Saving Puerto Rico: Representatives from SUNY, CUNY and UNICEF USA to Expand Trauma-Informed Mental Health Support

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced the start of the 2019 New York Stands with Puerto Rico Recovery and Rebuilding Initiative, deploying 50 SUNY and CUNY volunteers to Puerto Rico on winter break to work with non-profit partners to clean, restore and rebuild damaged homes. Additionally, as part of the new disaster mental health initiative announced in September 2018, a small team of SUNY, CUNY and UNICEF USA experts will convene a diverse group of experts and organizations in Puerto Rico to create an action plan to expand trauma-informed mental health support across the island.

"New York has stood with Puerto Rico since day one, and we will not leave our fellow Americans behind while the federal government continues to ignore their needs," Governor Cuomo said. "This new deployment of volunteers will not only help rebuild the island stronger and more resilient than before, it will provide much-needed mental health support to individuals still suffering from the trauma of the disaster and Washington's ineffective response."

 The Governor committed to sending 500 SUNY and CUNY volunteers in 2019, which builds upon last summer's effort that deployed more than 650 SUNY and CUNY students, as well as skilled labor volunteers, to assist communities still recovering from Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Over the course of five deployments, volunteers logged in nearly 41,000 hours to clean, restore, and rebuild homes. The goal to renovate 150 homes was far exceeded, with a total of 178 homes restored over 10 weeks.

The deployment of approximately 10 experts builds upon initial assessment work conducted by the SUNY New Paltz Institute for Disaster Mental Health in November in partnership with UNICEF USA. This new initiative will focus on helping children and families cope with the trauma caused by Hurricane Maria, providing sustainable support that can continue even after relief volunteers leave the island.

New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Co-chair of the NY Stands with Puerto Rico Rebuilding and Reconstructing Committee said, "While we have made great strides in helping our neighbors in Puerto Rico rebuild and recover, there is much more work to do. New York has stood with Puerto Rico in the face of disaster and in the face of a lackluster federal response. We will continue to support the island, its infrastructure, and its residents, who are our fellow Americans."

Click here for the full announcement.

Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

New Community-Based Mental Health Services Available for Medicaid Enrolled Children and Youth

 

Albany, NY – New York State today announced the first three of six new community-based mental health services for children, youth, and families.  These services will help address the stigma of mental health treatment by providing more rapid access to mental health care where families are more comfortable, including in homes, schools, and other community locations.

These new services reflect the goal of the Children’s Medicaid Redesign Subcommittee: to ensure children and their families receive the right services at the right time, in the right amount, and in the right place. In the past, a child would need to be at risk of hospitalization before they could access intensive community-based mental health services.  These new services are available to any child on Medicaid who needs them.

Bringing these services into the home and other community settings, rather than receiving them in traditional clinical settings, makes mental health care more accessible, helping New York State to serve more children, youth, and families much earlier and with a greater likelihood of success. 

The three new services launched January 1, 2019 are called “Other Licensed Practitioner,” “Psychosocial Rehabilitation” and “Community Psychiatric Supports and Treatment” and provide therapeutic and rehabilitation support services. They are child-centered and family-focused, involving a multi-system and culturally competent approach.

“These new services show New York State’s commitment to children. We are developing strategies to help kids for their entire lives, through family support and expanded access to treatment,” said OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “This person-centered, trauma-informed care will set children and youth up for success by providing the treatment they need, when and where they need it.”

“Governor Cuomo has once again shown his dedication to transforming New York’s Medicaid program to promote better health outcomes for vulnerable children and to strengthen families,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “Expanding access to these vital behavioral health services will go a long way towards keeping children with their families, rather than placing them in an inpatient setting.”

OCFS Acting Commissioner Sheila J. Poole said, “These new services will greatly enhance a family’s ability to care for their children in their homes and in their communities. I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership in meeting this need for families, so children can receive the behavioral health and substance abuse services they need to keep families together and children from entering foster care.”

“Putting the needs of our children first ensures that they can succeed later in life,” said OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. “These comprehensive mental health and substance abuse services will not only provide help when and where they need it most, but will also encourage a lifestyle of long-term health and wellness.”

“This collaborative approach will help ensure that young people with both developmental disabilities and behavioral health issues have access to appropriate treatment options at a young age,” said OPWDD Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner Roger A. Bearden. “By providing young people with developmental disabilities and their families with community-based crisis and peer prevention services, we can better help support young people with more complex needs to remain in their family home, and to be participating members of their communities.” 

Any child under age 21 who is Medicaid-eligible and has an identified behavioral health need can access New York’s new Children and Family Treatment and Support Services.

Find out more about the services here: https://on.ny.gov/2OJoSJH

Source: New York State Office of Mental Health

Veteran NBC/MSNBC Journalist Blasts the Network for Being Captive to the National Security State and Reflexively Pro-War to Stop Trump

 

By Glenn Greenwald

A veteran national security journalist with NBC News and MSNBC blasted the networks in a Monday email for becoming captive and subservient to the national security state, reflexively pro-war in the name of stopping President Donald Trump, and now the prime propaganda instrument of the War Machine’s promotion of militarism and imperialism. As a result of NBC/MSNBC’s all-consuming militarism, he said, “the national security establishment not only hasn’t missed a beat but indeed has gained dangerous strength” and “is ever more autonomous and practically impervious to criticism.”

The NBC/MSNBC reporter, William Arkin, is a longtime prominent war and military reporter, perhaps best known for his groundbreaking, three-part Washington Post series in 2010, co-reported with two-time Pulitzer winner Dana Priest, on how sprawling, unaccountable, and omnipotent the national security state has become in the post-9/11 era. When that three-part investigative series, titled “Top Secret America,” was published, I hailed it as one of the most important pieces of reporting of the war on terror, because while “we chirp endlessly about the Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, the Democrats and Republicans, this is the Real U.S. Government:  functioning in total darkness, beyond elections and parties, so secret, vast and powerful that it evades the control or knowledge of any one person or even any organization.”

Click here for the full article.

Source: The Intercept

Kevin Hassett: Furloughed Workers Eligible for Unemployment Benefits

C-SPAN: Council of Economic Advisers Chairman returns to speak briefly with reporters to clarify that furloughed federal government workers are eligible for unemployment benefits during the government shutdown.

Note: This video may not play on certain browsers. If so, click here. 

McConnell Warns House Democrats Against 'Presidential Harassment' Over Policymaking

Federal Workers' Union Calls Government Shutdown 'Unconscionable'

This report was published on YouTube on January 2. 

PBS NewsHour: The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is suing the Trump administration, arguing that it's illegal to force 400,000 federal employees to work without pay. According to J. David Cox, the president of the union, the Fair Labor Standards Act and legal precedent support his organization's stance. Cox sits down with Judy Woodruff to explain why he finds the shutdown "unconscionable."

US Ambassador Meets with American Arrested in Russia

Nancy Pelosi Announced as Democrat’s Nominee for House Speaker

Kevin McCarthy Named GOP Nominee for House Speaker

India Sabarimala Temple: A State of Chaos After a Second Straight Day of Violent Protests

Leader of France's 'Yellow Vest' Protesters Arrested

Al Jazeera Captures Evidence of Food Aid Stolen in Yemen War

Analysis: Saudi Arabia Puts Jamal Khashoggi Murder Suspects on Trial

Happening in Harlem: Tribeca Film Screening, Orientation for HCCI Teen Filmmaker Training Program

Click on the flier to increase its size. 

Click here to RSVP for the filmmaker bootcamp or the Tribeca film screening and discussion. 

Source: ImageNation

NYPD Update: Year-End Crime Statistics

Girls for Gender Equity to Host 'Marching Orders'

Click on the image to increase its size. 

On January 17, Girls for Gender Equity will host Marching Orders, an inter-generational evening to celebrate the work of the organization and to reflect on what women across the country are 'marching’ for.
 
The free event will bring together like-minded artists and advocates, activists and allies to discuss what is required of all who seek to push the gender-based movement forward. RSVP is required.

Click here for additional information. 

Source: GGE

SUNY Student Assembly Responds to Governor’s Veto of Enhanced Maintenance of Effort

The SUNY Student Assembly is disappointed in Governor Andrew Cuomo's decision to veto S.7259-A, which called for a true Maintenance of Effort for SUNY and CUNY.

This legislation would have expanded the state’s original maintenance of effort for SUNY to include the system’s Health Science Centers and mandatory increases in operating costs including for faculty salaries and utilities.

These increasing mandatory expenses are currently absorbed by campuses, creating significant budgetary strains. These costs are then passed on to students through decreased allocations to educational programs and increased tuition.

“It is time for the state to step up to the plate and ensure that our campuses can continue to offer the high quality and accessible academic programs New Yorkers deserve,” said Michael Braun, President of the SUNY Student Assembly and Trustee on the SUNY Board. “Without Maintenance of Effort, students will bear the burden of these costs in the form of higher tuition and decreased access to the critical services that they depend on.” 

The need for an expanded maintenance of effort will only compound in coming years as a result of the newly enacted UUP Contract, increasing utility expenses, and inflation. The Student Assembly stands ready to work with Governor Cuomo to explore alternatives which alleviate these mandatory costs and ensure that our campuses continue to thrive.

Source: SUNY SA

Senator James Sanders Jr. Hosts Free Legal Assistance for Senior Citizens

Source: The Office of State Senator James Sanders, Jr.

De Blasio Defends Slow Rollout of Half-Price MetroCards

This report was published on the CBS2 website on January 2.

Former NY Times Editor Jill Abramson Accuses Paper of Biased Coverage: ‘Unmistakably Anti-Trump’

 

By Ken Meyer

Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson is bashing the paper for, in her view, eschewing the traditional principles of journalism in favor of an “unmistakably anti-Trump” editorial direction.

Fox News’ Howard Kurtz has published a review of “Merchants of Truth,” Abramson’s upcoming book about the business incentives driving the news industry.

Click here for summary. 

Source: Mediaite

Cuomo Warns of Investigations War if Legislature Looks into His Administration

 

By Kenneth Lovett

Gov. Cuomo Wednesday fired back a warning shot at state Democratic lawmakers who have threatened more aggressive oversight of his administration.

During an interview on upstate public radio’s “The Capitol Connection,” Cuomo noted his administration can investigate local project money lawmakers secure for their districts.

“You can always get into an investigations battle,” he said. “They have oversight committees. I have every state contract, every member-item contract. Every grant that the Legislature does goes through my government, so I can investigate every one of those.”

But such a war, he said, “would be unproductive and a waste.”

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The New York Daily News

New for 2019: Senior Citizens Must Enroll in Income Verification Program for Property Tax Break

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance today reminded property owners age 65 and over who are applying or reapplying to receive the Enhanced STAR exemption in 2019 that they must now enroll in the Income Verification Program (IVP).

Those already enrolled in the IVP don’t need to take any action to continue receiving their Enhanced STAR exemption checks.

New IVP enrollees will likewise automatically receive the exemption each year they’re eligible.

In the first year of enrollment, the assessor will verify eligibility based on the income information provided by the homeowner. In subsequent years, the New York State Tax Department will automatically verify eligibility. As a result, homeowners will no longer need to renew the exemption or share income tax returns with their local assessor’s office.

“This change applies only to seniors 65 or older applying for the Enhanced STAR exemption or those who have the exemption included in their property tax bills,” said Acting Commissioner Nonie Manion. “This doesn’t affect those who receive a check for this exemption because we already verify their income eligibility.”

Next steps
 
If you already receive the Enhanced STAR exemption but aren’t yet enrolled in the IVP, you must renew your application for the Enhanced STAR exemption and enroll in the IVP. Submit the following forms to your assessor: 

Form RP-425-Rnw, Renewal Application for Enhanced STAR Exemption for the 2019-2020 School Year; and 

Form RP-425-IVP, Supplement for Forms RP-425-E and RP-425-Rnw

If you receive the Basic STAR exemption now and are eligible for Enhanced STAR in 2019, you must apply for it and enroll in the IVP. Submit the following forms to your assessor:

Form RP-425-E, Application for Enhanced STAR Exemption for the 2019-2020 School Year; and 

Form RP-425-IVP, Supplement to Forms RP-425-E and RP-425-Rnw

If you’re a new homeowner or first-time STAR applicant, you need to register for the STAR credit with the Tax Department instead of applying for the exemption. You can register here: www.tax.ny.gov/STAR.

Required information

Be sure to complete all forms entirely, including the Social Security numbers of all property owners and any owner’s spouse who resides at the property. You must also provide proof of income.

Deadlines

The deadline for applications is March 1 in most communities, but the date varies in some locations. Contact your assessor for the deadline in your area.

Senior citizens exemption

If you’re also receiving the senior citizens exemption, you’ll still need to annually renew that benefit with your assessor. To renew your application, file Form RP-467-Rnw with your assessor.

In the past, seniors who qualified for the senior citizens exemption were automatically granted the Enhanced STAR exemption. Beginning in 2019, you must apply separately for both exemptions. Follow the instructions above to apply or renew the Enhanced STAR exemption.

To apply or renew the senior citizens exemption, file the appropriate form with your assessor: 

first-time applicants must file Form RP-467, Application for Partial Tax Exemption for Real Property of Senior Citizens 

renewal applicants must file Form RP-467-Rnw, Renewal Application for Partial Tax Exemption for Real Property of Senior Citizens

Additional information is available through the following links: 

2019 Changes to Exemptions for Property Owners Age 65 and Over
Enhanced STAR Income Verification Program (IVP)
Senior citizens exemption

Source: New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

A Holiday Mystery: Why Did John Roberts Intervene in the Mueller Probe?

 

By Nelson W. Cunningham

A mysterious grand jury subpoena case has been working itself through the D.C. courts since August. Doughty reporting by Politico linked the grand jury case to special counsel Robert Mueller. Some of us, connecting the dots, wondered whether Mueller’s antagonist in this secret subpoena battle might be President Donald Trump himself. Speculation heightened two weeks ago when the D.C. Circuit cleared an entire floor of reporters assembled for the oral argument, in order to protect the identity of the litigants.

Four days later, the D.C. Circuit judges burst the speculative bubble with a decision that halfway revealed the identity of the party litigating against the government: not Trump, but an unnamed corporation (“the Corporation”) owned by an unnamed foreign state (“Country A”). Although the case is still plenty mysterious (What foreign state? What records of what transactions? Why the hard-fought litigation?), the evident fact that Trump was not directly involved in the litigation seemingly drained further proceedings of direct suspense. Mueller watchers headed off for the holidays.

Click here for the full article.

Source: POLITICO MAGAZINE

Teachers Quit Jobs at Highest Rate on Record

 

By Michelle Hackman and Eric Morath

Teachers and other public education employees, such as community-college faculty, school psychologists and janitors, are quitting their jobs at the fastest rate on record, government data shows.

A tight labor market with historically low unemployment has encouraged Americans in a variety of occupations to quit their jobs at elevated rates, with the expectation they can find something better. 

But quitting among public educators stands out because the field is one where stability is viewed as a key perk and longevity often rewarded.

The educators may be finding new jobs at other schools, or leaving education altogether: The departures come alongside protests this year in six states where teachers in some cases shut down schools over tight budgets, small raises and poor conditions.

In the first 10 months of 2018, public educators quit at an average rate of 83 per 10,000 a month, according to the Labor Department. While that is still well below the rate for American workers overall—231 voluntary departures per 10,000 workers in 2018—it is the highest rate for public educators since such records began in 2001. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Wall Street Journal 

Mumia Abu-Jamal Wins Major Round in Court Battle

 

By Noelle Hanrahan

For the first time in 37 years a Philadelphia court has granted Mumia Abu-Jamal relief.  Judge Leon Tucker of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas has thrown out the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s repeated denials of Mumia’s appeals: five appeals over 27 years.

The decision attempts to limit relief to arguments before the PA Supreme Court and on the previously filed papers; but likely these re-arguments will require new briefing and hearings. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has 30 days to appeal of Tucker's order.

There is no way that the Pandora’s box of police corruption, prosecutorial misconduct, and judicial bias can be closed.

Mumia will now be able to argue his innocence and expose the tainted evidence which framed him for the murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner on Dec. 9, 1981.  

“True justice requires, patience, integrity, independence, impartiality, and propriety,” notes Judge Leon Tucker in his memorandum opinion. 

He also quotes the U.S. Supreme Court: “Courts employ an objective standard that requires recusal when the likelihood of bias on the part of the judge is too high to be constitutionally tolerable”  Massey Coal (2009).

The bedrock principle in Judge Tucker’s decision is that every person must receive a fair trial. This principle has been ignored by the Pennsylvania courts for decades. It took the U.S. Supreme Court decision eviscerating former PA Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castille for bias (Williams v. Commonwealth of PA) for the Pennsylvania courts to take notice.

Tucker ruled that the guarantee of a fair hearing (a fundamental constitutional right) would not be possible before Justice Ronald Castille, a former Philadelphia District Attorney.

Mumia will now be able to finally challenge the illegal police and prosecutorial tactics used during his trial and he will be able to expose the rulings of the notorious racist trial judge Albert F. Sabo. 

Saying that racism and bias poisoned Mumia’s arrest and conviction, while true, just does not capture the evocative or descriptive realities.

Let’s take a quick look at judicial bias in Philadelphia.  

Just a few weeks into Mumia’s original trial in 1982, the trial judge, Albert Sabo, said “Yeah, I am going to help them fry the nigger” in front of court clerk Terri Maurer-Carter and PCRA Judge Richard Klein. This evidence came to light in 2001.

While sitting on the PA Supreme Court Ronald Castille ruled that that the bias of Judge Sabo had already been litigated by the lower courts.  They affirmed in 1998 the decision of Judge Pamela Dembe. According to Dembe it "was a jury trial, [and] as long as the presiding Judge's [Sabo’s] rulings were legally correct, claims as to what might have motivated or animated those rulings are not relevant."

Let’s be clear. Everyone knew and knows about Sabo’s legendary racism. They knew in 1981. They knew in 1995. And they know now. One PCRA Philadelphia Judge has recently said: “Albert Sabo was the most racist jurist I have ever met, outrageously biased."

In 1995 the PA Supreme Court and Ronald Castille also approved Albert F. Sabo’s temporary appointments to come out of retirement to hear cases.    

The practice of allowing judges to come out of retirement to hear the appeals on the cases they previously presided is done under the guise of efficiency, but in reality it  enhances racism and procedural error. The practice continues to this day, one Philadelphia PCRA judge told me recently “I sat through the original trial, so I know who is guilty and who is innocent”.  

Predictably, in 1995 Sabo refused to step down in the interest of fairness; and denied every single defense motion at the 1995 evidentiary hearing and adopted the District Attorney’s arguments wholesale.

Racism and bias infected every single aspect of Mumia’s original trial. I was in the courtroom and saw Albert Sabo in action in 1995. It was transparent from the record, and palpable in his conduct on the bench.  Even the Philadelphia Daily News had a banner headline “Sabo must Go”. The editorial board was afraid that Sabo’s bias would haunt the case. They were right.

It was Ronald Castille and the PA Supreme Court who denied Mumia’s argument in both instances from the record and through the testimony of a court clerk that Albert Sabo’s bias poisoned the trial.   

Freedom, the possibility of Mumia walking out of prison, is now tangible.

'Future Hope' Column: Bernie and Mafioso Don

 

By Ted Glick 

Over the years I’ve come to count on www.realclearpolitics.com during times when there are important federal election campaigns underway and I want to get a sense of how the candidates are doing. It’s a valuable resource.

During the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election, every few days I checked the status of the Democratic primary race between Sanders and Clinton. I of course checked what the polls were saying about Bernie’s chances of defeating Hillary, but once it was clear that Trump was going to be the Republican nominee I also checked what they were reporting as far as how each of them would match up against Mafioso Don.

Consistently, for several months in the spring and summer of 2016, Sanders always did much better in the polling than Clinton, by about 10 percentage points. If the average of polls said that Clinton would win the popular vote by 5-6% over Trump, the average for Sanders was about 15%. It was striking how consistently this was the case, for at least 2 ½ to 3 months.

The polls said that Bernie would have been a stronger candidate against Trump, but from the standpoint of media coverage of the Presidential campaign, it was almost as if these polls didn’t exist; it was a media non-story. Shame on those progressive and liberal media commentators and outlets who kept this fact quiet.

These polling results are similar to the voting results in the rural state of Vermont when Sanders is on the ballot. He doesn’t just get the votes of Democrats and Independents; he has a tri-partisan appeal, including a decent percentage of Republicans.

When progressives are considering who they’ll be supporting for President, I’d urge them to include this in their thinking. It’s not just Sanders’ progressive positions and leadership on issues, especially economic justice-related issues. Sanders has the authenticity, the political smarts and the track record over decades of standing up for the working man and woman against rapacious corporate power that will lead to a winning back of white workers who voted Trump in 2016.

As far as Mafioso Don, I think the odds are good that he’s not going to be the 2020 Republican candidate.

 

Click here for the full article. 

 

Source: tedglick.com

Will Drug Companies Be Held Accountable for America's Opioid Epidemic?

This report was published on YouTube on January 1.

The Stories Student Reporters Want to See in 2019

This report was published on YouTube on January 1.

Latino Support for GOP Remains Steady Despite Trump's Hard-Line Stance on Immigration

John Kelly Reveals Details About 'Bone-Crushing' Chief of Staff Job

Trump Invites Democrats, Republicans to Meet as Government Shutdown Drags On

Catholic Nuns Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Manhunt Underway for Gunman Who Killed 7-Year-Old Girl

Multiple Passengers Struck with Mystery Illness on Flight

Family: Detained US Man in Russia Was Visiting for Wedding

This report was published on YouTube on January 1.

How Will US Troop Withdrawal Affect Syria's War?

Will There Be a Peaceful Transfer of Power in DRC?

This report was published on YouTube on January 1.

UK MPs, Lawyers Seek Access to Activists Held in Saudi Arabia

France Opposition Capitalising on Protests Ahead of EU Vote?

Israel PM Urged to Expand Illegal Settlements Ahead of Election

High on Debts and Low on Deposits, Nigeria’s Banks on the Line

India: Two Women Under 50 Enter Sabarimala Temple, Sparking Outcry of Conservative Hindu Groups

China-Taiwan: 'What is of Significance with Xi Jinping's Speech is the Timing'

#REPORTERS - A Buoyant Trade in Human Bones Emerges at Caracas General Cemetery

Sudan Protests: What Are the Opposition's Main Grievances?

Brazil Inauguration Ceremony: What Are Jair Bolsonaro's Plans for the Country?

Average Canadian CEO Earns 200 Times More Than Average Worker

Cuba Marks 60 Years of Revolution (Full Ceremony)

This report was published on YouTube on January 1. 

Global News: Cuba's former president Raul Castro marked the 60th anniversary of the country's Revolution on January 1, amidst pressing diplomatic relations with the United States and a flailing economy. 

On New Year's Day of 1959, Cuba's U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista fled as Fidel Castro and his bearded revolutionaries seized control of the Caribbean country. Alongside Fidel was his brother, Raul Castro, who now heads the country's Communist Party. His successor Miguel Díaz-Canel was also in attendance.

Happy New Year to Those in the U.S. and Abroad

 

Dear Viewers,

Please consider making a donation to this news and information site in support of independent journalism, freedom of the press, special investigative reports like the ones showcased in the "Exclusives and Feature Stories" section of this page, and other stories that are being worked on for 2019. 

If you have a PayPal account, donations can be made with a debit or credit card through "From The G-Man"'s PayPal account, FromTheGMan@gmail.com, or by clicking on the image of "Buster" on the right-side of the page. 

Even the smallest of contributions would the help the site's continuing effort to showcase quality journalism and the issues that matter most to you and your loved ones. 

Thank you! 

"G-Man"  

Isaac Asimov's Predictions for 2019

This video was published on YouTube on December 30. 

Isaac Arthur: 35 years ago, Science Fiction's Grandmaster, the late Isaac Asimov, made some predictions for 2019. As we head into the New Year, we'll take a look at those predictions and see what he got right, what he got wrong, and what it tells us about trying to predict our own future, 35 years from now.

2018 State of Black Health

This video was published on YouTube on September 26. 

The State of Black Health National Conference convened public health professionals, social justice leaders and community advocates in pursuit of health equity for African Americans. This inaugural annual event kicked off in Atlanta and examined the core influences on health including economic, institutional, and social inequalities.

Source: NAATPN

2018 Was a Bad Year for the NRA, and the Worst Could Be Yet to Come

 

By Nick Wing

The National Rifle Association began 2018 with plenty of reason for optimism. 

Two horrific mass shootings had rocked the nation in the previous three months ― one of them the deadliest in modern U.S. history ― but by January, any fervor for gun control in Congress had mostly subsided. With a staunch ally in the White House and GOP majorities in both branches of Congress, at least through the end of the year, the NRA seemed positioned to advance its pro-gun agenda over the next 12 months, further cementing its standing as one of the nation’s most politically influential organizations.

Instead, in the waning days of 2018, the NRA now appears to be worse off than it has been in years. The group has made no progress on its federal legislative priorities, and reportedly faces stiff financial headwinds, as well as the looming threat of a pair of explosive scandals involving Russian money and influence.

Perhaps more concerning for the NRA, this year made clear that it’s losing its stranglehold on the conversation around firearms in the U.S. The February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, led to surging momentum in favor of stronger gun laws. A student-led movement emerged in response, quickly singling out the NRA as its chief enemy, and ultimately helping gun safety candidates win victories in the midterm elections. Doctors also jumped into the anti-NRA fray later in the year, publicly thumping the group over its demands that the medical community keep quiet on issues of gun violence.

Click here for the full article.

Source: The Huffington Post

Hillary Clinton Posts Year-End Thoughts, Calls 2018 ‘A Dark Time For Our Country’

 

By Jenna Amatulli

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shared a heartfelt post on Instagram on Monday to reflect on 2018.

“In many ways, 2018 was a dark time for our country,” she wrote.

“As it ends, I’m grateful to everyone who brought light into it: activists who protected kids at the border, journalists who stood up for truth, organizers who mobilized voters for the 2018 elections, candidates who ran races with grit and inspiration, voters who made their voices heard, and absolutely everyone who marched, donated, called, and protested to fight for the values we share.”

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Huffington Post

Here Are 21 LGBTQ Celebrity Coming-Out Stories That Shaped 2018

 

By Curtis M. Wong

In spite of recent social strides, the number of LGBTQ people who say they’ve experienced discrimination on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity appears to be on the rise.

Such figures, of course, only serve as a reminder of the significance of queer visibility, and seeing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer actors, artists and other public figures live authentically remains both empowering and subversive. 

2018 saw some celebrities, including Janelle Monáe, Lucas Hedges and Amandla Stenberg, share their sexualities in interviews with high-profile outlets. Others, like “Grey’s Anatomy” star Jake Borelli and professional golfer Tadd Fujikawa, took a more direct route by using social media to speak about their authentic selves with fans. 

In some cases, they stoked a fair share of controversy, too. Rita Ora revealed she’s been in relationships with women after releasing a song, “Girls,” that many deemed problematic for the LGBTQ community. Jason Mraz was accused of cultural appropriation online after using the Native American term “Two Spirit” to describe his experiences with men and women. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Huffington Post

‘BlacKkKlansman’ Was the Most Frighteningly Accurate Movie of 2018

 

By Talia Lavin

To mark the end of 2018, we asked writers to revisit some of the year’s most noteworthy (for good or evil) events, people and ideas. See the other entries here between now and the new year.

2018 was a year overstuffed with culture. That’s just the way it is now, movies and TV and songs and memes and thoughtful features and endless, endless politics scrolling past our weary eyes at the speed of silicon and too-blue light.

But in all the chaos there’s a moment where my hazy memories of frenetic consumption pause, for a piece of filmmaking that called on me to think hard and to remember. That movie was Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman.” It’s currently raking in a modest haul of awards, but for me, it’s going to linger long past the last bottle of popped January 1st champagne, a remarkable slice of light to which I’ll return for years to come.

Much has been said about the film ― its ambition, historicity and panache have been amply noted. But I’ve elected to discuss it here because I admire it as a piece of artistry and as a salvo launched at the perfect cultural moment. 

The film is about a pioneering black cop who confronts the Ku Klux Klan, providing the voice of a would-be Klansman on the phone while his Jewish co-worker offers a white body to attend the meetings in person. Any summary would be a bare gesture at the substance of the movie, which deftly conjures up the early 1970s with both winking kitsch and careful verisimilitude. “BlacKkKlansman” delivers more than any blockbuster ever needs to, filling its slick packaging with layers of complexity that Hollywood rarely allows for.

Click here for the full article. 

Source: The Huffington Post