In our ongoing celebration of Black History Month, we look back at some of the leaders, icons and pop culture juggernauts that helped to bring diversity, equity, inclusion and representation to the forefront of the American landscape — like these men and women who left their indelible mark on the…
Tag: Washington
Rep. Grace Meng and Sen. Mazie Hirono Demand Updates on COVID-19 Hate Crimes Law from Department of Justice
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act was signed into law four months ago, but little appears to have come from its passage so far. And now, two Asian American lawmakers are demanding updates from the Department of Justice on its progress and implementation. Cynthia Silva of NBC News reported that “Sen….
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Becomes Third Black Member of Congress Arrested for Protesting Republican Anti-Voting Restrictions
Last month, we reported on Rep. Joyce Beatty, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, being arrested during a peaceful protest for voting rights reform. A few days later, Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia was arrested in a similar protest. And now, less than two weeks after that, a third Black…
Washington Governor Approves Nation’s Most Ambitious Police Reform Legislation
On May 18, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee approved a sweeping new police accountability reform bill that many are calling one of the most ambitious ever attempted in the United States. Gene Johnson of the Associated Press reported that “the dozen of bills Inslee signed include outright bans on police use…
Greta Thunberg Photograph Archived in Library of Congress
A photograph of Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has been archived at the Library of Congress in Washington. The dramatic black-and-white image by photographer Shane Balkowitsch shows Thunberg at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation during her trip to the U.S. in October. Balkowitsch created the photograph using a more…
Oregon Mental Health First Response Group CAHOOTS De-escalates Mental Health Crises Without Police
People with mental illnesses are 16 times more likely to be killed in encounters with police, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center. The community in Eugene, Ore., is working to change that statistic with its use of Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS), a specialized…
NFLer Trent Williams Blames Team for Not Taking Cancerous Lump Seriously
NFL offensive tackle Trent Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowler for Washington’s football team, has publicly blamed the team for not taking his cancer scare seriously. On Thursday, Williams spoke publicly for the first time since the end of the 2018 season. In speaking to a group of reporters in front…
Elite D.C. School Reveals Founding Nuns Sold Slaves, Not Taught Them
The elite Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., has had to face an ugly side of its past after research revealed that the founding nuns of the school didn’t teach slaves to read, as the legend goes – the nuns actually sold slaves. It was the 1820s and debt…
Washington State Supreme Court Determines Obesity Discrimination Unlawful
The Washington State Supreme Court has declared it illegal to not offer an employee a job because of their weight. The court ruled the state’s definition of disability applies to obesity. Federal laws do not explicitly protect against discrimination based on obesity. Under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights…
‘Howard University is Not a Dog Park or Jogging Trail’: Students, Twitter Users Call Out Disrespectful Gentrifiers
The Yard, a historic cultural hub at Howard University in Washington, D.C., is being disrespected by neighborhood gentrifiers who are using it as a spot to walk their dogs or as an outdoor gym, students say. One of the main quads on the campus of Howard, a 152-year-old HBCU, The Yard is the…