Though, we shouldn't have to deal with the bullshit, the homecomings of Ralph Yarl and 2 Black men wrongfully convicted in California prove that our resilience is beautiful.
What the Health
The latest COVID numbers: 104M total cases & 1M total deaths (+101K & +1K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
Research says Black people live longer in counties with more Black doctors.
Research also says Black women should get screened for breast cancer around 42 instead of 50 years of age.
Weekly COVID deaths have hit levels not seen since March 2020.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
If a debt ceiling deal doesn’t land before the June deadline, will Biden come out as the villain?
A new Office of Environmental Justice was established to improve the lives of those hit hardest by pollution.
Amid ongoing fighting in Sudan, Biden evacuated the US embassy in Khartoum.
Another week, another executive investment decision announced by Kamala Harris. This time, it’s $562M for climate change.
Congress, What’s Good?
We all know the other person auditioning to be the debt ceiling villain, right? Yep, House leader Kevin McCarthy. In addition to cutting federal spending, his proposed plan also includes getting rid of student loan forgiveness, repealing climate-friendly tax credits and increasing/adding work requirements to the food stamp and Medicaid programs. While Democrats are unified in their opposition, so are a few Republicans. A vote is expected in the House by midweek. From that point, we’ll know whether McCarthy has to go back to the drawing board to appease Republican detractors or whether the ball will be in Biden’s court.
In committee meetings this week:
The exploitation of unaccompanied migrant children
How Chinese money laundering operations are enriching the cartels???
Social Justice Round Up
Ralph Yarl is at home and recovering physically and emotionally. Also, the old racist who shot him was charged with 2 felonies, the heaviest of which carries a maximum term of life in prison.
The police officer who claimed mistaking her gun for a taser caused her to kill Daunte Wright will be released from prison after serving 16 months.
Two California men are officially exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 17 years. Under a new law, California is also required to pay them $140 for each day they spent behind bars. While that number honestly should be higher, each will walk away with about $900K.
Around the Diaspora
Violent clashes in Sudan continue to harm and displace Sudanese civilians as fighting between opposing forces rages on.
Uganda is still making headlines for its new anti-LGBTQ+ law. President Museveni refuses to sign the bill unless a rehabilitation clause is included (We all know that doesn’t work, right?). Meanwhile pro-LGBTQ activists celebrate the president’s refusal because it gives them more time to fight the law...
Why are white people all over the world so proud of heritages that brutalized and oppressed others? A South African court recently ruled that public display of the old South African flag, which represents apartheid, is a symbol of hate speech and discriminatory on the basis of race.
Getting to the Money
Y’all. We might be entitled to money for all the BS we’ve endured from Facebook over the years. Thanks to Meta’s Cambridge Analytica scandal and other harmful advertising policies, Facebook users active between May 24, 2007 and December 22, 2022 can claim their share of a $725M settlement. Ps. Hundreds of millions of people are eligible, so don’t be mad at us if your slice of the pie is tiny tiny.
Buying Black
If you use cannabis as part of your self-care routine or are interested in exploring its benefits, here are 10 Black-owned cannabis brands to consider for your health and wellness needs.
Culture that Pops
“Snowfall” fans, are y’all okay? Many are giving flowers to Damson Idris for his phenomenal acting and to the show overall for its masterful storytelling of a Black American experience.
Rapper Lil Durk awarded two Howard freshmen from his hometown of Chicago with $50K scholarships. He also donated $250K to ensure Chicago students currently attending Howard remain on track with graduating and another $100K for high schoolers to visit the HBCU’s DC campus.
Though Earth Day came and went over the weekend, here are 5 ways we can be less wasteful. Also, here are 4 Black-owned companies striving to save Mother Earth.