FUELING A NEW BLACK STUDENT MOVEMENT

 By Mildred Robertson

While the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was ignited by luminaries like Martin Luther King,  Jr., Fannie Lou Hammer, and Malcolm X, it was fueled by freedom fighters from across this nation's college campuses.  Young men and women from both the north and the south joined forces to oppose the abomination of segregation; sacrificing their black and white bodies to end that horrid system of oppression. Even though great strides have been made in the fight for justice since the 60s Civil Rights movement, recent politics has exposed the simmering racism that bubbles just below the surface of American society. During the latter part of the 20th Century many Whites succumbed to social pressure against overt racism and retreated to passive aggression. This resulted in a false appearance of decreasing racism in our nation. That perception was shattered during the Trump administration as he whipped White racial backlash into a frenzy.

This backlash requires a response. Peter Grear, Co-Publisher of Greater Diversity News (GDN), has proposed such a response. He and a group of socio-political activists have joined forces to articulate the current state of American racism and to motivate a new generation of Freedom Fighters to take up the fight.

It was a group of students from North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, who in February of 1960 began the sit-ins at the Woolworth counter that helped drive a youth movement that swept across this nation. These young people became a catalyst that helped sustain the momentum created by Dr. King and others as they sought justice and equality for Black people across this nation. Looking at the past as prologue, Grear and GDN suggests that a new student response is needed to address the resurgence of overt racist acts that permeate today’s social and economic landscape.

Grear recalls his days at Fayetteville State University (FSU) from 1962-66 where he was part of the original Black Student Movement. He participated in the sit-ins and protests that helped integrate Fayetteville, and worked to end segregation. Grear moved on to follow his career path, which in 1976 brought him back to North Carolina. He noted that a common complaint he heard among his contemporaries when he returned home was, that unlike their generation, Black students just weren’t voting.

Having made his mark as an attorney and publisher, he was recognized in 2017 with the NC Black Leadership award. While receiving that recognition, he realized that his work was not yet done. So, at a conference in Charlotte on October 14, 2017 Grear got together with political advocates and legislators long in the battle for equality in this state, to see whether they could determine why the current generation of students seemed to lack the passion for political change they themselves had experienced back in the 60s.

Their brainstorming resulted in a concept designed to reignite the power of young people, not only across North Carolina, but ultimately across the nation. The group agreed that, though the work they had done in the 60s was impactful, they had somehow failed to pass on that knowledge and sense of urgency to the generation that followed. Their strategy was to help build a model that could be used by young black men and women to re-engage in the Civil Rights movement in a way as impactful as that we experienced in the 60s. Thus was born, The New Black Student Movement (NBSM).

The vision included the mobilization of Black Greek Letter organizations, Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alumni associations and the NAACP to systematically promote civic engagement and increased voter participation on college campuses across the state, and eventually, the nation. The group opined that if the “Divine 9” were to lead the way, other students would follow.

Among the organizers were Congressman, G.K. Butterfield, and four former Chairpersons of the North Carolina Black Leadership Caucus, (NCBLC) Carnell Robinson, Dr. E. Lavonia Allison former Rep. Larry Hall, and Peter Grear.

Currently, The NBSM is in its infancy as volunteers gather to hammer out the model which will be used to proliferate the movement across the state. The idea is to provide a prototype that can be used on any college campus to organize and mobilize student activists. That includes Black students attending predominantly White colleges and universities (PWI).

A soft launch of the concept occurred back in 2019 when “A Call to Colors” conference was held. The group, for the past 2 years, has worked to create and fine-tune the five models for civic engagement for HBCU, Greek Letter and non-profit organizations. The NBSM was the name recently adopted for the student model.

The initiative is poised to implement a core part of the NBSM model where students can volunteer to work on the project through non-profit organizations focused on civic engagement. The goal is to volunteer 8, 16, 24 or more hours per election cycle. The student group has volunteer advisors and are working to fine-tune the model. “The volunteer group is constructing goals and objectives to develop a roadmap accessible to any student organization that wishes to engage,” Grear says. The group hopes to work with HBCU student government associations and institutionalize the knowledge so that it is passed down to subsequent generations of leaders.

Grear also points to the need for coordination with existing organizations to create a strong model that can become self-sustaining. “It is within the framework of establishing HBCU-wide administrative initiatives that it becomes imperative to establish nonpartisan groups such as NAACP to organize and help develop organizational skills for students,” he says.

That is the goal; to spur the development of next-generation leadership among Black students and other young people across, first North Carolina, and ultimately, nationwide. “Through their mobilization we can increase the youth vote and have a substantial impact on voting outcomes across this country; an impact just as far-reaching as that of the Freedom Fighters of the 60s,” Grear says.

To stay informed about the New Black Student Movement, subscribe to Greater Diversity News’ free eNews editions at greaterdiversity.com.

Gridlock in Washington, D.C.

 Broken Washington Politics Matters: It's About You

By Mildred Robertson

Sometimes we wonder whether what is going on in Washington D.C. has any real impact on our lives. I have all but tuned out on the debate on President Biden’s “Build Back Better” campaign.  The endless wrangling over the hard infrastructure package, and the contentious $3.5 trillion soft infrastructure package proposed by Democrats seem to be unending and unfruitful. As politicians debate about the various components of that package, such as healthcare, Medicare and Medicaid, many of us think, I am doing okay. I can afford my medications and doctor’s visits. The fact is, you do not know how broken the system is, until it breaks in YOUR life.

This past weekend, I spent time looking through old photographs. Needless to say, I am twice the woman I was back in my youth; both figuratively and literally. I, like many other women my age, have gained a lot of weight over the years. While I have struggled with diet, exercise, intermittent fasting and other purported remedies in an attempt to bring my weight down to a healthy level, nothing seems to work.  So I finally went to a nutritionist, and working with her I discovered that my problem is likely insulin resistance.

I felt really good to know that my weight gain was not just a matter of lack of control or exercise regimen. And, thank God, there was an injection that could help address the problem. So, they gave me samples of Wegovy, a medication that could help break my insulin resistance, and allow the other tactics I was using for weight-loss to work. They gave me two samples of the once-weekly dose, and I was on my new journey to a healthier body…I thought.

It turns out the medication is REALLY hard to keep stocked, and it is REALLY expensive. The Nutrition Center had a $25 coupon distributed by the manufacturer to make it accessible to patients. My pharmacy, however, told me they’d been trying, unsuccessfully, to get Wegovy in stock.  But that wasn’t all. The medication is not covered by Medicare, and the coupon cannot be used by Medicare patients. Understand, that with just two doses, I had begun to see results, and I was elated. You see, I am pre-diabetic, trying not to go to the next level. So it’s not vanity that motivates me, but health concerns. You must also understand that without insurance, the medication could cost as much as $1000/month.

So, there is a medication available that could help me achieve the weight loss I need in order to avoid diabetes and live a healthier life. But I can’t access it because America’s broken health-care system has allowed capitalism to dictate healthcare.

I do not purport to understand the mechanizations surrounding pharmaceutical prices, insurance and government regulation.  But I do know that people should not be denied needed healthcare due to the lack of wealth.  I do believe that Medicare should be allowed to negotiate fair prices for life-enhancing, life-sustaining drugs.

So this battle raging in Washington D.C. about President Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan will have a direct effect on MY life. I’m certain there is something in the plan that will directly affect your life as well.

If Democrats are successful in crafting a bill that will address run-away healthcare costs, I might be able to get and afford a medication that can positively affect my health and well-being. Their plan may result in better roads and highways in your community. Perhaps you’ll see higher paying jobs in your area, or more kids will gain access to higher education. 

So as difficult as it is to see endless news talk shows drone on about the battle in Washington, it really is relevant to each of us on an individual level. We must stay tuned in. And, if Washington D.C. does not deliver, we need to proactively seek representation that will give us results. We must make our voices heard. It really is all about us.

 

DEMOCRATIC RULE UNDER ATTACK IN AMERICA

 By Mildred Robertson

The foundation of American democracy is the participation of its citizenry. Our history is replete with stories of patriots who fought to the death to have a say in how this nation will be governed. One would think after close to 250 years, that matter would have been settled. But alas, we still struggle with who can lay claim to U.S. citizenship based on race, ethnicity, place of origin and religion. There are those among us who wish to rebut the unfettered immigration offered as a welcome to all willing to participate in this American experiment called democracy. The Statue of Liberty boldly proclaims, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”

“Not so,” says the party of Lincoln.

Republicans have determined that this nation and its bounty should restrict the benefits of citizenship to those who are more melanated than the Europeans who sailed to this continent, slaughtered its inhabitants and enslaved an entire race of people. (That statement is not Critical Race Theory—It’s just facts.)

According to our constitution every native-born and naturalized citizen over the age of 18 is eligible to vote (with some exceptions such as individuals who are incarcerated or on probation.) But Republican legislatures across this country are waging an all-out war to make it difficult for qualified Americans to vote, ranging from erecting barriers to registering and casting a vote, to purging voting rolls of qualified voters.

Laws proliferating in many Republican controlled legislatures are designed to:

• reduce early voting days, which is a voting practice widely used by minorities.
• reduce the number of hours polls are opened, particularly in democratic areas.
• reduce the number of polling places, resulting in long lines, particularly in minority neighborhoods.
• Deny felons the right to vote (approximately 1.4 million denied access each election, many of whom are black or Latino).
• require photo IDs, forcing tens of thousands to obtain new ID just to vote. This places particular  hardship on the poor or elderly who may have transportation problems, or have difficulty getting off work to obtain documentation. (To illustrate the impact of such laws, the Charlotte Observer reported that, in North Carolina, as many as 800,000 registered voters lacked the necessary photo ID, and more than 556,000 had no ID at all.)
• block college students from voting where they attend school, and denying them the right to use their college photo ID to vote.
• bar people from voting over small discrepancies, i.e., women who have recently married and changed their names.
• eliminate registered voters from the voting rolls who have not voted in consecutive elections.
• hamper or eliminate mail-in voting.

Other tactics used include intimidation at the polls, sometimes using armed police; misinformation where GOP campaigns and GOP-led governments have sent out mailings with incorrect dates and locations for voting; and gerrymandering where districts are drawn to benefit Republicans, making it almost impossible for the opposition to win. That is how Hillary Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Trump, yet still lost in the Electoral College. And then, there is the Electoral College itself where less populous states have statistically more representation than more densely populated states where many minorities reside.

As many minorities and Democrats struggle to counter this assault on democracy, there are those who chose to sit out the fight. While this nation’s Founders may not have intended for the benefits of American citizenship to be extended to any but male, white land owners, thank God that the constitution is a living document that has matured as our nation has developed toward becoming a true democracy.

But we are becoming.  We are not there yet.

Those of us who still believe in the promise of America must not sit idly by while disloyal seditionists betray our heritage and tear our nation apart. We cannot give in to hatred, racism and minority rule. We must stand firm if we are to realize the full vision of what America can be…”One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

 

Critical Race Theory and American Education

By: Mildred Robertson

The buzz phrase among republicans and conservatives these days is “Critical Race Theory," (CRT) defined as “an academic movement of civil-rights scholars and activists in the United States seeking to critically examine U.S. law as it intersects with issues of race in the U.S. and to challenge mainstream American liberal approaches to racial justice.” Seems simple enough, right?  But the term has been weaponized to attack a national shift toward better understanding racism and how it is rooted in this nation’s history of slavery and the dehumanization of people of color.  

There is disagreement between liberals and conservatives about what is “critical race theory.”  In fact, CRT is just that, a theory of race and racism in America.  It is taught primarily in colleges and universities and is designed to help students examine race in America and understand how it has informed America’s societal norms and  public policy related to people of color. It is not, as many on the right proclaim, a way to make white children hate America.  The aim of the study is to examine American history and address the dehumanizing effects race has had not only on the Africans who suffered through slavery, but also on the slave owners who had to forgo their humanity in order to enslave another human being. 

The knee-jerk reaction of conservatives, and yes, racists, when one begins to examine slavery is to downplay the cruelty and inhumanity of the system, and paint it as a benevolent necessity for development of the New World. And it is true that America could not have thrived as it did without the free labor the system provided. But because of the brutality of the system, Europeans had to create a scenario to justify their actions. That is why the African was portrayed as a savage, less than human…not entitled to human dignity or human comforts. Public policy in America was then created based upon this concept of the innate inferiority of enslaved people. 

For instance, in the 1930s, government officials literally drew lines around areas deemed poor financial risks, often explicitly due to the racial composition of inhabitants. Banks subsequently refused to offer mortgages to Black people in those areas. Today the pattern continues as cities prevent affordable housing developments in majority white neighborhoods. These are not pleasant facts, but they are part of the foundation upon which this nation was built. In order to create a more just society, we must examine how America came to be and the integral part played by enslaved people in its building. 

It is alleged that the study of CRT will create a greater divide between whites and blacks, and will negatively impact the perception of America by white children exposed to it. However, there is a difference between CRT taught in colleges and universities, and the simple teaching of history in public schools. 

History is fact-based. It simply tells what happened, when it happened, where it happened, who it happened too, and sometimes examines why it happened. Our public schools must present students with historical facts as they occurred.  Public education should present an authentic retelling of this country’s history. 

Our storied history is a saga of good and evil. We offer our children a disservice if we do not present our authentic selves to them, and provide them the tools to build on the good and reject the bad. That is the only way to make our society better. We are not responsible for the bad decisions made centuries ago; but we are responsible for the ones we make now.

We can address the legacy of slavery that plagues our nation to this day by creating thoughtful, truthful, age-appropriate curriculum to address race in America. We can only do that, however, if we face the reality of our history and chart an informed path for our future.

 

 

Joe Manchin’s Foolish Demand for Bipartisanship

 By Mildred Robertson

Bipartisanship is a key component of a healthy democracy. It is a tool that allows thoughtful consideration of all sides of a political situation.  Impartial deliberation is a method by which a governing body can arrive at a solution that addresses the desires of the majority while considering the needs of the minority. It is the foundation of good government striving to meet the needs of all its constituents. However, this methodology requires good-faith negotiations on the part of all participants. Therein lies the problem with Sen. Joe Machin’s demand that any legislation to which he adds his support must be based on bipartisan consensus.

The Republican Congress, led by Senator Mitchell McConnell, has vowed over the past two democratic presidencies to oppose any legislation proposed by Democrats. He showed his skillfulness in keeping that vow during the Obama presidency, when he blocked all meaningful legislation except the Affordable Care Act known as “Obama Care”, which he successfully weakened before its passage.

Now, faced with legislation critical to the survival of self-governing rule in this country, Machin has made the irrational decision to reject the Democrats’ move to kill the filibuster, and allow majority rule to prevail. He insists that his crucial vote will be withheld unless Democrats are able to bring along ten Republicans to support any legislation, thereby bringing the 117^th Congress to stalemate. This decision is either disingenuous or delusional, depending upon whether Machin’s position is based on his desire to be pivotal in the political landscape, or that he truly believes that he can negotiate with a McConnell-led Republican Party which has already demonstrated its penchant for opposing rather than governing.

Manchin has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory…invalidating the hard-fought win that seemingly resulted in a Democratic majority when Georgia elected two democrats to the Senate in January 2021. When senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won their run-offs in January, it appeared that America had turned a corner, leaving behind the destructive politics of Donald Trump and the Republican Party. But with Manchin’s decision to oppose legislation that would strengthen voting rights, he denied Democrats the edge it needs to move forward without Republican support in the Senate. Manchin has single-handedly blocked progressive legislation that is overwhelmingly supported by the voting public; though possibly not by the majority of his constituents in West Virginia.

This conundrum has placed Democrats in a peculiar position. The will of the people, I believe, is clear. In 2021 they voted for leadership with a purpose and a plan. But with the defection of Manchin, and possibly one or two other democrats, the nation continues to be held hostage by the narrow, bigoted, and fruitless rule of the likes of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. Seemingly the majority; Democrats still languish in the halls of Congress, trying to determine a way to enact meaningful legislation to actually make America great again.  

Meanwhile, Manchin foolishly continues to attempt negotiation with an adversary who definitively states that negotiation is not an option; and he continues to fight efforts to eliminate the outdated and racist fillibuster which allows the minority to prevail. 

 

Nancy Pelosi Speaks Profound Truth

 By: Mildred Robertson

I watched Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi this morning on MSNBC, and she said something that to me was profound:  “Do the best you can, not the best you know how.”  It put into perspective the challenges faced by our congress, our country, and our individual selves.

Speaking from my personal life, I would rank myself an underachiever. I have many times said that, had my mother been given the opportunities I had, she would likely have achieved much more than I. I measure my God-given talent against my paltry accomplishments and think of all the missed opportunities in my life to just do better. Based upon my own measurement and my judgmental nature, I fall far short.

Speaker Pelosi’s words, however, gave me the opportunity to reassess and measure my life in terms of obstacles and opportunities. Just because you know what needs to be done in a particular situation does not mean that you have the wherewithal to do it. It may seem like giving yourself a pass; however those circumstances which block our way to success are sometimes out of our control. That does not mean that we don’t see and desire a particular goal. It just means we can’t access the necessary path to get there.

Case in point; the 117^th United States Congress. We celebrated the election of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to give congressional democrats the margin we needed to wrest power from the hands of Mitch McConnell. The majority of Americans recognized what was best for this country, and acted. Voters chose a progressive national agenda that would address voting rights, social justice, women’s issues, racial and economic disparity and a host of other issues that had suffered under the weight of oppressive Republican policies that made corporations people, and people less than human. While it was a major victory…there are obstacles.

The narrow margin that placed power in the hands of progressives is curated by Senator Joe Machin whose motivation is not yet clear. He, and his cohort, Sen. Kyrsten Senima have the power to deliver or deny democrats the vote on any particular initiative; and they have chosen to deny. They stand in the way of eliminating the filibuster which stymies the democrats’ efforts to go it alone to pass meaningful legislation opposed by intractable Republicans. You see, Nancy Pelosi and democratic senators know what’s best. It is just that obstacles deny them the opportunity to do what’s best.

The question is whether the obstacle is unmoved and unmovable. Are these two senators striving to do what’s best, or what’s best for themselves?

As we watch congressional leaders navigate the polluted waters of our nation’s politics we have to give them the leeway to address the obstacles. I do not know what it will take to persuade our two errant Senators to place the good of the nation above their own personal preferences and beliefs. I understand that that is a difficult ask. But in order for our nation to heal and move toward equality and prosperity for the masses, the progressive agenda must move forward.

I hope our leadership is fashioning a strategy to mitigate the obstacles to our recovery. I do not doubt that they are working diligently to eliminate opposition to the progressive agenda; whether it be disingenuous republicans, or stubborn democrats.  I am sure Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer know what is best; and they are trying to do the best they can.

Vaccine Hesitancy Endangers Us All

By Mildred Robertson

I get it. Covid-19 vaccination among blacks is a hard sell. America has a bad track record as it relates to abusing minorities when it comes to healthcare and healthcare trials. All one needs to say is ‘”the Tuskegee Experiment” or “Henrietta Lacks”. Healthcare researchers treated minorities as less than human as they exploited them for scientific gain. Then there is the way the Covid-19 Vaccine came into being. It seemed to have been created in a very short period of time compared to other vaccines which have been years—sometimes decade—in the making. Add to that the questionable practices of the previous administration which promoted ineffective and sometimes dangerous treatments to stop the spread of this deadly disease. It is easy to see why some question whether the Covid-19 Vaccine is safe and effective.

While many Americans worry about the negative effects the Covid-19 vaccine may have on an individual; it is clear what a Covid-19 infection can do to you. We do not have to look to India where a resurgence of Covid-19 is infecting thousands daily. We only have to look around at our friends, neighbors and relatives to see its devastating effects right here in America. I imagine that no individual reading this blog can say that they do not know someone who has either tested positive, become seriously ill, or perhaps even died from this disease. It is a fact that contracting Covid-19 could result in serious, life-threatening illness and death.

Much of the confusion rests with the CDC, which was severely compromised under the previous administration. Many experts either supported false claims promoted by the then president related to treatment of the disease, or remained silent in the face of his lies. They continue, even today to vacillate regarding what are the best practices to keep the majority of Americans safe from the disease. All that being said, I believe facts support the opinion that the COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. While these side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, they are generally transitory. Many experience no side effects at all.

Common side effects include pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where you received the shot, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea. Contrary to reports one might hear on a Fox News Channel or a Facebook post; to date, the CDC has not identified a single case where the Covid-19 vaccine is the cause of someone passing away. And data indicate that the vaccine decreases the risk of severe illness and death from the disease.

Why does it matter whether an individual chooses to get vaccinated: because, while we draw boundaries around ourselves and others in our community, our state and our nation…the disease does not. If a sufficient number of people in our community fail to be immunized, it allows the disease to mutate. It is possible that a mutation may develop that is not responsive to current vaccines, thereby putting us all at risk. So your personal decision to immunize effects each of us.

For those who are still hesitant about the vaccine, I am attaching some myth-busters being distributed by Cedar-Sinai, recognized as one of the best hospitals in the nation:

MYTH #1: The vaccine was rushed into development and might not be safe

"While the development of the COVID-19 vaccines using mRNA technology is new, scientists have been working on this technology for many years, in fact decades. We are very excited that they are now being able to use the mRNA technology for vaccines in a safe way. The reason it was developed so rapidly is because scientists were able to implement this technology since they had the RNA sequence of the virus as it was released in January 2020. This allowed them to incorporate the mRNA for the spike protein into the vaccine. Nothing about the clinical trials for the vaccines was rushed nor any shortcuts taken. In fact, the numbers of participants in the clinical trials for both Moderna and Pfizer were quite robust and very similar to the number of participants needed and required in prior vaccine studies."

MYTH #2: I'm young and healthy, so I don't need a vaccine

"COVID-19 is still a very unpredictable infection, and just because you are young and healthy doesn’t mean you won't have any of the complications of the infection that we continue to see. There are a few risk factors for severe disease that we have identified, but there’s still no guaranteed way to predict that you would have a mild or severe course with the infection. It is much safer and wiser to get the vaccine and deal with the slight discomfort and side effects temporarily than to subject yourself to the infection."

MYTH #3: The COVID-19 vaccine will affect my chances of becoming pregnant

"There has been no link between the COVID- 19 vaccines and a negative impact on female fertility. The data is reassuring regarding the use of this vaccine during pregnancy, and because the mRNA degrades so rapidly, it would be highly unlikely that the vaccine could cause issues with fertility."

MYTH #4: I can get COVID-19 from the vaccine

"What you may feel after you receive the COVID-19 vaccine is a mild fever, muscle soreness at the site of injection and fatigue. That is your immune system activating and starting to form the protective antibodies that it needs to fight off this virus if you are infected in the future. Compared to some of the live attenuated virus vaccines we have previously seen, the vaccine is noninfectious, so there is no way you can get COVID-19 infection from taking the vaccine itself."

Myth #5: I've had COVID-19, so I don't need the vaccine

"As far as we know, the antibody response that you are going to get from a vaccine is far more robust and more predictable than natural antibodies post-infection. Even if you’ve had COVID-19, it is a great idea to get a vaccine when you are able. Don’t forget to schedule your second dose for the vaccine as well. We also remind all those getting a vaccine to stick with the same platform–if you got Pfizer for your first dose, make sure you get the same for your second dose."

MYTH #6: I received the vaccine, therefore I don't have to wear a mask or social distance

"Vaccines are one of the many tools in our toolkit that we know can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, just because you received the COVID-19 vaccine does not mean you should stop wearing masks or social distancing. We are still trying to determine whether or not a person can spread the infection to others even when they are not infectious and have been vaccinated. Until we learn more, we should continue to do our part and remain masked and socially distant." Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Covid-19 Vaccine Update for Patients

For those of you who still hesitate to take the vaccine, I urge you to do independent research, which means certified healthcare entities. Not Facebook, Instagram, Fox News, “Bubba or Donte” down the street; but experts in the field. I believe independent research will convince you that the Covid-19 vaccine is preferable to contracting Covid, and God forbid, passing it on to your loved ones.

Get vaccinated. I did.

Update: The CDC indicates it is not necessary for vaccinated individuals to wear masks.