article by Cleve R. Wootson Jr. via washingtonpost.com
David Barber kept his Facebook profile set to private, but anyone who was friends with him could see the very public nature of his job — right next to the racist posts that made him lose it. Barber, Deputy Director of the Shelby County Corrections Center in Memphis for the past 17 years, resigned amid a growing controversy over the posts.
One featured a picture of President Obama next to a man in a Ku Klux Klan mask and said “The KKK is more American than the illegal president.” Another post, according to the Memphis Flyer, is about the Obama family claiming they had been discriminated against because they’re black.
According to the newspaper, Barber commented, “Arrest convict hang and confiscate all assets.” The posts were shared from the page of a group called “the Free Patriot,” which posts conservative-tinged news stories.
To read more, go to: A Tenn. jail official called the KKK ‘more American’ than Obama. Now he’s out of a job. – The Washington Post
Posts published in “U.S.”
A petition calling for Mayor Beverly Whaling’s termination has garnered over 24,000 signatures.
article by Rachaell Davis via essence.com
UPDATE (11/15/16): West Virginia Mayor Beverly Whaling has resigned. WSAZ News reportedly received confirmation that Whaling has submitted an official resignation letter, following the fallout from her comments on a racially offensive Facebook post, in which Clay County Corporation Director Pamela Ramsey Taylor referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as “an ape in heels.”
Previous Report:
As racial tensions continue to rise across the country in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election victory, a disturbing incident out of West Virginia has thousands demanding action.
Clay County Development Corporation Executive Pamela Ramsey Taylor hurled words of blatant disrespect and disregard for First Lady Michelle Obama in a racist Facebook post, where she referred to FLOTUS as “an ape in heels.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling agreed with Taylor’s racially offensive statement, commenting on the original post, “Just made my day, Pam.”
To read full article, go to: West Virginia Mayor Criticized For Racist FB Post About Michelle Obama Essence.com
article by Genetta M. Adams via theroot.com
Even though Tuesday night didn’t give us the history-making moment we were all expecting, for Stockton City, Calif., Councilman Michael Tubbs, election night was doubly historic. Not only did he become the city’s first black mayor, but he also becomes the youngest mayor in the city’s history, according to the Stockton Record.
“I’m tired of talking about where we’ve been. I’m more interested in talking about where we’re going. We have to mature as a community and start demanding solutions,” Tubbs told the audience at his victory party Tuesday night.
Tubbs defeated embattled incumbent Anthony Silva, 41, who recently became embroiled in scandal after he was arrested at his youth camp and accused of giving alcohol to minors and recording them playing strip poker.
Tubbs, a Stanford grad who interned at Google and the White House, decided to go back to his hometown to help make a difference after his cousin was killed at a Halloween party in 2010, according to Complex. For the past three years, he’s served on the City Council, working to bring health clinics to his district and improve the relationship between the community and the police.
To read more, go to: http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/11/26-year-old-becomes-stockton-calif-s-first-black-mayor/
article by Kristine Guerra via washingtonpost.com
Amid reports of harassment and threats directed at minorities and immigrants in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a Facebook post on Saturday that his state is a refuge for those who feel they are under attack.
“Whether you are gay or straight, Muslim or Christian, rich or poor, black or white or brown, we respect all people in the state of New York,” Cuomo (D) wrote. “It’s the very core of what we believe and who we are . . . We don’t allow a federal government that attacks immigrants to do so in our state.”
To read more, go to: Gov. Andrew Cuomo: New York a ‘refuge’ for minorities, immigrants – The Washington Post
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–IS0XiNdpk&w=560&h=315]
Natasha Nkhama, a Baylor University student, was attacked by a student and called the N-word while walking around campus earlier this week.
She described the incident in a video posted to Twitter by her friend, Jaileene Maite.
“On my way to class, this guy went out of his way to bump into me and … shove me off the sidewalk,” she said. “He said ‘no n*ggers allowed on the sidewalk’.”
“And I was just shocked,” she added. “Like, I had no words.”
Nkhama also said that when confronted by a nearby student, her attacker replied “Like what … I’m just trying to make America great again.”
“So if you voted for Donald Trump, I hope you realize what that means from someone else’s point of view,” Nkhama said.
As word of the incident spread throughout campus, students arranged a plan to escort Nkhama to her Friday morning class using the hashtag #IWalkWithNatasha.
Hundreds of people showed up — including some whose professors let them leave class early to help out.
https://twitter.com/SmithCassie/status/797108555014934529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
To read more, go to: #IWalkWithNatasha: 300 Students Escort a Girl to Class After She Reports Racial Harassment on Campus [Video] – B. Scott | lovebscott.com
article by Gina Mei via elle.com
Former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto made history on Tuesday night when she became the first Latina to be elected to the Senate in U.S. history—and she’s already making it very clear she’s more than willing to go head-to-head with Donald Trump once she arrives in Washington, D.C.
“Our government is built on a system of checks and balances, and I will promise you this: I will be one hell of a check and balance on him,” she said during her victory speech on Wednesday. “Tonight we start our fight together…. The diversity here is our strength and we will continue to be strong.”
“It’s not my voice I’m taking to Washington, it’s all of yours,” she added.
Cortez Masto beat out Republican Rep. Joe Heck to become the first woman to represent Nevada in the Senate on Tuesday, ultimately winning 47 percent of votes. She is the proud granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant, and strongly supports “comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.”
After her victory on Tuesday, Cortez Masto took to Twitter to thank her supporters and voice her willingness to fight hard for the rights of all Americans.
To read more, go to: http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/news/a40705/first-latina-senator-catherine-cortez-masto-check-and-balance-donald-trump/
article by Rahel Gabreyes via huffingtonpost.com
In a great stride for representation Tuesday, nine black women were elected to become judges in majority Democratic Jefferson County, Alabama, The Birmingham Times reported.
The black women who came out on top in the district and circuit courts, Javan Patton, Debra Bennett Winston, Shera Craig Grant, Nakita “Niki” Perryman Blocton, Tamara Harris Johnson, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell, Brendette Brown Green and Annetta Verin, are to be sworn in next January.
French, who was re-elected to Jefferson County’s Circuit Court, told The Birmingham Times that she believes her hard work and years of experience helped to propel her to elected office.
“I think the people don’t necessarily just support you just because of your race and gender. I think voters expect more than that. They look at our qualifications and make a decision about who they can trust with the leadership position,” she said.
Tuesday night was a big night for women of color across the states ― not just in local politics, but in federal positions, as well. Three women of color, Catherine Cortez Masto, Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris, were elected to the Senate. Stephanie Murphy and Pramila Jayapal were also elected to the House. Next year, there will be 38 women of color serving in Congress.
To read full article, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nine-black-women-judges-alabama_us_58261b26e4b060adb56e3f54?
In a great stride for representation Tuesday, nine black women were elected to become judges in majority Democratic Jefferson County, Alabama, The Birmingham Times reported.
The black women who came out on top in the district and circuit courts, Javan Patton, Debra Bennett Winston, Shera Craig Grant, Nakita “Niki” Perryman Blocton, Tamara Harris Johnson, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell, Brendette Brown Green and Annetta Verin, are to be sworn in next January.
French, who was re-elected to Jefferson County’s Circuit Court, told The Birmingham Times that she believes her hard work and years of experience helped to propel her to elected office.
“I think the people don’t necessarily just support you just because of your race and gender. I think voters expect more than that. They look at our qualifications and make a decision about who they can trust with the leadership position,” she said.
Tuesday night was a big night for women of color across the states ― not just in local politics, but in federal positions, as well. Three women of color, Catherine Cortez Masto, Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris, were elected to the Senate. Stephanie Murphy and Pramila Jayapal were also elected to the House. Next year, there will be 38 women of color serving in Congress.
To read full article, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nine-black-women-judges-alabama_us_58261b26e4b060adb56e3f54?
We Christians like to talk about Hell a lot, so let’s talk about Hell a little. Yesterday, in the very first few daylight hours after Donald Trump’s election victory it began:
Near San Francisco, a home in Noe Valley flew a nazi flag where kids walk by to get to school.
A white middle school student brought a Trump sign to school and told a black classmate it was time for him to get “back in place”.
A gay New York City man getting on a bus was told that he should “Enjoy the concentration camps, faggot!”
The NYU Muslim Students Association found the word “Trump!”scrawled on the door of their prayer room.
A female seminary student was stopped at a coffee shop with the words, “Smile sweetheart, we beat the cunt.”
Parents of children of color spent the day picking up their children early from elementary, middle, and high schools across the country because they were inundated with slurs and harassment and unable to study.
A group of Hispanic kids in Raleigh were taunted by white children, telling them they were “going back to Mexico.”
This is the personal Hell we’ve unleashed upon our people this week.
And if you’re a white Christian and you voted for Donald Trump: You need to fix this. Now.…
To continue reading full article, go to: White Christians Who Voted for Donald Trump: Fix This. Now. | john pavlovitz
article by Camille Augustin via vibe.com
After a fruitful career on the hardwood, former Washington Mystics player, Tamara James, plans to take her talents back to her hometown.
The 32-year-old activist was recently named mayor of her old stomping grounds, Dania Beach, Fla., Broward County’s “oldest community” the Miami Herald reports.
In a statement issued to the SunSentinel, James thanked her supporters for furthering her dreams of enacting change in her community. “I plan on being a voice for our residents, promoting smart economic growth and unifying us as a city… I’m looking forward to winning championships for the oldest city in Broward County.”
To read more, go to: http://www.vibe.com/2016/11/tamara-james-wnba-mayor-florida/