“It’s incomprehensible to me that it took a third Black man to be attacked and almost die to finally dissolve the unconscionable apathy that has allowed Ed Buck, a racist sexual predator, to roam free. Everyone knew that he preyed on young Black men — two died in his apartment. The inaction in response had a message was loud and clear: Black gay lives obviously didn’t matter.
“We absolutely accomplished what we set out to,” said Congresswoman Karen Bass of her recent trip to Ghana with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and thirteen members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The Congressional Black Caucus will launch a new taskforce that will focus on the upcoming 2020 Census and the legacy of under counting the African American community. Members of the CBC will meet with stakeholders and leading professionals to discuss the current state of play. The Caucus will also discuss the tools required for effective outreach to hard to count communities across the United States. The taskforce will be led by Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV). Below, Chairwoman Bass and members of the taskforce released the following statement: “This time around, we are facing a big question regarding how the census
Need a master class on the Mueller report before Rober Mueller testifies to Congress on Wednesday? Join PBS NewsHour correspondent and producer William Brangham, senior broadcast producer Mike Melia and politics reporter Daniel Bush as they answer questions and walk viewers through the components of the Russia investigation and Mueller’s findings on July 24. The livestream kicks off at 7:45 a.m. EDT, as William, Mike and Dan introduce our series on all of the Mueller report’s major findings in less than 30 minutes. In between the five chapters, your hosts will answer your questions picked from the live chat and
On June 8th, many South L.A. residents came together at Los Angeles Trade Technical College for the 4th annual People Power Convention hosted by Community Coalition. The convention is a mass organizing event where residents learn about educational equity, justice reinvestment, art activism, and unified voting power.
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth (CCFY) hosted more than 100 current and former foster youth from across the country as part of the 8th Annual Foster Youth Shadow Day in Washington, D.C. Every year, the event allows youth to share their experiences in foster care directly with their Member of Congress to help inform and improve child welfare policy. “Each year our participants have a real hand in making change – from CHAFEE grant extensions, to the passage of the Family First Act just last year, this group’s voices
WASHINGTON – Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, along with colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, introduced the “Family First Transition and Support Act of 2019,” which would provide resources and funding flexibility for state and tribal child welfare systems to implement the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First) — a landmark piece of legislation signed into law in 2018 designed to transform the way the federal government funds child welfare services. Across the nation, child welfare agencies are in crisis due to a lack of resources and
Thousands of people converged on South Los Angeles to witness the renaming of Rodeo Road to President Barack Obama Boulevard. The daylong street festival, highlighted with music, food trucks and vendors, took place May 4, in front of Rancho Cienega Sports Center and Park. The huge gathering revealed the community’s deep affection for the former commander-in-chief as well as recalled the neighborhood’s tremendous reception to then-presidential candidate Obama’s 2007 rally at the same site. Community involvement played a critical role in the renaming campaign, said City Council President Herb J. Wesson, who noted that it was residents in his 10th
As reported in the news, during an interview with Marietta Daily Journal on May 5, 2019, NRA President Carolyn Meadows stated CBC Member Congresswoman Lucy McBath won her congressional seat because she is a “minority female.” Congresswoman Karen Bass, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement in response: “Let’s be clear, NRA President Carolyn Meadows’ recent comment regarding Congresswoman McBath is nothing more than the same old rhetoric from decades of racially charged scare tactics,” said Chairwoman Bass. “The NRA’s pro-gun agenda still remains overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people. For years the NRA has turned its back on Black
LOS ANGELES – Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) issued the following statement in recognition of the life lived by John Singleton. “John Singleton was a native son of South Los Angeles who included our community in his prolific success. “He was just 24 years old when he received an Oscar Nomination for Best Director for ‘Boyz n the Hood’, making him not only the youngest filmmaker ever to receive the honor, but also the first ever Black director to receive that nomination. With this project, he humanized the struggle but also the beauty of life in South Los Angeles. His
AP Photo Washington, D.C. (April 30, 2019) – Today, Representatives Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform; Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary; and Karen Bass (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security; reintroduced the Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment (REDEEM) Act on the last day of Second Chance Month. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) plans to reintroduce the bill in the Senate in the coming weeks. The bicameral legislation would ease the barriers to re-entry for formerly incarcerated individuals by expunging or sealing offenses
The topic of discussion for the evening — advancing Black America during a pivotal moment in Congress
Rep. Ilhan Omar The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) released the following statement criticizing President Donald Trump’s despicable attack on Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) by tweeting a video accusing the Congresswoman of supporting terrorist responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. CBC Chair Representative Karen Bass (D-CA) said the following: “There was a time when Presidents of either party could be looked too for leadership in pulling our country together and denouncing hate, but it’s clear that those days are over so long as Donald Trump is in the White House. His attacks on Representative Omar, as well
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), spoke on the House Floor shortly prior to entering Nipsey Hussle’s contributions to South Los Angeles into the Congressional Record. Transcript of her remarks: “Madame Speaker, I rise today on the Floor of the House of Representatives to formally recognize and honor the legacy of Ermias Asghedom, known to his community and the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles and beyond, as Nipsey Hussle. “As noted in the record I will be submitting shortly, Nipsey Hussle used the platform he created with his music to lift our community as he climbed. His business
LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of several stores he owned, including a barber shop, a fish market, and Marathon Clothing. Nipsey hired local members of the community, some struggling to get by, to work in his stores in efforts to give back to South Los Angeles. “Nipsey loved his community and it showed. He was involved in many programs and projects to give back to South L.A., including Destination Crenshaw, which he worked on with Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson and others to honor our community