Things to get our minds right on: our mental health, resting as resistance...and these midterm elections. They're just 3 weeks away.
What the Health
The latest COVID numbers: 96M total cases & 1M total deaths (+267K & +3K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
We all know about lumps in the breast being warnings for breast cancer. Did you know there are more signs to be aware of?
How exactly are Black women more at risk from breast cancer? While they are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with the disease, they are 40% more likely to die from it.
Everybody saw this coming, right? New COVID variant BQ.1 is now 10% of all cases in the US.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
Biden stuck his nose into local politics & asked 3 LA city council members to resign after they were exposed for making racist remarks against Black & indigenous people. So far, only 1 has resigned.
She gets a lot of flak, but is Kamala Harris the most consequential VP ever? The number of tie breaking votes she’s had to make in less than 2 years indicates that she could be.
Infrastructure Secretary Pete Buttigieg says a recession is possible while the POTUS says the economy is “strong as hell.” Which one is it?
Congress, What’s Good?
In between focusing on the campaign trail last week, Congress also made sure to ruffle 45’s feathers. The January 6 committee voted unanimously to subpoena TFG for his actions—or lack thereof—in the 2021 Capitol attack. He responded by throwing a fit in a letter. Of course.
There are a number of steps required to enforce a subpoena, so we’ll see if those happen before the midterms. Depending on who controls the House, he might (probably will) find his way out of this.
Apart from a single oversight meeting, most committee meetings are still on hold until after November 8.
Election Watch: 2022 Midterms
Obama doesn’t just pop out for anybody. This year, Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock & Mandela Barnes are 3 of the 4 Democratic candidates lucky enough to get a cameo before their elections.
Election Day is just 3 weeks away. The latest forecast from FiveThirtyEight favored Republicans to win the House & predicted Dems might…could…maybe retain control of the Senate.
The racial drama in LA’s politics is said to have given Karen Bass a boost. Will she become the first Black woman to lead the city?
Social Justice Round Up
Biden’s decision to pardon those federally convicted of marijuana possession doesn’t do enough to address disproportionate drug sentencing rates for Black people.
3 weeks later, 35K prisoners in Alabama are still on strike. They’re demanding an oversight board for wrongful convictions and reforms to the state’s parole & juvenile capital offenders policies.
Without much action from the federal or state-level governments, communities nationwide are determining their own methods of equitable policing.
Around the Diaspora
Jamaica’s Broadcasting Commission has banned broadcasting music that glorifies violence, drug use & all other illegal activities.
Nigeria recently received 31 artifacts from another thieving-ass, colonizing-ass country: the United States. The items were returned after being stolen 125 years ago.
Haiti’s request for assistance has been fulfilled as the US & Canada provide security equipment to the island nation’s police force.
Getting to the Money
You can now apply for federal student debt relief. Because the Dept of Education’s app is still in its beta phase, it’s occasionally down while they make tweaks. If you catch it while it’s down, check again later. It’ll take 5 minutes or less.
As many as 71% of Black families do not have a will. Learn why you (plus yo momma nem) need to make one.
Buying Black
Obviously, we can’t buy our mental health, but it’s one of the most important things we can invest in. Check out these resources that promote mental wellness for our community & help you find Black mental health professionals. Some might even be offering you money to get your mind where it needs to be.
Culture that Pops
Rest is revolutionary & the grind is played. The founder of The Nap Ministry (aka the Nap Bishop) wants Black folks to prioritize naps, meditation & daydreaming.
If you’re headed to the Big Apple anytime soon, check out who’s Black on Broadway.
Students at Prairie View A&M can finally earn a Bachelor’s degree in African American Studies. It took a while, but we love that for them.
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