The Skinny on COVID
The latest in numbers: 77M total cases & 918K total deaths (+1M & +17K from last week) in the US.
The headlines:
Pfizer has pulled its request for approval to give kids under 5 the vaccine. They say they want to do more testing to see if 3 shots would provide more protection.
Fauci say what? In one breath, he says we’re coming out of the pandemic phase of COVID-19 and that a sense of normalcy may soon be returning.
In another breath, Fauci claims a second booster shot may be needed after 4 months.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
There was a lot of concern in the news that Biden was giving people (our People) crack pipes in the name of “racial justice,” but is that true? Check out this article confirming that a lot of the uproar was due to misinformation. Turns out that the Biden administration is offering grants for safe smoking kits to organizations that specialize in harm reduction strategies aka saving the lives of those struggling with substance abuse.
Biden says the NFL should walk the talk when it comes to their hiring of Black head coaches. Feels weird coming from him considering some of his campaign promises to that Black community that have yet to be filled, but okay.
Biden and Putin are still exchanging words over Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Here’s the latest on what’s going on.
Congress, What’s Good?
The House is in recess, but they made sure to pass a bill to fund the government through March 11 (seriously, wtf?) before they left the Capitol. Now, the Senate must do the same before Friday’s deadline.
Our friends on the Hill did manage to pass a few bipartisan bills last week. The bills include keeping up with the Joneses of the East (aka China), straightening out USPS’ finances in order to improve mail delivery, and protecting the victims of sexual abuse.
Up for this week’s committee meetings:
Ensuring young people have the resources they need to maintain their mental health
Examining the rise in violence against HBCUs & other minority-serving institutions
Social Justice Round Up
The Supreme Court is cool with Black voters in Alabama not having sufficient political power at the polls. After reversing a decision by a lower court that sought to level the playing field for Black voters, the SCOTUS is worrying voting rights activists concerned about unfairly-drawn Congressional maps.
Teachers in Oakland are staging a hunger strike to stop the closure of schools that mostly serve Black students.
Following the death of Amir Locke in Minneapolis, the Biden administration is considering expanding the current policy that restricts the use of no-knock warrants.
Around the Diaspora
Las Llamadas, a popular Uruguayan festival now appropriated by the country’s white population, has deep ties to the Motherland.
Teachers in Zimbabwe are protesting for more pay and for that pay to be in US dollars.
Some job offers in England targeted to Caribbean immigrants could lead to human trafficking, St Vincent’s Prime Minister warns. Share with a cousin around the Diaspora who needs to hear this.
Getting to the Money
Got a startup and looking for investors who just get it? Consider The Black Angel Group (BAG). BAG is an investor group made up of Black Google employees. They want to help Black startup founders with ethical companies scale and create generational wealth.
If you need a new resume template and don’t want to drop any money on it, check out this one that was used by candidates who accepted roles at Google, Snap & more.
Buying Black
Bibliophiles rejoice! There’s a (Black-owned) solution for those of you who love to tote a book around everywhere you go. BookedBag is a protective case that preserves books as we go about our busy lives. Not only do the cases protect books, but they also include compartments for cell phones, credit cards & more. Did we mention that they’re water absorbent too? Check the color options and get you one today.
Culture that Pops
All over the country, Black folks are returning to cemeteries where their ancestors are buried to reverse years of neglect due to Jim Crow & to return these sacred spaces to their former glory.
Want to know what shows are coming on this week that are Blackity Black? Check out this summary of what shows recently hit the small screen or are on the way.
If it’s one thing Black people will continuously do, it’s show the world that we can do it all! Meet 29 year-old Erin Jackson, who became the first Black woman to win the gold medal in speedskating at this year’s Winter Olympics.