Posts by dr_fran
Black Thought Wall launches in South Madison
The Black Thought Wall invites Black residents of Madison, Wisconsin, to imagine and write about a world where all Black people are without fear or limitation.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up for Justice! – Citizen-Led Commission Launches Community-Based Program For Police Reform in Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s 16-person Collaborative Community Commission, which includes members of the Latino, Black, LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities, is working with the Milwaukee Police Department to develop a policy for community policing, an approach that generally involves closer collaboration between law enforcement and the residents they serve.
Read MoreHow the Charlottesville Rally, the Gov. Whitmer Kidnapping Plot, Etc. Underscore the Threat of Far-Right Extremists
A panel of experts warns that Charlottesville was not an isolated or unplanned spontaneous incident, but a harbinger of much organized white supremacist terror to come.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – Protesters in Portland Topple Statues of Lincoln and Roosevelt
Protests in Portland have persisted in the months since George Floyd was killed, sparking nationwide demonstrations for racial justice and against police brutality. While much of their focus has been on how Black people have been harmed, the protests have at times highlighted other causes, including societal reforms to address transgender rights, economic disparities and Native Americans.
Read MoreTrump Executive Order Could Make HBCUs Ineligible for Nearly All Federal Funding
President Trump issued an executive order prohibiting federal funds from being awarded to agencies or contractors promoting racial or sexual stereotyping. The objective is to reverse what he views as a growing culture of blaming white people for much of America’s social tension and systemic racism.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – Police Retaliate Against Cole Family with Violent Attack Sending Mother to Hospital
On night 2 of peaceful protests against the decision not to prosecute the police officer who killed teenager Alvin Cole, police arrested and brutalized Cole’s mother and two sisters — and pulled others from their cars.
Read MorePrinceton to Name Residential College After Black Alumna
Princeton students staged a sit-in in 2015, demanding that former President Woodrow Wilson’s name be removed from university buildings. On the site of a residential college that for more than 50 years bore the name of Wilson, who oversaw segregation of the federal Civil Service, a new Princeton residential college will be built and named after Mellody Hobson, a prominent Black alumna.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – They May Finally Arrest the Cop Responsible for Breonna Taylor’s Death
After reviewing thousands of pages concerning officers’ involvement in the death of Breonna Taylor, a Louisville investigator concluded that the entire debacle was based on a “misleading” affidavit used to obtain the search warrant for Taylor’s apartment, recommending possible criminal charges for the offending officer.
Read MoreSpecial News Series: Rising Up For Justice! – Survey Shows Black Voters Are Fired Up to Vote Trump Out
[A]ccording to a new poll from the Black political advocacy group Black Futures Lab, Black Americans say they haven’t been deterred from showing up to the polls, with 81 percent of respondents saying they plan on voting in the general election. Black voters are more motivated to vote Trump out than they are to vote Biden in, plan to vote in-person, and are most concerned about race and discrimination as a national issue, followed by COVID-19 and the economy.
Read MoreDane County announces $810,000 funding for Center for Black Excellence and Culture
Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Rev. Dr. Alex Gee of Madison, WI, announced an $810,000 line in the 2121 county budget to help organizers acquire land for the Center for Black Excellence and Culture.
Madison’s Black community needs a central place to gather, network with fellow Black professionals, and celebrate culture. The Center will foster a sense of community; celebrate and teach Black Culture; pay tribute to Black history; nurture and develop Black business and community leaders; attract, connect and retain Black talent; and provide space for conversation, connection, and growth.
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