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The monthly Sisters of Comedy show hosted a Night of Levity for Black Lives. Limited Ink Photography

A black women comedy show hosted a night of levity for black lives to inspire community among black people, coinciding with thethird anniversary of the death of 18-year-old black teen Michael Brown at the hands of a police officer in Ferguson, Mo.

The show, dubbed A Night of Levity For Black Lives, was hosted by monthly production Sisters of Comedy, a show founded by writer, activist and filmmaker Agunda Okeyo in 2014 to showcase black female comedians and celebrate black women. Black Lives Matter: NYC, which served as a co-sponsor for the show in July 2016, also co-sponsored this year. The event was held at stand-up comedy nightclub Carolines on Broadway in Times Square.

Okeyo, a Bronx native who is of Kenyan origin, said that last years show coincided with the death of Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black man in Minnesota, and Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, in Baton Rouge, La. at the hands of police officers as well as the shooting of five police officers in Dallas. This years show falls on the anniversary of Browns death, which sparked protests in Ferguson and other parts of the United States, she said.

We did a show last year in July and it was actually a really intense and important showcase because it was the week that Philando Castile was killed, Alton was killed and it was also the night of the Dallas shooting, Okeyo told the more than 300 people in attendance. And tonight, in some sort of serendipitous way, were coming together again to bring some levity to black lives because tonight is also the day that Mike Brown was killed three years ago today.

She said partial proceeds from yesterdays show will go toward Black August, a month that commemorates and supports the work of political prisoners. She highlighted the late Kenyan environmental political activist Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Pulitzer Peace Prize; the late anti-apartheid activist and former South African President Nelson Mandela; and American political activist Angela Davis, as examples of political prisoners.

These are really powerful, important people we can think about in our lives, right, and they sacrificed their freedom for what we believe, Okeyo continued. So tonight, were definitely saying black lives matter. Were definitely saying were here to have a great night and laugh and have some levity and be able to let it out and make sure people eat and drink and are a community.

A grand jury announced that it would not indict the police officer who killed Brown, and the U.S. Department of Justice decided against civil rights charges though it called for reforms to the Ferguson Police Department.

A group of prominent black female comedians and actresses graced the stage, including Nigerian American actress Yvonne Orji, who stars as Molly on HBOs comedy drama series Insecure; Michelle Buteau of Comedy Centrals The Half Hour; Kerry Coddett of MTVs Joking Off; Mugga, star of Netflixs Orange is the New Black; Janelle James of Comedy Centrals Midnight; and Comedy Centrals Yamaneika Saunders of The Meredith Vieira Show.

Chlo Hilliard, a comedian and journalist who has been featured on NBCs Last Comic Standing, was the shows emcee.

The comedians jokes centered on black womens experiences both joys and challenges that hit close to home for the crowd, which was made up primarily of black women but also included black men as well as men and women of other races.

The show is a cacophony of black female excellence, Hilliard said, garnering roaring laughter from the crowd. I went to college! Im still paying that loan but I know what cacophony means!

She blasted an individual who questioned why the show only featured black women.

This one guy Ill let you guess his race tweets back at me, Youre always talking about diversity but why is everybody black? to which I responded, Where do you see diversity on this flyer? It says Sisters of Comedy and you already technically have different shades of us, so boom! Theres your diversity,' Hilliard added, again drawing raucous laughter from attendees.

Okeyo told the Observer before the show that lastyear, partial proceeds for the show supported Jasmine Abdullah, a Black Lives Matter leader in Pasadena, Calif., who wasarrested and charged with felony lynching, which is defined as trying to unlawfully remove a suspect from police custody.

She said that working with Black Lives Matter: NYC comes down to her role as an activist she and other activists and organizers started a Hater Free NYC campaign that targets any businesses associated with the administration of President Donald Trump over policies that have impacted marginalized groups.

What people will walk away with tonight is, Yes, we have all these other things that are kind of coming together behind what this night is aboutbut this night is about levity,' she said. Its about laughter. Its about black women. Its about talented artists. Its about people being able to see beyond obstacles.

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Black Women-Centered Comedy Show Holds 'Night of Levity for Black Lives' - Observer

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SACRAMENTO -- A war of words is heating up between Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones and Black Lives Matter Sacramento.

That organization sent a letter to the sheriff demanding access to some records of deputy use of force, and decrying his department for "atrocities and a pattern of violence when engaging black community members."

What Black Lives Matter Sacramento say they got back wasn't the records they requested. Instead, they've posted on their website a letter that appears to be signed by Sheriff Jones, directed to the group's leader Tanya Faison.

In it Jones says In my opinion, there are far more responsible, effective voices for the African American community here in Sacramento than you, Ms. Faison."

Jones goes on to say he believes there is nothing law enforcement can do that would ever meet with Faison's approval.

Black Lives Matter has now planned a press conference for Thursday, where it is expected they will criticize Jones for singling out their leadership.

When asked for comment, a sheriff's department spokesman said Sheriff Jones is currently out of town.

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Black Lives Matter Sacramento Posts Letter from Sheriff Scott Jones - FOX40

Clovis was a conservative radio host and political activist in Iowa before gaining national attention as one of the more vocal supporters of Trump during the presidential campaign. His nomination to head science at the USDA requires Senate confirmation.

The material shows how Clovis regularly engaged with fringe theories that were prevalent in the right-wing radio and blogosphere during Obama's presidency.

Clovis did not return a request for comment. A spokesperson for the USDA and the White House also did not respond to emails requesting comment.

"For over a decade, Obama allowed his publisher to carry a biography that had him born in Kenya. Only after beginning his pursuit of public office did he 'correct' the entry," Clovis wrote. (The literary agent who edited the biography has said the error was hers, and that she made it with no direct communication with Obama.)

Clovis then theorized that Obama's past connections to left-wing figures went unscrutinized by the media because Obama is black.

"Could it be that the first African-American president is being given a pass because he is Black? How incredibly racist is that? The logical conclusion is that because he is Black, he cannot help himself. This kind of thinking is the absolute worst," Clovis wrote.

Clovis also discussed the race of Holder and then-Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, who now heads the Democratic National Committee. In a 2013 episode of "Impact with Sam Clovis," Clovis called Holder "a racist black" and Perez "a racist Latino."

"This goes right in line with Tom Perez who is a racist Latino and goes to (inaudible) who is a racist Latino, Eric Holder who is a racist black," according to a transcript of the show obtained by CNN's KFile.

Clovis would frequently attack prominent Democratic leaders with insults and epithets. He called then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "mentally ill" during a September 2013 local Iowa radio appearance and referred to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as "the Batwoman of Alcatraz" and said "something's happened to her brain" in a May 2013 episode of "Impact with Sam Clovis.

Clovis also denied the veracity of climate change science, a belief cited by Senate Democrats and climate activists who have expressed opposition to his nomination for the USDA job.

Clovis told Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson in June 2013 that climate change wasn't settled science and argued that progressives changed the term from "global warming" to "climate change" to imply they were going to create the ideal climate around the world.

"What we have to examine is how the language changes, and when you start to go away from 'global warming' to 'climate change,' this goes right into the heart of progressive thinking because what it says, or what the implication is, is that somehow the progressives are going to figure out a way to create the ideal climate in all regions of the earth," he said. "And so how nonsensical is that? If you follow that logic to its logical conclusion, that's the conclusion in which you arrive -- is that there is some perfect weather or some perfect climate that we will have for everyone -- everyone will thrive."

Speaking with the same Iowa radio host in February 2014, Clovis agreed with Mickelson's assessment that climate change was a way to redistribute wealth and "a big hustle." Clovis also made reference to "Agenda 21," a United Nations action plan on sustainability that right-wing figures have long claimed is an attempt by the internal organization to strip local governments of their sovereignty.

Clovis repeatedly engaged in conspiratorial theories, particularly ones that cast the Obama administration in the most sinister light.

"This president is a dangerous person," Clovis wrote. "He is dangerous in that he does not have the interests of the nation in mind and is more than willing to do anything to advance an ideology that is absolutely opposed to American exceptionalism. Four more years of this man as president could very well mean the total deconstruction of our Constitutional republic. He wants to be a dictator and he wants to enslave all who are not part of his regime. As Althusius advised in the 17th Century, we have a right to throw off imprudent magistrates. The current president certainly qualifies. Vote in November."

In a September 2012 episode of his online radio program "Serious Civics with Sam Clovis," Clovis observed that Obama appeared "happy" after the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya that month.

"This is something that tells you that he is dismissive of the entire affair and in fact, I would even hate to stretch this out but it's almost as if it was intentional. As if he is happy that these things have occurred." Clovis said. "Now I know that's harsh and I don't have any evidence to support that. But look at his actions. Right after the event, where does he go? He goes and he does an interview on the hip hop guy who is a pimp and on top of everything else. The fact that he goes to Las Vegas and essentially just mentions in passing that we've had four Americans killed in Libya under a premeditated orchestrated attack and he doesn't seem to have any more attachment to it than that. This is frightening."

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Trump pick Sam Clovis stoked birther conspiracy, called Eric Holder ... - CNN

The documents reveal that Loretta Lynch used the alias Elizabeth Carlisle for official emails as attorney general. The emails wereprovided to Judicial Watch and the American Center for Law and Justice after they issued Freedom of Information requests, or FOIAs.

While saying that this practice went on all throughout theObama administration, Bekesha said, What the concern is, if she was using this email address, did she tell the people that were responding to records requests, This is my email address. When someone like Judicial Watch asks for my emails, dont forget to search Elizabeth Carlisles email account?

We dont know if that was happening, Bekesha continued. We dont know if anybody knew that was her alias so that we could make sure that those records are being produced and made available to the public. It raises more questions that the Justice Department doesnt share, or just doesnt answer. The Justice Department didnt come out and say, Here are some emails, but that ElizabethCarlisle, thats really Loretta Lynchs emails.

Bekesha said, The head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson, used the name Richard Windsor. Eric Holder used Lew Alcindor for a period of time. Lew Alcindor is basketball greatKareem Abdul-Jabbars given name.

Bekesha pointed out that the broad use of aliases comes from the same administration that allowed Hillary Clinton to use a private email server.

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Judicial Watch Attorney: Top Obama Officials like Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch Used Email Aliases for Government ... - Breitbart News

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK

A Democrat running for Illinois governor is distancing himself from his own partys leader.

State Rep. Scott Drury, D-Highwood, blames House Speaker Michael Madigan for creating the environment that allowed Gov. Bruce Rauner to win in 2014.

"When we had control, we allowed our pensions to spiral out of control, we didn't do things that our base wanted us to do, Drury said. Rauner became the candidate of 'anything but Democrats'. In that way, Speaker Madigan was the Dr. Frankenstein who created the monster he could no longer control."

Madigan has served as Illinois House Speaker for 32 of the past 34 years. He recently became the longest-serving House speaker in U.S. history.

Drury was the sole Democrat in Springfield who did not vote for Madigan to retain the title of Speaker earlier this year. He argues hes the only one in the race with a track record of standing up to the Chicago Democrat.

"I believe that Speaker Madigan has hedged his bets with various candidates in this race, Drury said. Certainly the one who's resonating the most right now is J.B. Pritzker. But when you look at the facts and other candidates, certainly Madigan has his claws into [Chris] Kennedy and Daniel Biss as well."

Drury has unveiled a reform proposal that in part takes aim at what he calls the Madigan Problem.

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"First of all, we need to have term limits on legislative leaders, Drury said. We absolutely need an influx of fresh ideas and I think term limits on legislative leaders would get us there."

The proposal also offers Drurys solution to the states pension problem and would prohibit legislative leaders from holding outside employment. Drury says his plan does not rely on any further increase in income taxes.

"By looking toward generating savings, rather than finding new sources of revenue or tapping into revenue, we can immediately invest that money into bipartisan issues that people want, such as public education or health care," Drury said.

Drury says he doesn't believe Gov. Rauner is doing a very good job and actually has made the state worse during his tenure. Hes interested in attracting support from across the political spectrum, including among dissatisfied Republicans.

"I'm looking for anyone who is sick and tired of Illinois, Drury said. Illinois is a bipartisan mess and the only way we're going to fix that is by looking for candidates who have solutions to the problems and go past the partisan bickering and want to make honest changes. Not just changes that are politically beneficial.

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Madigan to blame for Rauner's election win, Democrat governor candidate says - Illinois News Network