OpEd WI Health Supplement...................................................... Center

The Black Press Maintains its Seat at the Table

The Ukrainian War Crisis is the major headline news event on every broadcast network and in every newspaper and news magazine commonly referred to as “mainstream.” The horrific story of the recent unprovoked war by Russia against Ukraine is but another example of how these organizations feed into a consistent pattern of racism and discrimination against Black journalists who work for the Black Press.

Once again, only journalists from white-owned media are invited to a seat at the table to analyze the headlines and issues impacting all Americans. Reporters from the Black Press, however, are consistently excluded.

The unspoken reality is that every headline news story today happens to involve an institution led by a Black man or woman currently serving in the Biden Administration. The U.S. role in the war in Ukraine includes the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Defense General Lloyd Austin, the first African American to serve in that post and the person who will dictate how U.S. troops will respond militarily to help Ukraine defend itself. When he speaks on “mainstream” media, there’s no Black journalist from a Black-owned news organization there to question him or provide analyses of the U.S. role.

The person who speaks on behalf of the U.S. at the United Nations is Am- Still, no journalists from the bassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the second African-American woman Black Press are invited to a to serve in that role and responsible for carrying out the nation’s participation seat at the table to analyze in the world body. Thomas-Greenfield appears on national networks to ad- what her nomination means dress diplomatic talks about the war in Ukraine but never to a member of the for all Americans and how Black Press. Meanwhile, President Biden nomi- her decisions will impact nated U.S. District Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to a seat Black Americans’ on the U.S. Supreme Court, the first African-American woman nominated constitutional rights. for the post. Her nomination brings greater diversity to the preeminent U.S. legal institution, whose legal decisions have historically impacted the lives of Black people.

Still, no journalists from the Black Press are invited to a seat at the table to analyze what her nomination means for all Americans and how her decisions will impact Black Americans’ constitutional rights.

On March 16, 1827, when the first Black-owned newspaper in the U.S. was founded, it was because Black voices were shut out of the debate over the abolition of slavery. In their first editorial, Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm wrote: “In short, whatever concerns us as a people, will ever find a ready admission into the Freedom’s Journal.”

One hundred and ninety-five years later, the mission of the Black Press has not changed. No matter whether Black Press journalists are invited to a seat at “their” table, the voices of those the Black Press represents will always have a seat at ours. WI

Rest easy to the former D.C. Fire and EMS chief Kenneth Ellerbe. He served the District well. Though the sudden loss saddens us, his legacy and life works will forever be remembered.

Marvin Talley Washington, DC

TO THE EDITOR

I’m not sure how I feel about Maryland allowing kids to go maskless. I think it’s scary because of unknown consequences. But, I do understand both sides of the argument. It’s hard for adults to wear masks all day long, let alone school children. I just pray that everyone takes the precautions they think are best and gets vaccinated.

Deborah Rogers Suitland, Md.

As Gas Prices Reach Record Highs, Many Brace for New Economic Hurdles

No matter where you live in the U.S., gas prices continue to soar with a national average price per gallon surpassing $4 – a price not seen since July 2008. And with Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden’s decision to invoke further sanctions against President Putin and Russia, experts fear oil supply shortages will further impact the price of gasoline at the pumps.

The District and Maryland pump prices soared to a record high on March 7, according to AAA as consumers are now paying 40 cents more per gallon than just one week ago. As of March 7, D.C.’s average gas prices were well above the national mean at $4.225 per gallon, based on AAA reports – 60 cents more than one month ago and the highest since 2011. In Maryland, the average price per gallon, at $4.09, comes in just a bit lower than in the District with Montgomery County reporting the highest price. Around the DMV, Virginia’s average price may be the best for now at $3.90 per gallon but in Northern Virginia, all jurisdictions continue to post prices above $4 per gallon.

Analysts at GasBuddy predict prices will continue to climb given the fact that demand typically increases during warmer months as travel season kicks off. And as the pandemic appears to be more contained, workers are being encouraged to transition back from teleworking to working in offices, therefore requiring commuters to either drive or take public transportation.

Some commuters may decide to ride together in order to save money. Others may decide to make Metro their primary means of transportation. Some may even hope to stick it out at home for a few more months. But no matter how we proceed, experts believe gas prices will break the $5 per gallon mark in the coming weeks. And watch out for those unscrupulous businesses who take advantage of consumers and try to make a profit with gas gouging.

Spring may almost be here in the DMV with the glorious return of cherry blossoms. And excitement may dominate our emotions as mask mandates continue to be lifted in most of the region. But with surging food and now record-high gasoline prices, economic insecurity will continue to plague us all.

We can only hope that President Biden, members of Congress and our local politicians have strategies in motion to help citizens make it through these financially turbulent times.

WI

Guest Columnist

Where is Black Human Interest?

Jullianne Malveaux

Most of us are riveted to the television, radio, or internet to learn more about what is happening in Ukraine. On one hand, it is a world away, but on the other hand, it is right next door because it affects us. Not only is there the devastating loss of human life, but there are also the ways that we in the United States are affected by Putin's putrid boldness. We are feeling it in our pocketbooks as we watch gasoline prices rise. We also feel it in our hearts as we watch people leave, juggling their bundles of belongings, not knowing if they will ever see home again.

Black people who live in Ukraine have been mostly ignored when these human-interest stories are broadcast. If it were not for journalists Roland Martin and David A. Love, we would not know much about how Black Ukrainians are being treated. Roland was the first to speak of it, highlighting how Black folk in Ukraine were being turned away from buses and trains leaving the country. David Love has written about the ways the majority media has highlighted human suffering, ignoring Black suffering as if we are not human. I am not surprised at this global anti-Blackness as it is the same in Ukraine as it is in the UK or parts of Latin America. Global predatory capitalism has made it acceptable for people to discriminate, even in times of war and crisis. Even without war and crisis, Ukraine has an ugly history of racism.

From Twitter, Ukraine's Deputy Chief Prosecutor David Sakvarelidze said, "It's very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed." What about the folks with brown eyes, brown skin, and brown hair? Their plight is less impactful, at least for him. Sakvarelidze, your racism is showing. But he's not the only one. Others have commented on the middle-class status of the fleeing white Ukrainians as if the Black folks fleeing, many who are students, don't have enough status to be treated compassionately.

Of course, the Ukrainian government has issued a statement denying any racism. What else can they say? The United States can play a role in ensuring that Black folks fleeing Ukraine are fairly treated. If we are sending humanitarian aid, we should condition it to fairness in the distribution of aid. Or, if we are sending people to the border to administer aid, we could ensure that our envoys are race sensitive. If Black folks can't get on buses or trains, perhaps we could offer buses and trains for them. In the face of blatant racism, we must create race-specific remedies so that no population in Ukraine or anywhere else feels a disproportionate amount of pain.

Other media outlets have

Guest Columnist

Ben Jealous

State of the Union: Democracy Needs Defenders

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address reminded Americans that democracy needs defenders – here at home as well as in Ukraine.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine was understandably a major focus of Biden’s speech. Putin’s eagerness to expand his power by unleashing brute force against his neighbors is a threat to peace in Europe and the world. Putin’s track record of killing journalists and political opponents has made it clear that he is an enemy of democracy and democratic values.

We have our own threats to democracy to confront, including the Capitol insurrectionists, the political and media figures who portray them as heroes and politicians who undermine our democracy. And we have important domestic priorities that cannot be put on hold or set aside. Biden reminded Americans that the right to vote is under assault. “In state after state, new laws have been passed, not only to suppress the vote, but to subvert entire elections,” he said. The president called on Congress to defend democracy at home by passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, two voting rights bills blocked by Senate Republicans’ filibuster. The president added a call for more transparency and accountability in our elections, saying, “And while you’re at it, pass the Disclose Act so Americans can know who is funding our elections.” But, as we know, we won’t see solutions like that on the federal level until we have a pro-democracy majority in the Senate. And that means we have much work to do between now and the November elections.

Biden also addressed policing, another issue on which Americans are demanding more transparency and accountability. Police unions and politicians who resist change and accountability for law enforcement officers frequently tell Americans that they must choose between fair policing and safe communities. Biden rejected the false narrative that we cannot have public safety and equal justice. Saying, “Let’s not abandon our streets – or choose between safety and equal justice.”

Guest Columnist

Angela Alsobrooks Prince George’s County Needs Better Recreation; The County Must Determine How Best to Offer It

We have recently introduced state legislation, House Bill 1057, that would create a workgroup to study the way we deliver recreation opportunities to our residents. There are those who believe that what we are doing is “good enough” and that our residents don’t deserve better, but we strongly disagree. Anytime you suggest changing the way something is done, there is always pushback. So, it comes as no surprise that since the introduction of this bill, there are those who have spread misinformation regarding the purpose of the bill, claiming that it would somehow dismantle existing services and threaten programs that people enjoy every day. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Prince Georgians deserve access to all of the wonderful recreation opportunities our County has to offer, and they deserve a greater voice in choosing what new activities we bring to life. We believe a new structure, focused solely on these recreation services, will allow us to offer an increased array of services that our residents want and deserve.

This process will not impact our dedicated recreation employees who go above and beyond to serve our residents. No recreation employee will lose their job, their healthcare, or their pension. The changes we’re exploring have to do with the structure of the entity that administers recreation services and will not, in any way, negatively impact employees. In fact, Gino Renne, President of UFCW 1994, the union who represents the employees, supports the bill.

This legislation will allow us to have more local control over our Recreation Department and how services are delivered. Having an organization whose sole purpose is the provision of recreation services and programming will allow us to focus on youth sports, senior services, the arts and so much more, without it being a part of M-NCPPC that is also focused on worthy, yet other significant objectives.

While we appreciate the work

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Unfortunately, the president muddled this message with a call for greater police funding without making it clear that we must invest in innovative approaches to public safety rather than shoveling more money into a system that fails to keep many Americans safe. The president did point to one important aspect of reform by calling for better training for police officers. But we must think much bigger. Young political leaders and community activists across the country are taking bold steps

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Guest Columnist

Vincent L. Hall

We Need Some New Farmers!

Black History comes in chapters but the best of it is unwritten and cultural. It has always been how we do, what we do, when forced to do it that makes the Black experience unique.

Long sentence but you get the message!

During and before the “Modern Age,” we as a people had a footprint in two worlds. One was urban; the other was rural or agricultural. The Modern Age ushered in technological innovations, scientific discoveries and the like. Opportunities in the city drew us from the farm.

One advantage of having a presence in two worlds was that our children were exposed to the best of everything. “Student or Foreign Exchange” programs were prevalent among privileged children but we had our own low-budget exchange program.

We called it “Going to the country for the summer” and it worked. That transfer program also worked for rural kids who got a chance to go to the city. The unofficial Black Exchange Program made us better. Much better.

This idea came to mind lately when I talked to a friend, Deacon Charles Johnson. He hipped me to some history I was clueless about. He told me that he had been a member of the New Farmers of America. Indiana University Library records lend an enlightening synopsis.

The New Farmers of America [NFA] began as a national organization for African-American farm youth in 1935 to promote agricultural leadership, character, thrift, scholarship, cooperation and citizenship. This organization served its members for 30 years providing experience in leadership and education in the agricultural field.

Programs and contests designed for the organization awarded youth for achievement within the NFA and their community. In 1965, the NFA merged with the National FFA Organization. At the time of the merger, the NFA consisted of 1,004 chapters in 12 states and over 50,000 members.”

According to the Communities of Practice website: “George Washington Owens, a professor at Virginia State College, and H. O. Sargent, Federal Agent for Special Populations (Negro, Hispanic, Native Americans), provided the leadership for establishing the NFA. Owens was Black and Sargent was white.”

“Owens was the first Black person to graduate from Kansas State University. His personal and professional papers are in the KSU li-

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Guest Columnist

Invisible

I admit that I enjoy movies. I’ve always enjoyed movies and, when time permits, I will opt for a few moments of escape in a movie theater. I can find interest in any genre, especially movies that provoke thought and a broader than normal consideration of social circumstance and events.

Somewhat out of character, I sometimes enjoy movies of the horror genre. In the more “serious” horror films, beyond the theme of raw fright, film writers will often question the motivation for the inhumane treatment humans inflict upon each other, or about the challenges to the human ability/inability to maintain acceptable mental health when battling one’s own or other raging Ids.

Since my youth, one thought provoking movie I’ve seen in several iterations is “The Invisible Man.” Though impossible in real life, some of the emotional gymnastics that writers impose upon the title character have, I believe, tangible connection to real human stories. In most iterations of “The Invisible Man,” central among his conflicts are his immersion into the depths of self-loathing, desperation, hatred and violence after reaching the unacceptable conclusion that his invisibility renders him a non-person to all.

Sadly, I see a common thread between the fictional, horror genre and the realities of lived experiences and personal/emotional histories

E. Faye Williams

of too many African Americans. These individuals, despite their age, education, or character, are denied the individual recognition that promotes self-affirmation or the personal acknowledgment which supports the process of self-actualization. Among the maladies associated with being ignored, the February 2021 edition of Psychology Today lists self-esteem doubts, the feeling of a lack of control and the sense of not being worthy of attention. This assessment squares with the many studies that analyze the emotional damage done during and because of COVID-19 isolation.

Worse than the movies and isolation is a renewal of the full-scale, attempted imposition of invisibility upon the African-American community. For those who have not been paying attention, we currently face an insidious attempt to erase and/or sanitize the history of African Americans in this nation. In multiple school districts and ju-

WILLIAMS Page 50

Guest Columnist

Scott Charles

Blacks Need to Break with the Second Amendment as Firearms Have Not Guaranteed Freedom

I spent a recent morning at a correctional facility having a conversation about gun violence. My audience, a dozen Black teens between 15 and 17, were all awaiting trial for murder.

Nearly every one of them had taken someone’s life with a firearm before they were old enough to purchase a lottery ticket. Yet here they were, just kids, with their last days of freedom likely behind them. As I stood before them, I could not help thinking about their families, their victims’ families and this peculiar relationship that we, as Black people, have with firearms. These weapons have wrought so much misery on our communities and figured so prominently in maintaining our bondage. The conversation made me more convinced than ever that we are well past the time for a reckoning around our relationship with guns. The latest data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission reveals that Black Americans, despite only representing 12% of the U.S. population, account for more than half of all individuals convicted of a firearms offense carrying a mandatory minimum sentence in 2016. Homicide kills Black men under 45 more than any other means. And police use of force is the sixth leading cause of death for young Black men, according to a 2019 study. Without question, one of the great hustles perpetrated against Black folks was when the gun lobby boldly proclaimed, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” This convinced some of us to suspend disbelief and imagine a world in which we can count on being seen as a good guy when we have a gun in our hands. The reality is we live in a society in which 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse can casually stroll past police officers holding the illegally acquired AR-15 he had just used to kill two people. As a white male, he will never be seen as posing the same threat as 12-year-old Tamir Rice, playing alone with a toy gun in a park in an open carry state, or John Crawford III holding the toy gun he had picked up in a Walmart in that same open carry state, or Philando Castile reaching for his lawfully held gun permit, or Amir Locke holding the legally-owned firearm that he had grabbed to defend himCHARLES Page 50