Washington Post – Politics:
The company’s 2019 diversity report said that just 3.8 percent of all employees are black.
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Biden begins to map out ‘revolutionary’ agenda, reimagining his presidency amid national upheaval
Washington Post – Politics:
The presumptive Democratic nominee, who in the primaries dismissed the notion of radical systemic change, is rethinking his potential presidency as he considers taking power in the face of a pandemic, extreme unemployment and racial strife.
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New Orleans Rapper Marrero Desto Dead At 35
Essence Magazine:
As if we can take any more pain and suffering right now, New Orleans is mourning the loss of local musician and rapper, Marrero Desto.
The 35-year-old rapper was shot and killed by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy on Wednesday when Reyes allegedly pointed a weapon at deputies after a short chase.
A video recorded by a camera attached to a Jefferson Parish Sheriff deputy’s stun gun captured the encounter, where one the deputies shouts, “Move,” and another can be heard shouting, “Gun,” before the sound of gunfire rings out.
Reyes’ family members and friends contend footage from other video cameras refutes Jefferson Parish Sheriff Office’s version of events, said Reyes’ little brother, Alfonso Rowland. They remain skeptical of the incident.
“I know in my heart and my mind, it couldn’t have happened like that,” Reyes’ sister, Librada Turner, told Nola.com. “To try to hurt somebody and shoot somebody, that’s totally out of his character.”
Reyes’ family has been stunned by the news of his death, which occurred two days after a 45-year-old Black man, George Floyd, died at the hands of a vicious White police officer, who had a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Family and friends of the rapper held a peace walk near the site of his killing earlier this week while they await the results of the autopsy, which is scheduled for Friday, according to the Jefferson Parish Coroners’ Office.
The post New Orleans Rapper Marrero Desto Dead At 35 appeared first on Essence.
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Ella Jones: Ferguson Elects Its First Black, First Woman Mayor
Essence Magazine:
Ella Jones made history on Tuesday night, becoming the first Black and first woman to ever be elected as mayor in Ferguson, Mo.
As the New York Times notes, Jones, 65, won out over her opponent Heather Robinett with 54 percent of the vote.
Jones’ historic victory comes almost six years after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in the city that sparked protests across the nation. It also comes as the nation is rocked by yet another police-involved death of a Black man, George Floyd, which has also resulted in protests not only in the United States but across the globe as well.
“I’ve got work to do…because when you’re an African-American woman, they require more of you than they require of my counterpart,” Jones said in a YouTube video posted by St. Louis Public Radio journalist James Rosenbaum. “I know the people in Ferguson are ready to stabilize their community, and we’re going to work together to get it done.”
Jones noted that the election and the goal of her administration would be to serve the people.
“If you go look in the budget the first thing you see is the organizational chart. When you look at the organizational chart in the budget at the top of that chart it says ‘citizens,’ and then…the elected officials,” she pointed out. “If the people are not in charge of what they’re doing, then you’re going to have chaos. And we done had enough chaos…”
This is not Jones’ first time making history. A member of the city council, Jones smashed ceilings in 2015 when she became the first Black woman elected to the city council.
The post Ella Jones: Ferguson Elects Its First Black, First Woman Mayor appeared first on Essence.
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Kamala Harris Calls For Legislation To Be Passed, Demands To Be Met To Satisfy Protesters
Essence Magazine:
As America collectively mourns the lives of countless Black Americans taken from this world by acts of racism, lawmakers and national leaders are joining together to say that it’s time for the legislation to reflect the country’s outrage. On Monday, roughly a dozen prominent politicians and activists held a town hall to discuss how we move forward as a nation and ensure that the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement are no longer dismissed and/or justified by the governing legislation we now live by.
“We need to speak their names, we need to honor them all, and we need to act,” Sen. Kamala Harris said on the call hosted by Marc H. Morial, the President and CEO of the National Urban League. The former prosecutor confirmed that she is personally backing a bill that would require a national standard for use of force. As it stands right now, Harris says the standard makes it hard for prosecutors to seek justice for victims of police brutality because the burden of proof on their part is almost “insurmountable.” Harris believes that it’s time that the language shift so that the question is no longer was the force reasonable, but instead, was it necessary?
The former California Attorney General also says it’s important that there be a national protocol for independent investigations in police use of force cases. Harris notes that it’s necessary for the sake of community trust and for justice. “People are protesting because Black people in America have been treated as less than human by history and today. People are protesting in America because our country has never fully addressed historical and systemic racism. And the people have the right to be heard. We must focus on why they are protesting,” Harris affirmed
When we finally focus on “the why,” the potential VP pick believes that’s when the true change will happen. That’s why Harris also says that in addition to calling for the legislation to change, we must also demand certain practices be put in place. That includes restoring the United States Department of Justice’s responsibility to investigate patterns or practice of discrimination. “If there’s one bad apple, there’s a whole bunch of bad apples,” Harris asserted. That’s why the California Democrat says it’s important to not only track it but also demand a national officer misconduct registry. If they are carrying a gun and badge, Harris professed that `they must be held to a high standard. “We cannot continue to have two standards of justice,” Harris declared.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 01: Terrence Floyd (C) arrives at the site where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd called for peace and justice after his brother’s death, thanking those who continue to protest and imploring people to cease the damage and destruction which has followed. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)On Thursday, civil rights activists who are demanding legislation changes and police reform,are also calling for a National Day of mourning. “The tragic and senseless loss of Black lives to police-involved violence over the last several years — and the callous indifference to justice in response – should have been enough to persuade the nation of the need for dramatic change,” a press release announcing the observance noted. Harris disclosed that she would be standing in solidarity with them in the same way she stands with the protestors who she says are exhibiting their pain, their anger, and their frustration.
“The problem is that we have two systems of justice in America and we need to make it a country that is true to its ideals where we say equal justice under the law. We need to have that mean something and we have to work together for concrete solutions that will help get rid of a broken system that has stolen Black lives for far too long.
The post Kamala Harris Calls For Legislation To Be Passed, Demands To Be Met To Satisfy Protesters appeared first on Essence.
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Exclusive: Meet The Founders Of The ‘Black Girls In Trader Joes’ Movement
Essence Magazine:
If you ask anyone that frequents Trader Joe’s, they can probably spout for hours about the latest snacks they picked up, the newest spice blend they’re sprinkling on everything, or the new must-try ice cream from the frozen food aisle. For years, Black women had been having these conversations too…just not on a large platform. Two Black female Trader Joe’s lovers from Cleveland had an idea that changed all that.
Their names are Lauren (aka Lo), a 27-year-old human resources professional and Mercedes (aka Dee), a 34-year-old esthetician and mother. The Cleveland natives originally met on social media and later bonded at a dinner party Dee hosted.
“When I worked in retail, my job was right by Trader Joe’s. That was a frequent place I would go for inexpensive lunch,” Dee told ESSENCE of her initial love for the grocer. “I was always trying new things and that’s kind of how I fell in love with Trader Joe’s. And I just started cooking, and started my food blog Cornbread Fed. I love hosting people, which is how Lo and I met. It just kind of grew from there.”
As their friendship grew, Dee and Lo would bond about food and trade items after a Trader Joe’s haul. “Dee and I both followed social media pages dedicated to Trader Joe’s and I didn’t see a lot of brown hands on those posts,” Lo remembers. The idea to start a TJ’s page dedicated to Black girl’s began to dance in her head, and Dee was immediately on board. “I woke up in the morning and we had a conversation and it just went from there,” Lo said. “I just can’t believe how much it’s grown.”
A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 16, 2020 at 8:42am PDT
When it comes to growth, the Black Girls In Trader Joe’s page is the movement we didn’t know we needed. In two weeks, the page pulled in an impressive 50,000. Dee and Lo were stunned at the numbers, even noticing an uptick of 5,000 new followers in one day. “We kept calling each other like, ‘are you seeing this?’” says Dee. “It happened organically and that’s [thanks to] all of the Black women promoting something they believe in and love through word of mouth.”
The BGITJ Instagram page is not only dedicated to the store’s vast food selection, but also serves up mouthwatering recipes you can make with their unique ingredients. This milkshake using TJ’s purple yam ice cream and blueberry lavender almond milk is bound to be your favorite new summer treat.
A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 28, 2020 at 9:43am PDT
Dee’s brioche french toast with garam masala peaches made us fall in love with breakfast again.
A post shared by Black Girls in Trader Joes (@blackgirlsintraderjoes) on May 21, 2020 at 6:12am PDT
This is just some of the food inspo that can be found on this wildly popular page, which is still climbing in followers daily. While BGITJ currently exists as an Instagram-only platform, Dee and Lo are planning to expand their brand with an official blog and merchandise. “I think that it’s important that we are seen and we can recognize each other [in the store] whether it’s with a pin, button, or T-shirt,” says Dee. “We’ve been afforded that sense of community from social media, which is amazing because now we can be all over the country and still feel a sense of community.”
For now, they’re enjoying the community they’ve built – both with avid Trader Joe’s lovers and Black women who’ve never stepped foot in one. “I love getting those messages that say, ‘I was intimidated by Trader Joe’s because I thought it was going to be expensive.’ Girl, no! You can find some deals.”
Most importantly, Dee and Lo want to offer themselves as examples of Black professional women who took their passion and created something beautiful. “We’re women in Cleveland with lives and this is what we started,” says Dee. “We believe that you could start something too. Don’t let your creative ideas sit in silence. Turn the volume up.”
The post Exclusive: Meet The Founders Of The ‘Black Girls In Trader Joes’ Movement appeared first on Essence.
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The Finance 202: Delays and blind spots are tripping up the pandemic economic rescue
Washington Post – Politics:
The problems are leaving some laid-off workers and struggling companies alike in limbo.
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The Energy 202: Big Oil could end up even bigger by the end of the coronavirus pandemic
Washington Post – Politics:
Forthcoming bankruptcies could allow the largest companies to buy assets on the cheap.
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The Cybersecurity 202: Chaos in primary elections offers troubling signs for November
Washington Post – Politics:
Voters faced absentee ballots that didn’t arrive, long lines and confusion.
]! WE IN THIS THANG!!! Here’s my haul! How’d I do? Cheers y’all!
right now. We’ll be announcing our 10k giveaway later today!!
Dee #BGITJ #BlackGirlsInTraderJoes