrest; however, civil rights organizations and the boy’s family pushed for further investigation due to their suspicions that the police officer’s excessive force, driven by racial bias, directly caused his untimely death.

An investigation revealed that proper procedures were not confirmed to be followed by those who performed the autopsy.

Sonia Kumar, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Maryland, said, “This hard-fought settlement is about ensuring that the Maryland Office of the Medical Examiner tells the truth about what happens when people, and particularly Black people, are killed by police or corrections officials. We can’t prevent such deaths if we aren’t honest about what caused them, and this settlement is a crucial step toward that goal in future cases. We hope this settlement will make a real, positive impact, but it is truly just the beginning of the reckoning needed to address decades of misrepresentations so we can bring justice to families still waiting for the government to tell the truth.”

festival, sugar land, honeyland festival, texas

by Daniel Johnson

November 11, 2023

Honeyland Festival In Sugar Land, TX, Honors Sugar Land 95 As Celebration Of Black Culture Starts

The Honeyland Festival, a sprawling two day affair held from Nov 11-12 in Sugar Land, TX opened up on Nov 9 with an acknowledgement of the Sugar Land 95.

The Honeyland Festival, a sprawling two-day affair held from Nov. 11-12 in Sugar Land, TX, held a special acknowledgment of the Sugar Land 95 on Nov. 9.

The Sugar Land 95 refers to a mass grave containing the remains of 95 African Americans—94 men and 1 woman—found in 2018 at the location of a construction project in Sugar Land. According to the Houston Chronicle, it was important to the festival organizers and Fort Bend county leaders that the history of the city be accurately told.

Precinct 4 Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy told the Chronicle, “The whole purpose of this festival is to celebrate Black culture. We can’t do that in this space without also honoring the Sugar Land 95. It was very important to invite them into the space because they are very much a part of who we are in Fort Bend County.”

McCoy continued, “Our ancestors were slaves who came here. And we also know in this community, the first Black sheriff of the nation came from here. The first Black state representative in the state of Texas came from here in Fort Bend County. Let us never forget where we came from.”

Sugar Land has been deeply involved in discussions about how to properly honor the individuals who died as a result of the State of Texas’ practice of convict leasing. Convict leasing was essentially slavery by another name, according to a 2021 article in the National Institutes of Health. Convicted criminals, who were often Black and targets of racist laws called Black Codes, were turned over or “leased out” to private individuals to perform whatever labor they desired.

Organizers of the festival expect it to draw thousands, and its expansive. The lineup includes Mary J. Blige, Jazmine Sullivan, Chloe Bailey, and Miguel. Central to the festival’s appeal is its focus on Black culture. In addition to the music, the festival celebrates Black art, food, and spirits. The Honeyland Fund, which was created to endow funds to Black creatives, has invested $1 million as part of the festival.

Can't wait to have Sienna Wings at Honeyland!! https://t.co/7Jm1kKEE9P
— Honeyland Festival (@Honeylandfest) October 9, 2023

Fawn Weaver, Honeyland’s beverage curator, spoke to the Chronicle about how Black innovators in the mixology scene have not received their just due.

“Honeyland puts the focus on our whiskey or bourbon — things that we began — our cocktails. It’s never really been celebrated as it should. So much of what we drink in this country in terms of cocktails began with African-American bartenders.”

Staci Hallmon, vice president of arts and entertainment for IMG Events as well as an organizer of the festival, told Texas Standard about her motivation for choosing the Houston suburb to host the festival.

“Houston was so intentional for us in developing a destination for a Honeyland,” Hallmon said. “One, it’s one of the top five culinary destinations in the country. There are a significant number of Black-owned restaurants and Black-owned food experiences there across the board. And we’re working with so many of them.”

Palmetto, election, Black mayor, next election

by Mary Spiller

November 11, 2023

Palmetto, Georgia, Elects First Black Woman Mayor

Teresa Thomas-Smith is dedicated to ending the racial and economic divide in her city.

Palmetto, Georgia, a predominantly Black town of 6,0000 located just 30 minutes south of downtown Atlanta, has elected its first African-American female mayor, Teresa Thomas-Smith.

In the November 7 election, she beat the competition by 84 votes. “I am on such a high, even when I lay down, I can’t sleep,” Thomas-Smith said. “The city is vibrating right now, it is not just me.”

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, she served for four years on the city’s council after being in Palmetto for 20 years as a resident. She wants to bring her “loving” energy to Palmetto.

“They can expect honesty, transparency, and communication,” she said. “The very first thing I want to do is create a City Hall, a city government that is welcoming to the citizens. We want everyone to know this administration values you, as a member of this community.”

Thomas-Smith, 55, was introduced to politics because of her desire to learn more about her community. Originally from Atlanta, Thomas-Smith said she is excited to bring a smart development plan to the city that will maintain the city’s historical standing composition.

She explained, “There is a way to do economic development that keeps the city with a small-town feel.”

She hopes that the new development will help to resolve the racial divide in the area. “There’s more that unites us than separates us. We all get cut, we all bleed the same red blood,” she said.

“So, your message to white Palmetto residents who may not have voted for you is love?” she was asked.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

Thomas-Smith will be sworn into office January 2, 2024.

by Sharelle Burt

November 11, 2023

New Jersey Police Officer Files Lawsuit Alleging Hair Discrimination Over Wearing Bantu Knots

Chian Weekes-Rivera, a Black female police officer at the Maplewood Township (NJ) Police Department, claims she was discriminated against after she was disciplined for wearing her hair in a traditional African hairstyle.

In a lawsuit filed in early November, Weekes-Rivera, 38, accuses the department and her supervisor, listed as Peter Kuenzel, a Maplewood police captain, of subjecting her “to disciplinary action for having Black hair,” which is a violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, know as LAD.

According to the State of New Jersey Civil Service Commission, the law “prohibits unlawful employment discrimination based on an individual’s race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy), familial status, marital/civil union status, religion, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation,” and more.

The suit, filed in Essex County, described the incident that took place on Aug. 20, 2023. Weekes-Rivera, came to work with her hair in a popular natural and protective hairstyle—Bantu knots—having her hair sectioned and twisted. More than a week later, the law enforcement officer received a complaint from Internal Affairs claiming she violated the department’s on-duty dress code. Her sergeants were also disciplined for “failure to supervise” after refusing to discipline her. A copy of the violation was included in the suit.

Kuenzel called the Bantu knots “rollers” and informed Weekes-Rivera that was the reason she was in violation of the dress code policy.

“To get that paper, it was cringeworthy,” she told NBC News. “I had to ask him questions to stop myself from crying.”

The officer is accusing the police department of being “aided and abetted” by Kuenzel, as well as subjecting her to “discipline as a result of her race and ethnicity.” While she continues to work at the department, she isn’t sure about her job security or if the violation will prohibit her from advancing.

Identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Weekes-Rivera said she feels added pressure on top of being a Black woman in a predominantly-male environment. She was “mortified” that she got in trouble over her hair. “It’s super embarrassing,” she added. “It makes me feel like less than.”

“Maplewood is trying to send a chilling message to the entire department that not only are we going to discriminate against Chian, we are going to hold other people accountable for not discriminating against her,” her attorney, John Coyle, said.

According to the New Jersey Monitor, Weekes-Rivera was featured in a video called “Sheroes of the Maplewood Police Department” in 2021 that celebrated the diversity of its police officers.

In 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed the CROWN Act, prohibiting race discrimination on the basis of “traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles.” The law was created after Andrew Johnson, a Black high school wrestler, was forced to cut his dreadlocks off to be eligible to compete in a match in 2018, drawing national attention.

Mayor Eric Adams, Pro-Palestinian Protestors, Columbia University, Arrests

by Daniel Johnson

November 11, 2023

FBI Escalates Investigation, Seizes NY Mayor Eric Adams Electronic Devices

The FBI seized New York City Mayor Eric Adams electronic devices as part of an investigation into whether his campaign was involved in a conspiracy to send money to the Turkish government in 2021.

The FBI seized New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ electronic devices as part of an investigation into whether his 2021 mayoral campaign conspired with the Turkish government to accept illegal foreign donations. As The New York Times reports, FBI agents approached him after an event on Nov. 6 after telling his security detail to step away. The agents got into his SUV and took his electronic devices, for which they had a warrant.

A few days later, the devices, which included Adams’ phones and at least one iPad, were returned to Adams’ possession. According to the Times, law enforcement can make copies of data they find on devices once they have seized them. However, Boyd Johnson, one of the lawyers for both Adams and his campaign, informed the outlet that Adams had “proactively reported” at least one episode of improper behavior.

Johnson told the Times, “After learning of the federal investigation, it was discovered that an individual had recently acted improperly. In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately and proactively reported to investigators.”

Johnson also indicated that Adams complied with the FBI immediately and has not been charged with any crime. Adams also made a statement regarding the investigation: “As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation — and I will continue to do exactly that.” Adams also added that there is “nothing to hide.”

Adams, a retired police captain, insists that his desire for his staffers to follow the rule of law can be annoying. Adams also laughed off any suggestion that he had done anything criminal. On Nov. 2, the investigation became public knowledge after agents searched the residence of Brianna Suggs, Adams’ chief fundraiser. Suggs, a former intern, has not said anything publicly since the raid was conducted. The warrant permitted agents to search for evidence pointing to a conspiracy to break campaign finance law between members of the Adams campaign, Turkish nationals, or the Turkish government, and KSK Construction, a Brooklyn construction company whose owners are Turkish. The FBI seized two laptops, three iPhones, and a manila folder marked “Eric Adams” from Suggs’ residence.

According to the Times, the warrant was primarily concerned with whether or not the Turkish government or Turkish nationals used a straw donor scheme, which, according to Campaign Legal, is a practice where a donor gives funds to another entity, usually a shell company created to hold the money, which then gives those funds to a campaign or political committee. The practice is forbidden by federal law.

When the New York Times investigated Adams’ fundraising record in 2021, Adams responded by blaming the scrutiny he was under on his race, telling the outlet, “Black candidates for office are often held to a higher, unfair standard — especially those from lower-income backgrounds such as myself.”

Adams added, “No campaign of mine has ever been charged with a serious fundraising violation, and no contribution has ever affected my decision-making as a public official. I did not go from being a person that enforced the law to become one that breaks the law.”

by Daniel Johnson

November 11, 2023

Missouri’s First Black-Owned Brewery Wins $25,000 Grant

Missouri’s first Black-owned brewery, Vine Street Brewing Co., has won a $25,000 grant to help its expansion efforts, train employees, and craft more beer.

According to KC Today, the Kansas City G.I.F.T. (Generating Income For Tomorrow) program awarded the brewery the funds on Nov. 3. The brewery announced that they had been awarded the funds via a blog post on its website and outlined the major contributions that the money would make to improve their operation.

The brewery, founded by friends Kemet Coleman, Woodie Bonds Jr., and Elliott Ivory, opened in June 2023 after the trio brought on Annie McGinnis to lead the company as its director of operations.

Even though the brewery has not been around for long, it has already secured a ringing endorsement.

“I just want to say on behalf of everybody in Kansas City, on behalf of our community and on behalf of this Black kid who grew up in Kansas City, thank y’all for building this opportunity for all of us,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said at the brewery’s grand opening.

According to its website, the brewery intends to produce more beer via the purchase and installation of a 15 BBL fermenter machine, which, according to Yo Long Brew Tech, allows microbreweries or craft brewers to either scale up their production or create a mid-scale brewing operation.

It also allows for a more cost-effective operation compared to larger systems, which means that the company can upscale without sacrificing profitability.

Fresh off tour, Maris's little brother, Bartholomew, is in town for a visit. Dry hopped and full of amoras of sweet tropical fruit with a hint of cream Bart brings completeness and balance to the family, with his notes of pineapple, peach and apricot with just a light bitterness. pic.twitter.com/34OVLU5Ohd
— Vine Street Brewing Co. (@Vinestbrewing) August 31, 2023

Vine Street Brewing will also construct a “state of the art cold room” which, as the name suggests, is a room that stores finished brews at the proper temperature for refrigeration. This enhances their operation by providing more space, which means they can keep more product on hand to send to stores carrying their brews.

The cold room keeps brewed beers fresh, so that once the beer is shipped out, it remains at peak freshness so that both stores and consumers receive a quality product.

I enjoyed spending the evening with friends from @KidsWinMissouri and celebrating some legislative victories for MO children. It also allowed for a visit @Vinestbrewing, something I’ve been looking forward to. The architecture is amazing—and so is the beer. pic.twitter.com/QPQc9YAWBE
— Lauren Arthur (@LaurenArthurMO) August 30, 2023

The brewery also announced that it would set aside a portion of its $25,000 award to better train and develop its staff, a goal the brewery says will not only benefit its operation, but contribute to the total health of the brewery scene across the city.

Immaculate vibes for my first and not last trip to @Vinestbrewing! Way to go @kemetcoleman! Y’all nailed this one. Like…whoa. cc @MissEuuuuston @tnulb @JOlvera_de_KC pic.twitter.com/wcDSQN5WV8
— That Girl Is You (@MsEducationofCB) July 22, 2023

Dr. Sebi’s Daughter Wants A National Holiday For Her Father

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 11, 2023

Dr. Sebi’s Daughter Wants A National Holiday For Her Father

Kellie Bowman, daughter of the late Dr. Sebi, owner of Sebi’s Daughters LLC, and celebrity nurse, is a passionate advocate for holistic health practices that can truly transform lives.

With a profound understanding of the mind-body connection passed down from her father, Bowman said she aims to offer a unique blend of insights that can empower informed choices for holistic well-being. While she said she loves how far people have come regarding holistic health and wellness education, she doesn’t want to see the new generation forget where it started.

“I think a lot of people missed that point with my father; it wasn’t the herbs that we saw out of him,” Bowman explained. “It was the commitment to his self.”

She added, “Even when they were down on him. Early in the ’70s and ’80s it was not popular to be a vegan or talk about sea moss, but he was doing it.”

Now, as the owner of Sebi’s Daughters, Bowman is championing healthy living through clean eating, mental wellness, and more. Bowman promotes the “celebrities of the garden” as part of the site’s offerings, which serve as powerhouses to our overall health and wellness.

“They are my favorite because they are my superheroes. What it does for the body is allow it to maintain what it needs,” she explained.

Bowman also spoke about the Dr. Sebi documentary that Nick Cannon is working on and said she is more involved in ensuring the documentary sees the light of day.

Press play for the entire discussion, and visit Sebi’s Daughters to learn more about their holistic product offerings.