The Challenge News Magazine May and June Edition.

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Before slavery was abolished, there were slavery conventions organized by slaves who were working to end slavery. This photo shows the members who were successful in abolishing slavery. These women were once slaves but later heroes for their community.

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most exonerations (38) because of this police corruption. The state is still finding innoWrongfully imprisoned persons lost a total of cent people framed by a group of crooked 1,849 years of their lives before being Chicago cops led by Sgt. Ronald Watts. In cleared in 2021, according to the newly re2017, Illinois had its first "mass exoneraleased annual report from the National Regtion" of 15 men who had been falsely conistry of Exonerations. victed based on misconduct by Watts, who was involved in hundreds of convictions that Last year, 161 people were exonerated for are still being examined. In 2021, another 14 crimes ranging from drug dealing and pospeople convicted by the tainted conduct of session all the way up to murder. People Watts and his officers were exonerated. wrongfully convicted of murder made up nearly half of the exonerations, with 75 in all.

In 2021, the Registry takes note of another An average exoneree served 11.5 years in mass exoneration in New York City. There, prison before being cleared and freed. allegations of misconduct and perjury chargThis year marks the 10th anniversary of the Registry—a product of the law programs at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and the University of California, Irvine's Newkirk Center for Science and Society. Though the registry is only 10 years old, the exoneration records it uses to calculate total numbers and trends go back to 1989. Since 1989, the Registry has counted more than 3,061 exonerations. Taken together, those prisoners lost nearly 27,000 years of life before being exonerated.

By SCOTT SHACKFORD

As with the Registry's last annual report, official misconduct by prosecutors or police played a huge role in explaining how innocent people end up behind bars for years. Official misconduct played a role in 102 of last year's exonerations. In more than three-quarters of the murder cases that ultimately led to exonerations in 2021, misconduct contributed to the false conviction.

conviction integrity units in prosecutors' offices have participated in about 20 percent of all the exonerations in the Registry.

They've become very important in getting courts to cooperate in efforts to get people out of prison when they turn out to be innocent. So when Virginia's new attorney general came into office in January and dumped the entire conviction integrity unit in one fell swoop, people were concerned that there would be less interest in releasing innocent prisoners. Attorney General Jason Miyares said that he's actually expanded the unit and now calls it the "Cold Cases, Actual Innocence and Special Investigations Unit."

But at the same time, Miyares has withdrawn support for a 78-page report by his predecessor, former Attorney General Mark Herring, that sought to clear Terrence Richardson. Richard was sentenced to life in prison for drug crimes and involuntary manslaughter.

Though he was found not guilty by a federal jury of killing a police officer in 1998, a judge nevertheless used his involuntary manslaughter guilty plea to sentence him to life in prison.

Richardson's attorney has filed a writ of actual innocence with the court to try to get Richardson's manslaughter conviction tossed, and the unit under Herring had supported the effort. But after taking office, Miyares formally reversed the state's opinion on the matter and now argues that Richardson is not eligible because he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter.

It's an example of how prosecutors can get in the way of exonerations—using the complicated rules of the court to keep people behind bars even if there's evidence that they're innocent. An appeals es against former New York Police Ofcourt could decide in May if Richard can join ficer Joseph Franco led to prosecutors either the ranks of exonerees. dropping charges or vacating the convictions of more than 450 defendants in 2021 and The Registry notes that unlike what we're A majority of those drug cases involved per- 2022. Those numbers aren't included in the seeing in Virginia, conviction integrity units report's 2021 stats, but it's an example of are proving their worth elsewhere. In 2021, jury or false accusation, mainly by police officers who framed innocent people. But the how greater understanding of police miscon- six units reported their first exonerations, duct is drawing attention to the horrible exincluding a newly created unit in Orleans increase also represents increased awareParish, Louisiana. That is a positive trend. ness by courts of other kinds of official mis- cesses and harms of the war on drugs.

It's tempting to look at all the years lost in conduct, such as forensic fraud and the fail- The Franco cases also highlight the critical these reports and despair, but more proseure by police and prosecutors to disclose role prosecutors—when they actually care cutors are showing that they're willing to exculpatory evidence. about ethics and innocence—can play in look backward and correct these mistakes. exonerations. The 2021 report notes that Illinois ended up being the state with the The report notes that the role misconduct plays in faulty convictions has increased in part due to increases in exonerations for drug-related cases and also as result of greater understanding by the public and the courts about bad police behavior:

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•Elected Alderpersons.

Chicago 50 Wards.

Ward 1 Served by Alderman Daniel La Spata Ward 2

Served by Alderman Brian Hopkins Ward 3 Served by Alderman Pat Dowell Ward 4 Served by Alderman Sophia King Ward 5 Served by Alderman Leslie Hairston

Served by Alderman Derrick Curtis

Ward 32

Ward 19

Served by Alderman Scott Waguespack

Served by Alderman Matthew O’Shea

Ward 33

Ward 20

Served by Alderman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez

Served by Alderman Jeanette B. Taylor

Ward 34

Ward 21

Served by Alderman Carrie Austin

Served by Alderman Howard Brookins Jr.

Ward 35

Ward 22

Served by Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa

Served by Alderman Michael D. Rodriguez

Ward 36

Ward 23

Served by Alderman Gilbert Villegas

Served by Alderman Silvana Tabares

Ward 37

Ward 24

Served by Alderman Emma Mitts

Served by Alderman Michael Scott Jr.

Ward 38

Ward 6

Served by Alderman Nicholas Sposato

Served by Alderman Roderick Sawyer

Ward 39

Ward 7

Served by Alderman Samantha Nugent

Served by Alderman Gregory Mitchell

Ward 40

Ward 8

Served by Alderman Andre Vasquez, Jr.

Served by Alderman Michelle Harris

Ward 41

Ward 9

Served by Alderman Anthony Napolitano

Served by Alderman Anthony Beale

Ward 42

Ward 10

Served by Alderman Brendan Reilly

Served by Alderman Susan Sadlowski Garza

Ward 43

Ward 11

Served by Alderman Michele Smith

Served by Alderman Nicole Lee

Ward 25

Ward 12

Served by Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez

Served by Alderman George A. Cardenas

Ward 26

Ward 13

Served by Alderman Roberto Maldonado

Served by Alderman Marty Quinn

Ward 27

Ward 14

Served by Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr.

Served by Alderman Ed Burke

Ward 28

Ward 15

Served by Alderman Jason Ervin

Served by Alderman Raymond Lopez

Ward 29

Ward 16

Served by Alderman Chris Taliaferro

Served by Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman

Ward 30

Ward 17

Served by Alderman Ariel E. Reboyras

Served by Alderman David Moore

Ward 31

Ward 18

Served by Alderman Felix Cardona, Jr.

Ward 44 Served by Alderman Thomas M. Tunney Ward 45 Served by Alderman James M. Gardiner Ward 46 Served by Alderman James Cappleman Ward 47 Served by Alderman Matthew J. Martin Ward 48 Served by Alderman Harry Osterman Ward 49 Served by Alderman Maria E. Hadden Ward 50

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Served by Alderman Debra Silverstein

By ALEX NITKIN ERIN HEGARTY CLAUDIA MORELL.

meetings, which the council only instituted after WBEZ sued a committee chairwoman in 2019 for her failure to produce A wave of new aldermen campaigned against responsive records confirming regular incumbents by citing their low attendance at meet- attendance was being taken. Committee ings. Now, the freshmen are outperforming the chairmen are now required to take roll at veterans. the beginning of each meeting and post those reports with the city clerk at the Virtual public meetings and better sysend of the month. tems of accountability have sharply boosted aldermanic attendance rates at More than a half-dozen senior aldermen City Council meetings since 2019, acwith poor or middling attendance records cording to a joint analysis by The Daily also were unseated in 2019 by younger Line, WBEZ and Crain’s Chicago Busimembers, some of whom attacked the ness. The average Chicago alderman showed up to do the work of the City Council about four out of every five times they were required to since the start of the term in May 2019.

to the work she was doing on a highprofile development in her ward, the Obama Presidential Center.

“It's the nature of virtual meetings,” Hairston said. “Last time, you know, trying to put together the Obama Presidential Center, the community meetings, everything, sometimes it was not possible to be down here. With the virtual, then I can be there.”

With a 93% attendance rate, Hairston had a better attendance record than any of her 49 colleagues. But she’s also a member of only four committees, putting about 200 total meetings on her plate during that period—fewer than many other aldermen.

It’s a significant data point that her lower -ranked colleagues—such as Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th—are quick to point out.

The B-minus average still represents hundreds of absences from City Council committees, when aldermen debate and approve the rules, taxes and fees that Chicagoans must live by and pay. Every time the city approves new spending, a stop sign, a six-figure legal settlement or a zoning change for a new development, it has to pass through one of the City Council’s 19 committees first.

Unlike many of my colleagues, I'm on eight committees. I am one person,” said Harris, whose ward is on the city’s Far South Side. Harris is also chairwoman of the powerful Rules Committee, tasked with getting a consensus on the once-ina-decade process of drafting a new ward And while some aldermen brush it off, incumbents by pointing to the low score map. “I stretched myself to the limit. For spotty attendance can make or break WBEZ and The Daily Line had calculated. me, even with Zoom, it's been a little difficritical legislation. During a January cult with all the meetings all the time.”

And the COVID-19 pandemic pushed meeting of the City Council's Finance most meetings into cyberspace in 2020, Committee, city attorneys had to shelve a The number of committees and subcommaking it easier for aldermen to log their mittees has grown in recent years under $125,000 payment that would have settled a lawsuit with Lenora Bonds, a wom- presence. About two-thirds of the meetMayor Lori Lightfoot’s leadership. Severings this term have been held over Zoom. an who sued the city after her son was al of these newly formed bodies rarely shot to death by Chicago police in 2013. While attendance improved overall, meet, despite the benefit of six-figure Not enough aldermen showed up to vote scores varied widely. The poorest recbudgets. “aye” on the proposal, sending city attor- ords were held by some of the most senThe number of commitments also varies neys back to the bargaining table with ior members, including a few who will be by alderman, as each is assigned to bodBonds. asking voters for promotions this year. ies that oversee different corners of city An attorney for Bonds did not respond to Virtual meetings made a big difference requests for comment. for some Though this is a midterm progress report Several aldermen, such as No. 1-ranking covering two-and-a-half years, the City Ald. Leslie Hairston, Council’s average attendance score of 5th, say the ability to nearly 81% is a sharp jump from the term meet virtually helped that ended in 2019, when a simiimprove their attendlar analysis of those four years found the ance. average alderman showed up to just 64% Hairston, whose ward of meetings (that 2019 tally has been adincludes parts of justed from 65% based on revised calcuHyde Park, Woodlawn lations). and South Shore, The improvement was driven in part by closed out the last term near the bottom new policies put in place to track and of the list, attributing her absences then publicly report attendance at committee

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government.

No one had to attend more meetings than Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, who had to balance his City Council obligations with the added commitment of serving on the Chicago Plan Commission, a city planning board, and Choose Chicago, a quasi-public-private partnership focused on boosting tourism. Burnett attended 300 of the roughly 360 meetings he was Continue on page 14.

gave her a rank of 47 out of 50. She was the former Budget Committee chairwoman WBEZ had to sue to get her commitAld. Andre Vasquez, 40th, a Democratic tee’s attendance sheets. Austin is the Socialist who beat out 36-year incumbent second-longest-serving alderman on the Ald. Pat O’Connor, then-Mayor Rahm City Council and one of two sitting alderBurnett says prioritizing which meetings Emanuel’s floor leader, has attended 92% men, along with Burke, under federal inand mayoral press conferences to attend of required meetings, compared with dictment.

O’Connor's 48%. Vasquez is a member of is a challenge.

In addition to having contracted COVIDeight committees and has the third-best “Plan Commission goes on all day .While grade of any alderman.

19 early in the pandemic, Austin suffers I'm at the planning commission, this comfrom a heart condition. “A lot of my nonmittee meeting is going on,” Burnett said, “It's what the people pay us to do,” attendance was (because I was sick). So Vasquez said. “That's what your tax dolpointing out with a laugh that he agrees if I could have in the hospital, I did it with the City Council’s most prolific pub- lars do. And like, this is your government, (virtually) by my laptop.” you should expect us to be there.” lic commenter, George Blakemore, who Some of the lowest scorers have eyes on “complained about how we have all these Nugent agreed. meetings at the same time, he can't go to “How do you know what’s going on if you new elected positions. all of them.” don’t show up to committee meetings?”

The lowest score—54%—belonged to she said. “We’re able to learn more about Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, who repreBut the rise in virtual meetings has althe legislation and ask questions of rele- sents parts of McKinley Park and Little most eliminated the problem of rampant vant stakeholders so they can explain the Village and has served on the City Coundouble-booking, in which several comcil since 2003. He is running for a spot mittee meetings started at the same time, nuances of legislation.” on Cook County’s Board of Review, a forcing aldermen to oscillate between Ald. Ed Burke, 14th, the dean of the body property tax appeals body. meeting rooms during critical votes. That with more than a half-century of experiwas a major concern raised by aldermen ence under his belt, Cardenas dismissed the attendance data, during the prior analysis. showed up to just 108 of saying it’s “not possible” that he attendthe 194 meetings he was ed only 165 of the 307 meetings for which Poor attendance still common among required to attend this he was required to show up during the council veterans. term, giving him a 55% two-and-a-half-year period.

Still, one theme remains the same since score—the second-worst Reprint from Crain’s Chicago Business. the 2019 analysis: Younger, newer alderon the council. men were far more likely to attend meetings than colleagues who’ve been around When confronted, Burke said he thinks for decades. The average freshman alder- he has “probably close to 100% attendance at meetings of committees I’m apman attended 86% of required meetings, usu- pointed to.”

Continued from page 13. supposed to attend, or about 'Chicago: Some most powerful aldermen show up to work the least'. 83%, beating the City Council average.

ally surpassing the veteran they replaced.

rino of the powerful Northwest Side Laurino family, who attended only 64%.

“It’s my impression that I generally attend meetings of the committees I’m assigned to,” he said.

New 39th Ward Ald. Sam Nugent, for exam- “I'm grateful this time, I'm not in the botple, attended 93% of meetings—far extom,” Ald. Carrie Austin, 34th, said of her ceeding her predecessor, Ald. Marge Lau- record this term. Her 63% attendance rate

Chicago, IL: While taxpayers find it difficult to cough up hard-earned dollars and pay the salaries of city council leaders who find it difficult to work!

This is shameful, especially when taxpayers rearrange their bills to get by.

However, on occasion, the taxpayers should study city council attendance records to see who evades specific meetings!

City business is essential to industrious taxpayers and should be respected as such. City leaders should be reminded that they are employees, while the taxpayer is the employer… and that the employer can terminate a person if they do not conduct their assigned job.

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By CORY TURNER

American Slavery?

cial studies teachers. While nearly 90 percent agreed that "In the ways that we teach and Nearly half blamed taxes on im"teaching and learning about learn about the history of Ameri- ported goods. Perhaps, the reslavery is essential to undercan slavery," write the authors of port's authors guessed, students standing American history," a new report from the Southern were confusing the Civil War with many reported feeling uncomfortPoverty Law Center (SPLC), "the the Revolutionary War. able teaching slavery and said nation needs an intervention."

How many students chose slav- they get very little help from their textbooks or state standards.

This new report, titled Teaching ery as the reason the South seThe report includes several powHard History: American Slavery, ceded? erful quotes from teachers exis meant to be that intervention: Eight percent. plaining their discomfort, includa resource for teachers who are ing this from a teacher in Califoreager to help their students bet- "Slavery is hard history," writes nia: ter understand slavery — not as Hasan Kwame Jeffries in the some "peculiar institution" but as the blood-soaked bedrock on which the United States was built.

The report, which is the work of the SPLC's Teaching Tolerance project, is also an appeal to states, school district leaders and textbook-makers to stop avoiding slavery's hard truths and lasting impact.

The Teaching Tolerance project began in 1991, according to its website, "to reduce prejudice, improve intergroup relations and support equitable school experiences for our nation's children."

geous crimes committed against African Americans and other minorities, over many centuries—especially at the hands of white males. I also find it very difficult to convey the concept of white privilege to my white students. While some are able to begin to understand this important concept, many struggle with or actively resist it."

Jackie Katz, a history teacher at Wellesley High School in Wellesley, Mass., says student discomfort is a big challenge when talking honestly about slavery.

"When you bring up racism, kids start getting really defensive, thinking that they're to blame," says Katz. "To feel comfortable, you need to have a really good classroom climate, where students feel that they're not being blamed for what happened in the American past, where they don't feel shame about it. It is 100 percent not their fault that there is racism in this country. It will be their fault if they don't do anything about it in the next 20 years."

This defensiveness from students does not surprise Ibram X. Kendi, a professor of history at American University and author "Although I teach it through the of the National Book Awardlens of injustice, just the fact that report's preface. He is an associwinning Stamped From The Beit was a widely accepted practice ate professor of history at The ginning: The Definitive History of in our nation seems to give the Ohio State University and chair concept of inferiority more weight Racist Ideas In America. of the Teaching Hard History in some students' eyes, like if it Advisory Board. "It is hard to "Saying that the deadliest conflict comprehend the inhumanity that happened, then it must be true. in American history was fought Sometimes it gives students the over an effort to keep people defined it. It is hard to discuss the violence that sustained it. It is idea to call black students slaves enslaved conflicts with students' or tell them to go work in the field sense of the grandness of Amerihard to teach the ideology of white supremacy that justified it. because of the lack of represen- ca, the grandness of American tation in textbooks. So when history and, therefore, the grandWhich was the reason the South And it is hard to learn about students see themselves or their ness of themselves as Amerithose who abided it." seceded from the Union? black classmates only represent- cans," says Kendi.

The problem, according to the a. To preserve states' rights ed as slaves in textbooks, that report, is not that slavery is ig1. Textbooks and teachers tend to affects their sense of self and b. To preserve slavery nored in the classroom or that accentuate the positive how other students view them." teachers, like their students, 2. Slavery is often described as a c. To protest taxes on imported And this from a teacher in Maine: don't understand its importance.

Southern problem goods Many clearly do. The problem is 3. Slavery depended on the ideol"I find it painful, and embarrassd. To avoid rapid industrialization deeper than that. ogy of white supremacy ing (as a white male) to teach 4. Too often, ‘the varied, lived e. Not sure The Teaching Tolerance project about the history of exploitation, experience of enslaved people is abuse, discrimination and outra- neglected.

How Much Do You Know About surveyed nearly 1,800 K-12 soThe report includes the "dismal" results of a new, multiple-choice survey of 1,000 high school seniors — results that suggest many young people know little about slavery's origins and the government's role in perpetuating it.

Just a third of students correctly identified the law that officially ended slavery, the 13th Amendment, and fewer than half knew of the Middle Passage. Most alarming, though, were the results to this question:

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Springfield, Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed a bill entitling public school, community college, and general university employees fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to receive paid administrative leave for any days they miss this school year coronavirus-related issues.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 1167 into law, which provides those employees as many days off as needed to abide by public health guidelines and mandates related to isolation and exclusion. The rule applies to any employee of public educational institutions, including support staff and contractors.

dent of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. “And we’ve seen around the country, and certainly around the state, that those tensions are inflamed during COVID. But this bill is a sign that when you have good public servants of goodwill, who devote themselves to trying to figure out what’s the right thing to do, we can all work together and get it done and do it in a way that is better for learning, teaching, and the kids and their communities of the state.”

Angela Bulger, a special education paraprofessional in O’Fallon, said she had already missed eight school days this year due to COVID-19 – once when she contracted the virus and again when her 7-year-old daughter was exposed to the virus at school.

The bill applies retroactively to days missed this school year.

“It ensures that if a teacher has done their part to keep their classroom safe for their most vulnerable students, they won’t have to worry for a second about their pay or their paid time off if they get COVID or if they’re required to isolate, or if the school has moved to e-learning and their work can’t be done at home,” Pritzker said during a bill signing ceremony in his Statehouse office.

During last year’s fall veto session, lawmakers initially passed a bill that provided paid leave for any education employee who had to miss work due to COVID-19. Still, Pritzker vetoed that measure in January because it would have applied to unvaccinated employees.

“As a new employee, I am allotted 11 sick days,” she said. “Without this legislation, any additional days missed because of COVID would also mean a cut in pay because I have no more earned sick days.”

The original bill passed the General Assembly in October with near-unanimous support, but the inclusion of a vaccination requirement to receive the benefits sparked Republican opposition. They argued that unvaccinated employees who have to stay home to care for a sick family member would be deprived of an advantage that a vaccinated person in the same position would receive.

But Pritzker defended the vaccine requirement to encourage more At the same time, he issued that veto; however, Pritzker announced people to get vaccinated. he had reached a negotiated agreement with teachers’ unions, school districts, colleges, and universities on a bill that would include “What we’re trying to do, of course, is to encourage people to do the right thing to keep their students safe, keep the rest of the school a vaccine requirement for the benefit. safe, by being vaccinated. That’s the purpose of that provision in the “Work in legislation is difficult. People don’t always agree. There are law,” he said. struggles and differences of opinion,” said Dan Montgomery, presi-

Chicago: Matters of Truth: Youth and elders should read; Police, Prisons, Politics, and Power, by Howard Saffold.

Tensions between the Black Community and Chicago’s majoritywhite police force have continued to escalate through the years. From the late ’60s through the early ’90s, those tensions grew to an allhigh.

In this explosive memoir, Howard recounts the battles, lawsuits, and negotiations that resulted in more accountability in the police department. Equally compelling are his riveting accounts of the racism within the ranks that often brought him and his fellow Afro-American Police League members into the line of fire. For those who lived through those times, reliving that era through the experiences of a former Black cop will give you a whole new perspective. For others, throughout the nation, this will serve as a history lesson and an upfront, close-up look into the Chicago you’ve only heard about, the real Chicago and its Police, Prisons, Politics, & Power.

This powerful book is worth the read. Editor, Rev. Harold E. Bailey.

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the film “King Richard.”

Abdul-Jabbar said “Smith’s tearful, self-serving (Oscar) acceptance speech” was “worse” than the slap: “The speech was about justifying his violence.”

Abdul-Jabbar said “Smith’s tearful, self-serving acceptance speech "was “worse” than the slap: “The speech was about justifying his violence. …Those who protect don’t brag about it in front of 15 million people. They just do it and shut up. You don’t do it as a movie promotion claiming how you’re like the character you just won an award portraying.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says the incident where Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during a live Oscars telecast" did a lot more damage than just to Rock’s face.”

While presenting an award at the Oscars Sunday, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, saying he couldn’t wait to see Smith star in “G.I. Jane 2.”Pinkett Smith has dealt with alopecia, which results in severe hair loss, since 2018.

Abdul-Jabbar said Smith's display of the “Toxic Bro ideal” can influence others to react in a similar manner. On the flip side, Abdul-Jabbar applauded Rock’s “grace and maturity” for maintaining his composure after the slap.

Will Smith seemed to laugh at the joke at first, but then got up and hit Rock in the face as he stood on the stage. Rock appeared to be in shock, and Smith sat back down and said, “keep my wife’s name out of your (expletive) mouth,” twice.

“Young boys — especially Black boys — watching their movie idol not just hit another man over a joke, but then justify it as him being a superhero-like protector, are now much more prone to follow in his childish footsteps,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote. “Perhaps the saddest confirmation of this is the tweet from Smith’s child Jaden: ‘And That’s How We Do It.’”

In a blog post titled “Will Smith Did a Bad, Bad Thing, ”Abdul-Jabbar wrote that “with a single petulant blow, (Smith) advocated violence, diminished women, insulted the entertainment industry, and perpetuated stereotypes about the Black community.”

The tweet from Jaden Smith has over 1.1 million likes on Twitter.

Although the NBA legend described Smith as a “charming, sincere, and funny” person during their various meetings, Abdul-Jabbar said Smith's act of violence is damaging to people of color because it perpetuates negative racial stereotypes.

Abdul-Jabbar called on Smith to issue a heartfelt apology to Rock.

Smith issued a statement on his Instagram account, writing, “There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

“One of the main talking points from those supporting the systemic racism in America is characterizing Blacks as more prone to violence and less able to control their emotions. ”Abdul-Jabbar, 74, wrote. "Smith just gave comfort to the enemy by providing them with the perfect optics they were dreaming of. Many will be reinvigorated to continue their campaign to marginalize African Americans and others through voter suppression campaign.”

Later in the night, Smith went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams, in

“Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally, "Smith wrote. “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be.”

By USA TODAY SPORTS

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Black codes and Jim Crow laws were laws passed at different periods in the southern United States to enforce racial segregation and curtail the power of black voters.

After the Civil War ended in 1865, some states passed black codes that severely limited the rights of black people, many of w hom had been enslaved. These codes limited what jobs African Americans could hold, and their ability to leave a job once hired. Some state s also restricted the kind of property black people could own. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 weakened the effect of the black codes by requiri ng all states to uphold equal protection under the 14th Amendment, particularly by enabling black men to vote. (U.S. law prevented women of any race from voting in federal elections until 1920.)

During Reconstruction, many black men participated in politics by voting and by holding office. Reconstruction officially ended in 1877, and southern states then enacted more discriminatory laws. Efforts to enforce white supremacy by legislation increased, and African Americans tried to assert their rights through legal challenges. However, this effort led to a disappointing result in 1896, when the Supreme Court ruled, in Plessy v. Ferguson, that so-called “separate but equal” facilities—including public transport and schools—were constitutional. From this time until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination and segregation were legal and enforceable.

One of the first reactions against Reconstruction was to deprive AfricanAmerican men of their voting rights. While the 14th and 15th Amendments prevented state legislatures from directly making it illegal to vote, they devised a number of indirect measures to disenfranchise black men. The grandfather clause said that a man could only vot e if his ancestor had been a voter before 1867—but the ancestors of most African-Americans citizens had been enslaved and constitutionally ineligible to vote. Another discriminatory tactic was the literacy test, applied by a white county clerk. These clerks gave black voters ex tremely difficult legal documents to read as a test, while white men received an easy text. Finally, in many places, white local government off icials simply prevented potential voters from registering. By 1940, the percentage of eligible African-American voters registered in the South was only three percent. As evidence of the decline, during Reconstruction, the percentage of African-American voting-age men registered to vote was more than 90 percent.

African Americans faced social, commercial, and legal discrimination. Theatres, hotels, and restaurants segregated them in in ferior accommodations or refused to admit them at all. Shops served them last. In 1937, The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide, was first published. It listed establishments where African-American travelers could expect to receive unprejudiced service. Segregated public schools meant generations of African-American children often received an education designed to be inferior to that of whites—with worn-out or outdated books, underpaid teachers, and lesser facilities and materials. In 1954, the Supreme Court declared discrimination in e ducation unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, but it would take another 10 years for Congress to restore full civil rights to minorities, including protections for the right to vote.

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By Ja'han Jones

McMaster told CNN in 2017.

South Carolina: Richard Bernard Moore, a 57-year-old Black man who has been on South Carolina's death row for more than two decades, has decided to die by firing squad, according to court documents recently filed.

Some states have "shield laws" that hide the identities of lethal injection drug providers and others tasked with carrying out the killings. The governor and other death penalty backers have unsuccessfully pushed for a shield law in South Carolina — but if you thought not having one would end executions in the state, you’d be sorely mistaken.

Moore, convicted of the 1999 killing of a convenience store clerk, was forced to choose between execution by firing squad or by elecAfter going a decade without executions because of the inability to tric chair because South Carolina lacks the drugs to administer obtain lethal injection drugs, McMaster signed lethal injections. a law in 2021 that made the electric chair the “I believe this election is forcing me to choose state’s default method of execution. It also between two unconstitutional methods of exegave prisoners the option to die by firing cution," Moore said in a statement Friday, squad. noting that he only chose death by firing In March, South Carolina’s Department of squad because he was required to choose a Corrections announced that it had made method. $53,600 worth of renovations to the “death Moore's attorneys have asked the state Suchamber,” which they claimed would “comply preme Court to delay his execution while a with the law and add safety precautions.” lower court determines whether the firing Evidently, those “safety” measures included a squad and electric chair are cruel and unusual new firing squad chair where incarcerated people will sit while punishments. they’re being riddled with bullets.

Moore's execution was scheduled for April 29.

It’s worth noting here that South Carolina’s administration of the It’s important to remember the bloodlust that led us to this point, death penalty has been decried as “racist, arbitrary, and errorand in particular, South Carolina’s insistence upon killing incarcerprone” by the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina. The ated people even despite its limited means of doing so. For several state is 27 percent Black, yet Black people make up roughly 50 years, states like South Carolina have struggled to obtain the drugs percent of its death row prisoners, according to the Death Penalty used to kill death row inmates, as many pharmaceutical companies Information Center. stopped making or supplying those drugs amid pressure from activWhat's more, as the ACLU of South Carolina noted, dozens of inists and health professionals. mates sent to death row have since been proven innocent. That “The reason we don’t have the drugs, despite intense efforts to get includes George Stinney Jr., a 14-year-old Black boy whom South them, is because the companies that make them, the distributors Carolina executed by electric chair in 1944 after an all-white jury who distribute them and the pharmacists that may have to comfound him guilty of killing two white girls. He was exonerated 70 pound them don’t want to be identified,” South Carolina Gov. Henry years later.

Background: Richard B. Moore.

Spartanburg, South Carolina: Richard Bernard Moore born February 20, 1965, is an American man on death row in South Carolina. He was convicted of the September 1999 murder of James Mahoney, a convenience store clerk, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Moore's case received international attention when he was scheduled for execution and opted to be executed by firing squad under the state's new controversial capital punishment laws. Moore was set to become the first person to be executed in South Carolina in over a decade, as well as the first person in the state to be executed via firing squad. However, his execution was stayed by the South Carolina Supreme Court on April 20, 2022.

On September 16, 1999, in the early hours, Moore entered Nikki's convenience store in Spartanburg. He was unarmed and was intending to rob the store to support his cocaine addiction. Inside the store was the clerk, 42-year-old James Mahoney, and an eyewitness to the crime, Terry Hadden. As Hadden played on a video poker machine, he saw Moore walk toward the cooler inside the store. He then heard Mahoney shout at Moore and ask him what he was doing. Hadden turned to see Moore and Mahoney in a brawl, with Moore holding both of Mahoney's hands with just one of his. Mahoney had pulled a gun on Moore and the two got into a scuffle, with Moore taking hold of the weapon with his other hand. Moore turned his attention to Hadden and pointed the gun at him, telling him not to move.

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Moore then tried to shoot Hadden but missed. Hadden fell to the floor, pretending to be dead. Mahoney then pulled out a second gun and several more shots were fired.

Mahoney shot Moore in the arm while Moore shot Mahoney in the chest. After Moore paced around the store leaving a trail of blood behind him, he fled the store and drove off in his pickup truck. Hadden then got up and saw Mahoney lying face down on the floor, with a gun lying near his hand. Hadden called the police, but Mahoney died minutes later from the gunshot wound to the chest. Moore stole 1,500 dollars from the store..

After Moore left the store, Deputy Bobby Rollins, who was on the lookout for him, heard a loud bang as he was patrolling the area. Moore had backed his pickup truck into a telephone pole approximately one and a half miles away from the crime scene.

As Rollins approached the vehicle, he saw Moore sitting in the back of the truck bleeding from the gunshot wound to his left arm. As Rollins shouted at him to surrender, Moore confessed to the crime. The stolen money was found in a bag covered in blood in the front seat of the truck. The weapon that Moore had taken from Mahoney was later found on a nearby highway shortly before dawn.

Moore was taken to Spartanburg hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He was then transported to the Spartanburg County jail where he was charged with armed robbery, assault, and battery with intent to kill, and murder.

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• Beloved Merri Dee.• Justice R. Eugene Pincham suggested that the Rev. Harold Bailey contact Merri Dee and ask if she would consider being a voice in the Probation Challenge organization. Bailey did as was told, and Merri said yes, becoming not only a voice but the spokesperson for the Probation Challenge program.

Merri Dee not only had integrity but concern for individuals who had entanglements with the criminal justice system.

Probation Challenge (PC) on the road to curtail crime would draw together other credible journalists and thus would enhance knowledge concerning the criminal justice system and the harm that crime, drugs, and murder have imposed on the community.

Merri on occasion would confer with Rev. Bailey regarding her being shot by an assailant while left for dead. Nonetheless, Merri survived the horrific ordeal while maintaining the spirit of love.

Merri Dee of Channel 9, renowned television personality, Art Norman, with Chicago Channel 5 News, Chinta Strausberg, and Juanita Bratcher, who were from the Chicago Defender, would untiringly tour with Rev. Bailey around the city and often into the Chicago Cook County Jail facilities, where they would speak rationality into the mindset of hundreds of inmates who would listen intently.

Joe DuPar, then chair of the PC board and the Xerox Black Caucus, delighted in the audience’s response to attending the Probation Challenge Forums. The assemblies were a first in the city.

Merri Dee impacted those she worked with and is a reminder to those who remain that kindness can go a long way, and addressing inmates, Rev. Bailey often said, "Love will cover a multitude of sins" The late Mayor Harold Washington often expressed appreciation for all the team rendered the city. Merri Dee played an intricated role in making a difference in the lives of individuals in and out of the Chicagoland.

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•Matthew 24. King James.

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be short39 And knew not until the flood came, and ened. took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, Take heed that no man deceive you. here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and am Christ; and shall deceive many. false prophets, and shall shew great signs 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possithe one shall be taken, and the other left.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of ble, they shall deceive the very elect. wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what these things must come to pass, but the end 25 Behold, I have told you before. hour your Lord doth come. is not yet.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Be- 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and hold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, house had known in what watch the thief kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. would come, he would have watched, and famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, would not have suffered his house to be 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the in divers places. broken up. east, and shineth even unto the west; so 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflict- 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. ed, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated the eagles be gathered together.

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, of all nations for my name's sake. whom his lord hath made ruler over his 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those household, to give them meat in due sea10 And then shall many be offended, and days shall the sun be darkened, and the son? shall betray one another, and shall hate one moon shall not give her light, and the stars another. shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord heavens shall be shaken: when he cometh shall find so doing.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the heaven with power and great glory. same shall be saved.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather preached in all the world for a witness unto together his elect from the four winds, from all nations; and then shall the end come. one end of heaven to the other.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayed his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looked not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomi32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When nation of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: him his portion with the hypocrites: there readeth, let him understand:) shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee these things, know that it is near, even at the into the mountains: doors.

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

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by James Washington

The black codes did not sit well with many northern states or Republicans in Congress.

After the Civil War, there was a lot of question from the former southern slave states about what would happen with the freedmen. The freedmen wondered what the future held, while the former enslavers had other questions.

In response to the black principles, Republicans in Congress took over reconstruction with the Reconstruction Act of 1867,

In late 1865, the end of the Civil War and the 13th amendment gave about four million enslaved people freedom.

However, even with their newfound freedom, African Americans still had obstacles to face, one being the black codes.

The black codes were laws passed in 1865 and 1866 in Southern states which were meant to control the new freedom of African Americans. These laws varied from state to state, and in some cases, these codes were variations of former slave laws. Some of these laws were that freedmen were not taught to read and write, they were assumed to be agricultural workers, and public facilities were segregated.

Mississippi and South Carolina were the first two states to legalize black codes, developing laws regulating or forcing employment. Mississippi made a rule stating all African Americans had to have proof of work each January. South Carolina said that African Americans could not hold any other occupation other than servant or farmer unless they paid an annual tax of $10 to $100.

Other common black code laws were defined by blood, and the presence of any amount of black blood made the individual black, and freedmen could not assemble without a white person.

In some states, African Americans could only own particular property, and they were constrained to the types of property they could hold. If African Americans violated any of these black codes, they were subjected to arrest, beaten, or forced into labor. Even black codes would move orphans or children whose parents could not support them (the judge’s decision) into an apprenticeship law, making these minors work for white planters and give no pay.

which made southern states ratify the 14th amendment, guaranteed equal protection of laws to every resident in a form, and eventually created the 15th amendment.

As with decades of slavery, Black Codes destroyed countless Black families by demanding unmarried couples separate, However, with all the limitations of black codes, these codes leaving the black man no choice but to leave the woman and also allowed African Americans to marry and own property. children. There was no alternative… it was or else be denied public housing and finance. A Black man could not be noted Overall, the rate of tightly following the black codes varied from area to area; however, if it became known that the black within a stone’s throw where the women lived. The governprinciples were not being followed, the appropriate person for ment sanctioned this action as it was also considered a legal Black Code, which resembled a form of slavery. this would be notified, and the laws would become strictly enforced.

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WASHINGTON : Americans are deeply divided over how much children in K-12 schools should be taught about racism and sexuality, according to a new poll released as Republicans across the country aim to make parental involvement in education a central campaign theme this election year.

Overall, Americans lean slightly toward expanding — not cutting back — discussions of racism and sexuality, but 4 in 10 say the current approach is about right, including similar percentages across party lines. Still, the poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows stark differences between Republicans and Democrats who want to see schools adjust.

About 4 in 10 Republicans say teachers in local public schools discuss issues related to sexuality too much, while only about 1 in 10 say too little. Among Democrats, those numbers are reversed.

The findings reflect a sharply politicized national debate that has consumed local school boards and, increasingly, state capitols. Republicans see the fight over school curriculum as a winning culture war issue that will motivate their voters in the midterm elections.

for school boards and local offices.

racism that has become a catch-all phrase for teaching about race in the U.S. history.

What started as parents' concern His Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, about virtual learning and mask wearing has had said in a debate that parents shouldn’t morphed into something larger, said Repubtell schools what to teach. lican pollster Robert Blizzard, describing parents as thinking: “OK, now that we have The poll also shows Americans have mixed the schools open, what are these kids learn- views about schools' focus on racism in the ing in school?"

U.S. The poll shows 50% of Americans say parents have too little influence on curriculum, while 20% say they have too much and 27% say it’s about right. About half also say teachers have too little influence.

Kendra Schultz said she and her husband have decided their 1-year-old daughter will be homeschooled, at least initially, because of what friends have told them about their experiences with schools in Columbia, Missouri.

Most recently, she said, one 4-year-old’s pre-K class talked about gender pronouns.

Schultz offered that and mask requirements as examples of how the public school system “doesn’t align with what we believe or how we would like to see our children educated.”

“I’m just like, you’re a little kid, you should be learning your ABCs and your numbers and things like that,” said Schultz, a 30-year -old conservative. “That's just not something In the meantime, a flurry of new state laws that me and my husband would be interesthas been introduced, meant to curtail teached in having teachers share with our chiling about racism and sexuality and to estabdren.” lish a “parents’ bill of rights” that would champion curriculum transparenIn Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSancy and allow parents to file complaints tis in March signed into law a bill barring against teachers. instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.

The push for legislation grew out of an eleOpponents, including the White House, vated focus on K-12 schools during the have dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

COVID-19 pandemic, when angry parents crowded school board meetings to voice The poll shows Americans are slightly more opposition to school closures, mask manlikely to say the focus on sex and sexuality dates and other restrictive measures intend- in local schools is too little rather than too ed to prevent the spread of illness. much, 31% to 23%, but 40% say it’s about right. The poll didn’t ask about specific “All that that’s happening these days kind of grade levels. goes against the longer history of school boards being relatively low salience govern- Blizzard, who has been working with a ment institutions and, in a lot of cases, they group called N2 America to help GOP canare nonpartisan offices,” said Adam Zelizer, didates in suburbs, said the school’s issue a professor at the University of Chicago resonates with the Republican base and Harris School researching school board can motivate voters. legislation.

In the Virginia governor's race last year, What distinguishes this moment, Zelizer Republican Glenn Youngkin won after camsaid, is the “grassroots anger” in response paigning on boosting parental involvement to school policies and the national, coordiin schools and banning critical race theory, nated effort to recruit partisan candidates an academic framework about the systemic

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Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said parents and teachers alike are frustrated after pandemic disruptions and should partner to help kids recover. The efforts to predetermine curriculum and restrict teaching are getting in the way, she said.

“The people who are proposing them, they’ve been pretty clear ... they just want to sow doubt and distrust because they want to end public education as we know it," Weingarten said.

Parents of school-age children aren’t more likely than other adults to say parents have too little influence in schools. But there is a wide partisan gap, with 65% of Republicans saying that, compared with 38% of Democrats.

Michael Henry, a father of three in Dacula, Georgia, says he’s wrestled over what the right level of involvement is. It didn’t sit right with him, for example, that his 6-year-old was taught about Christopher Columbus in an entirely positive light. He says he’s reflected on “some of the lies” and “glorification of history” in his own publicschool education and thinks race needs to be talked about more.

But the school curriculum is “outside my area of expertise," said Henry, 31, an actuary who is also the acting president of the Gwinnett County Young Democrats.

“I have to do a lot of studying and work to be able to make informed decisions, and I don’t feel like parents generally have that kind of skill set” for curriculum, he said. “I think professionals should mostly be determining what the curriculum should be.”

Henry worries that new restrictions are “adding extra hassle for teachers, who already have a lot on their plate, to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.”

“Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world after drug smuggling and arms dealing.” — Unknown God created the family, and children are a gift from Him. Psalm 127:3

When it comes to Sex Trafficking, WE THINK of young and female! Social economics, race, and location is not an issue! This is the mindset of many! The truth is Young MEN, Transgender and Young BOYS are also trafficked! Males are trafficked for labor as well for Sex Trade as it is with the females as young as 10 years old to adult!

Growing up in a 2 parent household and as a single parent raising 2 young ladies who are now grown professional women, Stolen Innocence of a child by a man or Psalm 127.3 was often said! Church was woman should be life in prison. Parents a very important part in our lives.

Programs and slogans that were established to save our children

victims caught up in the U.S. sex industry (about 60% are female and less than 5% are transgender males and females).

Stolen Innocence in 2022 is higher!

Knowledge is Power! When you see something that looks suspicious when it comes to our youth, say something!

Some signs of Sex Trafficking:

1. Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and authority figures/law enforcement.

2. Person has physical injuries or branding such as name tattoos on face or chest, tattoos about money and sex, or pimp phrases.

Stranger Danger, Officer Friendly, The Neighbors, It Takes a Village, My Brothers Keeper...have now become

3. Clothing is inappropriately sexual or inappropriate for weather.

just empty promises! Stranger Danger is Danger in Strangers, Officer Friendly can't be trusted, The Neighbors, cover the ears and eyes so not to see and hear the crime and cries for help from our children. It takes a Village has become filled with guns, drugs, sex traffickers and our Brothers Keeper is now my Brothers' Killer!

4. Person seems overly fearful, submissive, tense, or paranoid.

When it hits your front door...

or guardians have become very relaxed in their children as far as giving them so much independent freedom to roam the With this being said, we come into a so- malls, dropping them off to study in the ciety of Child Sex Trade/ Sex Trafficking! libraries, and letting them be with their so called friends, yet never speakFrom the North Shore, South Shore to ing with the parents to know who they your Front door, Sex Trafficking is Real! are!

People tend to think exploitation of ChilThe freedom to use Social Media without dren in Sex Trafficking happens somebeing supervised is another issue when where else not here! Child Sex Trade has it comes to trafficking, contact to youth been around since the 1800's. is very easy.

Sex Trafficking , the selling and buying Also in 2016, a Department of Justiceespecially children, boys and girls for commissioned study, “Youth Involvesexual acts happens everyday here in ment in the Sex Trade,” found that boys our Chicago/Southland areas! make up about 36% of child trafficking Children are having Children and the new grandmother is 30 years old!

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It hit the front door of my family in December Christmas Eve in 2016 in Markham, IL. My young cousin Desiree. Robinson, was murdered by Antonio Rosales. Desiree's body was beaten and strangled. Her throat had also been slit

by Antonio Rosales.

Recently, Antonio Rosales, after waiting on a Jury Trial took a plea deal and was given 39 years!

As a family member, I wanted life!

"Taking someone away means taking away their dreams ~ Unknown"

•Maureen "Moe" Forte'• • N' The Know With Moe for Social Justice • Moe Talk Radio • Village Trustee • East Hazel Crest

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law new guidelines Friday involving race-based discussions in businesses and schools as part of his campaign against critical race theory, which he called “pernicious" ideology.

going to hurt our children’s futures,”' said Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon, who

they believe the legislation will have a chilling effect on how African American history is taught because teachers will fear lawsuits if students’ parents object to how they present subjects like slavery, segregation, lynching and the continued presence of racism in the U.S. “The governor is on his bogeyman tour of issues that are not issues,” Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones, who is Black, said in an interview. “The Republicans continuously cloak themselves in freedom, but clearly pick and choose which freedoms and for whom they support said freedoms .. They sure don’t support the freedoms of Black people.”

Passed by lawmakers earlier this year, the legislation bars instruction that says members of one race are inherently racist, and that they should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race or that a person’s status as privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by their race. It also bars the notion that meritocracy is racist, or that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity.

The new law does expand language in state law requiring classroom instruction on ”the ramifications of prejudice, racism “We believe in education, not indoctrinaand stereotyping on individual freetion,” DeSantis said during Friday's bill doms,” as well as study of the history of signing in South Florida. slavery, segregation and racial oppresDeSantis said Florida students will not is Black. “CRT is not taught in K-12 edu- sion, and of contributions by Blacks in have oppressive ideologies imposed on U.S. history. But such material cannot cation here in our public schools." them, as the bill provides “substantive seek to “indoctrinate or persuade stuprotections” for students in grades K to DeSantis’ focus on culture war isdents to a particular point of view” incon12. He said “pernicious ideologies” will sues involving race, gender and the coro- sistent with the law. not be allowed. navirus have made him one of the most “What are we supposed to do, just let popular Republican politicians in the “We will not use your tax dollars to teach these ideologies overtake our entire educountry and a likely 2024 presidential our kids to hate this country or hate each cation system?” DeSantis said at a camcandidate. other,” DeSantis said. paign-style event to sign the bill in the Critical race theory centers on the idea South Florida city of Hialeah. The gathOpponents say DeSantis doesn’t have an that racism is systemic in U.S. instituered crowd responded, ’Noooo.' accurate idea of what critical race theory tions and that they function to maintain is, and argue that his motives are to supthe dominance of white people in society. “This is an ideology that was taking hold press an accurate account of Black histoin a lot of elite institutions, the media, There is little evidence that critical race ry. theory itself is being taught to K-12 pub- corporate America, the bureaucracy, the education establishment.

“It’s just illustrating Gov. DeSantis’ patlic school students, though some ideas tern of Black attack policies led by Recentral to it have been incorporated into Most Americans don’t want anything to publican legislators. He has taken a culteaching materials. do with this stuff,” DeSantis said. ture war to a classic Republican battleBlack lawmakers in Florida have said ground, which is the public schools. It’s

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