As tensions boiled over in the U.S. Senate race in Michigan, Black leaders and Detroit residents put their support behind Abdul El-Sayed – and his campaign’s final push included a Black church. Surrounded by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, and pastors at Detroit’s Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church […]
Michigan
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Voting
Black Organizers Change Their Message to the Hip-Hop Generation
The Rev. Lennox Yearwood had learned from experience that getting more members of the hip-hop generation to be politically active was difficult. He knew it wasn’t enough to get them to turn out to vote for one election – because they might not show up for the next one. And he believed that creating change […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, History
A Series of Hanging Deaths Has Black Families Demanding Answers
This story discusses suicide, self-harm, and mental health crises. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. You can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use the chat feature at 988lifeline.org to connect with trained counselors 24/7. A teenage immigrant is reported […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Da’Quain Johnson’s Family Disputes Police Account of Fatal Michigan Shooting
Angelica Johnson is forced to recount the images and sounds of her son, Da’Quain Johnson, being attacked by a police K-9 dog and being shot three times by police last month. “As it was livestreaming, my granddaughter was calling me to tell me that the dog was attacking him, and before I could find out […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Employment
‘Clean Slate’ Laws Could Help Millions of Black Americans Clear Their Records
The 11th day of April means more to Elvina Smith than her daughters will ever know. For 17 years, a shoplifting conviction that led to six days in a Wayne County, Michigan, jail and a year of probation impacted every aspect of Smith’s otherwise law-abiding life. From 2006 to 2007, Smith traveled for miles outside […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
How the Electoral College’s Origins Manifest Today
As we get ready for the season finale of this presidential election cycle, what happens after the polls close Tuesday night is anyone’s guess. But what we know for sure is that the countdown to whether Vice President Kamala Harris or Trump becomes our 47th president all hinges on the Electoral College. It’s that slow […]
Posted inCourts, Elections, LGBTQ
Why Judicial Elections Matter
It was a moment in a Detroit courtroom that went viral. A judge ordered that a 15-year-old girl be handcuffed and dressed in a prison uniform. Her offense? She fell asleep in his courtroom during a class trip. The incident was caught on the cameras in state District Court Judge Kenneth J. King’s courtroom, the […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Water Quality
Flint’s Warning to America
FLINT, Mich. — At the edge of Saginaw Street, a hand-painted sign is etched into a deserted storefront. “Please help, God. Clean-up Flint.” Behind it, the block tells the story of a city 10 years removed from the start of one of the nation’s largest environmental crises. Empty lot. Charred two-story home. Empty lot. Abandoned […]
Posted inPartner Content, Politics & Policy
For the First Time, Black Women Are Leading Democrats in Early Primary States
Originally published by The 19th President Joe Biden faces no serious threat to the Democratic nomination as he seeks a second term. But the Democratic presidential primaries, beginning with South Carolina on Saturday, offer the first real window into his strength with the Black voters who make up his key voting base. An endorsement from […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Water Quality
Eight Years Later, Flint’s Water Crisis Rages On
The United States’ simmering water crisis boiled over in Flint, Michigan, in 2014. Eight years later, roughly 2,000 homes in the majority-Black city still don’t have clean drinking water. A recent internal audit by the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s watchdog found that the government agency, which is tasked with containing toxic contamination and pollution, hasn’t […]
