House Republicans are beefing with one another and Trump has been indicted again. Welp.
What the Health
COVID is still out here getting people caught up. Los Angeles’ Mayor Karen Bass is one of its latest conquests.
A study shows that those with long COVID (symptoms that last for 3 months or longer) are surprisingly reporting a lower quality of life than those with late-stage cancer diagnoses.
For girls of all races and Black and Brown youth, mental health is increasingly becoming a concern.
SCOTUS Says…
Alabama is forced to redraw a new voting map that doesn’t put all 3 of its majority-Black cities in one district. We’re actually surprised by this ruling because…well…you know.
As we await the Court’s ruling on another 6 cases before their term ends this month, check out where the public stands on the issues at hand, including affirmative action, student loan forgiveness, and religious freedom.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
The POTUS is having a hard time filling some open spots in his administration, thanks to one Senate committee.
The end of Title 42, the pandemic-era law that restricted immigration, has so far failed to be met with a surge of asylum seekers. The Biden Administration, while publicly claiming this as a win, is stressing about a delayed influx on the low.
In a meeting with leaders from across the Caribbean, Kamala Harris pledges $100M to help the region combat gun trafficking, climate change, and the current crisis in Haiti.
Congress, What’s Good?
Far right conservatives are showing House leader Kevin McCarthy that he is not their Beyoncé and they are indeed not in formation. After feeling strong-armed to support a debt ceiling bill that didn’t serve their interests, the 11-member Freedom Caucus is “revolting” by voting with Democrats to (temporarily?) thwart their own party’s legislative ambitions. Their end goal is getting McCarthy to follow their lead, but such a move might alienate more centrist Republicans. What a tough spot for McCarthy to be in. Sorrows, sorrows, prayers.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also a big topic on the Hill these days. Last week, the Senate introduced 2 bipartisan bills on the issue: one that would require the government to be upfront about using AI to interact with citizens and another that’d ensure the country remains competitive and on the cutting edge of AI technology.
Coming up in committee meetings:
The safety of unaccompanied children
Plastic’s impact on communities most impact by environmental justice issues
Looking to 2024
Cornel West is running for president as a candidate for the People’s Party.
Former VP Mike Pence gathered up all his nerve and joined the race too.
Donald Trump has been indicted for a second time. Now, the feds are going after him for his messy handling of classified documents. He is expected in a Miami courtroom today.
We’re really annoyed that we have to pay attention to these folks’ foolishness so soon after the 2022 midterms, but so far 14 major-party candidates, including Biden, have thrown themselves in the race for president. Learn more about the 11 Republicans and 3 Democrats here.
Social Justice Round Up
A Black woman named Ajike “AJ” Owens was killed in Florida while trying to retrieve her children’s iPad from a white neighbor. After not being arrested right away, admitting to calling the kids the N-word, and shooting at AJ through her door, the Killer Karen has been released on bond.
Taking land from Black families to build highways and expand cities was the norm for decades. Now those families are coming for their checks.
Apparently, the KKK is trying to recruit in KKKentucky. Residents across one city found flyers promoting the organization on their cars Sunday morning.
Around the Diaspora
A deadly earthquake and severe flooding have hit Haiti since the start of this month. So far, there have been at least 45 confirmed deaths.
After days of massive protests, Amnesty International is calling on Senegal’s government to carry out an inquiry into the deadly methods that shut demonstrators down. The recent deaths of Zimbabwean workers in lithium mines are raising concerns again about working conditions for the workers who make things like electric vehicles and smart phones a reality.
This activist forced his native country of Antigua and Barbuda to overturn its anti-LGBTQ+ legislation last year. His efforts have also led to similar changes in other countries across the region.
Getting to the Money
The Well Work is on a mission to teach 1M Black founders how to get funding for their businesses. Check out this LinkedIn post featuring 9 funding opportunities Black business owners should explore. If you don’t have LinkedIn, check out their IG for regular updates as well (the page for these sources on their website seems to be down at the moment).
Buying Black
Are we the only ones unable to keep up with all the national days of [insert random thing here]? Apparently National Rosé Day was June 10th. If you didn’t get to celebrate, enjoy an after-the-fact glass from one of these Black-owned wine companies.
Culture that Pops
Nearly 30 years after his death, Tupac finally gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
This author is using her passion for children’s literature to teach da babies about Black culture across the diaspora.
The American Black Film Festival kicks off this week to a nearly sold-out audience. Assuming you’re like most of us who don’t have tickets and/or aren’t in Miami, you can check out virtual screenings from June 19-25. Jamie Foxx, Gabrielle Union, and Deon Cole are just some of the stars who are expected to shine at the festival.