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Jesse Jackson: Police Reform Won't Be Easy

As the worldwide demonstrations continue two weeks after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman, the question is whether outrage will lead to real reforms? Fundamental reforms would begin with ending the "qualified immunity" of police, curbing the militarization of police forces, transferring funds and functions to social agencies, imposing residency requirements and finally making lynching a hate crime.

Uncle Nearest And Jack Daniel's Join Forces To Launch The Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative To Increase Diversity In American Whiskey Industry

Together the Two Tennessee Distilleries Have Pledged $5 Million to Advance African American Leadership in Whiskey

The Jack Daniel Distillery and the Nearest Green Distillery announced today the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative to further diversity within the American whiskey industry. Both companies are supporting it equally with an initial combined pledge of $5 million to help create the Nearest Green School of Distilling, develop the Leadership Acceleration Program (LAP) for apprenticeships and establish the Business Incubation Program (BIP), focused on providing expertise and resources to African Americans entering the spirits industry as entrepreneurs.

Sun Belt cities comprise nearly half of US population growth

The Sun Belt's large metro areas are growing much faster than those elsewhere in the United States, and they are adding more young and old residents than the rest of the nation, according to a new white paper from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. But most American urban policy is still crafted -- and research is still conducted -- with traditional Northeastern and Midwestern cities in mind, the paper says.

2U, Inc. Announces $3 Million Scholarship Fund to Expand Access to Tech Boot Camps at 30 Top Universities Nationwide

Scholarships will increase affordability of training programs for historically underrepresented communities in the tech economy experiencing recent job loss or financial hardship

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Harris County Commissioner Court Approves Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ Eight Criminal Justice Reform Measures

Items Include Three Budget Reallocation Measures, Independent Oversight Board and Expansion of Public Defender Office to Help End the Mass Incarceration of Communities of Color

Call to Action for Thursday - Stop Work and Reflect

8 Minutes, 46 Seconds —Stop Work THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 - 12 NOON - Black Lives Matter

As trade unionists and as Americans, we were all outraged by the vicious murder of George Floyd. We are heartened by the uprising of hundreds of thousands of Americans, Black, Brown and white, demanding an end to racism and declaring: “Black Lives Matter.” Because of Covid-19, it has been difficult for many of us to show our solidarity with this movement.

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Open Invitation for a Conversation

To all who have expressed outrage, disgust, anxiety, empathy, or bewilderment at how this crisis in social justice can be our reality in 2020, I ask you to take some time and call a friend, colleague, a mixed race relative-someone who is Black or looks Black-and have a real conversation with them.

Coronavirus Shines Spotlight on Healthcare Disparities

The emergence of the devastating Covid-19 crisis has forced every nation and people everywhere to recognize our interconnectedness. This Coronavirus pandemic has shifted the way we live, communicate and do business. It has cost many people their livelihoods and, as of May 28, 2020, infected almost 6 million people globally. Still growing, the heart-breaking number of deaths is more than 350,000, to date. Indeed, all of us are left with an indelible mark and forced to actively adjust financially, psychologically, and emotionally.

Six Simple Ways to Bring Calm into Your Home

(When the World Is Full of Chaos)

When we get intentional about creating a calm home environment, we can better cope with the upheaval going on in the world. Karen McGregor says it requires only a few simple changes.

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New Music USA Announces Six Composers and US Orchestras Selected for its Amplifying Voices Program

24+ Orchestras will Perform New Works During the 2021-22 Season Selected as a Sphinx Venture Fund Recipient for 2020

Co-Commissioned Composers are Valerie Coleman, Juan Pablo Contreras, Tania León, Brian Raphael Nabors, Tyshawn Sorey, and Shelley Washington

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Black America Is Burning With Pain

Before any fire can start, there must first be a stimulant. A fire is the result of a chemical reaction after carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen come together in a process called combustion. When a fire roars our bodies feel an intense burn from the heat it gives off. Our eyes are mesmerized by the orange and yellow colors that are reflected by a fire’s sparks and flames.

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"Black Widow" by Leslie Gray Streeter

You find yourself spinning, spinning, spinning. When you lose someone, that's how it feels: like you're spinning in place, you can't think or understand, and there's a time limit, as if you're in one of those game show Cash Machines and you can't catch a thing. You can barely fathom that, as in the new book "Black Widow" by Leslie Gray Streeter, it will get better.

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Texas Giants ‘Lil Keke & Paul Wall Do It For the Culture

What do you do when you’ve done it all? From sold-out shows, a Grammy nomination and even a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama, Texas legends Paul Wall and original Screwed Up Click (SUC) member, ‘Lil Keke, have truly done it all.

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'I Can't Breathe'

The murder of George Floyd was a lynching in broad daylight. Three police officers stood and watched as a fourth, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd's neck. They watched for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, with Floyd unresponsive for 2 minutes and 53 seconds of that, according to the criminal complaint against Chauvin. They did nothing to stop the murder. Their silence was as much an act of violence as Cauvin's knee. And if there were no video recording of the murder, they likely would have upheld the Code Blue loyalty, and lied about what happened.

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“We Got All Four”

“We got all four. We got all four,” was the rally cry that rang out around the world by protestors in Minneapolis, Minnesota as the four former officers involved in the death of George Floyd were finally arrested and charged with his murder. Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are all in custody awaiting trial.

Trump Risks Potential Backlash From Evangelicals with 'tone-deaf' Bible Photo-op

As he brandished an unopened Bible in front of the boarded-up St. John's Episcopal Church across the street from the White House Monday evening, President Donald Trump delivered an unspoken message to white evangelical Christians: Remember, I'm on your side.

WEST: Military Must Not Be Used Against Peaceful Protestors, Condemns Trump’s Grandstanding

DALLAS--State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas), candidate for U.S. Senate in the July 14 Democratic Primary Runoff, issued the following Statement on Tuesday:

Alliance for Justice Condemns Rampant Police Brutality

Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement: “Our nation is facing a great reckoning. The tragic murder of George Floyd last week was only the latest senseless death of an African-American citizen at police hands. The world watched the shocking footage of Derek Chauvin holding his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, but only the video evidence distinguished it from so many other police killings. Alliance for Justice expresses its deepest sympathies to George Floyd’s family, friends, and loved ones and to all people coping with this callous disregard for life.

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Beyond the Rhetoric 869: Why can’t They shut ANTIFA down?

Our hearts are so heavy. George Floyd was a brother living an everyday life when he was spotted by a racist police unit in Minneapolis, MN. Is Minneapolis known for its racism? We lived in the city back in the 1980’s. Our recollection was a city void of typical racism and hatred. In terms of race relations, we remember Minneapolis as one of the most race neutral cities in America. Therefore, the latest events unraveling around this city boggles our minds.

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Local Community Organization S.A.F.E. Diversities Celebrates 20 Years Of Success

Community anchor and passionate non-profit founder Thelma Scott is celebrating 20 successful years with out state or federal funding alongside her organization S.A.F.E. Diversities.