National News - Page 35

California Bill Would Establish ‘Black-Serving Institution’ Designation

By Margaret Attridge A proposed bill in California would recognize colleges and universities in the state that have a proven track record of educating and supporting Black students. Senate Bill 1348 would establish a Black-serving institution designation for institutions that have a Black student population of at least 10% or 1,500 students. Additional qualifications institutions must have include: A Black Student Success program A robust African American Studies Program Outreach programs and services to the Black community that demonstrate a commitment to Black and African American student success Written certification from the institution’s chief administrative officer confirming their commitment to addressing Black and African American

Majority of Black Americans believe U.S. institutions are conspiring against them, poll finds

Most Black Americans say they’ve experienced racial discrimination regularly or from time to time, which colors how they view U.S. institutions like policing, the political system and the media, according to a study on conspiracy theories. The study released by the Pew Research Center examined the intersection of race and conspiratorial beliefs. It’s the second installment in the research group’s series on how Black Americans see success and failure. The study defines racial conspiracy theories as ideas that Black Americans might have about “the actions of U.S. institutions” that aren’t necessarily the stated goals of the institution. The study stresses that these

Kenya Partners With American HBCUs for STEM Exchange Program

By Evan Castillio Kenya is partnering with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the Eastern Seaboard to enhance student and faculty exchanges. Kenyan President William Ruto visited women’s HBCU Spelman College in Atlanta on May 21 to announce a faculty and student exchange program to enhance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in the U.S. and Kenya. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), representatives from Spelman, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Howard University signed the agreement. In an increasingly technology-driven world, STEM is the bedrock of innovation and progress, and a workforce skilled in STEM is essential for

Biden-Harris Administration Extends Loan Consolidation Window To Get Credit Toward Forgiveness Programs

The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced an update on the timing of the payment count adjustment. This administrative fix ensures borrowers get proper credit for progress borrowers made toward income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). The payment count adjustment is now anticipated to be fully implemented in September 2024. At that time, borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans held by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) will see a full and accurate count of their progress toward loan forgiveness. Because of this updated timeline, borrowers with non-federally held FFEL loans who apply to consolidate by June 30 can

Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86

By Faris Tanyos Marian Robinson, the mother of former first lady Michelle Obama, has died at the age of 86, her family announced Friday. “She passed peacefully this morning, and right now, none of us are quite sure how exactly we’ll move on without her,” the statement read. Robinson was born in 1937 and grew up on Chicago’s South Side, one of seven children. She trained as a teacher before working as a secretary. She married Fraser Robinson, and they had two children together, Michelle and Craig Robinson. Fraser died in 1991. When her son-in-law, former President Barack Obama, won

Presidential Candidates Pull Out of Historic HBCU Debate, First Lady Jill Biden Weighs In

By Ashleigh Fields President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have notified the Commission on Presidential Debates that they will no longer participate in university forums. This move rips three of the scheduled debates off the campaign trail and draws attention to the newly added matchups slated for June and September. Virginia State University (VSU), Texas State University and the University of Utah, all respective host institutions, have issued statements about the abrupt change. “Virginia State University is disappointed to hear media reports suggesting that the U.S. presidential candidates may not participate in the scheduled October 1, 2024, debate at VSU.

Sojourner Truth statue unveiled where she gave her 1851 ‘Ain’t I a Woman?’ speech

Hundreds gathered in an Ohio city on Wednesday to unveil a plaza and statue dedicated to abolitionist Sojourner Truth at the very spot where the women’s rights pioneer gave an iconic 1851 speech now known as “Ain’t I a Woman?” Truth, a formerly enslaved person, delivered the speech to a crowd gathered at the Universalist Old Stone Church in Akron for the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention. In the speech, Truth drew upon the hardships she faced while she was enslaved and asked the audience why her humanity and the humanity of other enslaved African Americans was not seen in the

George Floyd’s murder led to a national reckoning on policing, but efforts have stalled or reversed

By Yamiche Alcindor and Fiona Glisson Four years ago, protests erupted across the country after millions of Americans watched the chilling video of the murder of George Floyd — a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. In the aftermath, Chauvin was convicted of murder and calls for a nationwide reckoning on issues related to racism and police violence reverberated in city after city. But in the years since then, some of those efforts at change, like the federal George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, have stalled. In several states, calls to pass criminal justice

American Airlines faces a discrimination suit after removing 8 Black men from flight

By Jonathan Franklin Three Black men have filed a lawsuit against American Airlines alleging they were victims of “blatant and egregious racial discrimination” after being removed from a flight. In a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday, the three plaintiffs — Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph and Xavier Veal — say that they and five other Black male passengers were removed from an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in January “without any valid reason, based solely on their race.” The eight men did not know each other and were not seated together

Reparations proposals for Black Californians advance to state assembly

The California Senate advanced a set of ambitious reparations proposals Tuesday, including legislation that would create an agency to help Black families research their family lineage and confirm their eligibility for any future restitution passed by the state. Lawmakers also passed bills to create a fund for reparations programs and compensate Black families for property that the government unjustly seized from them using eminent domain. The proposals now head to the state Assembly. State Sen. Steven Bradford, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, said California “bears great responsibility” to atone for injustices against Black Californians. “If you can inherit generational wealth, you can inherit

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