Last week, Joe announced his quest for re-election in 2024. A recent study also suggested that hate crimes will increase during the next election cycle. Who's prepared for either of these things?
What the Health
The latest COVID numbers: 104M total cases & 1M total deaths (+94K & +1K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
For our Black women, being diagnosed with cervical cancer often highlights the lack of access they have to quality healthcare.
During mental health crises, Black boys are more likely to be treated with drugs than their peers.
While COVID cases are low (thank goodness), the latest strain has introduced a new symptom: pink eye.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
As predicted, Joe Biden officially announced his run for re-election. Who’s ready for Joe in 2024 (and potentially beyond)?
Currently the oldest president in history, the POTUS took the opportunity to crack a few jokes about himself at this year’s Correspondents’ Dinner. Here’s a recap of how the rest of the event went as well.
Another thing Joe did last week: he commuted the sentences of 31 nonviolent drug offenders.
Now that 2024 is officially on the books, Kamala Harris’ biggest task as VPOTUS will be to help her boss secure that 2nd term.
Congress, What’s Good?
The House GOP did a thing last week: they passed a bill to raise the debt ceiling and cut spending. In an ideal world for the GOP, there’d be no student loan forgiveness; less funding going to the IRS; work requirements for Medicare & SNAP enrollees; increased fossil fuel production; and less production of renewable energy sources. Of course, Democrats are against all of that, so negotiations on this bill are on the horizon.
Over in the Senate, Dems are struggling because they’re down a player, creating a 50/50 balance with Republicans. How did we get here after Raphael Warnock secured the 51st blue seat back in December? Well, health issues have caused Dianne Feinstein, the 89 year-old, longtime California Senator, to be out since late February. In her absence, her Democratic colleagues are struggling to push more of Biden’s judicial nominees through, hold the SCOTUS accountable, and reduce pollution from large trucks. Obviously her absence is pressing pause or straight up canceling things on her party’s agenda. With no signs of her return or resignation, is it sexist or ageist to ask Sen. Feinstein to resign?
Coming up in committee meetings:
Helping underserved communities gain access to federal grants
Supreme Court ethics reform (interestingly enough, standing against tighter ethics rules is the one thing all 9 Justices can agree on)
Ending veteran homelessness in San Diego (...and hopefully everywhere else too??)
Social Justice Round Up
Black folks, whose families were pushed out of Palm Springs in the 1950s, are making sure they leave here with something. Their ask? Over $2B in reparations.
After being punked by Florida to make changes in its curriculum, the College Board says it’s making additional changes to its AP African American Studies class. These changes will be something of a reversal as the Board has decided to listen to the council of scholars who’d helped put the curriculum together initially.
Who’s prepared for this shit again? A research group predicts hate crimes will be on the rise again during the 2024 election cycle. Racists be so predictable.
Around the Diaspora
Sudanese citizens, forced to flee their homes, don’t even want to pick sides in the current war that’s erupted in their country. They really just want the promise of democracy via a civilian government, an already agreed-upon decision that both military factions have ignored in their quest to maintain power.
As violence continues to grip Haiti, the UN asks countries in the Americas to stop deporting Haitians. Between the months of January and March, an estimated 36K Haitians have been sent back to their homeland from other countries.
Cuba is experiencing a fuel shortage, causing universities to resort to online instruction and gas sales to be rationed.
Zimbabwe will soon launch its own digital currency that’s backed by gold reserves.
Getting to the Money
Are you on the hunt for a new gig or just exploring what opportunities are available? Some people have been using ChatGPT to get more responses on their job applications. Check out what career coaches have to say about how using AI can help and hurt your job search.
Are you a customer with the struggling First Republic Bank? JP Morgan Chase is your captain now. Here’s what we know about the deal so far.
Buying Black
Mother’s Day is OTW. When buying the perfect gifts for the mother figures in your life, consider spending your dollars with a Black-owned business.
Culture that Pops
As we all know, Harry Belafonte, the artist and activist who put his money where his mouth was, passed last week at 96.
This high school senior from New Orleans has been accepted to 125 colleges and has received more than $9M in scholarship offers. We love that for him and his future student loan balance.
In the only Emmett Till-related news we care about this week, a statue of his mother Mamie Till-Mobley was unveiled at the high school she attended in Chicago.