Republicans trying to determine who can be Black, more right-wing violence thrown in Congress' direction, & Black men falling prey to the GOP. Oh, there's also the red wave that might be stronger than predicted. Happy Halloween, y'all.
What the Health
The latest COVID numbers: 97M total cases & 1M total deaths (+259K & +2K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
Word about a winter “tripledemic” (COVID, RSV, & the flu) is spreading. It appears as though children could be most at risk.
What’s RSV, you ask? It stands for respiratory syncytial virus. Here are the symptoms to keep an eye on.
Add this to the list of things impacted by systematic oppression: Black people are 19% more likely to carry medical debt.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
Brittney Griner’s appeal to overturn her 9-year sentence in a Russian penal colony has been denied. Y’alls president claims his administration has been in constant contact with Russia over her detainment, but…are we the only ones who feel like they’re doing the minimum for her?
Despite currently being blocked by a judge, Biden believes student debt relief will resume and that checks will go out within a couple weeks’ time.
Pete Buttigeig keeps quiet on whether he’d run against his boss in 2024.
Congress, What’s Good?
Tensions might be as high as they’ve ever been amongst Congress these days. After Nancy Pelosi’s husband was injured in an attack that seemed to be intended for her, Democrats are pointing fingers to Republicans’ violent rhetoric. The GOP denies any involvement & responsibility, of course.
Another week of no committee meetings. We can expect them to resume after next week’s election.
Election Watch: 2022 Midterms
9 days until Election Day. Is your voting plan solid?
Are Black men falling prey to the traps Republicans are using to target them?
The red wave is said to be coming in stronger than initially thought. Will the GOP gain control of both the House & the Senate?
Stacey Abrams took the debate stage against GA governor Brian Kemp. Here are some takeaways from the event. Currently, polls have her trailing Kemp by about 7 points.
Social Justice Round Up
The men exonerated in Malcolm X’s murder will receive $36M settlements from the state & city of New York for the wrongful convictions.
Here’s what Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter may mean for Black folks. For starters, all those people waiting in the shadows to say “n*gger” out loud have emerged.
Republicans are attempting to redefine…Blackness?? Members of the GOP in Louisiana are seeking the Supreme Court’s permission to limit who can consider themselves Black on the Census. The reason for this is to prevent minority population numbers from becoming “inflated.” These people have zero bounds.
Around the Diaspora
Peace talks to end the civil war in Ethiopia are underway.
Ghana’s president announced budget cuts to save their economy.
With a tropical storm on the way, Jamaica is on high alert.
Getting to the Money
The Black Marketers Association of America wants to help more of us to land new gigs next year. Check out this very simple recruiting tool they’ll use to gather job seekers’ data & send to their corporate partners like DoorDash & Home Depot. If you’re interested, drop your details & see where it takes you.
Buying Black
The holidays will be here before you know it. Check out this list of Black-owned brands with gifts anyone would be happy to give and/or receive.
Culture that Pops
NBA star Paul George wants Black men to take advantage of $3M in free therapy.
Literary giants Toni Morrison & Ernest J. Gaines will be featured on their own USPS stamps.
Florida A&M receives a $1M grant from Disney to further advance students who wish to pursue careers in storytelling.