The Skinny on COVID
The latest in numbers: 70M total cases & 865K total deaths (+5M & +15K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
Having only mild symptoms from an Omicron infection doesn’t necessarily mean that one won’t suffer from long COVID, according to this report.
Remember when Australia was seen as the shining example of how to keep COVID numbers down? Well…
Some healthcare policies allow race to be considered as a risk factor when determining who should get much needed, but scarce, treatments. Who mad? Conservatives are.
We’re rooting for everybody Black
Especially Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Williams. She’s seeking a special grand jury to determine whether Trump & crew should be charged for their role in trying to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
Things are heating up between Biden & Putin again over Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. The US even rushed weapons to Ukraine for them to protect themselves in the event that things pop off. Funny how this country can justify providing guns to other countries in a flash, but has to spend months debating whether to provide for its own citizens.
Recently, Joe did have a pretty good comeback to the criticism that he’s not getting anything done: WTF are Republicans doing? That doesn’t excuse him from being a horrible President, but it is a QTNA. (To all the mommas & aunties reading this, that means “Question That Needs Answers.”)
The POTUS says that if he were to run again in 2024, Kamala Harris will still be on his ticket. Hmmm, how about they just not…?
Congress, What’s Good?
A Senate vote that upheld the filibuster killed any hope for voting rights legislation last week. Yes, even after all them people tweeted their obligatory Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes for his birthday. Democrats vow to keep pushing, but until they get Sinema (who was officially censured by Dems in AZ) & Manchin up outta there, it’ll be more of the same.
Oh yeah, Mitch McConnell accidentally admitted that he believes Black people are not included in the general term of “Americans,” but he tried to cover it up by telling us that he has Black friends.
Also, Joe Manchin claims he’s ready to talk about the Build Back Better plan again. Yeah, okay. What we wanna know is…what was he doing in his downtime when he “wasn’t ready?” You know, other than collecting checks from conservative donors who love the chaos and discord he causes.
Things to be discussed in this week’s committee meetings: Nada. The Senate is the only chamber in session, but their next committee meeting is scheduled for February 1.
Social Justice Round Up
Everyone’s favorite state—Florida—is on its way to legalize a bill that would prevent private businesses & schools from making anyone (aka white people) feel discomfort or guilt for what other members of their race and/or sex did in the past. They also want to ban talk of sexual orientation & gender identity in schools.
Inmates in Arkansas are suing this prison for involuntarily making them subjects in an experiment that used ivermectin to “treat” COVID-19.
Is opposing abortion the Christian thing to do? This Black evangelical author & activist says, “Nah.”
Around the Diaspora
Extreme poverty increased in West Africa last year, thanks to the pandemic.
Gambia wants to attract more visitors from other African countries to sustain its tourism industry.
A new study says the Caribbean is the largest source of Black immigrants to the US. When considering the Caribbean region & the Diaspora overall, Jamaica & Haiti are the top 2 countries from which Black immigrants arrive.
Getting to the Money
Spotify is offering a 1-year fellowship to Black young professionals with up to 3 years of experience. Read more about the requirements & share with a young person who might be interested.
This Black-owned startup focused on helping founders of color build their network is looking for a new Director of Strategic Partnerships. Is this you? Read their job description here.
Love snacks & content creation? We might’ve just found your dream job. 360i is looking for a Social Content Producer, Social Marketing & Strategy for one of their biggest accounts. More deets can be found in the job description.
Buying Black
Actually Curious is a card game that uses psychology to bring people closer & build empathy. Created using references from psychologists, game developers & journalists, the purpose of Actually Curious is to ultimately make a real, tangible difference in the world. Curious about what this game is all about? We were too. Learn more.
Culture that Pops
Fashion icon Andre Leon Talley passed away last week. The unapologetically queer, Black & southern trailblazer left many proud of his influence on an industry that never loved him as much as it should have.
What happens when a startup from South Central links up with one from Brooklyn? Learn about how these Black-founded companies aim to train & offer their community members long-term employment that can meet the needs of the future.
This Black & Indigenous sculptor, whose most famous work depicted the “Death of Cleopatra” in 1876, is getting honored with her very own USPS stamp this week.
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