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Posts tagged as “State Department”

President Obama Says U.S. Will 'Do Everything' to Help Abducted Nigerian Girls

By goodblacknews on May 7, 2014
President Obama in Malaysia
PHOTO CREDIT: RAHMAN ROSLAN/GETTY IMAGES

President Obama has taken a stance on the kidnapping of nearly 300 Nigerian girls.

In a statement released Tuesday, he said the U.S. will do everything to help Nigeria find the girls, most of whom were taken during an April 15 kidnapping from their school. Obama has said that the first priority is to find the missing girls, however there will be a focus on the alleged kidnappers, members of extremist group, Boko Haram.

“In the short term our goal is obviously is to help the international community, and the Nigerian government, as a team to do everything we can to recover these young ladies,” said Obama during a NBC Today interview. “But we’re also going to have to deal with the broader problem of organizations like this that…can cause such havoc in people’s day-to-day lives.”

President Obama also commented about the impact that the abductions have had on him as a parent, “Obviously, what’s happening is awful and as a father of two girls, I can’t imagine what their parents are going through,” he said.

The President revealed that the U.S. has been looking to work with Nigeria to contain Boko Haram for some time now and hopes that the recent incident will, “…mobilize the entire international community to finally do something against this horrendous organization that’s perpetrated such a terrible crime.”

The U.S. is gearing up to lend a helping hand, sending U.S. military and law enforcement personnel who specialize in investigations, hostage negotiation and victim assistance among other things.

The State Department has warned U.S. citizens against traveling to Nigeria for the time being.

To get involved and keep the conversation going use the #bringourgirlsback hashtag or visit change.org to sign the petition calling for the rescue of the girls.

article by Dominique Hobdy via essence.com

Chef Bryant Terry Selected For State Department's American Chef Corps

By goodblacknews on September 18, 2012

IATP Food and Community Fellow and vegan chef Bryant Terry was named a member of the American Chef Corps, part of the State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership. The American Chef Corps will create a network of more than eighty culinary leaders dedicated to sharing the diverse culinary traditions of the United States by hosting meals for diplomats and providing cooking demonstrations at home or abroad, among other opportunities.

Chef Bryant Terry Selected For State Department’s American Chef Corps

By goodblacknews on September 18, 2012

IATP Food and Community Fellow and vegan chef Bryant Terry was named a member of the American Chef Corps, part of the State Department’s Diplomatic Culinary Partnership. The American Chef Corps will create a network of more than eighty culinary leaders dedicated to sharing the diverse culinary traditions of the United States by hosting meals for diplomats and providing cooking demonstrations at home or abroad, among other opportunities.

Jada Pinkett Smith Speaks Against Human Trafficking To Congress

By goodblacknews on July 18, 2012


WASHINGTON (AP) — Actress and activist Jada Pinkett Smith urged Congress on Tuesday to step up the fight against human trafficking in the U.S. and abroad.  The actress testified during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that she plans to launch a campaign to raise awareness and spur action against human trafficking and slavery. She said the “old monster” of slavery “is still with us,” almost 150 years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed slaves in the U.S.
“Fighting slavery doesn’t cost a lot of money. The costs of allowing it to exist in our nation and abroad are much higher,” the actress said. “It robs us of the thing we value most, our freedom.”  She said the issue was brought to her attention by her daughter Willow, 11, who sat nearby with actor Will Smith, Pinkett Smith’s husband and Willow’s father. The Smiths all wore blazers over T-shirts that read, “Free Slaves.” The hearing room was filled mostly with young people, some trying to take photos of the famous family.
With her father’s arm around her, Willow remained attentive to her mother’s testimony and often whispered to her father. At least 30 minutes into the hearing, Will wrapped his gray blazer around Willow.  The actress called for an extension of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which provides funding to combat trafficking and help trafficking victims. The act also created a task force, chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, which coordinates among federal agencies to implement policies against human trafficking.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., pledged to try to gather bipartisan congressional support to further fund the act.
The State Department estimates that at least 14,500 people are trafficked to the U.S. annually.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.