It’s a Small Step
But it’s not nearly enough. 1 of the 3 officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death will be fired. This delayed action comes after the Louisville Metro Police Department released the results of their internal investigation.
3 Ways Y’all President Ain’t Shit
He claimed credit for making Juneteenth popular
He intentionally slowed testing down for COVID-19 because he didn't want the number of cases to increase. TF??
He and Attorney General Bill Barr very publicly and messily pushed a US Attorney out of a job. That attorney was conveniently investigating Donnie and his crew’s crimes in New York.
Other updates: he signed an executive order to address calls for police reform last week. It establishes a national police misconduct database, requires additional training in order for departments to receive federal funding, and outlines a co-responder program, where a social worker is also deployed with officers, depending on the call. He says he’s still a "law and order" president and maintains political support of the police, despite this legislation.
Don’t Forget about the ‘Rona
We’ve all been eager to be out in these streets and it shows. Coronavirus cases have increased worldwide with Brazil and the US leading the pack in new cases and deaths respectively. Within the US, California, Texas, Georgia and Florida are among the states who have all seen increases. New York state, which at one point housed the epicenter of the pandemic, was not included on the list.
Juneteenth was Lit
Beyond folks basking in their Blackity Black Blackness for the day, there were also a few strides made across the nation in honor of the holiday. New York and Virginia promise to make it a state holiday by 202. Pennsylvania made it a holiday for all of its state workers. Chicago’s Black mayor very noticeably declined to do the same for her city’s workers because they can’t afford it. Also, cousins Kamala Harris and Corey Booker teamed up with Texas Senator John Cornyn to propose finally making the day a federal holiday. We just hope that we can keep this same energy year after year.
Sickle Cell Awareness Day
It falls on June 19 every year. If you don’t know much already, learn more about this disease that disproportionately affects our community.
Congress, What’s Good?
All eyez are still on the Hill as we wait to see whether bipartisan legislation addressing police brutality will materialize.
On their meetings and hearings agenda this week:
How COVID-19 widened racial inequities
Overseeing Trump’s response to the Coronavirus
Examining the role of the national stockpile in the midst of a pandemic
2020 Watch
Amy Klo knew what was up and dropped out the running to be Biden’s VP pick. She says the spot belongs to a woman of color.
Kentucky Democrats are headed to the polls tomorrow to vote for which candidate will go up against Mitch McConnell in November. If the polls are any indication, cousin Charles Booker’s chances are looking good.
Speaking of Kentucky, the voter suppression will be real tomorrow. Election officials reduced the number of polling places from 3.700 to just 200 and many of the areas where Black people reside will have just one polling place.
Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised $80M in the month of May, but it’s still not enough to outspend Trump in the long run.
Around the Diaspora
Nigeria has declared a state of emergency over gender-based violence and sexual assaults.
Caribbean governments are being threatened by Senate Republicans for their dealings with Cuba.
The Church and Bank of England have apologized for their roles in slavery. Does that mean that Black Britons, whose tax money compensated former slave owners up until 2015, will start getting refunds?
Getting to the Money
Do you have a skill or area of expertise that you want to share with others? Launch an online course and get paid for putting people on.
Black Business Highlight: Queen Bey gave you a whole directory of Black-owned businesses for Juneteenth. BTW, she also released a new song from which streaming profits will go toward benefitting Black businesses. She stay twirling on her haters and we are ever so grateful.
Culture that Pops
Auntie Angela Davis is still leading the people on the path of righteousness. Last week, she spoke at a Juneteenth march in Oakland. Catch her speech here. The march was in support of all West Coast ports being shut down on Juneteenth, which meant that processing on all international cargo was halted along the entire coast.
Instagram had to get Idris Elba all the way together this week when he tried to sell T-shirts saying cultural appropriation was okay as long as folks respected Black lives. Nope. That's not it, fam.
This activist goes off on a Baton Rouge school board member for online shopping during a meeting in which the community demanded renaming a local high school. The entitlement and nonchalance of these people are just...wow.
The Black Travel Alliance is taking the industry to task for not being inclusive enough.