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January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024

Vol. 51 No. 2• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

END 2023

REST IN POWER

Celebrities Transitioned

Photo courtesy Atlanta Daily World

Rest In Power: The Black stars we lost in 2023 This year has seen a lot of highs and a lot of lows for celebrities and their fanbases, but nothing can compare to when highprofile figures pass away. 2023 in particular marked the deaths of some of the extremely influential Black actors, musicians, sports stars, activists, politicians, and other notable figures. Some of these stellar individuals have left behind a longlasting legacy, while others were taken just as they were making waves in their respective scenes. Regardless of how these people left this world, one thing was for certain: they were loved. This is dedicated to the Black stars we lost in 2023. The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live. The post Rest In Power: The Black stars we lost in 2023 appeared first on Atlanta Daily World.

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Grace Bumbry

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Tina Turner

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Hughes Van Ellis

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Cedric ‘Beastie’ Jones

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Jacky Oh!

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Zoleka Mandela

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Irish Grinstead

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Clarence Avant

Mike Williams

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C.J. Harris

Gangsta Boo

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Harry Belafonte

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Clark Haggans

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Sheila Oliver

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DJ Mark The 45 King

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James Ingram

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Lance Reddick

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Richard Roundtree

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Brandon Hunter

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Andre Braugher

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Magoo

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Willis Reed

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Rudolph Isley

Dopeboy Ra / Young Capone

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Kristoff St. John

Danielle Ballard

Page 2 • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News

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January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024

Vol. 51 No. 2• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com

Plagiarism charges downed Harvard’s president. A conservative attack helped to fan the outrage By Collin Binkley and Moriah Balingit AP Education Writers

Mark Anderson heads the Barbara Schneider Foundation and is a member of the Unity Community Mediation Team, (UCMT).

Background: Minneapolis to select Monitor for Consent Decree By Al McFarlane Editor This is the first in a series of articles Edited excerpts from a Dec. broadcast interview on The Conversation with Al McFarlane on KFAI,90.3FM and across social media platforms, and other sources. Mark Anderson heads the Barbara Schneider Foundation and is a member of the Unity Community Mediation Team, (UCMT) which seeks to elevate community voices in oﬃcial strategies to eliminate police violence against primarily Black and Native American

Minneapolis residents. UCMT spokespersons, Al Flowers and Mark Anderson said they are not satisfied with the process that narrowed bidders to perform court order monitoring of Minneapolis Police Department as part of Justice Department Consent Decree. Minneapolis officials named three finalists who are currenty presenting to Minneapolis community residents in presentations organized by the city.  Effective Law Enforcement For ALL (ELEFA), a nonprofit with offices in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Silver Springs, Maryland.  Jensen Hughes, a law enforcement consulting firm

which has oﬃces around the world.  Relman Colfax, a Washington, D.C.-based national civil rights firm that has representing cities and law enforcement oﬃcers facing race discrimination charges. Unsuccessful were bids among others, submitted by: Gomez Oversight Group: Run by a former United States district judge of the Virgin Islands, Curtis V. Gomez. Unity Community Mediation Team: A rights and justice collaborative that participated in MDHR’s investigation of the Minneapolis police. CNA Center for Justice Research and Innovation: A Virginia-based team that

specializes in assessing law enforcement performance. Dorsey and Whitney: A Twin Cities-based firm with a decades long business history with the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Oﬃce, helping prosecute misdemeanor cases up until the murder of George Floyd in 2020. BakerHostetler: A law firm headquartered in Cleveland with 17 oﬃces across the country — none in Minneapolis. The firm provides legal services to corporations on a range of topics from defending businesses against class-action lawsuits to helping companies comply with government regulations.

CONVERSATION 4

American higher education has long viewed plagiarism as a cardinal sin. Accusations of academic dishonesty have ruined the careers of faculty and undergraduates alike. The latest target is Harvard President Claudine Gay, who resigned Tuesday. In her case, the outrage came not from her academic peers but her political foes, led by conservatives who put her career under intense scrutiny. Reviews by Harvard found multiple shortcomings in Gay’s academic citations, including several instances of “ duplicative language.” The university concluded the errors “were not considered intentional or reckless” and didn’t rise to misconduct. But the allegations continued, with new ones as recently as Monday. Conservatives zeroed in on Gay amid backlash over her congressional testimony about antisemitism on campus. Her detractors charged that Gay — who has a Ph.D. in government, was a professor

Culture and Education Editor

By Irma McClaurin, PhD Just a few days after I posted a version of this column on @Medium, the Chronicle of Philanthropy had this story as its lead story, “A.I. Could Prove Disastrous for Democracy: How Can Philanthropy Prepare?” (https://www.philanthropy.com/ article/a-i-could-prove-disastrous-for-democracy-how-canphilanthropy-prepare). The author, #GordonWhitman, asserted that we need less A.I. in the world of philanthropy and more “human connection.” Why? Because donors can’t discern the diﬀerence between an A.I. generated voice and a real person begging for money. What he fails to acknowledge is that humans— people—are a major part of the problem with A.I. Less than a week ago, on #LinkedIn, I read this post about an #NPR story: @ Carmen Drahl, “AI was asked to create images of Black African docs treating white kids.

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Black and white toy robot on red wooden table. up with images that flip the stereotype of “white saviors or the suﬀering Black kids…” [He stated],“We wanted to invert your typical global health tropes.” …They realized AI did fine at providing on-point

images if asked to show either Black African doctors or white suﬀering children. It was the combination of those two requests that was problematic.

Afrodescendientes

Do Not Despair America Reboot for 2023

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at Harvard and Stanford and headed Harvard’s largest division before being promoted — got the top job in large part because she is a Black woman. Christopher Rufo, a conservative activist who

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Ben Jealous

COMMENTARY: The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday

A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) is not the Problem: We Need By Ben Jealous More Diverse and Inclusive Humans in the Tech Sector How’d it go?” (https://www. npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/10/06/1201840678/ ai-was-asked-to-create-images-of-black-african-docs-treating-white-kids-howd-it-?). My #blackanthropology colleague, Dr. David Simmons (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ david-simmons-87743a4/ ), responded to the article with this observation about the real danger behind #AI, and also an appeal: …AI still relies on humans — complete with their biases and assumptions, both implicit and explicit. Let’s work towards creating AI systems that are more inclusive. The Oxford University researcher that Drahl wrote about, Dr. Arsenii Alenichev (https://www.ethox.ox.ac.uk/ team/arsenii-alenichev ), had tried an experiment. The results he and his team of scientists reached over and over again proved that our fear should not be that #artificialintelligence will take over and ruin the human world. After all, A.I. is constrained by its data parameters. What we do need to fear is how the coding and input of data into A.I. are done by human beings, who come already socialized and filled with cultural biases! Drahl explains, …[Alenichev’s]goal was to see if AI would come

AP Photo/Steven Senne, File

Then-Edgerley Family Dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay addresses an audience during commencement ceremonies, May 25, 2023, on the school’s campus in Cambridge, Mass. Gay, Harvard University’s president, resigned Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, amid plagiarism accusations and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.

Thanks to 20th century aquariums and marine theme parks, orcas – also known as killer whales – are the most iconic whales in America. When the public learned their captivity involved torture, orca shows disappeared from those parks, as they should have. Now there are signs that certain groups of orcas could disappear entirely. Significantly, many of the orcas captured – including the famed Shamu – came from a small population of orcas whose trusting nature made them easy to catch. Southern Resident orcas, which historically spent the summer and fall months in Washington’s Puget Sound, are down to only 75 left in existence. Designated as “endangered” as of 2005, the Southern Residents remain one of the most critically endangered marine mammals in the United States. But it’s a diﬀerent human activity that is now making it hard for these creatures to survive. Dams that were constructed decades ago along the Columbia and Snake Rivers have greatly disrupted the populations of sockeye salmon – also now listed as an endangered species – that the Southern Residents depend on as a primary food source. The impact of

the loss of salmon has been devastating not only to the orcas, but to the Indigenous peoples of the Columbia River Basin whose culture and livelihoods were closely tied to the fish, and to ecosystems from Idaho to the Pacific Ocean. Four of the dams on the Lower Snake River are among the most harmful to the salmon. The removal – or breaching – of the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite dams could bring back the fish and, in turn, give the Southern Resident orcas their best shot at a thriving future and growing numbers. One of the fiercest leaders on Capitol Hill in the fight to get rid of these dams is Republican Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho. For nearly three years, Simpson has been pushing his Columbia Basin Initiative as a framework for salmon recovery and the restoration of the Lower Snake River to a natural, free-flowing river. In today’s hyperpartisan political environment, people might be surprised that a Republican is leading the charge to protect endangered wildlife. But 50 years ago this month, it was a Republican president, Richard Nixon, who signed the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Both Rep. Simpson’s

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I2H

Radiation therapy takes advantage of cancer’s poor DNA repair abilities – an oncologist and physicist explain how

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Page 4 • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News

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Business Economic lookahead: As we ring in 2024, can the US economy continue to avoid a recession? By D. Brian Blank Associate Professor of Finance, Mississippi State University and Brandy Hadley Associate Professor of Finance and the David A. Thompson Distinguished Scholar of Applied Investments, Appalachian State University With economic forecasters rewriting their 2024 outlooks following recent moves from the Federal Reserve, The Conversation turned to two financial economists to share their thoughts on the upcoming year. D. Brian Blank and Brandy Hadley are professors who study finance, firm financial decisions and the economy. They explain what they’re watching in 2024. 1. At this time last year, many experts saw a downturn on the horizon. Will that longpredicted recession finally come to pass in 2024? The good news is, probably not. The U.S. economy is not in a recession and will likely continue growing. Over the past year, gross domestic product has outpaced expectations, inflation is trending downward and employment remains robust. Real wages have increased, as has consumer spending. Additionally, housing demand is strong and financial markets are at all-time highs. While no one should argue that there will never be another recession, 2024 seems to be an unlikely time for one – unless there’s some unexpected spark like, for example, a new global pandemic. To be fair, optimism leads to risk-taking, which can always contribute to the next downturn. And the U.S. economy faces plenty of challenges, including already elevated debt costs,

Conversation From 3 Greene Espel: A small local law firm with a diversity, equity

a possible government shutdown, rising consumer debt and continued distress in commercial real estate, which could result in rolling industry downturns. Other headwinds include the national debt, other nations’ weaker economies and ongoing global conflict and trade tensions. While 2023 has seemed to many people like a “soft landing” – that elusive achievement in which policymakers reduce inflation without sparking a downturn – prior recessions have followed periods where people thought they had been avoided. That may be why bankers, finance leaders and economists are still noting the risks of interest rates remaining high. Still, the fundamentals are strong and may be on the rise, if you believe chief financial oﬃcers. Plus, despite dysfunction in Washington, recent laws and policies like the CHIPS and Science Act, the bipartisan infrastructure deal, the AI Bill of Rights and the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Use of Artificial Intelligence could further boost economic growth by stimulating job creation and enhancing competitiveness. Notably, public and private manufacturing and industrial investment are at unprecedented levels, and technology is quickly advancing, further contributing to the positive economic outlook, not to mention strong consumer balance sheets. 2. Then what about a ‘vibecession’? Are we in one now, and why does it matter for 2024? When you look at the economic pessimism revealed in polls and on social media, a fascinating paradox emerges – despite the collective bad vibes, the majority of Americans say their personal economic situations are basically fine. The writer Kyla Scanlon has called this state of aﬀairs a “vibecession”: While

and inclusion practice. Greene Espel investigated the Golden Valley Police Department — finding a culture of racism — and probed Minneapolis city operations oﬃcer Heather Johnston — finding allegations that she ran a toxic workplace

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the economy continues to grow, the vibes are just off. The fact that consumer spending continues to see sustained growth, despite the gloomy economic outlook, underscores a curious split between sentiment and economic activity. 3. What if individual income and spending keep rising? Wouldn’t that be enough to end the vibecession? In short: Not necessarily. While inflation has been high over the past couple of years – reaching a peak of 9.1% in June 2022 before falling to 3.1% recently – most Americans have not seen their income rise as fast as inflation since 2021. As a result, many are frustrated that they can’t afford what they could in 2020. Is reminiscing like prior generations about how Coca-Cola used to cost a nickel killing the vibes? If inflation rises faster than wages in 2024, the vibes may suffer. What’s more, other positive economic developments have seemed to barely affect the vibes. Just about everyone who wants a job has one, which is a crucial factor in maintaining consumer confidence and spending habits. To be sure, gas prices also play an outsized role in shaping sentiment, and as they unexpectedly fell in December, sentiment improved. This highlights the impact of energy costs on the public’s mood and suggests that fluctuations in gas prices can quickly influence overall economic sentiment. However, we suspect that consumers will keep doing what they’re doing – spending money and feeling bad about the economy – until some shock forces them out of it. This weird contradiction between perceived gloom and personal financial well-being highlights the complex interplay of psychological factors and material realities that shapes the overall economic narrative.

unsubstantiated. In a broadcast of The Conversation with Al McFarlane last month, Mark Anderson recounted the formation of the Unity Community Mediation Team. Mark Anderson: In 2003 and Community Relations Service of the United States Department of Justice came into Minneapolis to run a mediation between the Minneapolis Police Department, the City of Minneapolis and communities aﬀected by police violence. This was led by Ron Edwards and Clyde Bellecourt from the African American and American Indian community. They were the key figures leading in the community and getting this started. But it was broader than that. I was on there because of my behavioral health work. Barbara Schneider died in a police call a couple of years earlier. The Minneapolis Police Department had shot and killed three people in mental health crises in that one year. And so that was viewed as one of the issues in relationship to police violence. But really the main burden of this problem had been carried by the African American community and the American Indian community. And so we came together as a mediation team on the community side, and we decided to call it Unity Community Mediation Team.

Gay From 3 helped orchestrate the eﬀort against Gay, celebrated her departure as a win in his campaign against elite institutions of higher education. On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote “SCALPED,” as if Gay was a

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Good things are in store in 2024. 4. Could the vibecession become a self-fulfilling prophecy? Consumers say they feel bad, but they’re continuing to spend more than expected, which has been the case for more than a year now. These facts seem at odds with each other, and some experts worry the pessimism itself could hurt the economy. This is because people spend less when they’re concerned about the future. However, this has been the case for months – so it’s unclear why it should change now. While understanding that consumer sentiment is complex, we think it makes more sense to focus on what people do, not what they say. And people are behaving in a way that’s consistent with a strong economy due to rising real income, not to mention a robust labor market. And overall, if you tell people for the better part of two years that a recession is imminent, you shouldn’t be shocked that they’re gloomy. If the consensus is wrong, it should surprise no one when sentiment diverges from

economic data – especially with politicians blaming each other for a weaker economy.

It was leaders from African American community, the Latino community, the Native American community as well as the LGBTQ community. We produced a 40-page memorandum of agreement that really was all the issues that all of these community groups had with the police department, things that they said really needed to change immediately. And so we just put them all on the table and they’re all in the memorandum of agreement. And so for five years we worked with the police department to ensure that all these provisions were implemented and there were over a hundred action items in the agreement. So that went for five years. Mayor at the time, R.T. Rybak, decided after five years, he did not want to renew the process. And so we stopped meeting. But when George Floyd was killed, this group came back together and said, “We’re going to resume this process because the city of Minneapolis clearly has not dealt with this issue of police violence.” We sat down with the police department and we said, “We have an agreement.” We signed an agreement back in 2003, let’s renew that agreement, let’s update it. And so we sat with them and we went through line by line word by word and updated it and

added some few things. And a city attorney looked at it and they agreed with the language in it. And so we’re in the process now of implementing that new memorandum of understanding And in November last month. This goes back again for three years back to when George Floyd was killed in this work that we’ve been doing. But the first thing we did was we had revived the Police Community Relations Council process, which was created in the Memorandum of Agreement back in 2003. We revived that in the Memorandum of Understanding. The PCRC and Unity Community are signers on this agreement. PCRC is charged with ensuring that compliance with all of the action items in the agreement. We have a joint compliance committee with the police department commanders and the deputy and assistant chiefs. We meet monthly with them and look at each action item in the agreement and we ensure that it’s being applied within the policy and procedure manual of the Minneapolis Police Department. We have created community-based sites where individuals can go and file a complaint against the police department, but they don’t have to go to city hall, they don’t have to go to the police precinct. They can go to community organizations that

they know and trust and where they’re comfortable to go in and have a conversation about what happened to them and how can they become part of the process, which is a new process now. And it’s a little bureaucratic, but let me just explain a little bit. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights sued the City of Minneapolis a couple years ago after George Floyd was killed and alleged mistreatment primarily of African American community and American Indian community by the Minneapolis Police Department. And so there was an agreement to settle that lawsuit between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. And so part of that settlement agreement is to create a new process for this complaint system. And so it’s run through the Department of Civil Rights in the City of Minneapolis. These community-based sites will feed these complaints into that process with the Civil Rights Department, and they’ll be handled like any other complaint. It’s part of the oﬃcial process, but it’s done in the community so that the community has confidence that they’re not going to have to confront the person they’re accusing of when they’re filing a complaint.

trophy of violence, invoking a gruesome practice taken up by white colonists who sought to eradicate Native Americans and also used by some tribes against their enemies. “Tomorrow, we get back to the fight,” he said on X, describing a “playbook” against institutions deemed too liberal by conservatives. His latest target: eﬀorts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in education and business.

“We must not stop until we have abolished DEI ideology from every institution in America,” he said. In another post, he announced a new “plagiarism hunting fund,” vowing to “expose the rot in the Ivy League and restore truth, rather than racialist ideology, as the highest principle in academic life.” Gay didn’t directly address the plagiarism accusations in a campus letter announcing

her resignation, but she noted she was troubled to see doubt cast on her commitment “to upholding scholarly rigor.” She also indirectly nodded to the December congressional hearing that started the onslaught of criticism, where she did not say unequivocally that calls for the genocide of Jews would violate Harvard policy.

5. What else are you watching for in 2024? Coming oﬀ the December Federal Reserve meeting, many forecasters have rewritten their 2024 outlooks with the expectation that the Fed will lower rates more than they anticipated before Chair Jerome Powell gave an optimistic press conference. Though many expected Powell to minimize discussions about lowering rates, meeting responses were strong, deeming inflation defeated and consensus expectations forecasting a benchmark federal funds rate below 4% by year end to relax financial conditions. While investors appear to have overreacted – again – additional slowing in inflation and economic growth is likely as the economy continues to normalize post-pandemic. The most likely outcome for 2024 is that the Federal Open Market Committee lowers rates following more downward revisions to inflation data beginning as early as March until rates end the year just

below the Fed’s 4.5% federal funds rate projection. However, the Fed isn’t waiting for inflation to reach its 2% target before lowering rates, which means that rapidly falling inflation could make more rate cuts possible. Economic growth is likely to remain strong in 2024, and inflation will likely slow, albeit at a more muted rate. And with mortgage rates falling below 7% now, housing starts and mortgage originations are rising. Now, housing aﬀordability may improve in the coming year, albeit from the worst level in decades. While 2024 is likely to involve debates in other areas, hopefully fewer of these economic conversations will happen in 2024 than in 2023. And if we are lucky, markets will rise at least as quickly, though we should remember that almost everyone was wrong last year – and if there’s one prediction we can make with confidence, it’s that at least some of today’s forecasts will look pretty silly in retrospect. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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Gay From 4 Her departure comes just six months after becoming Harvard’s first Black president. As the figureheads of their universities, presidents often face heightened scrutiny, and numerous leaders have been felled by plagiarism scandals. Stanford University’s president resigned last year amid findings that he manipulated scientific data in his research. A president of the University of South Carolina resigned in 2021 after he lifted parts of his speech at a graduation ceremony. In Gay’s case, many academics were troubled with how the plagiarism came to light: as part of a coordinated campaign to discredit Gay and force her from office, in part because of her involvement in efforts for racial justice on campus. Her resignation came after calls for her ouster from prominent conservatives including Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Harvard alumna, and Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager who has donated millions to Harvard. The campaign against Gay and other Ivy League presidents has become part of a broader right-wing effort to remake higher education, which has often been seen as a bastion

A.I. From 3 Racial and Gender Inequality in Silicon Valley What Alenichev learned was this—a computerized intelligence cannot imagine or configure anything beyond its programmer’s imagination. Artificial intelligence is locked into the social and cultural norms and conditioning of the people who are feeding it the information. And, while sometimes information can be neutral, more often than not, it is also accompanied by interpretations and value judgments. This, if a (white) programmer cannot conceive of a Black doctor helping white suﬀering children, then that bias is coded into the A.I. In short, any machine (or A.I.) is only as smart (or empathetic) as the people who initially coded and input the data. According to UC Santa Barbara sociologist and ethnographer Dr. France Winddance Twine, we probably shouldn’t hold our breath for an inclusive A.I. , as Simmons requested — ain’t gonna happen. Winddance documents in her latest book, Geek Girls: Inequality and Opportunity in Silicon Valley, how implicit and explicit racial biases and gender inequality abound in Silicon Valley! She concludes the book with this statement: The technology sector is unjust and not yet a vehicle for economic justice and social mobility for everyone. What’s an A.I. to do? So, what’s an A.I. to do? Well, we know that

Jealous From 3 tenacity and the ESA’s 50th anniversary serve as reminders that environmental stewardship and conservation wasn’t always assumed to be a partisan issue. In 1973, the US Senate passed the ESA unanimously; the House passed it by a vote of 355-4. Can you imagine any piece of legislation getting near-universal bipartisan support in Congress today When he signed the bill into law, President Nixon said the law would preserve an “irreplaceable part of our national heritage – threatened wildlife.” Those words have proven prescient. It’s estimated that, in its first 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has saved 99 percent of all the species listed as endangered under the Act from permanent extinction. These include the bald eagle – our national symbol – as well as

Insight News • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Page 5 of liberalism. Republican detractors have sought to gut funding for public universities, roll back tenure and banish initiatives that make colleges more welcoming to students of color, disabled students and the LGBTQ+ community. They also have aimed to limit how race and gender are discussed in classrooms. Walter M. Kimbrough, the former president of the historically Black Dillard University, said what unfolded at Harvard reminded him of an adage from his mother, a Black graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, in the 1950s. As a Black person in academia, “you always have to be twice, three times as good,” he said. “There are going to be people, particularly if they have any inkling that the person of color is not the most qualified, who will label them a ‘DEI hire,’ like they tried to label her,” Kimbrough said. “If you want to lead an institution like (Harvard) … there are going to be people who are looking to disqualify you.” The allegations against Gay initially came from conservative activists, some who stayed anonymous. They looked for the kinds of duplicated sentences undergraduate students are trained to avoid, even with citation. In dozens of

instances first published by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website, Gay’s work includes long stretches of prose that mirror language from other published works. A review ordered by Harvard acknowledged she duplicated the language without using quotation marks. Harvard previously said Gay updated her dissertation and requested corrections from journals. Among her critics in conservative circles and academia, the findings are clear evidence that Gay, as the top academic at the pinnacle of U.S. higher education, is unfit to serve. Her defenders say it isn’t so clear-cut. In highly specialized fields, scholars often use similar language to describe the same concepts, said Davarian Baldwin, a historian at Trinity College who writes about race and higher education. Gay clearly made mistakes, he said, but with the spread of software designed to detect plagiarism, it wouldn’t be hard to find similar overlap in works by other presidents and professors. The tool becomes dangerous, he added, when it “falls into the hands of those who argue that academia in general is a cesspool of incompetence and bad actors.” John Pelissero, a former interim college president who now works for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, said

instances of plagiarism deserve to be evaluated individually and that it’s not always so cut and dried. “You’re looking for whether there was intentionality to mislead or inappropriately borrow other people’s ideas in your work,” Pelissero said. “Or was there an honest mistake?” Without commenting on the merits of the allegations against Gay, President Irene Mulvey of the American Association of University Professors said she fears plagiarism investigations could be “weaponized” to pursue a political agenda. “There is a rightwing political attack on higher education right now, which feels like an existential threat to the academic freedom that has made American higher education the envy of the world,” Mulvey said. She worries Gay’s departure will put a new strain on college presidents. In addition to their work courting donors, policymakers and alumni, presidents are supposed to protect faculty from interference so they can research unimpeded. “For presidents to be taken down like this, it does not bode well for academic freedom,” she said. “I think it’ll chill the climate for academic freedom. And it may make university presidents less likely to speak out against this inappropriate interference for fear of losing their jobs or being

targeted.”

artificial intelligence is not autonomous. It cannot create anything — at least not at this moment in time — outside of the existing information stored within its database. A.I. can reconfigure and make up “facts” — and it can also plagiarize and create false data by linking things together and stealing online content from human researcher and writers as Matt Novak pointed out in a May 2023 Forbes article about the new Google search engine: “Google’s New AI-Powered Search Is A Beautiful Plagiarism Machine.” At this moment in time, A.I. does not have its own autonomous scarecrow brain; it simply mimics and expands upon its existing program. It is true, if we believe Isaac Asimov in his Robot series, and the Will Smith movie “I, Robot,” A.I. could become a supercomputer, but it cannot, as Azmera Hammouri-Davis, M.T.S says — #breaktheboxes of its human programmer. Our greatest fear should not be of an autonomous A.I. — like Hal the Computer in Space Odyssey—though A.I.s are destined to create massive unemployment for laborers who are unskilled in use of technology. As the Chronicle of Philanthropy reminds us, they can be made to sound human. Nonetheless, our greatest fear MUST be of A.I.s should be that they are being supercoded with #whitesupremacy ideology and #genderinequality data. And, don’t act surprised! This is not new stuﬀ. Since 2018, groups like the Critical Code Studies Working Group at the University of Southern Califorinia, now called “The Humanities and Critical Code Lab” (HaCCS),

led by Mark Merino, have been looking at issues of inequality in coding for several years. Indeed, I discovered this fact some time ago — before Google began reading critiques of its coding practices. What I found was that if you typed #blackbeauty into the google search engine, all that appeared were images of horses, like in the movie Black Beauty. Conversely, if you typed in #beauty, only images of #whitewomen appeared. Since then, Google has become more #WOKE and updated some images in the search parameters connected to these words. But whiteness still prevails. These are just a few of the known biases coded into #A.I. historically — and the recent experiments by Dr. Alenichev proves that racial stereotypes are still prevalent, such that in the coded minds of A.I. (and its programmers), all the suﬀering children are Black and nonwhite and ALL the medical doctor saviors are white. In the case of Black doctors treating white suﬀering children, such biases and assumptions against this as a possibility are rooted in #whitesupremacy ideology and beliefs; Disbelief in the professionalism of Black people are part of the tacit anti-Blackness knowledge around which most white people are socialized in America, and Europeans globally. These human beliefs and biases will not change/ cannot change until medical schools are more diverse, and Silicon Valley becomes equal, ungendered, diverse, equitable, and inclusive! It is not the A.I. that needs a #DEI reboot, but the human beings that code them sure do!

But. don’t hold your breath for immediate change. The current climate of anti-CRT, anti-Blackness, and attempts to whitewash America history and negate the history of hundreds of years of human enslavement, suﬀering, and ongoing Black and Indigenous generational trauma, disparities, and inequality (https://www. politico.com/news/2023/07/24/ florida-desantis-black-history-education-00107859) suggests little hope for change towards a more socially and racially intelligent A.I., based on the current state of biases in the tech industry in Silicon Valley and the mindset of its human

coding professionals. (c) 2023 Irma McClaurin An earlier version published on Medium, Oct 20, 2023 (https://irmamcclaurin. medium.com/ai-is-not-theproblem-we-need-more-diverse-and-inclusive-humans-inthe-tech-sector-7cbec2ad2b77) Dr. Irma McClaurin (https://linktr.ee/dr.irma/ @ mcclaurintweets) is a digital columnist on Medium, Culture and Education Editor for Insight News, and Ms. Magazine author. She is the founder of the Irma McClaurin Black Feminist Archive at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. An ac-

the humpback whale, the grizzly bear, and the American alligator. And it’s likely a testament to the eﬀectiveness of the ESA that the Southern Resident orcas are still with us too. But it’s going to take both the strength of the ESA and shutting down the dams to save these whales. Many of us might recall that in 2018 a female member of the Southern Resident clan made national news after her newborn calf died. The orca, known as J35, spent 17 days pushing the body of her baby through the water along a 1,000-mile stretch oﬀ the coast of British Columbia. It was a clear act of mourning – known behavior of orcas. But the length of time the mother pushed her calf and the dramatic nature of the display almost seemed intentionally aimed at getting the attention of humans – which it did. It’s no wonder that people – myself included – feel an intense connection to these animals. The Lummi Nation, who has lived and fished alongside Southern Residents

since time immemorial, call them “qwe lhol mechen”, which roughly translates to “our relations beneath the waves.” And a fish, that people love to eat but might not recognize as important to the survival of other lifeforms, is the key to saving this community of orcas, among the most majestic and intelligent creatures in all of God’s creation. The story of the orcas and the salmon shows the interconnectivity of species in our natural ecosystems. It further illustrates the dire need to combat the extinction crisis and protect endangered species. And it shows the importance of protecting laws like the Endangered Species Act and passing more of them – as well as shutting down the damn dams. Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. The post The Story of the Orcas and the Salmon, on the Endangered Species Act’s 50th Birthday appeared first on Chicago Defender.

Balingit reported from Sacramento. The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple

Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns Amidst Scandals and Plagiarism Allegations By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Harvard President Claudine Gay has resigned, making her tenure the shortest in the university’s history. The decision comes after just six months and two days in oﬃce, amidst mounting allegations of plagiarism and criticism over her handling of antisemitism issues on campus. Harvard University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain declined to comment on Gay’s decision, but Harvard’s oﬃcial student newspaper confirmed the move. The first Black president in the storied university’s nearly 400year history, Gay faced scrutiny over various incidents, including the administration’s response to the October 7 Hamas attack and allegations of plagiarism in her scholarly work. The controversy

private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. escalated after her congressional testimony on December 5, where she faced criticism for evasive answers regarding antisemitism. The Harvard Corporation had previously expressed unanimous support for Gay after “extensive deliberations” following the congressional hearing. However, the recent plagiarism allegations and ongoing controversies seemingly led to a change in circumstances, resulting in Gay’s resignation. Just the second woman to lead Harvard, Gay expressed her decision in a letter to the Harvard community. “It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” she stated. Accusations of plagiarism surfaced in the past month, with a new and unsigned complaint published in The Washington Free Beacon adding to about 40 previous allegations. The complaint highlighted issues in Gay’s scholarly work, including her doctoral dissertation from 1997. The controversy gained traction through conservative media, with accusations suggesting inadequate citation in approximately half of the 11 journal articles on her resume. The university acknowledged instances of insuﬃcient citation but stopped short of labeling it “research misconduct.”

tivist Black Feminist anthropologist and award-winning author, recognized in 2015 by the Black Press of America as “Best in the Nation Columnist.” She is a past president of Shaw University and recently was featured in the PBS American Experience documentary on Zora Neale Hurston as an anthropologist. A collection of her Insight News columns, Justspeak: Reflections on Race, Culture & Politics in America, is forthcoming. She is also working on a book manuscript on Zora Neale Hurston and anthropology as well as a collection of short vignettes entitled Confessions of a Barstool DIVAH.

The Disproportionate Impact of Long COVID on African Americans: Why Us Again? The African American Child Wellness Institute Cordially Invites you to Join us for our Weekly Podcast:

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31, 2023 - August 6, 2023 Page 6 •July January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News

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RESOLUCIÓN DEL AÑO 2023 REINICIAR: AMÉRICA, NO DESESPERES Por Irma McClaurin Translation By Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

Trump, tenemos todos los motivos para estar desesperados por lo que parecen ser esfuerzos intencionales de los ciudadanos y de los funcionarios electos, y especialmente del ex Traduzido del original en ingles por Yoji Senna presidente número 45, para desestaSpanish Text bilizar la democracia. Es mi deseo de Año Nuevo para Es difícil creer que hayan pasado 2023 que NO volvamos a caer en la seis años desde que escribí la sigui- desesperación. Sin lugar a dudas, ente columna implorando a los es- la democracia estadounidense está tadounidenses que no perdieran la bajo ataque. Quienes buscan su deesperanza. En ese momento, muchos saparición son personas que creen en de nosotros estábamos luchando por semidioses como Donald Trump, que entender cómo un hombre que meno- cada vez que abre la boca comienza spreciaba a las mujeres, era propi- a parecerse a los dictadores latinoetario de un barrio pobre y se negaba americanos que buscan permanecer a revelar sus impuestos (lo que po- en el poder a toda costa. GUtD GHPRVWUDU TXH VXV D¿UPDFLRQHV Las creencias NO son hechos de riqueza eran parte muy exagerada Es imperativo que los lectores de su engaño) podía ser elegido como candidato. el 45º presidente de los de Insight News comprendan que las creencias no son HECHOS. Estamos Estados Unidos. Quería que no perdiéramos la en un momento histórico en el que esperanza. La presidencia de Donald los ciudadanos estadounidenses coTrump no sólo atacó el análisis de la munes y corrientes preferirían creerTeoría Crítica de la Raza, sino que le a un hombre que tiene arrogancia la demonizó con una Orden Ejecu- televisiva y puede hablar sobre cualtiva 13950 (https://irmamcclaurin. quier tema en el que no esté obligamedium.com/donald-trumps-ex- do a responder con la verdad. Pero ecutive-order-13950-and-the-as- las creencias no son hechos. Donald sault-onanti-racism-and-democ- Trump CREE que las elecciones de racy-522866521c67 ) que hizo que 2021 no fueron justas. Pero eso no las discusiones sobre raza, equidad, hace que su acusación sea cierta. Una inclusión y diversidad parecieran y otra vez, los tribunales han desestiantiamericanas. Afortunadamente, mado sus acusaciones y han aceptado el presidente Biden corrigió el er- pruebas de que la elección del 46º ror y lo revocó (https://www.dol. Presidente fue imparcial y represengov/agencies/ofccp/executive-or- ta la voluntad del pueblo estadounder-13950). Al hacerlo, su nueva idense. No te desesperes Reiniciar Orden Ejecutiva 13985 (https:// Así que estoy aquí una vez más www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ para advertir a los estadounidenses, advancing-racial-equity-and-sup- especialmente a los estadounidenses port-for-underserved-communi- negros, que no caigan en la desesties-through- the-federal-government peración. Esta democracia es más D¿UPy TXH ³ ³>O@D LJXDOGDG GH fuerte que Donald Trump, ANON, oportunidades es la base de la de- los terroristas del 6 de enero y los mocracia estadounidense, y nuestra políticos republicanos cobardes que diversidad es una de las mayores mienten sobre sus credenciales y tofortalezas de nuestro país”. Justo en davía se les permite entrar al espacio sagrado del Congreso de los Estados POTUS Biden. A pesar de este avance, ver las Unidos. Este país tomará el rumbo coraudiencias en el Senado (https://www.youtube.com/live/ recto, tal como abolió la esclavitud, YtwItbTPWNE?feature=share) de tal como está lidiando con las replos terroristas estadounidenses que araciones por esclavitud, tal como irrumpieron en la capital de los Es- está devolviendo tierras y artefactos tados Unidos el 6 de enero de 2021 a los pueblos indígenas originales de FODUDPHQWH LQÀX\y VL QR LQFLWDGR (Q este país, tal como otorgó el derecho adelante, para el entonces presidente al voto a las mujeres y a los negros.

(algo más tarde). Lea lo que escribí hace seis años y tómelo en serio. Sobreviviremos y avanzaremos para forjar una unión más perfecta de Estados Unidos que sea diversa (como SIEMPRE lo ha sido); equitativo (como debería haber sido SIEMPRE); e Inclusivo (como dictaba la Declaración de Independencia). NO se desespere porque la vida tiene una manera de cerrar el círculo: llegar a donde se supone que debe estar. Sigue leyendo.

Resolución del año 2017: América, no desesperes

Traducción por Monica Carillo Zegarra (https://www.linkedin. c o m / i n / m o n i c a - c a r r i l l o - z e g a rra-2aa889132/ ) Originally published on LinkedIn, January 10, 2017 (https:// w w w. l i n k e d i n . c o m / p u l s e / r e s oluci%C3%B3n-del-a%C3%B1o-2017-am%C3%A9rica-desesperes-irma-mcclaurin/) El 1 de enero es el día de las resoluciones para comenzar este nuevo año. Mientras hay personas que pueden estar enfocadas en la resolución de comer menos, hacer más ejercicio, dejar de fumar o beber, terminar alguna relación desastrosa, ser más amable con los padres, hermanos o hijos, yo quiero centrarme en enviar energía psíquica y vibraciones de esperanza para América. Seis décadas y cuatro años atrás, nací en una América segregada. ¡Recuerdo cuando en 1965 se me ofreció la opción de matricularme en una escuela secundaria de blancos en la cual había solo un espacio para personas negras! No puedo imaginar cómo habría sido mi vida si hubiera escogido hacerlo, si hubiera asistido diariamente a una escuela con un ambiente desbordado de rechazo y odio simplemente por el color de mi piel. Yo tomé una decisión diferente y me matriculé en la escuela secundaria Lucy Flower Vocational High School, ubicada en el lado oeste de Chicago. Allí tuve maestros negros y blancos que mostraron un gran amor hacia nosotras, las estudiantes. Nos enseñaron habilidades personales y profesionales como mecanografía

y la taquigrafía y, gracias a ello, además de mis becas, siempre tuve dinero en efectivo por mi capacidad de tipear a máquina. Agradezco a los maestros que nos enseñaron las raíces latinas -una gran ayuda para los exámenes SAT -. Mi escritura fue motivada por la señora Freedenberg, mi profesora de inglés, quien décadas más tarde cuando llegué a ser presidenta de la Universidad de Shaw me escribió: ³VLHPSUH VXSH TXH KDUtDV JUDQGHV cosas”. Permanezco en contacto con ella así como con Yvonne y Dena, mis compañeras de escuela secundaria quienes se convirtieron en mis amigas para siempre. Forjé con ambas lazos más fuertes de los que logré en la universidad o en la escuela de posgrado. Esas niñas, que crecieron hasta ser mujeres, son las personas en las que SXHGR FRQ¿DU HQ OD YLGD < PLHQWUDV nuestros caminos han trascendido el país, hemos permanecido en contacto - Yvonne y yo desde que nos hicimos amigas en 1965 y Dena más recientemente cuando volvimos a conectar en la década de 1980. Ahora tenemos nuestra propia reunión de secundaria. Trascendimos la administración racista del colegio Flower, determinada a administrar los cuerpos de las chicas negras empobrecidas controlando el tamaño de sus faldas e imponiendo humillaciones que estoy segura las chicas de la escuela Richardson no tuvieron que vivir, nosotras sobrevivimos y aprendimos. Antes de dejar la escuela Lucy Flower, el centro de enseñanza Richardson fue construido en la zona norte de Chicago. Allí enseñaban cosmetología y nosotras, las chicas negras, no podíamos asistir. Recuerdo que cuando llegué a Flower, solo habían dos niñas blancas en la escuela que era atendida por varios cientos de estudiantes. A nosotras, las chicas negras, nunca se nos brindó la opción de asistir a Richardson y tampoco nos atrevimos a aventurarnos por nuestra cuenta por temor a nuestra seguridad en las áreas residenciales segregadas de Chicago. Las personas negras ocupaban el lado sur y un pequeño segmento en el lado oeste, aunque cincuenta pies al oeste en la zona de

Cicero, se marcaba el comienzo de un espacio dominado por personas blancas. El cruzar esa línea imaginaria era bajo nuestro propio riesgo. Daley, el todopoderoso alcalde irlandés estaba ubicado en la zona de Sokie habitada por judíos. Allí, por más de 30 años mi papá trabajó en una sinagoga. Él, que era encargado de mantenimiento había desarrollado algunas otras cualidades como hablar algo de polaco, cocinar comida kosher y sentarse en el Shiva. A veces mi difunto hermano y yo lo ayudábamos en el Sabbath judío. No sabía que los puertorriqueños existían en Chicago. Nuestros caminos nunca se cruzaron. Ellos ocuparon el espacio cerca de la Universidad de Illinois Chicago, que eventualmente los sacó fuera de dicha área. Años más tarde, supe que Hyde Park era el espacio para parejas mixtas e integradas. A pesar de no haber asistido a una escuela de mayoría blanca y no segregada, como mujer negra he sido un pionera de espacios mayoritarios de personas blancas. En la universidad Grinnell, en 1969, fui parte del más grande grupo de afroamericanos admitidos en dicha casa de estudios, conformado por 18 estudiantes negros. En la escuela de postgrado de la Universidad de Massachusetts la mayoría de alumnos negros asistían al programa de educación. Pero yo y otras dos personas, Bheki y Dennis éramos anómalas porque estudiábamos una maestría en el departamento de Inglés. Dicho programa de escritura creativa era enseñado en un 100% por profesores hombres y blancos, muy pegados a la norma. Ocasionalmente invitaban a una o dos escritoras visitantes pero no había absolutamente escritores negros o, aunque sea algo oscuros en los espacios de escritura de personas blancas, hecho común en los años 70. Lo compartido en líneas anteriores anteriormente es preludio de mi invocación: América no desesperes. Ya antes, vimos el poder de los espacios blancos y del pensamiento supremacista blanco y lo hemos vencido. América, no desesperes, nosotros somos más bravos y resilientes

hoy, que antes. Y de algo estoy segura: el gen de la genialidad negra no va a retroceder en la noche, ponerse en una botella, un closet o una caja. América, no desesperes ante el crecimiento del elitismo, el incivismo, la intolerancia racial, nacional y religiosa, el anticuado racismo y supremacismo blanco que se ha posicionado en nuestro país en este momento político. Hemos soportado cosas peores y a pesar ello nos hemos levantado. América, no desesperes; estaremos bien ( y escribiremos) sobre las cosas malas que están siendo perpetradas en nombre de las políticas conservadores. Nosotros resistiremos las provocaciones hiperbólicas. Pero tampoco andaremos silenciosamente en la oscuridad. América, no desesperes; levantaremos cada voz y retaremos la injusticia donde fuera que esta ponga su horrible cabeza. América, no desesperes, nosotros viviremos el verdadero sentido de aquellas palabras grabadas en la (VWDWXD GH OD /LEHUWDG ³GDPH WX FDQsancio, tu pobreza, tus amontonadas muchedumbres que anhelando respirar libremente, el desperdicio infeliz de tu rebosante playa”. América, no desesperes, porque cuando ellos llamen a los musulmanes a registrarse, nosotros todos apareceremos- judíos, gentiles, bautistas, protestantes, católicos, Adventistas del Sétimo Día, Testigos de Jehová, ateos, creyentes y no creyHQWHV ¿UPDUHPRV QXHVWURV QRPEUHV en solidaridad. América, no desesperes, para que cuando ellos construyan el muro o alarguen la valla que no nos haga buenos vecinos con México, nosotros nos podremos de pie como Americanos unidos listos para derribarlo así como demandamos hacerlo con el Muro de Berlín. América, no desesperes, porque en mi resolución para el Año Nuevo 2017, yo resuelvo y pido a quienes estén leyendo este artículo, que hagan lo mismo. Que se nutran con esperanza y optimismo, y que a través de poder de la gente podamos alcanzar una América más inclusiva y cívica para todos nosotros en el presente y en el futuro. Feliz Año Nuevo.

DO NOT DESPAIR AMERICA REBOOT FOR 2023 ican democracy, and our diversity in one of our country’s greatest strengths.” Right on POTUS Biden. Special Despite this movement forward, for watching the Senate Hearings Insight (https://www.youtube.com/live/ YtwItbTPWNE?feature=share ) on News the American terrorists who stormed the United States Capital on January FOHDUO\ LQÀXHQFHG LI QRW egged on by then POTUS Trump, we have every reason to be in despair over what seems to be intentional efforts of citizens as well as elected ofCulture & Education Editor ¿FLDOV DQG HVSHFLDOO\ WKH IRUPHU WK President, to destabilize democracy. It is my New Year’s wish for ,W LV GL൶FXOW WR EHOLHYH WKDW VL[ \HDUV have passed since I wrote the column 2023 that we do NOT fall into despair below imploring Americans not to again. Without question, American give up hope. At that moment, many Democracy is under attack. Those of us were struggling to understand who seek its demise are people who how a man who disparaged women, believe in demigods like Donald was a slum landlord, and refused to Trump who is beginning to look each reveal his taxes—which might show time he opens his mouth like the Latthat his claims of wealth were greatly in American dictators who seek to exaggerated part of his delusion— remain in power by any means neccould be elected as the 45th President essary. Beliefs are NOT Facts of the United States. It is imperatives that the readI wanted us to not give up hope. Donald Trump’s presidency not only ers of Insight News understand that attacked the analysis of Critical beliefs are not FACTS. We are in Race Theory, but demonized it with an historic moment when ordinary an Executive Order 13950 (https:// American citizens would rather beirmamcclaurin.medium.com/don- lieve a man who has TV swagger ald-trumps-executive-order-13950- and can talk around any subject in and-the-assault-on-anti-racism-and- which he is not required to answer democracy-522866521c67) that truthfully. But beliefs are not facts. made discussions of race, equity, Donald Trump BELIEVES that the inclusiveness, and diversity ap- 2021 election was not fair. But that pear to be anti-American. Fortu- does not make his accusation True. nately, President Biden corrected Over and over again, the courts have the mistake and revoked it (https:// thrown out his allegations and acwww.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/ex- cepted evidence that the election of ecutive-order-13950). In doing so, the 46th President was without bias his new Executive Order 13985 and represents the will of the Amer(https://www.federalregister.gov/ ican people. Do Not Despair Reboot documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ So, I am here once again to advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communi- admonish Americans, especially ties-through-the-federal-govern- Black Americans, to not lapse into PHQW DVVHUWHG WKDW ³ ³ >H@TXDO despair. This democracy is strong opportunity is the bedrock of Amer- than Donald Trump, ANON, the Jan 6th Terrorists, and spineless Repub-

By Irma McClaurin

lican politicians who lie about their credentials and are still allowed to enter into the sacred space of the U.S. Congress. This country will course correct—just as it abolished slavery, just as it is dealing with Enslavement Reparations, just as it is return land and artifacts to the original Indigenous people of this country, just as it granted the right to vote to women and Blacks (somewhat late). Read what I wrote six years ago, and take it to heart. We will survive and move forward to forge a more perfect union of America that is diverse (as it has ALWAYS been); equitable (as it should have ALWAYS been); and Inclusive (as the Declaration of Independence dictated). Do NOT despair because life has a way of coming full circle—to where it’s supposed to be. Read On. Do Not Despair America: 2017 New Year’s Resolution Originally published on LinkedIn, January 2, 2017 (https://www. linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-america-2017-new-years-resolution-irma-mcclaurin/) January 1 is the day for resolutions with which to begin this new year. While people will be focused on resolving to eat less; exercise more; stop smoking; stop drinking; end that disastrous relationship; and be kinder to parents, siblings, children and self, I am focused on sending psychic energy and vibrations of hope to America. Six score and four years ago, I was born into a segregated America. I recall in 1965 being giving the option to attend a white high school as part of desegregation where there was one seat! I can’t imagine what my life would have been like had I made that choice? Going to school everyday in an environment brimming with rejection and hatred simply because of the color of my skin.

, PDGH D GL൵HUHQW FKRLFH DQG attended the all girls Lucy Flower Vocational High School on the westside of Chicago. There I had Black and white teachers who showed us great love, taught us life skills and professional ones like typing and shorthand; I always had cash in addition to my scholarships because I could type. I thank The teachers who taught us Latin roots--a great help in the SATs. Mrs Freedenberg, my English teacher who encouraged my writing and decades later wrote me ³, DOZD\V NQHZ \RX ZRXOG GR JUHDW things” on my becoming president of Shaw University. I remain in touch with her and women from those high school years that have remained friends forever-- Yvonne and Dena. We forged ties stronger than any I developed in college or graduate school. These girls grew up to be women I trust with my life. And while our paths have transected the country, we have remained in touch-Yvonne and I since we became friends in 1965, and Dena more recently when we reconnected in the 1980’s. We now have our own high school reunion. Despite a racist administration at Flowers high school, determined to control the bodies of we impoverished Black girls by monitoring the lengths of our skirts and imposing other humiliations that I am sure the white girls at Richardson did not have to endure, we thrived and learned. Before abandoning Lucy Flower to Blacks, Richardson was built on the north side of Chicago. There they taught cosmetology and we Black girls could not attend. By the time I arrived at Flowers, there were two white girls in a school of several hundred students. We Black girls were never given the option of attending Richardson, and we dared not venture on our own for fear of our safety in residentially segregated Chicago. Blacks had the south side and a small segment of

WKH ZHVW VLGH WKRXJK ¿IW\ KXQGUHG west at Cicero marked the beginning of very white space. You crossed that imaginary line at your own peril. The Irish king Mayor Daley had the north side and Jewish people occupied Skokie, where my Dad worked at a synagogue for over 30 years as a maintenance man who spoke a bit of Polish, learned to cook kosher, and sit Shiva. On Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath, my late brother and I sometimes helped him out. I did not know Puerto Ricans existed in Chicago. Our paths never crossed. They occupied the space near the University of Illinois Chicago, which eventually expanded them out of that area. And, Hyde Park, I learned years later, was considered the space for mixed/integrated couples. Despite saying no to attending a majority white school and desegregating it, I have gone on since then to be a trailblazer of white spaces. In college at Grinnell, I was part of the cohort of 18 Black students that marked the largest group of Blacks admitted at that moment in 1969. In graduate school, most Black students at the University of Massachusetts were in the School of Education. Myself and two others, Bheki and Dennis, were anomalies in the MFA program in the English Department. That creative writing program was taught by 100% white men, and very much the norm. Occasionally, they would bring 1-2 white women as visiting writers, and certainly in the mid-1970’s absolutely no Black writers or other writers of color ever darkened the windows of this white writing space. I have said all of this as a prelude to saying: America, do not despair. We have seen the power of white space and white supremacist thinking before, and overcome them. America, do not despair; we are braver and more resilient today than in the past. And of one thing I am certain: the genie of Black genius will

not go back into the night, the bottle, the closet or the box. America, do not despair at the rising tide of elitism, incivility, racial, national and religious intolerance, and good old fashioned racism and white supremacist thinking that has taken hold of our country at this political moment. We’ve endured worse and still we rose. America, do not despair; we will right (and write) the wrongs currently being perpetrated in the name of conservative politics. We will endure the hyperbolic provocations. But we will not go quietly into the night. America, do not despair; we will lift every voice and challenge injustice wherever it rears its ugly head. America, do not despair, we will live true to the words engraved on WKH 6WDWXWH RI /LEHUW\ ³*LYH PH \RXU tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. ...” America, do not despair, because when they call for Muslims to register, we will all appear- Jews, Gentiles, Baptists, Protestants, Catholics, Seven Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses, Atheists, and believers and non-believers-and sign our names in solidarity. America, do not despair, for when they build the wall or lengthen the fence, which makes us not so nice neighbors to Mexico, we will stand as united Americans ready to tear it down as we demanded be done with the Berlin Wall. America, do not despair, because for my 2017 New Years Resolution, I resolve, and ask every person reading WKLV WR GR WKH VDPH WR EH ¿OOHG ZLWK Hope and Optimism and the certainty that we will, through the Power of the People, forge a better, civil and more inclusive America for ALL of us in the present and in the future. Happy New Years.

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NÃO DESESPERE AMÉRICA REINICIE PARA 2023 em 6 de janeiro de 2021, claramente LQÀXHQFLDGRV VH QmR LQFHQWLYDGRV DWp então POTUS Trump, temos todos os motivos para estar em desespero sobre o que parece ser esforços intenTraduzido do original em ingles por Yoji Senna cionais dos cidadãos, bem como dos funcionários eleitos, e especialmente Portugues Text do ex-presidente do 45o, para desesÉ difícil acreditar que seis anos se tabilizar a democracia. É meu desejo de Ano Novo para passaram desde que escrevi a coluna abaixo implorando aos america- 2023 que NÃO caiamos em desespero nos que não desistam da esperança. novamente. Sem dúvida, a DemocraNaquele momento, muitos de nós es- cia Americana está sob ataque. Aquetávamos lutando para entender como les que buscam sua morte são pessoas um homem que depreciava as mul- que acreditam em semideuses como heres, era um senhorio de favelas e se Donald Trump, que está começando a recusava a revelar seus impostos - o olhar cada vez que abre a boca como que poderia mostrar que suas reivin- os ditadores latino-americanos que dicações de riqueza eram muito ex- procuram permanecer no poder por ageradas parte de sua ilusão - poderia qualquer meio necessário. ser eleito como o 45o Presidente dos Crenças NÃO são fatos Estados Unidos. É imperativo que os leitores do Eu queria que não desistamos Insight News entendam que as crenda esperança. A presidência de ças não são FATOS. Estamos em Donald Trump não apenas atacou um momento histórico em que os a análise da Teoria Crítica da Raça, cidadãos americanos comuns prefmas a demonizou com uma Or- erem acreditar em um homem que dem Executiva 13950 (https:// tem arrogância na TV e pode falar irmamcclaurin.medium.com/don- sobre qualquer assunto em que ele ald-trumps-executive-order-13950- não seja obrigado a responder com and-the-assault-on-anti-racism-and- sinceridade. Mas crenças não são fademocracy-522866521c67) que fez tos. Donald Trump ACREDITA que com que as discussões sobre raça, a eleição de 2021 não foi justa. Mas equidade, inclusão e diversidade isso não torna a acusação dele verdaparecessem ser anti-americanas. deira. Repetidas vezes, os tribunais Felizmente, o presidente Biden cor- rejeitaram suas alegações e aceitaram rigiu o erro e o revogou (https:// evidências de que a eleição do 46o www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/exec- presidente foi sem preconceitos e utive-order-13950). Ao fazer isso, representa a vontade do povo amersua nova Ordem Executiva 13985 icano. (https://www.federalregister.gov/ Não Se Desespere Reinicie documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ Então, estou aqui mais uma vez advancing-racial-equity-and-sup- para admoestar os americanos, espeport-for-underserved-communi- cialmente os negros americanos, a ties-through-the-federal-govern- não cair no desespero. Esta democPHQW D¿UPRX TXH ³ ³ >H@LJXDOGDGH racia é mais forte do que Donald de oportunidades é a base da democ- Trump, ANON, os terroristas de 6 racia americana e nossa diversidade de janeiro e políticos republicanos em um dos maiores pontos fortes do sem espinha que mentem sobre suas nosso país.” Bem no POTUS Biden. credenciais e ainda podem entrar no Apesar desse avanço, assistindo espaço sagrado dos EUA. Congresso. às Audiências do Senado Este país será correto - assim (https://www.youtube.com/live/ como aboliu a escravidão, assim YtwItbTPWNE? Feature=share ) so- como está lidando com Reparações bre os terroristas americanos que in- de Escravidão, assim como devolve vadiram a capital dos Estados Unidos Por Irma McClaurin Translation By Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

terras e artefatos aos povos indígenas originais deste país, assim como concedeu o direito de voto a mulheres e negros (algumas tarde). Leia o que escrevi há seis anos e leve a sério. Sobreviveremos e avançaremos para forjar uma união mais perfeita da América que seja GLYHUVL¿FDGD FRPR 6(035( IRL equitativa (como SEMPRE deveria ter sido); e Inclusiva (como ditou a Declaração de Independência). NÃO se desespere porque a vida tem uma maneira de completar o círculo—para onde deveria estar. Continue lendo. Não Desespere América: Resolução de Ano Novo de 2017 Publicado originalmente no LinkedIn, 2 de janeiro de 2017 (https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-america-2017-new-years-resolution-irma-mcclaurin/) 1o de janeiro é o dia das resoluções com as quais começar este novo ano. Enquanto as pessoas estarão focadas em resolver comer menos; se exercitar mais; parar de fumar; parar de beber; acabar com esse relacionamento desastroso; e ser mais gentil com os pais, irmãos, ¿OKRV H D VL PHVPR HVWRX IRFDGR HP enviar energia psíquica e vibrações de esperança para a América. Seis pontos e quatro anos atrás, eu nasci em uma América segregada. Lembro-me de em 1965 estar dando a opção de frequentar uma escola de ensino médio branca como parte da desagregação, onde havia um assento! Não consigo imaginar como teria sido minha vida se eu tivesse feito essa escolha? Ir à escola todos os dias em um ambiente repleto de rejeição e ódio simplesmente por causa da cor da minha pele. (X ¿] XPD HVFROKD GLIHUHQWH H frequentei a Lucy Flower Vocational High School para todas as meninas no lado oeste de Chicago. Lá eu tinha professores negros e brancos que nos mostraram grande amor, nos ensinaUDP KDELOLGDGHV SDUD D YLGD H SUR¿VVLRQDLV FRPR GLJLWDomR H WDTXLJUD¿D Eu sempre tive dinheiro além das

minhas bolsas de estudo porque eu podia digitar. Agradeço aos professores que nos ensinaram raízes latinas - uma grande ajuda nos SATs. A Sra. Freedenberg, minha professora de inglês que encorajou minha escriWD H GpFDGDV GHSRLV PH HVFUHYHX ³(X sempre soube que você faria grandes coisas” ao me tornar presidente da Shaw University. Eu permaneço em contato com ela e mulheres daqueles anos do ensino médio que permaneceram amigas para sempre - Yvonne e Dena. Nós forjamos laços mais fortes do que qualquer um que desenvolvi na faculdade ou na pós-graduação. Essas garotas cresceram para serHP PXOKHUHV HP TXHP FRQ¿R FRP a minha vida. E enquanto nossos caminhos cruzaram o país, permanecemos em contato - Yvonne e eu desde que nos tornamos amigos em 1965, e Dena mais recentemente, quando nos reconectamos na década de 1980. Agora temos nossa própria reunião do ensino médio. Apesar de uma administração racista na Flowers High School, determinada a controlar os corpos de meninas negras empobrecidas, monitorando o comprimento de nossas saias e impondo outras humilhações que tenho certeza que as meninas brancas de Richardson não tivéssemos que suportar, nós prosperamos e aprendemos. Antes de abandonar Lucy Flower para os negros, Richardson foi construído no lado norte de Chicago. Lá eles ensinaram cosmetologia e nós, garotas negras, não pudemos comparecer. Quando cheguei a Flowers, havia duas garotas brancas em uma escola de várias centenas de alunos. Nós, garotas negras, nunca tivemos a opção de frequentar Richardson, e não nos atrevemos a nos aventurar por conta própria por medo de nossa segurança em Chicago residencialmente segregada. Os negros tinham o lado sul e um pequeno segmento do lado oeste, embora cinquenta e cem a oeste em Cícero marcasse o início de um espaço muito branco. Você cruzou essa linha

imaginária por sua conta e risco. O rei irlandês, o prefeito Daley, tinha o lado norte e o povo judeu ocupou Skokie, onde meu pai trabalhou em uma sinagoga por mais de 30 anos como um homem de manutenção que falava um pouco de polonês, aprendeu a cozinhar kosher e sentava Shiva. Aos sábados, no Sábado Judaico, meu falecido irmão e eu às vezes o ajudamos. Eu não sabia que os porto-riquenhos existiam em Chicago. Nossos caminhos nunca se cruzaram. Eles ocuparam o espaço perto da Universidade de Illinois Chicago, que eventualmente os expandiu para fora dessa área. E, o Hyde Park, aprendi anos depois, era considerado o espaço para casais mistos/integrados. Apesar de dizer não a frequentar uma escola majoritariamente branca e desagreciá-la, desde então tenho sido um pioneiro dos espaços brancos. Na faculdade em Grinnell, eu fazia parte da coorte de 18 estudantes negros que marcaram o maior grupo de negros admitidos naquele momento em 1969. Na pós-graduação, a maioria dos estudantes negros da Universidade de Massachusetts estava na Escola de Educação. Eu e outros dois, Bheki e Dennis, éramos anomalias no programa de MFA no Departamento de Inglês. Esse programa de escrita criativa foi ensinado por homens 100% brancos, e muito a norma. Ocasionalmente, eles traziam 1-2 mulheres brancas como escritoras visitantes, e certamente em meados da década de 1970 absolutamente nenhum escritor negro ou outro escritor de cor escureceu as janelas deste espaço de escrita branca. Eu disse tudo isso como um prelúdio para dizer: América, não se desespere. Nós já vimos o poder do espaço em branco e do pensamento supremacista branco antes, e os superamos. América, não se desespere; somos mais corajosos e mais resilientes hoje do que no passado. E de uma coisa tenho certeza: o gênio do gênio negro não voltará à noite, à garrafa,

ao armário ou à caixa. América, não se desespere com a maré crescente de elitismo, incivilidade, intolerância racial, nacional e religiosa, e bom racismo à moda antiga e pensamento supremacista branco que tomou conta do nosso país neste momento político. Nós suportamos pior e ainda assim nos levantamos. América, não se desespere; vamos reter (e escrever) os erros que estão sendo perpetrados atualmente em nome da política conservadora. Vamos suportar as provocações hiperbólicas. Mas não vamos entrar em silêncio durante a noite. América, não se desespere; levantaremos todas as vozes e desafiaremos a injustiça onde quer que ela levante sua cabeça feia. América, não se desespere, vivHUHPRV ¿pLV jV SDODYUDV JUDYDGDV QR (VWDWXWR GD /LEHUGDGH ³'r PH R VHX cansaço, seus pobres, as suas massas amontoadas ansiando por respirar livremente, o desperdício miserável de sua costa. ...” América, não se desespere, porque quando eles pedirem que os muçulmanos se registrem, todos nós apareceremos - judeus, gentios, batistas, protestantes, católicos, adventistas de sete dias, Testemunhas de Jeová, ateus e crentes e não crentes - e assinaremos nossos nomes em solidariedade. América, não se desespere, pois quando eles construírem o muro ou alongarem a cerca, o que nos torna vizinhos não tão agradáveis do 0p[LFR ¿FDUHPRV FRPR DPHULFDQRV unidos prontos para derrubá-lo como exigimos que fosse feito com o Muro de Berlim. América, não se desespere, porque para a minha Resolução de Ano Novo de 2017, eu resolvo e peço a cada pessoa que lê isso que faça o mesmo, que seja preenchida com Esperança e Otimismo e a certeza de que, através do Poder do Povo, forjaremos uma América melhor, civil e mais inclusiva para TODOS nós no presente e no futuro. Feliz Ano Novo.

NE DÉSESPÉREZ PAS LE REDÉMARRAGE DE L’AMÉRIQUE POUR 2023 Unis le 6 janvier 2021, clairement LQÀXHQFpV VLQRQ HQFRXUDJpV SDU 32TUS Trump, nous avons tous raison d’être désespéré face à ce qui semble rWUH GHV H൵RUWV GpOLEpUpV GHV FLWR\HQV ainsi que des élus, et en particulier de Traduit de l’espagnol par Yoji Senna l’ancien 45e président, pour déstabiFrench Text liser la démocratie. C’est mon souhait ,O HVW GL൶FLOH GH FURLUH TXH VL[ DQV VH du Nouvel An pour 2023 que nous ne sont écoulés depuis que j’ai écrit la retombions PAS dans le désespoir. chronique ci-dessous implorant les Sans aucun doute, la démocratie Américains de ne pas perdre espoir. américaine est attaquée. Ceux qui À ce moment-là, beaucoup d’entre cherchent sa disparition sont des gens nous avaient du mal à comprendre qui croient en des demi-dieux comcomment un homme qui dénigrait les me Donald Trump qui commence à femmes, était un propriétaire de tau- ressembler chaque fois qu’il ouvre la dis et refusait de révéler ses impôts bouche aux dictateurs latino-améric- ce qui pourrait montrer que ses ains qui cherchent à rester au pouvoir prétentions à la richesse étaient large- par tous les moyens nécessaires. Les croyances ne sont PAS des ment exagérées et faisaient partie de son délire - pouvait être élu comme faits Il est impératif que les lecteurs le 45e président des États-Unis. Je d’Insight News comprennent que les voulais qu’on ne perde pas espoir. croyances ne sont pas des FAITS. La présidence de Donald Trump a Nous sommes à un moment historique non seulement attaqué l’analyse de la où les citoyens américains ordinaires théorie critique de la race, mais l’a di- préféreraient croire un homme qui a abolisée avec un décret 13950 (https:// de la fanfaronnade à la télévision et irmamcclaurin.medium.com/don- peut parler de n’importe quel sujet ald-trumps-executive-order-13950- auquel il n’est pas obligé de réponand-the-assault-onanti-racisme-et- dre honnêtement. Mais les croyances démocratie-522866521c67) qui a fait ne sont pas des faits. Donald Trump apparaître les discussions sur la race, CROIT que les élections de 2021 l’équité, l’inclusivité et la diversité n’étaient pas équitables. Mais cela ne comme anti-américaines. Heureuse- rend pas son accusation vraie. Maintment, le président Biden a corrigé es et maintes fois, les tribunaux ont l’erreur et l’a révoquée (https://www. rejeté ses allégations et accepté la dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/executive-or- preuve que l’élection du 46e présider-13950). Ce faisant, son nou- dent était impartiale et représentait veau décret exécutif 13985(https:// la volonté du peuple américain. Ne www.federalregister.gov/docu- désespérez pas Redémarrez Donc, je ments/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ suis ici une fois de plus pour exhortadvancing-racial-equity-and-sup- er les Américains, en particulier les p o r t - f o r - u n d e r s e r v e d - c o m - Noirs américains, à ne pas sombrer munities-throughle-gouver- dans le désespoir. Cette démocratie QHPHQW IpGpUDO D D൶UPp TXH ³ ´>H@ est plus forte que Donald Trump, l’égalité des chances est le fondement ANON, les terroristes du 6 janvier et de la démocratie américaine, et notre les politiciens républicains veules qui diversité est l’une des plus grandes mentent sur leurs références et sont forces de notre pays.” Droit sur PO- toujours autorisés à entrer dans l’esTUS Biden. Malgré ce mouvement pace sacré du Congrès américain. Ce vers l’avant, regarder les audiences pays va bien sûr corriger - tout comdu Sénat (https://www.youtube.com/ me il a aboli l’esclavage, tout comme live/YtwItbTPWNE?feature=share ) il s’occupe des réparations de l’esclasur les terroristes américains qui ont vage, tout comme il restitue des terres pris d’assaut la capitale des États- et des artefacts aux peuples autoch-

Par Irma McClaurin Translation By Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

tones d’origine de ce pays, tout comme il a accordé le droit de vote aux femmes et aux Noirs. (un peu tard). Lisez ce que j’ai écrit il y a six ans et prenez-le à cœur. Nous survivrons et avancerons pour forger une union plus parfaite de l’Amérique qui est GLYHUVL¿pH FRPPH HOOH O¶D 728-2URS été); équitable (comme cela aurait dû TOUJOURS l’être); et inclusif (comme le dictait la déclaration d’indépendance). Ne désespérez PAS parce que la vie a une façon de boucler la boucle - là où elle est censée être. Continuer à lire. Ne désespérez pas l’Amérique : résolution du Nouvel An 2017 Publié initialement sur LinkedIn, le 2 janvier 2017 (https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-america-2017-new-years-resolution-irma-mcclaurin/) Le 1er janvier est le jour des résolutions par lesquelles commencer cette nouvelle année. Alors que les gens se concentreront sur la résolution de manger moins; faites plus d’exercice; arrêter GH IXPHU DUUrWH GH ERLUH PHWWUH ¿Q à cette relation désastreuse ; et être plus gentil avec les parents, les frères et sœurs, les enfants et soi-même, je me concentre sur l’envoi d’énergie psychique et de vibrations d’espoir en Amérique. Il y a six vingt et quatre ans, je suis né dans une Amérique ségréguée. Je me souviens qu’en 1965, j’avais donné la possibilité de fréquenter un lycée blanc dans le cadre de la déségrégation où il n’y avait qu’une seule place ! Je ne peux pas imaginer ce que ma vie aurait été si j’avais fait ce choix ? Aller à l’école tous les jours dans un environnement débordant de rejet et de haine simplement à cause de la couleur de ma SHDX -¶DL IDLW XQ FKRL[ GL൵pUHQW HW j’ai fréquenté le lycée professionnel SRXU ¿OOHV /XF\ )ORZHU GDQV OD SDUtie ouest de Chicago. Là, j’ai eu des professeurs noirs et blancs qui nous ont montré un grand amour, nous ont appris des compétences de vie et des compétences professionnelles comme la dactylographie et la sténographie; J’ai toujours eu de l’argent en plus de mes bourses parce que je

pouvais dactylographier. Je remercie Les professeurs qui nous ont appris les racines latines - une grande aide dans les SAT. Mme Freedenberg, mon professeur d’anglais qui m’a encouragé à écrire et des décennies SOXV WDUG P¶D pFULW ³-¶DL WRXMRXUV VX que tu ferais de grandes choses” en devenant président de l’Université Shaw. Je reste en contact avec elle et les femmes de ces années de lycée qui sont restées amies pour toujours Yvonne et Dena. Nous avons forgé des liens plus forts que tous ceux que j’ai développés au collège ou aux études VXSpULHXUHV &HV ¿OOHV RQW JUDQGL pour devenir des femmes en qui j’ai FRQ¿DQFH GDQV PD YLH (W ELHQ TXH nos chemins aient traversé le pays, nous sommes restés en contact Yvonne et moi depuis que nous sommes devenus amis en 1965, et Dena plus récemment lorsque nous nous sommes reconnectés dans les années 1980. Nous avons maintenant notre propre réunion de lycée. Malgré une administration raciste au lycée Flowers, déterminée à contrôler les FRUSV GHV ¿OOHV QRLUHV DSSDXYULHV HQ surveillant la longueur de nos jupes et en imposant d’autres humiliations TXH M¶HQ VXLV V U OHV ¿OOHV EODQFKHV de Richardson n’ont pas eu à endurer, nous avons prospéré et appris. Avant d’abandonner Lucie Fleur aux Blacks, Richardson a été construit du côté nord de Chicago. Là, ils enseignaient la cosmétologie et nous, les ¿OOHV QRLUHV QH SRXYLRQV SDV \ DVsister. Au moment où je suis arrivé à )OHXUV LO \ DYDLW GHX[ ¿OOHV EODQFKHV dans une école de plusieurs centaines G¶pOqYHV 1RXV OHV ¿OOHV QRLUHV n’avons jamais eu la possibilité d’aller à Richardson, et nous n’osions pas nous aventurer seules par crainte pour notre sécurité dans Chicago, une résidence isolée. Les Noirs avaient le côté sud et un petit segment du côté ouest, bien que cinquante cents à l’ouest à Cicéron aient marqué le début d’un espace très blanc. Vous avez franchi cette ligne imaginaire à vos risques et périls. Le roi irlan-

dais, le maire Daley, avait le côté nord et les Juifs occupaient Skokie, où mon père a travaillé dans une synagogue pendant plus de 30 ans en tant qu’homme d’entretien qui parlait un peu polonais, a appris à cuisiner casher et à asseoir Shiva. Le samedi, jour du sabbat juif, mon défunt frère et moi l’aidions parfois. Je ne savais pas qu’il y avait des Portoricains à Chicago. Nos chemins ne se sont jamais croisés. Ils ont occupé l’espace près de l’Université de l’IlliQRLV j &KLFDJR TXL OHV D ¿QDOHPHQW étendus hors de cette zone. Et, Hyde Park, j’ai appris des années plus tard, était considéré comme l’espace pour les couples mixtes/intégrés. Bien que j’aie refusé de fréquenter une école à majorité blanche et que je l’aie déségrégée, je suis depuis lors un pionnier des espaces blancs. À l’université de Grinnell, je faisais partie de la cohorte de 18 étudiants noirs qui constituait le plus grand groupe de Noirs admis à ce moment-là en 1969. Aux études supérieures, la plupart des étudiants noirs de l’Université du Massachusetts étaient à l’École d’éducation. Moi-même et deux autres, Bheki et Dennis, étions des anomalies dans le programme MFA du département d’anglais. Ce programme d’écriture créative a été enseigné par 100% d’hommes blancs, et c’est tout à fait la norme. De temps en temps, ils amenaient 1 ou 2 femmes blanches comme écrivains en visite, et certainement au milieu des années 1970, absolument aucun écrivain noir ou autre écrivain de couleur n’a jamais obscurci les fenêtres de cet espace d’écriture blanc. J’ai dit tout cela en prélude à dire : Amérique, ne désespérez pas. Nous avons déjà vu le pouvoir de l’espace blanc et de la pensée suprémaciste blanche et les avons surmontés. Amérique, ne désespérez pas ; nous sommes plus courageux et plus résilients aujourd’hui que par le passé. Et d’une chose je suis certain : le génie du génie noir ne rentrera pas dans la nuit, la bouteille, le placard ou la boîte. Amérique, ne désespérez pas

de la marée montante de l’élitisme, de l’incivilité, de l’intolérance raciale, nationale et religieuse, du bon racisme à l’ancienne et de la pensée suprémaciste blanche qui s’est emparée de notre pays en ce moment politique. Nous avons enduré pire et pourtant nous nous sommes levés. Amérique, ne désespérez pas ; nous réparerons (et écrirons) les torts actuellement perpétrés au nom de la politique conservatrice. Nous subirons les provocations hyperboliques. Mais nous n’irons pas tranquillement dans la nuit. Amérique, ne désespérez pas ; nous élèverons toutes les voix HW Gp¿HURQV O¶LQMXVWLFH SDUWRXW R HOOH pointe le bout de son nez. Amérique, ne désespérez pas, nous vivrons ¿GqOHPHQW DX[ SDUROHV JUDYpHV VXU OH 6WDWXW GH OD /LEHUWp ³'RQQH] PRL vos masses fatiguées, vos pauvres, vos masses entassées qui aspirent à respirer librement, les misérables déchets de votre rivage grouillant...” Amérique, ne désespérez pas, car lorsqu’ils appelleront les musulmans à s’enregistrer, nous apparaîtrons tous - Juifs, Gentils, Baptistes, Protestants, Catholiques, Adventistes du Sept Jours, Témoins de Jéhovah, Athées, croyants et non-croyants et signerons nos noms en solidarité. Amérique, ne désespérez pas, car lorsqu’ils construiront le mur ou allongeront la clôture, ce qui fait de nous de moins bons voisins du Mexique, nous nous tiendrons en tant qu’Américains unis prêts à le démolir comme nous l’avons demandé avec le mur de Berlin. Amérique, ne désespérez pas, car pour ma résolution du Nouvel An 2017, je prends la résolution et demande à chaque personne qui lit ceci de faire de même, d’être rempli d’espoir et d’optimisme et de la certitude que nous allons, grâce au pouvoir du peuple, forger une Amérique meilleure, civile et plus inclusive pour TOUS dans le présent et dans le futur. Bonne année.

HA KA RAJO DHIGIN AMERICA DIB U SOO KABASHADA 2023 ha ugu weyn ee waddankeena.” Xaq u leh POTUS Biden. In kasta oo dhaqdhaqaaqani hore u socdo, daawashada Dhagaysiyada Guurtida (https://www.youtube.com/live/YtWaxaa laga soo turjumay Isbaanishka Yoji Senna wItbTPWNE?feature=share) ee arSomali Text gagixsada Mareykanka ee weeraray Caasimada Mareykanka Janaayo Way adag tahay in la rumaysto in lix 6, 2021, si cad u saameeyay, haddii sano ay ka soo wareegtay markii aan aysan ku dhicin markaas POTUS qoray tiirka hoose ee aan ku boorri- Trump, waxaan haysanaa mid kasta nayay dadka Maraykanka ah in aan- sabab looga quusto wax u muuqda ay rajo ka dhigin. Waqtigaas, qaar dadaalo ula kac ah oo muwaadiniinta badan oo naga mid ah ayaa ku dhib- iyo sidoo kale saraakiisha la doortoonayay inay fahmaan sida nin du- tay, gaar ahaan Madaxweynihii hore marka quudhsaday, oo ahaa milkiila- ee 45-aad, si ay u carqaladeeyaan ha guryaha isku-dhafka ah, oo diiday dimuqraadiyadda. Waa hamigayga inuu muujiyo canshuurtiisa - taas sannadka cusub ee 2023 in aynaan oo muujin karta in sheegashadiisa mar kale ku dhicin rajo-beel. Su’aal hantida ay si weyn u buunbuunisay la’aan, Dimuqraadiyadda Mareykanqayb ka mid ah khiyaanadiisa - loogu ka waa la weeraray. Kuwa doonaya dooran karo Madaxweynihii 45-aad in ay geeriyoodaan waa dad aaminee Maraykanka. Waxaan rabay inay- san ilaahyo sida Donald Trump oo naan rajo ka dhigin. Madaxtinimada bilaabaya in ay eegaan mar kasta oo Donald Trump kaliya ma weerarin uu afka kala qaado sida kali-talisyafalanqaynta Aragtida Race-ka Kha- da Latin America ee doonaya in ay tarta ah, laakiin waxa ay ku jaajuusin sii joogaan xukunka si kasta oo loo Amarka Fulinta 13950 ka-hortagga baahdo. midab-takoorka-iyo-dimuqraadiRumaysadu maaha xaqiiqo yadda-522866521c67) taasoo ka Waa lama huraan in akhristayaadhigtay doodaha ku saabsan jinsi- sha Wararka Insight ay fahmaan in yadda, sinnaanta, ka-wada-jirka, iyo rumayntu aanay ahayn XAQIIQO. kala-duwanaanta waxay u muuqdaan Waxaan ku jirnaa waqti taariikhi ah kuwo ka soo horjeeda Maraykan- markii muwaadiniinta Mareykanka ka. Nasiib wanaag, Madaxweyne ee caadiga ah ay jeclaan lahaayeen in Biden wuu saxay khaladkii wuuna ay rumaystaan nin haysta TV-ga oo buriyay (https://www.dol.gov/agen- ka hadli kara mawduuc kasta oo aan cies/ofccp/executive-order-13950). looga baahnayn inuu si run ah uga Marka uu sidaas samaynayo, Ama- jawaabo. Laakin waxa la aaminsan rka Cusub ee Fulinta 13985(https:// yahay xaqiiqo ma aha. Donald Trump www.federalregister.gov/docu- WUXUU AAMINSAN YAHAY in ments/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ doorashada 2021 aysan ahayn mid advancing-racial-equity-and-sup- cadaalad ah. Laakiin taasi kama port-for-underserved-communi- dhigayso eedayntiisa run. Marar ties-through- dawladda-federaalku) badan, maxkamaduhu way tuureen ZD[D\ FDGGHH\HHQ LQ ³ ´>H@ IXUVDG eedaymihiisii, waxayna aqbaleen siman ay tahay tiirarka dimoqraadi- caddaymo muujinaya in doorashadii yada Maraykanka, iyo kala duwana- Madaxwaynihii 46-aad ay ahayd mid anshahayaga mid ka mid ah awoodaBy Irma McClaurin Translation by Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

aan eex lahayn oo ay ka dhigan tahay rabitaanka shacabka Maraykanka. Ha quusan dib u kicin Haddaba, waxaan mar kale halkan kula talinayaa dadka Maraykanka ah, gaar ahaan kuwa Madawga ah, in aanay ku dhicin rajo-beel. Dimuqraadiyadani way ka xoog badan tahay Donald Trump, ANON, Jan 6-deeda Argagixiso, iyo siyaasiyiinta Jamhuuriga ee aan laf dhabarta lahayn ee ka been sheega aqoonsigooda oo weli loo oggol yahay inay galaan goobta barakeysan ee Congress-ka Mareykanka. Dalkani dabcan wuu sixi doonaa-sida uu u baabiiyey addoonsiga, si la mid ah sida uu ula macaamilayo magdhawga addoonsiga, sida uu dhulkii iyo agabkii loogu soo celin lahaa dadkii asalka ahaa ee asalka u ahaa dalkan, sida uu xaq u siiyey in ay codkooda siiyaan dumarka iyo dadka madowga ah. (waxooga soo daahay). Akhri wixii aan qoray lix sano ka hor, oo qalbiga u qaado. Waanu noolaan doonaa oo aan hore ugu socon doonaa si aan u abuurno midow kaamilan oo Ameerika ah kaas oo kala duwan (sidii ay WELI ahaan jirtay); loo siman yahay (sidii ay ahayd inay WELI ahaan jirtay); iyo loo dhan yahay (sida ku dhawaaqida Madaxbanaanida lagu sheegay). Ha niyad jabin sababtoo ah noloshu waxay leedahay hab ay ku imanayso goobaabin buuxda -halka ay tahay inay ahaato. Akhriso. Ha quusan Ameerika: Xallinta Sannadka Cusub ee 2017 Markii hore waxaa lagu daabacay LinkedIn, Janaayo 2, 2017 (https://www. linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-america-2017-new-years-resolution-irma-mcclaurin/) 1-da Janaayo waa maalinta go’aannada ay billaabanayaan sanadkan cusub. Halka dadku ay diiradda saari doonaan xallinta inay wax yar cunaan; jimicsi badan; joojinta sigaarka; jooji cabitaanka;

joojinta xiriirkaas xun; oo u naxariiso waalidiinta, walaalaha, carruurta iyo naftayda, waxaan diiradda saarayaa u dirida tamarta maskaxda iyo gariirada rajada Ameerika. Lix dhibcood iyo afar sano ka hor, waxaan ku dhashay Ameerika oo kala soocan. Waxaan xusuustaa 1965-kii in aan fursad u siinayay in aan dhigto dugsi sare oo caddaan ah taas oo qayb ka ahayd faquuqa halkaas oo uu hal kursi ku yaal! Ma qiyaasi karo sida ay noloshaydu ahaan lahayd haddii aan doorashadaas samayn lahaa? Aaditaanka dugsiga maalin kasta deegaan ay ka buuxdo diidmo iyo nacayb sababtuna waa midabka maqaarkayga. Waxaan sameeyay doorasho ka duwan oo aan dhiganay dhammaan hablaha Lucy Ubax Dugsiga Sare ee Farsamada oo ku yaal dhinaca galbeed ee Chicago. Halkaas waxaan ku lahaa macalimiin madow iyo caddaan ah oo na tusay jacayl aad u weyn, na baray xirfadaha nolosha iyo kuwa xirfadlayaasha ah sida far-qorista iyo gaaban; Had iyo jeer waxaan haystay lacag caddaan ah marka lagu daro deeqaha waxbarasho sababtoo ah waan qori karaa. Waxaan u mahadcelinayaa macalimiintii ina baray xididada Laatiinka-- caawinta weyn ee SATs-ka. Mrs Freedenberg, macalinkaygii Ingiriisida oo igu dhiiri galiyay qoraalkayga tobanaan sano ka dib ayaa ii soo qortay ³:D[DDQ PDU ZDOED RJDD LQDDG ZD[ weyn qaban doonto” markii aan noqday guddoomiyaha Jaamacadda Shaw. Waxaan la xidhiidhaa iyada iyo haweenka sannadahaas dugsiga sare ee saaxiibbo ahaan weligii ahaa - Yvonne iyo Dena. Waxaan abuurnay xiriir ka xoog badan mid kasta oo aan ku horumariyo kulliyadda ama qalin-jabinta. Gabdhahani waxay ku koreen dumar aan ku kalsoonahay noloshayda. Inkastoo

dariiqaheennu ay dhaafeen waddanka, waannu la xidhiidhnay --Yvonne iyo aniga tan iyo markii aan saaxiibo noqonnay 1965-tii, iyo Dena dhawaanahan markii aan dib u xirnay 198-meeyadii. Hadda waxaan leenahay dib u midoobid dugsi sare noo gaar ah. In kasta oo maamul cunsuri ah oo ka jira dugsiga sare ee Ubax, ay go’aansadeen in ay xakameeyaan meydka gabdhaha madow ee saboolka ah iyada oo la soconayo dhererka goonnadayada iyo dulsaarka kale ee aan hubo in gabdhaha cadaanka ah ee Richardson aysan u adkaysan karin, waanu baranay oo baranay. Ka hor inta aan laga tegin Lucy Ubax ee Madowga, Richardson waxaa laga dhisay dhinaca woqooyi ee Chicago. Halkaa waxa ay ku bareen cosmetology-ga, annagoo gabdho Madaw ah ayaanan ka qaybgeli karin. Markii aan imid ubaxyada, waxaa dugsigii ay wax ka baranayeen dhowr boqol oo arday ah ku sugnaayeen labo gabdhood oo caddaan ah. Anaga Gabdhaha Madow waligeen nama siin fursad aan ku aadno Richardson, kumaan dhiiraneen in aan iskaa wax u qabno anaga oo ka cabsanayna badbaadadayada Chicago ee la deggan yahay. Madoowgu waxay lahaayeen dhinaca koonfureed iyo qayb yar oo dhinaca galbeed ah, inkasta oo konton boqol oo galbeed ee Cicero ay calaamad u ahayd bilawga meel aad u cad. Khatartaada ayaad ka soo gudubtay khadadkaas mala-awaalka ah. Boqorka Irishka Duqa Daley wuxuu lahaa dhinaca waqooyi iyo dadka Yuhuuda ah waxay qabsadeen Skokie, halkaas oo Aabahay uu ka shaqaynayey sunagogga in ka badan 30 sano isagoo ah nin dayactir ah oo ku hadli jiray xoogaa Polish ah, bartay sida loo kariyo kosher, oo fadhiisto Shiva. Sabtida, sabtida Yuhuudda, aniga iyo walaalkay dhintay mararka

qaarkood waan caawin jirnay isaga. Ma aanan ogeyn in Puerto Ricans ay ka jireen Chicago. Wadooyinkeenu waligood ma gudbin. Waxay qabsadeen meel u dhow Jaamacadda Illinois Chicago, taasoo ugu dambeyntii ka ballaarisay aaggaas. Iyo, Hyde Park, waxaan bartay sannado ka dib, waxaa loo tixgeliyey booska bannaan ee lammaanaha isku dhafan/isku dhafan. In kasta oo aan idhi maya in aan dhigto dugsiga cadaanka ah ee aqlabiyadda ah oo laga saaray, haddana waxaan sii waday ilaa wakhtigaas si aan u noqdo raad-raaca meelaha cadcad. Kulliyadda Grinnell, waxaan ka mid ahaa kooxdii 18 arday ee Madowga ah ee calaamadeysay kooxda ugu badan ee Madowga ah ee la aqbalay wakhtigaas 1969. Dugsiga qalin-jabinta, ardayda Madowga ah ee Jaamacadda Massachusetts waxay ku jireen Dugsiga Waxbarashada. Naftayda iyo laba kale, Bheki iyo Dennis, waxay ahaayeen cillado ku jira barnaamijka MFA ee Waaxda Ingiriisiga. Barnaamijkaas hal-abuurka qoraalka ah waxa baray 100% niman caddaan ah, aadna waa caadada. Mararka qaarkood, waxay keeni jireen 1-2 dumar ah oo caddaan ah qoraayaal booqasho ah, waxaana hubaal ah bartamihii 1970-meeyadii gabi ahaanba ma jirin qoraayaal Madow ama qorayaal kale oo midab leh oo weligood madoobiyay daaqadaha goobtan qoraalka cad. Waxaas oo dhan waxaan u sheegay horudhac in aan idhaahdo: Ameerika, ha quusan. Waxaynu hore u soo aragnay awoodda bannaanka cad iyo kuwa cadaanka DK HH ND ¿NLUD\D NDQD DGNDDQQD\ Ameerika, ha quusan; maanta waanu ka geesisannahay oo ka adkeysi badan nahay sidii hore. Mid ka mid ah shayna waan hubaa: garaadka madow ee caqli-galka ah kuma soo laaban doono habeenkii, dhalada,

Page 8 • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News qolka ama sanduuqa. Ameerika, ha ka quusanina mowjadda sare-u-kaca ee xasaradaha, ilbaxnimada, isirka, qarannimada iyo diin la’aanta, iyo cunsuriyadda soo jireenka ah ee soo jireenka ah iyo fakarka sareynta cadaanka ee dalkeena qabsaday xilligan siyaasadeed. Waxaan u dulqaadanay wax ka sii daran oo weli waanu kacnay.

Ameerika, ha quusan; waanu saxaynaa (oo qori doonaa) khaladaadka hadda lagu galayo magaca VL\DDVDGGD PX[DD¿GND DK :D[DDQ u adkeysan doonaa kicinta hyperbolic. Laakiin aamusnaan geli mayno. Ameerika, ha quusan; waxaanu kor u qaadaynaa cod kasta oo aanu ka doodi doonaa cadaalad darada meel kasta oo ay madaxeeda foosha xun

kor u qaaddo. Ameerika, ha niyad jabin, waxaan ku noolaan doonaa si run ah erayada ku xardhan Xeerka ;RUQLPDGD ³, VLL GDDOODQNDDJD PDsaakiintaada, dadkaaga isku xidhan ee jecel inay neefta xorta ah qaataan, qashinka xun ee xeebtaaga qulqulaya. ...” Ameerika, ha niyad jabin, sababtoo ah marka ay ugu yeeraan Muslimiinta inay isdiiwaangeliyaan,

insightnews.com dhammaanteen waxaan soo muuqan doonnaa - Yuhuudda, kuwa aan Yuhuudda ahayn, Baabtiisku, Protestants, Catholics, Adventists Maalinta toddobaad, Jehovahmarks, Atheists, iyo Mu’miniinta iyo Gaalada-oo saxiixi doonaa magacyadayada. isku duubni. Ameerika, ha niyad jabin, waayo, marka ay derbiga dhisaan ama ay dheereeyaan xayndaabka,

taas oo naga dhigaysa in aan deris DDG X ¿LFDQ 0H[LFR ZD[DDQ X LVWDagi doonaa sida Maraykan midaysan diyaar u ah inay dumiyaan sida aan dalbaday in lagu sameeyo derbiga Berlin. Ameerika, ha niyad jabin, sababtoo ah Go’aanka Sannadaha Cusub ee 2017, waxaan go’aamiyay, oo waxaan waydiisanayaa qof kasta oo akhrinaya inuu sameeyo sidaas oo

kale, si aan uga buuxsamo Rajo iyo Yididiilo iyo hubaal ah inaan, iyada oo loo marayo Awoodda Dadweynaha, aan samayn doono. Ameerika oo ka wanaagsan, madani ah oo loo wada dhan yahay dhammaanteen hadda iyo mustaqbalkaba. Sannado Cusub oo Wacan.

USIKATE TAMAA AMERIKA ANZISHA TENA KWA 2023 giliwa na POTUS Trump, tuna kila kitu. sababu ya kukata tamaa juu ya kile kinachoonekana kuwa ni juhudi za makusudi za wananchi pamoja na viongozi waliochaguliwa, na hasa Ilitafsiriwa kutoka Kihispania na Yoji Senna aliyekuwa Rais wa 45, kuyumbisha demokrasia. Ni matakwa yangu ya Swahili Text Mwaka Mpya kwa 2023 kwamba Ni vigumu kuamini kuwa miaka sita TUSIKATE tamaa tena. Bila shaka, imepita tangu nilipoandika safu hii Demokrasia ya Marekani inashamhapa chini nikiwasihi Wamarekani buliwa. Wanaotafuta kifo chake ni kutokata tamaa. Wakati huo, wengi watu wanaoamini katika miungu wetu tulikuwa tunatatizika kuele- kama Donald Trump ambaye anaanwa ni kwa jinsi gani mwanamume za kutazama kila anapofungua mdoaliyedharau wanawake, alikuwa mo wake kama dikteta wa Amerika kabaila wa makazi duni, na kukataa Kusini. NX¿FKXD NRGL ]DNH²MDPER DPEDOR Imani SI Ukweli lingeonyesha kwamba madai yake ya Ni muhimu kwamba wasomautajiri yalitiwa chumvi sana sehemu ji wa Habari za Maarifa waelewe ya udanganyifu wake—angeweza kwamba imani si UKWELI. Tuko kakuchaguliwa kuwa Rais wa 45 wa tika wakati wa kihistoria ambapo raia Marekani. Nilitaka tusikate tamaa. wa kawaida wa Marekani afadhali Urais wa Donald Trump haukusham- amwamini mtu ambaye ana televishbulia tu uchanganuzi wa Nadharia ya eni na anaweza kuzungumza kuhusu Mbio muhimu, lakini uliichafua kwa mada yoyote ambayo hatakiwi kuAgizo la Utendaji 13950 kupinga jibu kwa ukweli. Lakini imani sio ubaguzi wa rangi-na-demokrasia- ukweli. Donald Trump ANAAMINI 522866521c67)iliyofanya mijada- kuwa uchaguzi wa 2021 haukuwa wa la ya rangi, usawa, ujumuishi, na haki. Lakini hiyo haifanyi mashtaka utofauti kuonekana kuwa dhidi ya yake kuwa ya kweli. Mara kwa mara, Waamerika. Kwa bahati nzuri, Rais mahakama zimetupilia mbali madai Biden alirekebisha kosa hilo na kuli- yake na kukubali ushahidi kwamba batilisha (https://www.dol.gov/agen- uchaguzi wa Rais wa 46 haukuwa na cies/ofccp/executive-order-13950). upendeleo na unawakilisha matakKwa kufanya hivyo, Agizo lake wa ya watu wa Marekani. Usikate jipya la Mtendaji 13985(https:// Tamaa Anzisha tena Kwa hiyo, niko www.federalregister.gov/docu- hapa tena kuwaonya Wamarekani, ments/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ hasa Wamarekani Weusi, wasikate advancing-racial-equity-and-sup- tamaa. Demokrasia hii ina nguvu kuport-for-underserved-communi- liko Donald Trump, ANON, Magaidi ties-through- serikali ya shirikisho) wa Januari 6, na wanasiasa wasio na LOLVLVLWL]D NXZD ³ ´>H@IXUVD VDZD QL miiba wa Republican ambao wanamsingi wa demokrasia ya Marekani, danganya kuhusu sifa zao na bado na utofauti wetu katika mojawapo wanaruhusiwa kuingia katika nafasi ya nguvu kuu za nchi yetu.” Haki takatifu ya Congress ya Marekani. kwenye POTUS Biden. Licha ya Nchi hii itakuwa sahihi—kama ilharakati hizi mbele, ukitazama Mi- ivyokomesha utumwa, kama vile kutano ya Seneti (https://www. inavyoshughulikia Marekebisho ya youtube.com/live/YtwItbTPWNE?- Utumwa, kama vile kurudisha ardhi feature=share ) kuhusu magaidi na mabaki ya watu asilia wa nchi wa Marekani waliovamia Ikulu ya hii, kama vile ilivyotoa haki ya kupiMarekani Januari 6, 2021, wakiwa na ga kura kwa wanawake na Weusi. ushawishi wa wazi, ikiwa hawakuinNa Irma McClaurin Translation by Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

(kuchelewa kwa kiasi fulani). Soma niliyoandika miaka sita iliyopita, na uyatie moyoni. Tutanusurika na kusonga mbele kuunda muungano kamili zaidi wa Amerika ambao ni wa anuwai (kama ilivyokuwa DAIMA); usawa (kama inavyopaswa kuwa DAIMA); na Jumuishi (kama Azimio la Uhuru lilivyoamuru). USIKATE tamaa kwa sababu maisha yana njia ya kuja mduara kamili—panapopaswa kuwa. Endelea Kusoma. Usikate tamaa Amerika: Azimio la Mwaka Mpya wa 2017 Ilichapishwa awali kwenye LinkedIn, Januari 2, 2017 (https://www. linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-america-2017-new-years-resolution-irma-mcclaurin/) Januari 1 ni siku ya maazimio ya kuanza mwaka huu mpya. Wakati watu watajikita katika kuazimia kula kidogo; kufanya mazoezi zaidi; Acha kuvuta; kuacha kunywa; kukomesha uhusiano huo mbaya; na kuwa mkarimu kwa wazazi, ndugu, watoto na ubinafsi, ninalenga kutuma nishati ya kiakili na mitetemo ya matumaini kwa Amerika. Alama sita na miaka minne iliyopita, nilizaliwa katika Amerika iliyojitenga. Nakumbuka mwaka 1965 nikitoa fursa ya kuhudhuria shule ya upili ya wazungu kama sehemu ya ubaguzi ambapo kulikuwa na NLWL NLPRMD 6LZH]L NX¿NLULD PDLVKD yangu yangekuwaje kama ningefanya uchaguzi huo? Kwenda shule kila siku katika mazingira yaliyojaa kukataliwa na chuki kwa sababu tu ya rangi ya ngozi yangu. Nilifanya chaguo tofauti na kuhudhuria Shule ya Upili ya Ufundi ya maua ya lucy iliyo upande wa magharibi wa Chicago. Huko nilikuwa na walimu Weusi na Wazungu ambao walituonyesha upendo mkubwa, walitufundisha stadi za maisha na za kitaalamu kama vile kuandika na kuandika maneno ya mkato; Sikuzote nilikuwa na pesa taslimu pamoja na ufadhili wangu wa masomo kwa sababu ningeweza kuandika.

Ninawashukuru Walimu waliotufundisha mizizi ya Kilatini--msaada mkubwa katika SAT. Bibi Freedenberg, mwalimu wangu wa Kiingereza ambaye alihimiza uandishi wangu na miongo kadhaa baadaye aliniandikia ³6LNX ]RWH QLOLMXD XQJHIDQ\D PDPbo makubwa” juu ya kuwa rais wa Chuo Kikuu cha Shaw. Ninabaki kuwasiliana naye na wanawake kutoka miaka hiyo ya shule ya upili ambao ZDPHVDOLD NXZD PDUD¿NL PLOHOH Yvonne na Dena. Tulianzisha uhusiano wenye nguvu zaidi kuliko yoyote niliyoanzisha chuo kikuu au shule ya kuhitimu. Wasichana hawa walikua ni wanawake ninaowaamini katika maisha yangu. Na ingawa njia zetu zimevuka nchi, tumeendelea kuwasiliana--Yvonne na mimi tangu WXOLSRNXZD PDUD¿NL PQDPR na Dena hivi majuzi zaidi tulipoungana tena miaka ya 1980. Sasa tuna muungano wetu wa shule za upili. Licha ya utawala wa kibaguzi katika shule ya upili ya Maua, uliodhamiria kudhibiti miili ya wasichana Weusi tulio fukara kwa kufuatilia urefu wa sketi zetu na kuweka udhalilishaji mwingine ambao nina hakika wasichana wa kizungu huko Richardson hawakulazimika kuvumilia, tulistawi na kujifunza. Kabla ya kuachana na maua ya lucy kwa Weusi, Richardson ilijengwa upande wa kaskazini wa Chicago. Huko walifundisha cosmetology na sisi wasichana Weusi KDWXNXZH]D NXKXGKXULD 1LOLSR¿ND kwa Maua, kulikuwa na wasichana wawili wa kizungu katika shule ya wanafunzi mia kadhaa. Sisi wasichana Weusi hatukuwahi kupewa chaguo la kuhudhuria Richardson, na hatukuthubutu kujitosa wenyewe kwa NXKR¿D XVDODPD ZHWX NDWLND &KLFDJR iliyotengwa na makazi. Weusi walikuwa na upande wa kusini na sehemu ndogo ya upande wa magharibi, ingawa mia hamsini ya magharibi huko Cicero iliashiria mwanzo wa nafasi nyeupe sana. Ulivuka mstari KXR ZD NX¿NLULD NZD KDWDUL \DNR mwenyewe. Mfalme wa Ireland

Meya Daley alikuwa na upande wa kaskazini na Wayahudi walichukua Skokie, ambapo Baba yangu alifanya kazi katika sinagogi kwa zaidi ya miaka 30 kama mtu wa matengenezo ambaye alizungumza kidogo Kipolandi, alijifunza kupika kosher, na kukaa Shiva. Siku za Jumamosi, Sabato ya Kiyahudi, marehemu kaka yangu na mimi nyakati fulani tulimsaidia. Sikujua watu wa Puerto Rico walikuwepo Chicago. Njia zetu hazijavuka. Walichukua nafasi karibu na Chuo Kikuu cha Illinois Chicago, ambayo hatimaye iliwapanua nje ya eneo hilo. Na, Hyde Park, nilijifunza miaka mingi baadaye, ilizingatiwa nafasi ya wanandoa mchanganyiko/ jumuishi. Licha ya kusema hapana kwa kuhudhuria shule ya wazungu wengi na kuitenganisha, nimeendelea tangu wakati huo kuwa mfuatiliaji wa nafasi nyeupe. Katika chuo kikuu cha Grinnell, nilikuwa sehemu ya kundi la wanafunzi 18 Weusi ambalo lilitia alama kundi kubwa zaidi la Weusi waliokubaliwa wakati huo katika 1969. Katika shule ya kuhitimu, wanafunzi wengi Weusi katika Chuo Kikuu cha Massachusetts walikuwa katika Shule ya Elimu. Mimi na wengine wawili, Bheki na Dennis, tulikuwa na matatizo katika programu ya MFA katika Idara ya Kiingereza. Mpango huo wa uandishi wa ubunifu ulifundishwa na wanaume wazungu 100%, na ni kawaida sana. Mara kwa mara, wangeleta wanawake weupe 1-2 kama waandishi wageni, na hakika katikati ya miaka ya 1970 hakuna kabisa waandishi Weusi au waandishi wengine wa rangi waliowahi kutia giza madirisha ya nafasi hii nyeupe ya uandishi. Nimesema yote haya kama utangulizi wa kusema: Marekani, usikate tamaa. Tumeona uwezo wa nafasi nyeupe na ¿NUD ]D ZD]XQJX NDEOD QD NXZDVKinda. Marekani, usikate tamaa; sisi ni wajasiri na wastahimilivu zaidi leo kuliko zamani. Na kwa jambo moja QLQD KDNLND MLQL ZD ¿NUD 1\HXVL hatarudi usiku, chupa, chumbani au

sanduku. Marekani, usikate tamaa kutokana na kuongezeka kwa wimbi la watu wa hali ya juu, ukatili, kutovumiliana kwa rangi, kitaifa na kidini, ubaguzi wa rangi wa kizamani na ¿NUD ]D NLEDJX]L DPED]R ]LPHLNXPba nchi yetu katika wakati huu wa kisiasa. Tumevumilia mabaya zaidi na bado tuliinuka. Marekani, usikate tamaa; tutasahihisha (na kuandika) makosa yanayofanywa hivi sasa NZD MLQD OD VLDVD ]D NLKD¿GKLQD 7XWavumilia uchochezi wa hyperbolic. Lakini hatutaenda kimya kimya usiku. Marekani, usikate tamaa; tutainua kila sauti na kupinga dhuluma popote pale inapoibua kichwa chake kibaya. Amerika, usikate tamaa, tutaishi kweli kwa maneno yaliyochongwa NZHQ\H +DWL \D 8KXUX ³1LSH XFKRvu wako, masikini wako, umati wako uliosongamana wanaotamani kupumua bure, takataka mbaya ya pwani yako iliyojaa. ...” Marekani, usikate tamaa, kwa sababu watakapowaita Waislamu kujiandikisha, sote tutatokea- Wayahudi, Wamataifa, Wabaptisti, Waprotestanti, Wakatoliki, Waadventista Wasabato, Mashahidi wa Yehova, Wakana Mungu, na waumini na wasioamini-na kutia sahihi majina yetu. katika mshikamano. Marekani, usikate tamaa, kwani wanapojenga ukuta au kurefusha ua, jambo ambalo linatufanya tusiwe majirani wazuri wa Mexico, tutasimama kama Waamerika walioungana tayari kuubomoa kama tulivyodai ukuta wa Berlin ufanyike. Amerika, usikate tamaa, kwa sababu kwa Azimio langu la Mwaka Mpya wa 2017, ninaamua, na ninamwomba kila mtu anayesoma hili kufanya vivyo hivyo, kujazwa na Matumaini na Matumaini na uhakika kwamba, kupitia Nguvu ya Watu, tutatengeneza. Amerika bora, ya kiraia na iliyojumuisha zaidi kwa ajili yetu SOTE kwa sasa na siku zijazo. Heri ya Mwaka Mpya.

MASE NIRETI AMERIKA ATUNBERE FUN 2023 watu wanaoamini katika miungu kama Donald Trump ambaye anaanza kutazama kila anapofungua mdomo wake kama dikteta wa Amerika Kusini. 12*Ʃ ) 1& "!" &- +&0& +&- 0Ź ,'& "++ Imani SI Ukweli Yoruba Text Ni muhimu kwamba wasomaji wa Habari za Maarifa waelewe Ni vigumu kuamini kuwa miaka sita kwamba imani si UKWELI. Tuko kaimepita tangu nilipoandika safu hii tika wakati wa kihistoria ambapo raia hapa chini nikiwasihi Wamarekani wa kawaida wa Marekani afadhali kutokata tamaa. Wakati huo, wengi amwamini mtu ambaye ana televishwetu tulikuwa tunatatizika kuele- eni na anaweza kuzungumza kuhusu wa ni kwa jinsi gani mwanamume mada yoyote ambayo hatakiwi kualiyedharau wanawake, alikuwa jibu kwa ukweli. Lakini imani sio kabaila wa makazi duni, na kukataa ukweli. Donald Trump ANAAMINI NX¿FKXD NRGL ]DNH²MDPER DPEDOR kuwa uchaguzi wa 2021 haukuwa wa lingeonyesha kwamba madai yake ya haki. Lakini hiyo haifanyi mashtaka utajiri yalitiwa chumvi sana sehemu yake kuwa ya kweli. Mara kwa mara, ya udanganyifu wake—angeweza mahakama zimetupilia mbali madai kuchaguliwa kuwa Rais wa 45 wa yake na kukubali ushahidi kwamba Marekani. Nilitaka tusikate tamaa. uchaguzi wa Rais wa 46 haukuwa na Urais wa Donald Trump haukusham- upendeleo na unawakilisha matakbulia tu uchanganuzi wa Nadharia ya wa ya watu wa Marekani. Usikate Mbio muhimu, lakini uliichafua kwa Tamaa Anzisha tena Kwa hiyo, niko Agizo la Utendaji 13950 kupinga hapa tena kuwaonya Wamarekani, ubaguzi wa rangi-na-demokrasia- hasa Wamarekani Weusi, wasikate 522866521c67)iliyofanya mijada- tamaa. Demokrasia hii ina nguvu kula ya rangi, usawa, ujumuishi, na liko Donald Trump, ANON, Magaidi utofauti kuonekana kuwa dhidi ya wa Januari 6, na wanasiasa wasio na Waamerika. Kwa bahati nzuri, Rais miiba wa Republican ambao wanaBiden alirekebisha kosa hilo na kuli- danganya kuhusu sifa zao na bado batilisha (https://www.dol.gov/agen- wanaruhusiwa kuingia katika nafasi cies/ofccp/executive-order-13950). takatifu ya Congress ya Marekani. Kwa kufanya hivyo, Agizo lake Nchi hii itakuwa sahihi—kama iljipya la Mtendaji 13985(https:// ivyokomesha utumwa, kama vile www.federalregister.gov/docu- inavyoshughulikia Marekebisho ya ments/2021/01/25/2021-01753/ Utumwa, kama vile kurudisha ardhi advancing-racial-equity-and-sup- na mabaki ya watu asilia wa nchi port-for-underserved-communi- hii, kama vile ilivyotoa haki ya kupities-through- serikali ya shirikisho) ga kura kwa wanawake na Weusi. LOLVLVLWL]D NXZD ³ ´>H@IXUVD VDZD QL (kuchelewa kwa kiasi fulani). Soma msingi wa demokrasia ya Marekani, niliyoandika miaka sita iliyopita, na utofauti wetu katika mojawapo na uyatie moyoni. Tutanusurika na ya nguvu kuu za nchi yetu.” Haki kusonga mbele kuunda muungakwenye POTUS Biden. Licha ya no kamili zaidi wa Amerika ambao harakati hizi mbele, ukitazama Mi- ni wa anuwai (kama ilivyokuwa kutano ya Seneti (https://www. DAIMA); usawa (kama inavyopyoutube.com/live/YtwItbTPWNE?- aswa kuwa DAIMA); na Jumuishi feature=share ) kuhusu magaidi (kama Azimio la Uhuru lilivyoamwa Marekani waliovamia Ikulu ya uru). USIKATE tamaa kwa sababu Marekani Januari 6, 2021, wakiwa na maisha yana njia ya kuja mduara ushawishi wa wazi, ikiwa hawakuin- kamili—panapopaswa kuwa. Endegiliwa na POTUS Trump, tuna kila lea Kusoma. Usikate tamaa Amerika: kitu. sababu ya kukata tamaa juu ya Azimio la Mwaka Mpya wa 2017 kile kinachoonekana kuwa ni juhudi Ilichapishwa awali kwenye Linkeza makusudi za wananchi pamoja na dIn, Januari 2, 2017 (https://www. viongozi waliochaguliwa, na hasa linkedin.com/pulse/do-despair-ameraliyekuwa Rais wa 45, kuyumbisha ica-2017-new-years-resolution-irdemokrasia. Ni matakwa yangu ya ma-mcclaurin/) Januari 1 ni siku ya Mwaka Mpya kwa 2023 kwamba maazimio ya kuanza mwaka huu TUSIKATE tamaa tena. Bila shaka, mpya. Wakati watu watajikita katiDemokrasia ya Marekani inasham- ka kuazimia kula kidogo; kufanya buliwa. Wanaotafuta kifo chake ni mazoezi zaidi; Acha kuvuta; kuaNipa Irma McClaurin Translation by Yoji Senna, Managing Editor, Afrodescendientes

cha kunywa; kukomesha uhusiano huo mbaya; na kuwa mkarimu kwa wazazi, ndugu, watoto na ubinafsi, ninalenga kutuma nishati ya kiakili na mitetemo ya matumaini kwa Amerika. Alama sita na miaka minne iliyopita, nilizaliwa katika Amerika iliyojitenga. Nakumbuka mwaka 1965 nikitoa fursa ya kuhudhuria shule ya upili ya wazungu kama sehemu ya ubaguzi ambapo kulikuwa na NLWL NLPRMD 6LZH]L NX¿NLULD PDLVKD yangu yangekuwaje kama ningefanya uchaguzi huo? Kwenda shule kila siku katika mazingira yaliyojaa kukataliwa na chuki kwa sababu tu ya rangi ya ngozi yangu. Nilifanya chaguo tofauti na kuhudhuria Shule ya Upili ya Ufundi ya maua ya lucy iliyo upande wa magharibi wa Chicago. Huko nilikuwa na walimu Weusi na Wazungu ambao walituonyesha upendo mkubwa, walitufundisha stadi za maisha na za kitaalamu kama vile kuandika na kuandika maneno ya mkato; Sikuzote nilikuwa na pesa taslimu pamoja na ufadhili wangu wa masomo kwa sababu ningeweza kuandika. Ninawashukuru Walimu waliotufundisha mizizi ya Kilatini--msaada mkubwa katika SAT. Bibi Freedenberg, mwalimu wangu wa Kiingereza ambaye alihimiza uandishi wangu na miongo kadhaa baadaye alinianGLNLD ³6LNX ]RWH QLOLMXD XQJHIDQ\D mambo makubwa” juu ya kuwa rais wa Chuo Kikuu cha Shaw. Ninabaki kuwasiliana naye na wanawake kutoka miaka hiyo ya shule ya upili DPEDR ZDPHVDOLD NXZD PDUD¿NL milele-- Yvonne na Dena. Tulianzisha uhusiano wenye nguvu zaidi kuliko yoyote niliyoanzisha chuo kikuu au shule ya kuhitimu. Wasichana hawa walikua ni wanawake ninaowaamini katika maisha yangu. Na ingawa njia zetu zimevuka nchi, tumeendelea kuwasiliana--Yvonne QD PLPL WDQJX WXOLSRNXZD PDUD¿NL mnamo 1965, na Dena hivi majuzi zaidi tulipoungana tena miaka ya 1980. Sasa tuna muungano wetu wa shule za upili. Licha ya utawala wa kibaguzi katika shule ya upili ya Maua, uliodhamiria kudhibiti miili ya wasichana Weusi tulio fukara kwa kufuatilia urefu wa sketi zetu na kuweka udhalilishaji mwingine ambao nina hakika wasichana wa kizungu huko Richardson hawakulazimika kuvumilia, tulistawi na kujifunza. Kabla ya kuachana na maua ya lucy kwa Weusi, Richard-

son ilijengwa upande wa kaskazini wa Chicago. Huko walifundisha cosmetology na sisi wasichana Weusi KDWXNXZH]D NXKXGKXULD 1LOLSR¿ND kwa Maua, kulikuwa na wasichana wawili wa kizungu katika shule ya wanafunzi mia kadhaa. Sisi wasichana Weusi hatukuwahi kupewa chaguo la kuhudhuria Richardson, na hatukuthubutu kujitosa wenyewe kwa NXKR¿D XVDODPD ZHWX NDWLND &KLFDJR iliyotengwa na makazi. Weusi walikuwa na upande wa kusini na sehemu ndogo ya upande wa magharibi, ingawa mia hamsini ya magharibi huko Cicero iliashiria mwanzo wa nafasi nyeupe sana. Ulivuka mstari KXR ZD NX¿NLULD NZD KDWDUL \DNR mwenyewe. Mfalme wa Ireland Meya Daley alikuwa na upande wa kaskazini na Wayahudi walichukua Skokie, ambapo Baba yangu alifanya kazi katika sinagogi kwa zaidi ya miaka 30 kama mtu wa matengenezo ambaye alizungumza kidogo Kipolandi, alijifunza kupika kosher, na kukaa Shiva. Siku za Jumamosi, Sabato ya Kiyahudi, marehemu kaka yangu na mimi nyakati fulani tulimsaidia. Sikujua watu wa Puerto Rico walikuwepo Chicago. Njia zetu hazijavuka. Walichukua nafasi karibu na Chuo Kikuu cha Illinois Chicago, ambayo hatimaye iliwapanua nje ya eneo hilo. Na, Hyde Park, nilijifunza miaka mingi baadaye, ilizingatiwa nafasi ya wanandoa mchanganyiko/ jumuishi. Licha ya kusema hapana kwa kuhudhuria shule ya wazungu wengi na kuitenganisha, nimeendelea tangu wakati huo kuwa mfuatiliaji

wa nafasi nyeupe. Katika chuo kikuu cha Grinnell, nilikuwa sehemu ya kundi la wanafunzi 18 Weusi ambalo lilitia alama kundi kubwa zaidi la Weusi waliokubaliwa wakati huo katika 1969. Katika shule ya kuhitimu, wanafunzi wengi Weusi katika Chuo Kikuu cha Massachusetts walikuwa katika Shule ya Elimu. Mimi na wengine wawili, Bheki na Dennis, tulikuwa na matatizo katika programu ya MFA katika Idara ya Kiingereza. Mpango huo wa uandishi wa ubunifu ulifundishwa na wanaume wazungu 100%, na ni kawaida sana. Mara kwa mara, wangeleta wanawake weupe 1-2 kama waandishi wageni, na hakika katikati ya miaka ya 1970 hakuna kabisa waandishi Weusi au waandishi wengine wa rangi waliowahi kutia giza madirisha ya nafasi hii nyeupe ya uandishi. Nimesema yote haya kama utangulizi wa kusema: Marekani, usikate tamaa. Tumeona uwezo wa nafasi nyeupe na ¿NUD ]D ZD]XQJX NDEOD QD NXZDVKinda. Marekani, usikate tamaa; sisi ni wajasiri na wastahimilivu zaidi leo kuliko zamani. Na kwa jambo moja QLQD KDNLND MLQL ZD ¿NUD 1\HXVL hatarudi usiku, chupa, chumbani au sanduku. Marekani, usikate tamaa kutokana na kuongezeka kwa wimbi la watu wa hali ya juu, ukatili, kutovumiliana kwa rangi, kitaifa na kidini, ubaguzi wa rangi wa kizamani na ¿NUD ]D NLEDJX]L DPED]R ]LPHLNXPba nchi yetu katika wakati huu wa kisiasa. Tumevumilia mabaya zaidi na bado tuliinuka. Marekani, usikate tamaa; tutasahihisha (na kuandika)

makosa yanayofanywa hivi sasa NZD MLQD OD VLDVD ]D NLKD¿GKLQD 7XWavumilia uchochezi wa hyperbolic. Lakini hatutaenda kimya kimya usiku. Marekani, usikate tamaa; tutainua kila sauti na kupinga dhuluma popote pale inapoibua kichwa chake kibaya. Amerika, usikate tamaa, tutaishi kweli kwa maneno yaliyochongwa NZHQ\H +DWL \D 8KXUX ³1LSH XFKRvu wako, masikini wako, umati wako uliosongamana wanaotamani kupumua bure, takataka mbaya ya pwani yako iliyojaa. ...” Marekani, usikate tamaa, kwa sababu watakapowaita Waislamu kujiandikisha, sote tutatokea- Wayahudi, Wamataifa, Wabaptisti, Waprotestanti, Wakatoliki, Waadventista Wasabato, Mashahidi wa Yehova, Wakana Mungu, na waumini na wasioamini-na kutia sahihi majina yetu. katika mshikamano. Marekani, usikate tamaa, kwani wanapojenga ukuta au kurefusha ua, jambo ambalo linatufanya tusiwe majirani wazuri wa Mexico, tutasimama kama Waamerika walioungana tayari kuubomoa kama tulivyodai ukuta wa Berlin ufanyike. Amerika, usikate tamaa, kwa sababu kwa Azimio langu la Mwaka Mpya wa 2017, ninaamua, na ninamwomba kila mtu anayesoma hili kufanya vivyo hivyo, kujazwa na Matumaini na Matumaini na uhakika kwamba, kupitia Nguvu ya Watu, tutatengeneza. Amerika bora, ya kiraia na iliyojumuisha zaidi kwa ajili yetu SOTE kwa sasa na siku zijazo. Heri ya Mwaka Mpya.

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Insight News • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Page 9

Insight 2 Health Cardio or weights first? A kinesiologist explains how to optimize the order of your exercise routine the best performance eﬀects? Given research findings about concurrent training for high-level athletes, it makes sense to do resistance exercise first or to train first in the type of exercise that is most important to your performance goals. Additionally, if possible, elite athletes should give their bodies a break of at least three hours between resistance and aerobic training sessions.

By Randal Claytor Associate Professor of Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health, Miami University When you enter the gym, which way should you head first? Toward the treadmills and spin studio to get your sweat on with a cardio session? Or toward the free weights and strength-training machines to do some resistance training? The American College of Sports Medicine suggests doing both types of exercise to take advantage of their unique benefits for improving health and daily functioning and reducing chronic disease risk. But what is the optimal sequence to get the best results? The answer to this question is … it depends. I’m an exercise physiologist. Recently in my lab we have been studying the eﬀects of combinations of aerobic and resistance training on improving health-related fitness, particularly aerobic capacity and muscular strength. Research suggests that when you’re designing your exercise program, there are a few factors to take into account, including your age, fitness level and exercise history and goals. You’ll also want to consider the volume of your exercise routine – that is, its duration and intensity – and how you’ll schedule your training during the day. Benefits of exercise First, just about any exercise at all is going to be better for you than doing nothing. Aerobic exercise is rhythmic activity that gets your heart pumping. Examples are walking, running, swimming, cycling and using a cardio machine such as an elliptical trainer. Aerobic exercise can improve cardiorespiratory function – over time, your heart and lungs get better at delivering oxygen to your

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Resistance and aerobic training each offer unique benefits. muscles to make energy for continued muscle contractions. Aerobic exercise can also reduce several chronic disease risk factors, increase how much energy your body uses and how much fat it burns, and improve physical and cognitive function. Resistance training involves strengthening your muscles by lifting, pushing or pulling against resistance. This type of exercise can be done using free-weight barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, weight machines or even elastic bands. Resistance exercise improves muscular strength, endurance and the power and the size of muscles – what exercise physiologists call muscle hypertrophy. Studies show resistance training has health-related benefits, as well, particularly for people who have or are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. It can improve blood pressure, blood levels of glucose and the ability of muscles to use glucose for energy, and it helps maintain lean body mass and bone health.

Training for health benefits With a limited amount of time to devote to working out, many people include both cardio and weights in the same exercise session. This concurrent training comes with plenty of benefits for your health, including lowering your cardiovascular and metabolic risks. In fact, doing both forms of exercise together is better, especially for people with chronic disease risk factors, than exercising for the same amount of time but sticking with just aerobic or resistance exercise. Studies of concurrent training suggest a generalized training eﬀect – similar improvements in aerobic capacity and muscular strength, regardless of the order of aerobic and resistance exercises in a session. These benefits hold for a wide variety of people, including those who are initially inactive, recreationally active, young people and older women and men. Resistance exercise done before aerobic exercise

results in a small increase in lower-body muscular strength without compromising all the other improvements in health-related physical fitness. So if your exercise goals are along the lines of staying generally healthy and enjoying the mental benefits of moving your body, resistance training first might provide a little boost. Research suggests that overall, though, you don’t need to worry too much about which order to focus on – cardio versus weights. Training with performance goals in mind On the other hand, you may want be more thoughtful about the order of your workout if you’re a performanceoriented athlete who is training to get better at a particular sport or prepare for a competition. Research suggests that for these exercisers, concurrent training may slightly inhibit improvement in aerobic capacity. More likely, it can hinder gains in muscular strength and power development, and

to a lesser degree muscle growth. This phenomenon is called the “interference effect.” It shows up most in welltrained athletes undertaking high volumes of both aerobic and resistance exercise. Researchers are still investigating what happens on a cellular level to cause the interference effect. Aerobic and resistance training unleash competing influences at the molecular level that affect genetic signaling and protein synthesis. At the start of an exercise program, the body’s adaptations are more generalized. But with more training, the muscle changes become more and more specific to the kind of work being done, and the likelihood of the interference effect kicking in increases. Of course, many sports require combinations of aerobic and muscular capabilities. Some elite-level athletes need to improve both. So the question remains: What is the optimal order of the two modes of exercise to get

Don’t sweat the order In my lab, we’re studying what we call “microcycles” of aerobic and resistance exercise. Instead of needing to decide which to do first, you weave the two modalities together in much shorter bursts. For instance, one set of a resistance exercise is immediately followed by three minutes of walking or running; you repeat this cycle for as many times as necessary to include all of the resistance exercises in your routine. Our preliminary findings suggest this method of concurrent training results in similar gains in aerobic fitness, muscular strength and lean muscle mass – while also feeling less challenging – when compared with the typical concurrent routine where all of the resistance exercise is followed by all of the aerobic exercise. For most people, my current advice remains to choose the order of exercise based on your personal preferences and what will keep you coming back to the gym. High-level athletes can avoid any significant interference eﬀect by doing their resistance routine before the aerobic routine or by separating their aerobic and resistance workouts within a particular day. Randal Claytor has received funding in the past from NIH, AHA, ADA. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Radiation therapy takes advantage of cancer’s poor DNA repair abilities – an oncologist and physicist explain how By Behzad Ebrahimi Assistant Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago and Mark Korpics Assistant Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Nearly half of all cancer patients undergo radiation therapy as part of their care. Ionizing radiation, or the emission of high-energy waves or particles, works as a therapy by damaging a cancer cell’s DNA. It’s an eﬀective tool for killing cancer cells because they are generally much less adept at DNA repair compared to healthy cells. Damaging specific parts of DNA prevents cancer cells from reproducing, eﬀectively killing them. A major limitation of radiation therapy is the damage it may cause as it passes through healthy organs to get to tumors located deep in the body. The need to protect healthy organs limits the dose of radiation that can be delivered to cancerous tissue, thereby reducing the chance of successful treatment. Overcoming this challenge has long been a mission for medical physicists and radiation oncologists like us. Improvements to radiotherapy will enable clinicians to not only better control tumors overall, but also open the door for more favorable outcomes in patients with cancers that are more resistant to radiation. Fundamentals of radiation therapy At the heart of radiation therapy lies the fundamental principle that cancer cells are more susceptible to radiation than healthy cells. However, there are exceptions. Sometimes resistance to

radiation in cancer cells may be comparable or even greater than that of their neighboring cells. When tumors lie close to vital organs that are highly sensitive to radiation, such as the brain or the bowels, it significantly limits the amount of radiation that can be delivered. In cases where tumors are significantly less sensitive to radiation than the organs surrounding it, radiotherapy may not be the best choice. Patient immobilization is another key aspect to reducing toxicity from radiation. Patients need to be completely motionless during treatments to ensure that the beam of radiation mainly targets tumors and not the healthy tissues surrounding them. If a patient moves during treatment, it can mean the radiation beam is partly or even entirely missing the cancer target. This scenario both underdoses the cancer and increases the risk of harming healthy tissue. There are a few common types of radiotherapy that deliver radiation in diﬀerent ways: External therapy

beam

radiation

External beam radiation involves directing radiation from an outside source to a single part of the body. Linear accelerators, commonly referred to as LINACs, are currently the most common technology used in radiation treatments. These machines generate beams of high-energy electrons and X-rays that can be aimed at cancer tissue with precision. The high energy of these beams allows in-depth penetration into the body to reach tumors. Another form of radiotherapy is proton beam therapy, or PBT, which directs protons instead of X-rays at tumors. Currently, PBT is only

available at a limited number of locations. It is typically recommended for specific populations such as pediatric patients because, unlike X-rays, it has an adjustable range that minimizes the eﬀects of radiation on organs beyond the target area, potentially reducing toxicity. Image-guided radiation therapy In the early 2000s, researchers incorporated CT scanners into LINACs. This enabled real-time imaging of the patient’s anatomy just before or during treatment. By acting as the eyes of the care team, imaging reduced uncertainty about the location of tumors and improved the precision and accuracy of radiation therapy. Newer linear accelerators are now incorporating MRIs, which significantly improve visualization of patient anatomy and tumors, further advancing treatment precision and accuracy. Researchers are also adding positron emission tomography, or PET, scanners that provide information about the metabolic function of tumors. This advance makes it possible to increase the radiation dose specifically at the most active areas of tumors. Adaptive therapy An emerging approach to radiation therapy called adaptive therapy uses imaging to dynamically adjust treatment as the tumor or its positioning changes each day. In conventional radiation therapy, patients receive the same treatment plan across multiple treatment sessions. However, adaptive therapy may apply several adjustments or lead to a completely new treatment plan in order to address changes to the tumor’s condition

Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Advances in radiotherapy involve combining new technologies with clinical expertise. over the course of treatment. Historically, the concept of adaptive therapy was more theoretical than practical. It faced many challenges, including a lack of suitable imaging technologies. Additionally, creating a treatment plan involves heavy computational work and collaboration among various specialties within a care team. The fact that the process needs to be repeated multiple times renders adaptive therapy particularly resource-intensive and time-consuming. However, researchers are looking into ways to use artificial intelligence to automate some of these steps to make this approach more practical. Brachytherapy Brachytherapy – stemming from the Greek word “brachys,” meaning “short” – is another widely used method in radiation therapy. It involves placing a radioactive source called a seed near or directly inside a tumor or aﬀected area, reducing the distance from the radiation source to its target.

In contrast to external beam radiation therapy, where radiation often must pass through healthy tissue to reach cancer cells, brachytherapy applies radiation directly to the tumor. This technique is particularly advantageous for certain cancer types that are accessible through noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures, such as skin cancers, gynecological tumors and genitourinary tumors. The conventional approach to brachytherapy involved using needles to place or inject radioactive seeds inside or adjacent to the cancerous tissue. These seeds would remain in the body either temporarily or permanently, with the goal of irradiating the area at a low dose over a long period of time. An increasingly popular form of brachytherapy called high-dose rate brachytherapy involves using a tube to guide a more highly radioactive seed directly to the aﬀected tissue before removing it after a few minutes. The seed

emits a high dose of radiation in a short period of time, which enables clinicians to treat patients quickly in an outpatient setting. Future of radiation therapy Radiation therapy is continually evolving to more effectively and precisely treat cancer. For example, a technique that delivers radiation at an ultra-high rate called FLASH-RT has shown promise in its ability to increase dosages without excessive toxicity. Researchers are also exploring treatments using ions heavier than protons to more effectively damage DNA in cancer cells and enhance the efficacy of radiation therapy. Advances in the field hint at a future of more personalized radiation therapy, highlighting the fusion of technology and medical expertise in the fight against cancer. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Page 10 • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News

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The Supreme Hogon Sharing Our Stories

By: W.D. Foster-Graham Book Review Editor THE SUPREME HOGON By J. Darnell Johnson As a storyteller, J. Darnell Johnson is gifted, from children’s books to scifi/fantasy to Afrofuturism. For those who are in the Twin Cities metro area, Johnson will be one of the participating authors at the We Are Wordsmiths event to be held at St. Peter’s AME Church on February 24, so you can see his works and hear him share his stories. That being said, I bring to you my full review of his sci-fi/fantasy story, The Supreme Hogon. Tony Smart, a renowned astrophysicist with the credentials of a Ph.D., is cynical and skeptical of his nephew Tee’s accounts of the Dogon people in Mali and the existence of a Supreme Hogon. According to Tee, a Hogon is “a shaman, high priest, diviner, spiritualist, and wise man,” who possesses ancient supernatural powers of seeing into the universe. After Tee leaves for an evening with his friends, Tony’s curiosity impels him to research the Dogon people and make a trip to Mali. Taking the Mystery of the Dogon tour, he finally meets Ambaro, the Supreme Hogon. The price? A basket of kola nuts. Tony’s Western mindset challenges Ambaro when it comes to proving things we cannot see, and touting his own scientific knowledge and Ph.D. Ambaro, however, checks him. Ambaro’s knowledge of Smart’s terminal cancer

J. Darnell Johnson throws Tony for a loop. How in the world could he have known that? When doctors confirm that his cancer has returned and he has only six weeks to live, Tony agrees to undertake the Dogon initiation. As a result, his cancer is eliminated from his body, and Tony becomes a believer. He convinces Ambaro to come to the U.S. to test his stargazing power against the scientific marvel of the Hubble telescope. In the interest of national security, Ambaro’s visit is kept secret. Despite the dismissive attitudes of the NASA administrator, the deputy administrator, and the few engineers selected for the test, Ambaro’s ancient power surpasses the technology of the Hubble telescope. Ah, but there is a twist. Tony and Tee have secret identities, ones that will mean the diﬀerence between life and death for Ambaro when he suddenly disappears… Johnson gives us an awesome interpretation of

Eastern vs. Western culture, ancient vs. modern, patience vs. impatience, wisdom vs. arrogance. There is so much phenomena happening in the world that cannot be explained; Tony’s baﬄement over how the seemingly primitive Dogon people possessed power and knowledge that far predated anything in modern times is one example. Thanks for the hat tip to the legend of John Henry vs. the steam locomotive; not everything is what it seems. And thank you for another illustration of how people can fear what they do not understand. The Supreme Hogon is available through the Minnesota Black Authors Expo website (www. mnblackauthorexpo.com), Strive Publishing, and his author website, (jdarnelljohnson.com). Thank you, James, for giving us the gift of Ambaro and the way you interweave the past with the future. If we don’t share our stories, who will?

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Insight News • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Page 11

Commentary “What if” vs. “What is” regarding HBCU Football Hobb servation Point

By Chuck Hobbs WHAT IF? As a lover and teacher of history, I have often asked myself “what if” the dominant programs of Jim Crow era Black College football, universities like Florida A&M, Grambling, Jackson State, Morgan State, South Carolina State, Southern, Tennessee State, and Tuskegee, had been integrated into the all white SEC or ACC in the 1960’s and 70’s? True integration that is, instead of having predominantly white schools slowly recruit and subsequently dominate the enrollment of Black studentathletes after de jure segregation ended in the late 60’s? There is a reason why each of the above mentioned HBCU’s has multiple alumni enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and that is because in the Deep South, the ONLY options for a star Black high school football player to play local college football was to attend one of the over 100 schools that had been founded by missionaries and state legislatures during and immediately after Reconstruction to formally educate formerly enslaved Blacks. But what if Florida A&M had found itself finally able to play the University of Florida in Gainesville, or Florida State University across the Gaines Street railroad tracks in Tallahassee, back when the talent gap was overwhelmingly in favor of the Rattlers and not the Gators or Seminoles? What if Southern and Grambling were able to enter Death Valley at LSU when their rosters were chock full of future NFL stars? What if Jackson State, South Carolina State, and Tennessee State had been able to field their dominant all-Black teams against Ole Miss, Alabama, or Tennessee’s dominant all-white teams from 1964 and beyond? Well, the obvious answer is that we will never know because what actually happened was that instead of the top predominantly white college football teams rushing to schedule the top HBCU’s, they chose to aggressively recruit the top Black high school football players by enticing them to campuses that were far bigger and far better equipped due to the VAST funding discrepancies resulting from all white Jim Crow legislatures getting the “separate” part of public education right—but totally dissing the “equal”

NFL Hall of Famer Robert “Bullet Bob” Hayes, the 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100m, sprinting through the tackle of a Grambling defender for the FAMU Rattlers in the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami… part that should have had HBCU’s, from 1896’s Plessy vs. Ferguson decision that codified “separate but equal,” until 1954’s Brown vs. Board of Education that overturned the same, having equal facilities, equal course oﬀerings, and equally beautiful campuses! That glaring lack of equal funding is why over the past several decades, multibillion dollar legal settlements and judgments have been awarded in Alabama, Maryland, Mississippi, and Tennessee in favor of HBCU’s that got the financial shaft from their racist state legislatures for decades. In Florida, litigation has only recently begun to collect the billions of dollars that the State of Florida withheld from Florida A&M, its sole public HBCU, not just into the 1960’s, but well into the late 1980’s—when I was growing up less than three miles from the FAMU campus! Even worse, as my Morehouse Brother William Easley often reminds on social media, are the STILL disparate funding realities from Federal grants that are HEAVILY skewed in favor of predominantly white colleges and universities! We also know that as those once segregated allwhite college football teams at Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and Georgia soon turned

predominantly Black by the late 1970’s and 1980’s, that the emergence of ESPN, and the infusion of major television revenue into college football, soon found HBCU’s—still enrolling their share of Black talent and being featured on ABC and CBS well into the early 80’s—shut TOTALLY out of the viewing and financial equation. We also know that as those once segregated allwhite college football teams at Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and Georgia soon turned predominantly Black by the late 1970’s and 1980’s, that the emergence of ESPN, and the infusion of major television revenue into college football, soon found HBCU’s—still enrolling their share of Black talent and being featured on ABC and CBS well into the early 80’s—shut TOTALLY out of the viewing and financial equation. This last reality, cemented circa 1983-86, leads to where we are today, which is schools from the SEC, Big Ten and other Power Five conferences (soon to be four with the demise of the PAC 12), enrolling ALL of the best Black talent while being featured on the major networks that provide multi-billion dollar checks and NFL exposure each year— while the once dominant HBCU programs are lucky to be live

streamed on ESPN3 and operate in the financial red year in and year out. WHAT IS! Last month, the SWAC Champion Florida A&M University Rattlers, led by Coach Willie Simmons, won the Celebration Bowl and with it, the Black College National Championship, by defeating Howard University 30-26. By the end of the month, rumors were circulating that Simmons, one of the top young coaches in the business, had received a lucrative offer to join the staff of new Duke University Coach Manny Diaz. Last weekend, I watched (and contributed) to a feverish online effort by FAMU alumni and supporters to help keep Simmons coaching “On the Highest of Seven Hills” in Tallahassee but alas, such was to no avail as Simmons, noting in an interview with my old friend and fellow journalist Vaughn Wilson (HBCU GameDay), that his true dream is to someday lead a Power Five football team. To that end, I wish Coach Simmons and his family blessings in the years ahead at Duke—and I will continue to watch his career with great interest! Now, as new FAMU Athletics Director TiffaniDawn Sykes begins what is

easily the most important task in her young tenure—hiring a coach to replace the popular and prodigiously talented Simmons—the question of “what is” must be answered by not just FAMU’s alumni and supporters, but by alumni and supporters of each of the Blue Blood Black College programs that desire greater achievements and recognition in the sport. Over the past three years, a Black College football renaissance that was sparked by Deion “Primetime” Sanders’ successful three season coaching tenure at Jackson State that included two Celebration Bowl appearances, FAMU football’s dominance that included one FCS playoff appearance—and a Celebration Bowl victory— and North Carolina Central’s dominance by winning a Celebration Bowl and appearing in the FCS playoffs, has found the HBCU “culture” front and center on ESPN game day and in television and print ads from major corporations. Those successes have led many HBCU sports faithful, including yours truly, to wonder once more “what if?” Such questions, at least in the social media sphere, center around fierce debates about whether the top tier HBCU football teams should seek to play in the FCS playoffs against

the Dakotas and Montanas, better funded predominantly white schools that dominate their same division, or whether the Celebration Bowl should be joined by another Black College bowl to create some type of HBCU playoff field that would include Division II HBCU conferences, like the SIAC and the CIAA, vying for a unified HBCU champ? The arguments “for” and “against” are often logically sound in both of the above scenarios, but no matter where one’s personal perspective falls on the immediate future of Black College football, the ultimate truth is that sporting success takes money—lots of money—and without money, all who dream “what if,” like FAMU playing the Washington Huskies or Montana Grizzlies for the championship, are merely chasing windmills. In fact, as I fielded personal messages and read comments —some that I’m sure were tongue in cheek— from FAMU friends who either wondered “where the money that was raised to keep Coach Simmons is gonna go now” (or whether they are entitled to refunds), the reality is that while our collective effort in such a short period of time was great, it will take that kind of effort on a sustained (read-monthly) basis IF FAMU is going to retain the highest caliber of coaching talent—and reach unsurpassed heights on the playing field. Such, I surmise, is the ultimate “what is”— cash rules everything around us, always has—always will. My last point, the cash infusion necessity, is one that I’ve had the privilege of discussing many times with another old friend, longtime sports administrator and championship winning golf and women’s flag football coach Marvin Green, who often reminds that the ultimate role of any college or university is to educate its students! I agree, and I further submit that sustained giving is not just important for our ball coaches, but that we must willingly donate to HBCU general funds and philanthropic organizations that put dollars in pockets (and food in mouths) of students who are working to someday become proud alumni of these hallowed institutions. Lest we forget… Subscribe to Hobbservation Point By Chuck Hobbs · Hundreds of paid subscribers “Real Politics in Real Time” Chuck Hobbs is a freelance journalist who won the 2010 Florida Bar Media Award and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

Page 12 • January 8, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Insight News

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