The Skinny on COVID
The latest in numbers: 29M total cases & 534K deaths (+387K & +9K from last week)
The headlines:
Biden has announced that the vaccine must be available to all by May 1. Optimistic estimates say that many restrictions may be relaxed by July if the current vaccination trend continues.
...BUT we can forget about those estimates if folks go too crazy for Spring Break. We’re looking at all of you who’ve already purchased your tickets to Miami & Cancun.
In a shock to absolutely no one, the world’s most powerful countries are hoarding the vaccines for themselves, leaving developing countries out of luck.
Jackson Needs Your Help
Jackson, Mississippi has been without water since that huge snow storm hit the south and other parts of the country in mid-February. At one point, they were unable to even flush their toilets and they must still boil water before using it today. State leadership is still too bitter over the 1954 Brown v. Board decision to take swift action on helping their capital city, which is 80% Black.
Are you able to help?? If so, lists of organizations that are serving the people of Jackson in a real way can be found here and here.
Your Property Taxes are Racist
When calculating property taxes, cities all across the nation are overvaluing the lowest priced homes while undervaluing homes in wealthy neighborhoods. In some places, poor people are subject to a tax rate that is up to 4 times that of the rich. This means we, and other groups of color, are contributing a disproportionate share of the money that goes to fund schools, hospitals, fire departments, etc. Racism is literally ingrained in the USA’s DNA and there’s nothing that this country wants to do about it.
Checking Up on Your Stimulus
Although the official payment date is March 17, some have already received their stimulus payments as early as Friday. Look up the status of your payment with the IRS here. Oh and don’t forget: if you make over $80K and received the last two checks, you won’t be getting anything this time around. Also, the full $1400 payment will start phasing out for those who make anything between $75K and $80K.
This handy calculator should help make things clearer.
Keeping Up with Biden & Harris
Many are blaming Biden’s reversal of 45’s immigration laws for the current influx of immigrants at the southern border, but one lawmaker says this is just an old problem that Trump ignored.
Progressive lawmakers are calling for a wealth tax on the Jeff Bezos and Elon Musks of the world, but it doesn’t look like the new Executive Branch is eager to endorse that proposal.
Former Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge has been sworn in as the new Housing & Urban Development secretary.
Congress, What’s Good?
Finally, finally. The latest stimulus package has been signed, sealed, and almost delivered (see above again). Here’s yet another look at what’s included in the deal.
The House passed a pair of gun control bills that would expand background checks to cover more types of gun transactions and give the federal government up to 10 days to complete said checks (currently it only has 3 days). While these bills passed with bipartisan support, we already know they will face a tougher battle in the evenly-divided Senate.
There’s a lot of desire on the part of Democrats to end the filibuster. This video might help you understand what it is and why it needs to go.
This week, Congress is discussing:
FEMA’s role in responding to COVID-19
The Equality Act and LGBTQ rights
How “diversity data” can determine an institution’s commitment to equity and inclusion
Criminal Justice Round Up
More than 365 days since Breonna Taylor’s murder, the fight for justice continues.
About 8 years after his death, the case investigating what happened to Kendrick Johnson has been reopened. You might remember that the high school student was found stuffed into a rolled up wrestling mat and that authorities determined there was no foul play, despite multiple independent autopsies confirming the opposite.
George Floyd’s family received a $27M settlement from the City of Minneapolis. Meanwhile, jury selection is underway in Derek Chauvin’s trial. The process is frustrating to say the least.
Around the Diaspora
Bye Elizabeth! Having declared independence 55 years ago, Barbados is finally removing the Queen as its head of state. It will still remain part of the Commonwealth though.
#FreeHaiti is trending on Twitter. The hashtag is being used to highlight the multiple crises the country is experiencing: economic & social (increased gang activity and kidnappings for ransom) and political (their president, whose term ended last month, has yet to leave office).
Black Britons say Meghan Markle’s experience with the Royals mirrors their experiences in society at large.
Getting to the Money
Goldman Sachs has $10B and they want to invest it in 1M Black women. The money will be distributed for entrepreneurial, educational, and housing causes.
NAMIC, the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications, is hosting a Leadership Seminar from April 19-23. The conference will focus on career planning, improving one's effectiveness at work, and moving up the corporate ladder. Sound interesting? The deadline to register is this Friday, March 19.
Buying Black
The Black Home is an online retail destination and soon-to-be physical store in NJ created by Black interior designer Neffi Walker. Walker believes black is the most beautiful color and can elevate your space in unexpected ways. We tend to agree. Check them out for all the black home goods and for updates on her store if you are in the NY/NJ area.
Culture that Pops
A whole lotta Black history was made at last night’s Grammy Awards.
This woman wants to create more opportunities for Black people to get in on the thriving cannabis industry.
The only Black woman currently leading a Fortune 500 company is a Spelman grad and she’s on a mission to amplify more leaders coming out of her alma mater.