Donnie's well is running dry and the well itself may be seized. We're officially letting our vocal chords rest in preparation for the day we sing "Oh Happy Day." Also, we'd like to thank Kendrick Lamar for making rap interesting again and ask Drake to take his L in peace. No one wants to hear a response from anyone not named Jermaine Cole.
What the Health
21% of Black LGBTQ+ youth have attempted to end their lives past year and nearly 50% say they feel unsafe at school. This is why they need resources and spaces that embrace them openly.
The misdiagnosis and eventual death of influencer Jessica Pettway is yet another example of how Black women (and the Black community at large) have to do so much to get the bare minimum in healthcare.
Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control, can now be found online and on shelves at Walgreens and CVS. Who else is waiting to see how states banning reproductive healthcare will respond to this?
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
Biden cancels another $6B in student loan debt for teachers and other public service workers.
Joe & Co. went to the UN Security Council last week with a murky ceasefire proposal that stopped short of calling for an immediate and unconditional end to violence in Gaza. Russia & China used their veto powers to block it. Today, the Council finally passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire during Ramadan, which ends on April 9. The U.S. abstained. May we one day no longer be the hoe to Israel’s pimp.
Last week, the EPA announced a rule that would make electric or hybrid vehicles more affordable and accessible by setting pollution benchmarks that will be tough for carmakers to achieve with primarily gas-powered fleets. While this is a big deal, we all know the oil industry will be challenging this rule in court any minute now.
Congress, What’s Good
Congress averted a government shutdown by the deadline with a $1.2T budget deal. Included in the new deal was funding for about 75% of federal agencies, increased military salaries, and an extension on the funding ban for UNRWA until 2025. UNRWA is the primary organization that administers housing, health care, and food services to Palestinians across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Funding from the US accounts for about 30% of their annual budget.
Joe Manchin is on his way out, but not without another stunt. The Democrat is refusing to vote for any of Joe Biden’s judicial nominees if they don’t have any support from the GOP. If a “pick me” was a Senator…
Committee meetings are postponed this week due to the upcoming Easter holiday.
Looking to 2024
#TrumpIsBrokeAF trended last week after Donnie confirmed what we all figured: he can’t afford the $454M bond for his fraud case in New York. Bankruptcy, the seizure of his properties, or a favorable appeal ruling seem to be his only ways out of this mess.
On top of that, Biden is trying out “Broke Don” as a name to call his opponent because Donald is also struggling to raise campaign funds. Is it catchy or nah?
Y’all know anybody in North Dakota? Remind them that their Democratic primary election is taking place this Saturday.
Social Justice Round Up
6 Mississippi police officers have been given 10- to 40-year prison sentences for torturing and assaulting 2 Black men.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week that would ban homeless people from sleeping on sidewalks, in parks, and in other public spaces. While we agree that no one should have to sleep outside, where is your solution to the problem, Ronald???
Another week, another about-face on DEI. This week, Alabama’s governor followed the path of other conservative states by shuttering DEI-efforts at public universities and other state agencies. Birmingham’s mayor said Black student athletes should take their talents elsewhere. Will they?
Around the Diaspora
A recent study reveals Black coaches and managers in English football are more likely to be fired and have less opportunities than their counterparts.
Nearly 60 Haitian children and their caregivers arrived in Jamaica last week. They are expected to stay in JA for a minimum of 2 years.
According to one activist, being Black is something that more Brazilians are slowly becoming more proud of. There’s still work to be done, however, to ensure their pride is on maximum display year round and in every avenue of life.
Getting to the Money
Are you a creative mind that wants to break into a new field, but have little experience? Google is offering a paid Creative Fellowship to help those with 0-5 years of creative experience apply themselves in a hands-on way and gain exposure with Google’s in-house teams. The program will run from June to December and interested applicants must be willing to work out of LA, NY, SF or Portland. Learn more here and apply by the April 5 deadline.
Culture that Pops
Quavo & Meek Mill both announced efforts to end gun violence in their respective cities. Meek wants to donate 10% of his earnings to violence prevention initiatives in the City of Philadelphia. Quavo wants to give 10 Atlanta nonprofits $10K each towards their violence reduction efforts. Good for them.
Is Hip Hop exciting again? Kendrick Lamar blew up the Big 3 over the weekend, throwing shots at Drake and letting J. Cole catch a few strays in the process.
Upgrade your kitchen with this Top Chef’s new collection of West African-inspired cookware, utensils, and decor. We’re taking offers from anyone that wants to buy us a few things from this collection, a kitchen, and the house the kitchen will come in.