I dedicated 34 years of my life to public safety, enforcing the laws that our legislators placed before me. That’s what cops do, and we trust that those laws are well thought out, studied and based upon sound data and evidence. Later in my career, I realized that this is not always the case, as some of our laws have little to do with sound evidence and are emotionally driven by feel-good politics. That’s why I hung up my badge to advocate for sound public policy as the Executive Director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership. ... read more »

When given the chance at the ballot box, Americans overwhelmingly vote to impose a 36 percent or less rate cap. Today, 16 states and the District of Columbia have these rate caps in place, providing strong protection from payday loan sharks. In remaining states – those without a rate cap – interest rates run as high as 460 percent in California, over 400 percent in Illinois and 662 percent in Texas. ... read more »

Our world is melting. Glaciers are disappearing. Oceans are rising. Lowlands (mostly populated by low income and Black people) are disappearing. And, before Democrats took power in this term, few other than Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the New Green Deal have been able to address matters of climate change and, in the words of the New Poor People's Campaign, "ecological devastation." ... read more »

12.5 million Africans shipped during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, fewer than 388,000 arrived in the United States. In the late 15th century, the advancement of seafaring technologies created a new Atlantic that would change the world forever. As ships began connecting West Africa with Europe and the Americas, new fortunes were sought and native populations were decimated. ... read more »

Clearly, in this important month and historical moment of celebrating Black History thru reflective remembrance and recommitment to ever-deeper study and emancipatory practice, our minds easily turn to the writings and life work of the father of Black History Month, Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950). For it is Dr. Woodson who framed and laid the foundation for our celebration of Black History Month, having given his life to writing, teaching and advocating history as an indispensable core of any real, useful and emancipatory education. And it is he who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (1915), the Journal of Negro History(1916), and Negro History Week (1926). These were later renamed to reflect the constant rethinking needed to meet the challenges and changes of our time: the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Journal of African American History and Black History Month, respectively. ... read more »

For years, research has shown that violence is learned behavior.  A decade ago, the Howard University Violence Prevention Project (HUVPP) found that children’s exposure to community violence can predict their social and emotional behavior, both in school and at home.  In other words, the more elementary school children are exposed to community violence, the more likely they will have adjustment problems. Unfortunately, while this probably not a revelation to most people, the HUVPP findings are just as valid today, chiefly because the underlying causes for violence have not changed. ... read more »

When I think back as far as elementary school, I remember how exciting it was to go to the store and buy the packages of Valentine’s Day Cards. It was such a big deal to bring them home and write your name on the cards, along with the names of your classmates on each of the envelopes.  I found it interesting how there were usually just enough cards in the package to give one to each student in my class and a special one for the teacher. It was as if the card companies knew exactly how many children were in classrooms across America.  On Valentine’s Day we would have a little party that usually consisted of a heart-shaped cookie and punch, and we would go around and give each other our valentines. If my memory serves me correctly, there always seemed to be that “special someone” you hoped would give you a card and if they didn’t your little heart would drop to the floor. ... read more »

In response to Federal investigations of the poor conditions within LA County Jails, and the increase of imprisoned people with mental illnesses which has now reached 70 percent of the jail population, Supervisors of LA County planned to vote February 12th on a new “Mental Health Jail,” formally known as the “Consolidated Correctional Treatment Facility,” instead of diverting people who shouldn’t be in jail in the first place. ... read more »

Managing a chronic disease, like diabetes, is a challenge in its own right. It is even harder to do when you are having trouble affording your insulin. ... read more »

“Once you get a felony conviction, your life is practically ruined based off of the current laws on the books in many states,” said nationally-recognized civil rights attorney Benjamin L. Crump. “It is as if you are walking dead, but they just haven’t given you the death certificate.” ... read more »

In 1951, Langston Hughes laid bare the anxious aspirations of millions of Black people in America with his poem, “A Dream Deferred.” In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded America of the promissory note written to its citizens guaranteeing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, in his “I Have a Dream” speech. ... read more »

Consider conscience? Killing the innocents--the great unborn, many greats murdered through abortion. ... read more »

It’s crucial that we have policies in place, like the sign ordinance, that give businesses the tools they need to help them grow and thrive. ... read more »

Talking about Black unity has fallen out of favor, but the need for unity is as great, if not greater, than ever. Black unity is a perquisite for sustainable change, but it has become a dust-covered relic.  Bastardized remnants remain, but are found mostly in venues that do not advance our collective interest.  Blacks continue to emulate Whites' individualistic and materialistic values without commensurate benefits.  Nonetheless, unity is essential for effectively working with each other and others. ... read more »

It is all there, the beginning of another myth-making drama of an America honestly engaged in coming to terms with its racist past and present, openly discussing the grievous hurt and harm White racism causes to its victims, and making a united front and consensus call for the resignation of a governor caught with his white Klan cape up and his blackface guard down in a pre-selfie photo for his med school yearbook. Clearly, it must be an important issue, for it is on all the media: corporate, social and otherwise. And if it drags out long enough, it could inspire the making of a movie or at least lead to other goodwill tours inside the alternating racist and reformist mind of America. ... read more »