Vice President Kamala Harris To Visit NYC Thursday

Kamala Harris' Team Reportedly Blind Sided by Vogue Cover

Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to New York.  She’ll be in Brooklyn Thursday to meet with community leaders.  They’re set to discuss the Biden Administration’s investment in underserved communities, financial institutions, and small businesses. The VP is also scheduled to visit Long Island for a finance event. 

READ MORE: VP Harris Urges Citizens To Call Out State’s Attorney General’s To Protect Women’s Health

VP Harris has been vocal about the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe V. Wade. She says state attorney general’s need to protect women’s health and exercise options that put reproductive health first. 

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Congressional Black Caucus Calls For Meeting With Sesame Place President

sesame place

The Congressional Black Caucus is requesting to meet with the president of “Sesame Street”-themed amusement park, Sesame Place. This comes after a viral video showing a costumed character at the park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania ignoring two young Black girls. 

Jodi Brown was there with her daughter (Skylar) and niece (Nylah),as they were rudely dismissed by a Sesame Place employee in character during a parade over a week ago.

 In an official statement, the caucus recognizes that Sesame Place has issued an apology over the incident, but that it wants to meet with Park President Cathy Valeriano to discuss future plans of actions and training.  

READ MORE: Sesame Place Theme Park Responds To Accusations Of Racism

The caucus cited the “gravity of the situation” and the “integral” role “Sesame Street” plays in the lives of young children.

Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump and B’Ivory LaMarr have joined the legal teams of the Browns who are outraged by the incident. 

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“Griner Shouldn’t Be Political Pawn” WNBA Players Exec Director Terri Jackson To Biden Admin

Britteny

Monday night, Women’s National Basketball Players Association Executive Director, Terri Jackson was interviewed on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Jackson spoke to Trevor about Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for five months. 

The Phoenix Mercury star entered a guilty plea over a week ago while saying she “didn’t want to break the law.”  The guilty plea aids as a pre-condition for consideration of a negotiated release and possible prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S.

READ MORE: WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Moscow Drug Charges

 Griner is facing up to 10 years in prison on the charge of large-scale transportation of drugs. Less than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, which can be overturned.

Jakson explains why the WNBA was told not to respond or comment publicly when Griner was first detained. She also shared comments that many people feel Griner is being used as a political pawn. Griner “should not be a political pawn,” Jackson continued. “We are BG,” calling on the Biden administration, what comes next and much more in the clip below.

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United Justice Coalition’s Inaugural Social Justice Conference to Have Appearances from From Families of Eric Garner, Botham Jean, Antwon Rose, Terence Crutcher

ezgif.com gif maker

The panels for the United Justice Coalition’s (UJC) first-ever social justice summit, which will be held at Center415 in New York City and cover important subjects like wrongful conviction, decriminalizing mental illness, prison conditions, American policing, exiting the criminal justice system, and more, were announced today.

The families of Eric Garner, Botham Jean, Antwon Rose II, and Terence Crutcher are scheduled to take part in a panel discussing how they turned their anger into advocacy after their loved ones were tragically shot and killed by police officers. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson has been asked to give the invocation speech.

They join the list of renowned activists, artists, attorneys, specialists, and more who have already been confirmed to speak at the event, including Yo Gotti, Charlamagne tha God, Ben Crump, Dr. Bernice A. King, Letitia James, Soledad O’Brien, Ari Melber, and Dr. Alfiee Breland Noble. The complete list of panelists is provided below, and participants can register to attend HERE.

Additionally, the summit will feature a networking and idea-exchange space where attendees can network with representatives from over 40 different advocacy groups. Black Voters Matter, REFORM Alliance, Innocence Project, Until Freedom, Dream Corps, Time Done, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Association of Sheriffs, National Lawyers Guild, and other groups are among those taking part.

“In the wake of so many tragedies and after decades of unfair and unjust policing of our communities and our bodies, the work that the UJC is doing to turn pain into purpose is urgent and necessary,” said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners; and REFORM Alliance Founding Partner. “From adversity, we can always find a new sense of hope and a broader community of support.”

“REFORM is thrilled to support the UJC Summit Inaugural Social Justice Convention,” REFORM Alliance CEO Robert Rooks said. “Team Roc has done an incredible job bringing together a diverse and dynamic group of people to talk about real solutions to advance safety and justice for communities across America. We are excited about our continued partnership to fix our broken criminal justice system through urgently needed probation and parole reform.”

The event is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase, REFORM Alliance, The Athlete’s Foot, Robert F. Smith, and Block. Additional support comes from Lyft, Hard Rock Hotel New York, NOBODY, Selina Hotel – Chelsea, and OUTFRONT.

“One in three Americans have an arrest or conviction record, creating significant barriers to employment for a substantial number of working-age adults,” said Diedra Porché, Head of Community and Business Development, Chase. “Meaningful jobs and a solid financial foundation are central to efforts to unlock lasting economic opportunity for more people. JPMorgan Chase is focused on efforts to give people with criminal backgrounds a second chance, and supporting their reentry into the workforce and community are a key part of this commitment.”

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Dr. Fauci Eyeing Retirement Before the End of Biden’s Term

Dr. Fauci Saved Christmas By Giving Vaccine to Santa Claus

Dr. Anthony Fauci is eyeing retirement. Dr. Fauci has served under multiple presidents and aims to finish in his role before the conclusion of President Joe Biden’s term as president.

According to Politico, Dr. Fauci’s retirement would end tenure of over five decades of federal service. Speaking with CNN, Fauci notes continuously being the subject of attacks from Republicans does not weigh in his decision to retire. Fauci has not noted a specific end date and has yet to initiate his retirement process.

“It has nothing to do with pressures, nothing to do with all of the other nonsense that you hear about, all the barbs, the slings and the arrows,” Fauci said. “That has no influence on me.”

Fauci’s decision comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise. An average of 130,000 new infections are reported each day and the average number of deaths is 350 per day.

The Centers for Disease Control are once again recommending masks are worn indoors to counter the rising spread of the virus.

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WNBA Players Exec Director Terri Jackson Calls On Biden Admin To Bring Brittney Griner Home

brittney griner wnba russia detained wrongfully

Last night, Women’s National Basketball Players Association Executive Director, Terri Jackson was interviewed on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Jackson spoke to Trevor about Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for five months. 

The Phoenix Mercury star entered a guilty plea over a week ago while saying she “didn’t want to break the law.”  The guilty plea aids as a pre-condition for consideration of a negotiated release and possible prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S.

READ MORE: WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Moscow Drug Charges

 Griner is facing up to 10 years in prison on the charge of large-scale transportation of drugs. Less than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, which can be overturned.

Jakson explains why the WNBA was told not to respond or comment publicly when Griner was first detained. She also shared comments that many people feel Griner is being used as a political pawn. Griner “should not be a political pawn,” Jackson continued. “We are BG,” calling on the Biden administration, what comes next and much more in the clip below.

Share your thoughts and comments with us on social media.

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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Buffalo Mass Shooting Suspect On Hate Crime Charges

Buffalo Mayor Speaks on mass shooting

A federal grand jury is indicting the alleged supermarket shooter in Buffalo, New York. Payton Gendron will be charged with 14 hate crime violations and 13 firearms offenses connected to the mass shooting at a Tops grocery store in May.  

The 19-year-old White man opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle and killed ten Black people while three others were injured. The suspect drove over 200 miles from his home in Conklin to the predominately Black neighborhood, where he live streamed the attack on Twitch.

NBC News reported a manifesto allegedly written by Gendron was posted on Google Docs the night prior to the killings. The document allegedly lays out plans to attack Black people, and promotes conspiracy theory claims that white people are being replaced by minorities in the U.S.

READ MORE: Families of The Buffalo “Hate Crime” Mass Shooting Suing For Victims

 Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the indictment and said the Justice Department “recognizes the threat that white supremacist violence poses to the safety of the American people.”

With these charges, Gendron will have a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty to the May 14 shooting and has been held without bail since his arrest.

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Charlamagne tha God and Dr. Bernice A. King Announced for United Justice Coalition’s Inaugural Social Justice Summit

Charlamagne

TV personality Charlamagne tha God and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change CEO Dr. Bernice A. King are among the next group of speakers announced for the United Justice Coalition’s (UJC’s) first social justice summit on July 23 in New York City at Center415. Additional speakers include award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, and national civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

Earlier this week, the UJC revealed the first round of speakers for its inaugural social justice summit on July 23. They include Grammy Award-winning musician and proponent of criminal justice reform Yo Gotti, New York Attorney General Letitia James, MSNBC host Ari Melber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Rachael Rollins, Legal Action Center President Paul Samuels, University of California, Santa Cruz professor Craig Haney, and well-known psychologist and founder of The AAKOMA Project Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble.

At the UJC Summit, the speakers will take part in various panel discussions and town halls to address the condition of criminal justice reform, mental health, public safety, and other topics in the country. The UJC will make announcements about other speakers who will make up the summit’s final lineup of activists, entertainers, lawyers, businesspeople, professors, experts, and media figures.

The discussions will give the nation’s top thinkers a chance to work together in the spirit of social and racial justice to make positive changes in the following areas: laws/policies, mass incarceration, voter registration, education, civic action, and various spheres of influence like media, entertainment, and technology. Numerous social justice and criminal justice reform organizations will also be present at the conference so that people can become involved. The public is welcome to attend the convention for free. Registration is available here.

The UJC is a group of specialists from many fields who met informally in 2019 to exchange resources, knowledge, concepts, and support in an effort to coordinate tactical approaches to combat structural injustice across America.

Last month, Team ROC and United Justice Coalition’s founding member Dania Diaz spoke about the upcoming summit with The SOURCE. You can learn more here.

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SOURCE LATINO: FLOTUS Jill Biden Under Fire For Saying Latinos Are Unique As “Breakfast Tacos”

flotus jill biden

The FLOTUS attempt to compliment Latinos left a bad taste in a lot of mouths on Monday.

The First Lady  was speaking in San Antonio, Texas at the annual conference of UnidosUS.  As she attempted to praise the advocacy organization’s longtime leader, Raul Yzaguirre, Biden said the Latino community is “as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.” 

Her poor choice and use of an analogy did not go over well in the Latin community. The FLOTUS also made a stir  for her mispronunciation of “bodegas” in the same speech.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists said in a statement that Biden and her speech writers ought to “better understand the complexities of our people” who should not be reduced to stereotypes.

“NAHJ encourages @FLOTUS & her communications team to take time to better understand the complexities of our people & communities. We are not tacos,” NAHJ tweeted.

“Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions. 

Do not reduce us to stereotypes.”

READ MORE: President Biden Arrives In Buffalo After Saturday’s Mass Killing

Dr. Jill Biden and her Press Secretary Michael LaRosa tweeted an apology in response to being slammed for her remarks. 

“The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.”

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Yo Gotti, NY Attorney General Letitia James & More Announces for United Justice Coalition’s Inaugural Social Justice Summit

Yo Gotti Responds To Colorist Accusations Following The Release of 'Drop' Music Video Featuring DaBaby

The United Justice Coalition (UJC) has revealed the first round of speakers for its inaugural social justice summit on July 23. They include Grammy Award-winning musician and proponent of criminal justice reform Yo Gotti, New York Attorney General Letitia James, MSNBC host Ari Melber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Rachael Rollins, Legal Action Center President Paul Samuels, University of California, Santa Cruz professor Craig Haney, and well-known psychologist and founder of The AAKOMA Project Dr. Barbara Ehren.

At the UJC Summit, which begins at 10:30 am ET at Center415 in New York City, the speakers will take part in various panel discussions and town halls to address the condition of criminal justice reform, mental health, public safety, and other topics in the country. The UJC will make announcements about other speakers who will make up the summit’s final lineup of activists, entertainers, lawyers, businesspeople, professors, experts, and media figures.

The discussions will give the nation’s top thinkers a chance to work together in the spirit of social and racial justice to make positive changes in the following areas: laws/policies, mass incarceration, voter registration, education, civic action, and various spheres of influence like media, entertainment, and technology. Numerous social justice and criminal justice reform organizations will also be present at the conference so that people can become involved. The public is welcome to attend the convention for free. Registration is available here.

The UJC is a group of specialists from many fields who met informally in 2019 to exchange resources, knowledge, concepts, and support in an effort to coordinate tactical approaches to combat structural injustice across America.

Last month, Team ROC and United Justice Coalition’s founding member Dania Diaz spoke about the upcoming summit with The SOURCE. You can learn more here.

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