HHS Announces $40 Million Partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine to Fight COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority and Vulnerable Communities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) announced the selection of the Morehouse School of Medicine as the awardee for a new $40 million initiative to fight COVID-19 in racial and ethnic minority, rural and socially vulnerable communities. The Morehouse School of Medicine will enter into a cooperative agreement with OMH to lead the initiative to coordinate a strategic network of national, state, territorial, tribal and local organizations to deliver COVID-19-related information to communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
COMCAST EXTENDS FREE PUBLIC WIFI ACCESS TO EVERYONE FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020
As cities and towns across the country begin to open up, Comcast is continuing its efforts to help people connect to the Internet during the COVID-19 crisis. The company announced it will extend free access to its 1.5 million public Xfinity WiFi hotspots to anyone who needs them, including non-customers, through the end of 2020.
Black and Brown chefs unite to feed people
In the midst of marches and uprisings because of the alleged murder of George Floyd, tensions among the Black and Brown community came to a head. Social media posts cautioned Black people not to go to predominantly Latino communities throughout the city of Chicago.
Essence Ventures Hires Caroline Wanga as New Chief Growth Officer
Essence Ventures, the independent Black-owned consumer technology company focused on merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of people of color, recently announced that Caroline Wanga will be joining as Chief Growth Officer, effective June 29.
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE RECALLS SENIOR YEAR IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19
Destiny Williams is a member of the Class of 2020 from Wendell Phillips High School in Bronzeville. Throughout her four years at Phillips, she was active in both school activities and others that took place outside of the school.
Grab-and-go Meal Distribution Resumes While District Provides Resources for Navigating Discussions about Race And Equity
Meal distribution has resumed at more than 300 school sites following a temporary one-day suspension of grab-and-go meal sites due to recent transportation and safety challenges that were anticipated for families and staff . During the one-day suspension, CPS delivered meals to families, as previously planned and scheduled. For the current list of active meal sites, please visit cps.edu/mealsites. At the board meeting in May, the district announced that it would be providing its current expanded grab-and-go meals structure throughout the summer.
“1 ANGRY BLACK MAN” releases to worldwide audiences
Solidify y Productions, a film company with a mission to produce meaningful, uplifting stories that are entertaining and beautifully told, has partnered with Freestyle Digital Media to release 1 Angry Black Man, now available to audiences everywhere on DVD and on-demand.
Pritzker Administration Launches COVID-19 Summer Youth Employment Program
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) recently announced two COVID-19 response programs designed to provide much-needed support to Illinois residents – a summer youth program for more than 2,000 at-risk youth and an Immigrant Family Support Project for more than 3,600 families who have been generally excluded from or ineligible for federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment insurance.
ALDERMAN WANTS BLACK CONTRACTORS TO HELP REBUILD THE COMMUNITY
Standing in front of the Walgreens located on 1213 W. 79th St., and after George Floyd’s death sparked nationwide uprisings and unrest, David Moore, 17th Ward Alderman, stood with elected officials, clergy, contractors and community organizations, and called for companies to use Black contractors during the rebuilding process. “Use intentionality of hiring black people, use intentionality of hiring black contractors and when you’re intentional about this, then we can begin to move forward on [a] myriad issues,” Moore said.
Introducing The Beauty Knocks Box
The Skin Clique, a skincare company headquartered in South Carolina, recently announced the national launch of the Beauty Knocks Box: the first-ever medical-grade skincare subscription box, according to a press release.
IT’S OFFICIAL: RESTAURANTS, BARS CAN SERVE COCKTAILS TO GO
Springfield - Illinois restaurants and bars can serve cocktails to go after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an initiative designed by lawmakers to provide establishments with financial relief in the wake of COVID-19 challenges.
Black People Eats raises money for Black-owned restaurants
Jeremy Joyce began Black People Eats in 2017 with the goal of highlighting and connecting people to Black restaurants —not just in the city of Chicago—but across the country.
How a Box of Crayons Helped a Child to Win The Battle of Racism
In today’s world, race appears to permeate every facet of our society. With all the sights and sounds of diversity, the American Diversity Report (https://americandiversityreport. com/category/i-am-sienna-by-gail-hayes/) and Thrive Global (https://thriveglobal.com/ stories/i-am-sienna) recently published I am Sienna, a unique article on race by Thought Leader and International Communicator, Dr. Gail Hayes, describing her first childhood experience with racism. Hayes, who is an Army brat, left the United States in 1961 to live in Okinawa, Japan and attended the 1st – 4th grades in Department of Defense Schools while living there.
3 Things to Know About Juneteenth
Juneteenth, which observes the end of slavery in the United States, is a long-celebrated holiday occurring annually on June 19. Here are three things to know about this American tradition:
Department Of Justice Awards Nearly $400 Million For Law Enforcement Hiring To Advance Community Policing
The Department of Justice recently announced nearly $400 million in grant funding through the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The Attorney General announced funding awards to 596 law enforcement agencies across the nation, which allows those agencies to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. The awards announced are inclusive of the $51 million announced in May as part of Operation Relentless Pursuit.
PROTEST RALLY FOR GEORGE FLOYD UNITES THE SOUTHLAND TO MARCH FOR JUSTICE AND LOVE
The recent death of George Floyd united more than 1,000 people living in the Southland including U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-2nd) and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to participate in a peaceful rally in Matteson.
SHOULD POLICE OFFICERS BE REMOVED FROM CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
The death of George Floyd has sparked a national campaign by protestors to reduce funding to police departments and reallocate those funds in other areas including removing officers from Chicago Public Schools.
March on West side highlights racial injustices
Clergy, elected officials and community leaders chanted “Black Lives Matter,” as they marched down Independence Blvd., holding a banner with George Floyd’s image and his name. The mass gathering on the city’s West Side was meant to shed light on the injustices Black people face when it comes to treatment by law enforcement and culminated with a stop at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lived during his time in Chicago, at 15th and Hamlin.
REBUILD FOUNDATION AND EXPERIMENTAL SOUND STUDIO ANNOUNCE JUNETEENTH QUARANTINE CONCERT BENEFITTING THE TAMIR RICE FOUNDATION
Rebuild Foundation and Experimental Sound Studio today announced a critical iteration of the Quarantine Concerts commemorating the 155th anniversary Juneteenth, the oldest national celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States on June 19th, 1865. Proceeds from this concert, hosted just days before what would have been Tamir Rice’s 18th birthday, will support the Tamir Rice Foundation’s endeavors to create the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
