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The Black Lives Matter movement first arose in the aftermath of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed 17-year-old Martin in an Orlando suburb in 2012. This year, the movement grew to involve people in every city in the country, fueled by the furor over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Of course, the fight for equal rights and treatment for Black Americans has been waged for centuries, and todays activists are building on the accomplishments of countless civil rights leaders of past generations. Then and now, New York has been home to many of the most prominent Black individuals who have taken up the cause.

Today, City & States Black 100 list, created in partnership with Stephon Johnson of the New York Amsterdam News, recognizes many of the Black New Yorkers who are making a difference in politics legislators championing criminal justice reforms, groundbreaking candidates for elected office, advocates and policymakers evening the playing field, and, of course, the activists who have taken to the streets in recent months to stand up for their rights.

Assembly Speaker

Silence is golden a maxim Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has long adhered to wlohile working to further the Democratic agenda. The Bronx lawmakers largely successful tenure includes this years package of police reform bills the biggest noncoronavirus story of the year, which put Heastie, the first Black leader of the chamber, in a spotlight that he largely seeks to avoid.

State Senate Majority Leader

Rent regulation. Reproductive rights. Bail reform. Protecting the states LGBTQ community. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the first Black woman to serve as the state Senate majority leader, is making sure the voiceless have a voice and that no New Yorkers are left out when it comes to policy. And while there were concerns early on that Republicans might win back a few seats this fall, theres now a chance that her conference secures a veto-proof supermajority.

State Attorney General

Letitia James spent 2020 battling two of Americas most powerful and polarizing names: Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association. She sued the Trump administration for policy reversals that threatened to deport international students and moved to force the Trump Organization to comply with an investigation into its financial dealings. Shes also suing to dissolve the NRA after accusing the organization of financing illegal activities.

Chair,House Democratic Caucus

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries continues to vocally oppose President Donald Trump, despite failing to oust him from office through impeachment. Last year, the Brooklynite introduced bills targeting police brutality a prescient focus given the spate of high-profile police killings this year. The fifth-ranking Democrat in the House and a key member of House leadership, he is a valued voice in battling against the conservative agenda.

Brooklyn Borough President

Whether speaking out against police brutality or gentrification, Brooklyn Borough President and New York City mayoral hopeful Eric Adams makes sure his voice is heard. But he also courted controversy this year when he said hed be a law-and-order type of mayor who would eschew a security detail by carrying a gun himself an early salvo in what promises to be a contentious campaign.

New York City Public Advocate

Jumaane Williams has made a name for himself in 2020 as a fierce critic of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. He expressed disappointment over how the mayor handled anti-police brutality and anti-racism protests, filed an opposition to law enforcement unions efforts to block the repeal of 50-a and backed teachers on a possible strike before the mayor pushed back the beginning of the school year.

Assembly Majority Leader

Last year, Crystal Peoples-Stokes pushed for marijuana legalization and helped pass legislation that gave tax breaks to senior homeowners with limited income. This year, the Assembly majority leader advocated for attacking the COVID-19 pandemic head on, addressing racial conflict and confronting the states economic troubles. She also helped pass legislation providing aid to her hometown of Buffalo to strengthen commercial districts via repairs and other kinds of enhancements.

President,1199 SEIU

1199 SEIU President George Greshams advocacy for frontline workers many of whom are Black and brown cannot be ignored. Hes called out private, for-profit nursing homes for not providing essential workers with enough personal protective equipment during the pandemic, fought against possible layoffs of workers at other nursing facilities, and chastised state Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker for doubting that health care workers were short on PPE.

Founder and President,National Action Network

When talking about activism and politics, its usually not long before Rev. Al Sharptons name comes up. Fighting for social justice and against President Donald Trump is all in a days work for Sharpton. The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement saw Sharpton take on a prominent role, lending his gravitas and voice to the era-defining protests, as exemplified by his impassioned eulogy at George Floyds funeral.

New York City First Lady

Chirlane McCray isnt just the first lady of New York City shes also one of the most trusted advisers to her spouse, Mayor Bill de Blasio. And while the de Blasio administration is facing an array of challenges and only has 15 months left to carry out its goals, McCray is well-positioned for a potential run for Brooklyn borough president, which could keep the boroughs leading power couple in power.

Originally posted here:
The Power of Diversity: Black 100 | CSNY - City & State

GALESBURG Fred Britton Jr. received a warning from his father one day in the fall of 2005.

His father, Fred Britton Sr., had worked 32 years for the Galesburg Street Department and countless hours maintaining his house and yard. But by the time he called his son that day, he was using a walker after spending the past 14 years on dialysis. His health was failing, and he had a message to give his his eldest son while he was still able.

He called me to come over to his house and said I need to talk to you., recalls Britton Jr. As soon as he called, I said Im on my way. And I went.

He said, I need you to pay attention. Im not going to be here to see this, but the worlds about to go through a change, Britton Jr. remembers his father saying.

Minorities have been in the pressure cooker all our lives, Britton Sr. explained to his son. The white people are gonna start going through what were going through and they wont be able to handle it.

Britton Jr. said his dad was referring to white people losing their jobs in a changing economy.

Theres going to be a shift, he said. Youre gonna start seeing Blacks speak up.

Theres gonna be certain people who arent going to be able to deal with that, Britton Sr. told his son. Innocent people are going to lose their lives over skin color.

Britton Jr. said his dad wanted him to relay the message to his two younger brothers, Clay and Jon.

He was always like that. He was going to give you that wisdom for life.

Britton Jr. believes hes witnessed his fathers premonition come to pass.

Warnings became realized

Some seven years after Fred Brittons message to his son, Black teenager Trayvon Martin, who was walking in Sanford, Florida, was shot fatally by Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman. One month after the shooting, rallies took place in cities across the country protesting the killing and the police departments handling of the case. Black people were speaking out.

Travyon Martin was a kid, Britton Jr. said. The police told him (Zimmerman) to stand down and he pulled a gun out on him (Trayvon).

On July 13, 2013, Zimmerman, charged with second degree murder, was acquitted. That verdict helped spur the Black Lives Matter movement. According to Pew Research Group, the first use of Black Lives Matter in a Twitter hashtag was used July 13, 2013. By March 2016, the hashtag had been used 11.8 million times as use of force by police became a national topic in light of the death of African-Americans Eric Garner in New York City and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Browns death had a local connection as Knox College womens basketball player Ariyana Smith on Nov. 28, 2014, protested his death at the hands of a Ferguson Police officer. As the Star Spangled Banner played prior to Knoxs game at Fontebonne University in Clayton, Missouri, about 12 miles from Ferguson, Smith left her team and stood beneath the flag with with a raised fist. She knelt and then collapsed on the gym floor until the song was finished.

The Black community is frustrated, Britton Jr. said. When is this going to end?

The Black Lives Matter movement continued to grow, according to Pew. The hashtag blacklivesmatter was used an average of 3.7 million times per day in the week that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 25. Videos emerged showing Floyd dying in police custody as a police officer applied pressure to Floyds neck with his knee for 8 minutes and 15 seconds.

The killing caused nationwide protests.

Theres more people speaking up, and I thank God for that, Britton Jr. said.

He said his father prepared him for lifes ugliness. He told me it was going to be like this.

Britton Jr. said he was not shaken by President Trumps response Tuesday night when he was asked to condemn white supremacists during the presidential debate.

Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, Trump eventually said.

Proud Boys, according to the USA Today, is a far-right group with a history of violent confrontations. While the group says it is not a white supremacist group, the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated Proud Boys as a hate group.

I wasnt surprised, Britton Jr. said. I wasnt surprised at all.

Britton said Trump was basically saying: If I dont get what I want, Im going to light this fuse and you gonna see hell.

Was Britton angry?

Its hard to be angry about these things when you come to expect it, he said.

When you have a leader who doesnt speak on certain issues, such as police brutality against minorities, you empower white supremacists, Britton said.

On May 1, 2006, months after making his prediction to his son, Fred Britton Sr. died.

When he told me, I didnt tell a lot of people, Britton Jr. said. People werent in the mindset to deal with it. Now I talk about it all the time.

Learning his fathers rules

Britton Jr., 59, says his father helped prepare him for the world.

Youre as good as anyone, Britton Sr. told his son, but its going to be a lot harder with this Black skin.

Wearing a T-shirt that said Only God can judge me, Britton Jr. sat on his back deck Sept. 24 talking about his father and growing up in Galesburg.

He was attending Cooke School on the south side of Galesburg when the Galesburg School District started busing students. Britton Jr. and some of his neighborhood friends found themselves at Lincoln for middle school.

In Galesburg, all the busing was on the south end, he said. Half the bus to Lincoln, half to Gale (school). My first year I was the only Black student in the 4th grade.

It was a big culture shock. Im going to an area where Black people didnt go.

He remembers asking his mother, Why are they staring at us? It was the adults who were staring, remembers Britton Jr. Kids dont see color.

It was a great experience, he said but there was tension.

My father had us so prepared about how to conduct ourselves.

Britton Sr. advised his sons to keep your eyes and ears open when youre around (white people).

Also, he warned them them to be careful about who they were with.

Theres always going to be trials and tribulations in life, he told them. Be careful about who you surround yourself with.

He always taught us youre going to have to be 10 times better (than white people).

And Britton Sr. told his sons they must work hard.

By the time Britton Jr. was nearing high school graduation, he was working at a food service job at Cottage Hospital. Since then hes nearly always had a job including a stint in the Army. For the past 25 years he has worked as a food dietitian at Henry Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.

He says his mother, Louise, and his father provided stability.

My dad was at the head of that dinner table every day. Every day. Not everybody has that structure, he said.

Britton Jr. believes many young people dont have that person at home who can prepare them for life.

I can look at certain people and tell if theyve had a structure to help them survive. Someone had to teach you how to be productive and how to adapt.

Britton Jr. has tried to impart his fathers lessons to his son, Jaylen, and daughter, Asia.

"I told my kids, I want you to see the real world.

Theyre grown and have moved away: Asia to Springfield, Illinois, and Jaylen to Springfield, Missouri. He and his wife, Christine, divorced, and Britton Jr. is engaged to Grace Loveless.

Pulled over by a state trooper

The real world still means watching what you say and how you say it.

At 6 p.m. one night in January, Britton Jr. was driving from Galesburg to Good Hope to buy some tables. His fiances father, David Parker, was along to help load them in Britton Jr.s Honda Ridgeline.

As they were traveling south on U.S. Route 67 they passed an Illinois State Police car in the median. Britton Jr. said he was driving right at 65 mph, yet the state trooper pulled him over.

Britton Jr. knew to keep his hands visible, his license and insurance ready. He also slipped off the hoody sweatshirt he was wearing.

Britton Jr. noticed the officer shining a flashlight at the rear license plate as he walked to the drivers window.

The officer told him the letter B designating the license plate for a Class B vehicle was not visible on Britton Jr.s back plate. Road salt had eroded the letter Briton Jr. later discovered. He checked with local the drivers facility to find its fairly common occurrence for truck plates.

Because it was dark, Britton Jr. wondered whether the B would have been visible from the median anyway.

The trooper asked Britton Jr. where he was going. Then he asked where he was coming from.

I said, Henry Hill.

He said, I dont know where thats at.

How would a state trooper not know about the prison? Britton Jr. wondered. The state police are the law enforcement that respond to incidents at the prison.

I dont want to antagonize this man, explains Britton Jr.

The officer asked for Britton Jr.s drivers license and proof of insurance.

Then the officer asked for his prison ID.

Im sitting there in my uniform (from Henry Hill) with a badge. Im a state worker, Britton Jr. says, exasperated, as he tells the story.

I dont think he would ask anyone else that question.

Then the officer asked for Parkers identification.

I was worried about whether I would get maced, shot or drugs put in the vehicle, Britton Jr. said.

However, Britton Jr. was eventually allowed to go on his way.

Britton Jr. said his vehicle had the kind of sporty rims that a lot of gangbangers and drug dealers use. That could have been the reason he was pulled over. He thinks maybe the officer profiled him and thought he was transporting drugs.

I dont do anything illegal, he said.

But Britton Jr. knew not to question the trooper.

I was prepared. I know how to deescalate the situation. How you talk to people will change things. Theres a certain game you have to play in order to survive.

Not saying all police are bad. Not all are good. You better respect that position of authority or youre going to have some drama, he said.

To someday fly the flag

Britton Jr. takes pride in keeping his yard neat along Fremont Street. Its another thing he picked up from his father.

In Brittons backyard he has installed a decorative bell on a pole and an old fashioned water pump with handle. But, as he points out, he doesnt fly the American flag.

What the flag stands for is a beautiful thing, he said. But I dont feel 100% American. America hasnt been very patriotic to all groups of people.

I pray to God one day Ill be able to have one (an American flag), when everybody is treated equally.

Does Britton Jr. think that will happen in his lifetime?

He says he had never expected to see a Black president in his lifetime and that happened in 2008 and 2012 with Barack Obama.

If I live long enough I think I have a chance to see that (equality) now. The world is changing.

Theyre knocking down slavery statues, he said, mentioning the Stephen Douglas statue that was removed last week from the Illinois Capitol grounds because Douglas had owned slaves.

Beyond that, he says more and more people are of mixed race and that aspect alone will continue erode the racism of the past.

You never know whos going to be entering your family.

An equal world would look like heaven, Britton Jr. says.

Heaven is not segregated.

Love is going to win out in the long run.

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Fred Britton Jr. says his ailing father warned him in 2005 about racial strife we are seeing now - Monmouth Daily Review Atlas

Being a black woman, I am very afraid. I am afraid that in my future I will never get to see an unjustifiable killing by a police officer, with the officer behind bars. I am afraid that fifteen years from now, I will have to tell my children to be afraid of the people who are paid to protect you. I am afraid that black lives will never matter.

On July 13, 2013, that was the day I understood the injustices that African-Americans face. I was sitting at the hair salon, preparing for my dads union with his wife. Being 13 I was aware of racism and some of the social problems that I faced as an African-American. I knew that we were once slaves, then we were freed by Abraham Lincoln and that the Civil Rights movement was supposed to make us equal. What I did not know is that 7 years later, I would understand that we are not really free and are not really equal.

While I was preparing to finally accept my new dads new life with his wife, most Americans across the world were awaiting to accept the verdict of murder. You may not remember the day, but do you recall the name? His name was Trayvon Martin, and his murderer is George Zimmerman.

Now this was not a killing by a police officer, but this is one of the first cases that started the trail of injustice for African-American men and women. A year later from a jury finding Zimmerman not guilty after shooting unarmed Trayvon, Eric Garner let out his last words of I cant breathe as a police officer holds him in a choke hold. Then less than a month later, people in Ferguson protested for Michael Brown and many others unarmed and murdered by the police. Five years later Garners killer, Daniel Pantaleo, was never charged or convicted, just stripped of his badge and commission. Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Brown, was exonerated.

The trend of this type of injustice continued for years after these cases and even decades before these cases. I hope we have not forgotten the verdict of Rodney King caused the LA riots. In the year 2020 it was the killing of George Floyd and the acquittal of Breonna Taylor when I learned to fear injustice. Across everyones screens we watched Floyd lose his last breath, under the knee of a police officer. His killers were not arrested or charged until riots and protests waved across America. We saw Breonnas family mourn her death after wrongfully being killed in a raid.

With all these chants of Black lives matter! No Justice No Peace! and the repeated stress that the police are using excessive force we have yet to see justice for any of these stolen lives. You would think the system could see the unfair treatment of the African-American community, but yet no convictions. I feel the fear of injustice flash before me every time I see a badge and flashing lights. We dont deserve to be afraid anymore, we deserve to be free.

Original post:
COLUMN: The Fear of Injustice The Parthenon - MU The Parthenon

30 September 2020, 10:40 | Updated: 30 September 2020, 10:44

There are a number of great films and documentaries to watch this Black History Month.

October marks Black History Month in the UK, which celebrates the history, achievements and contributions of black people in this country and around the world.

While events and celebrations may look a little different this year due to the pandemic, there are plenty of things you can do to learn more about important black history that was not taught in schools.

And Netflix and Amazon Prime have a range of films and documentaries which deal with issues of black rights and racial struggles.

Check out our list of films to watch this Black History Month.

This documentary explores the intersection of race, justice and mass incarceration in the United States.

It is titled after the thirteenth amendment of the Constitution which abolished slavery in the US and discusses the history of race relations.

This film tells the story of black soldiers who fought for their country in the Vietnam war, while African Americans were being oppressed at home in the US.

Read More: Black Lives Matter: How you can support the anti-racism movement through charities, organisations, books and TV

When They See Us is a series which tells the real life story of the Central Park Five, a group of five teenage boys who were wrongfully convicted in a 1989 sexual assault case.

It looks at the flawed criminal justice system and the way these boys were unfairly treated as young black boys.

This is an American documentary television series that premiered in 2018 on Paramount Network.

The six-episode series tells the story of the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, and follows the rise of Black Lives Matter movement.

This film is a comedy, but it follows the racial tensions at a predominantly white Ivy League college in America and is told from the perspective of several black students.

Directed by Raoul Peck, this documentary looks back at black history and connects the Civil Rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter.

The synopsis reads: "It questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond."

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson follows the life of the trans activist Marsha P. Johnson who was a powerful figure in the gay liberation movement.

It uses old interviews with Marsha, and new interviews with family, friends and fellow activists.

This outlines the riots in LA in 1992, which were sparked by the beating of motorist Rodney King by police officers.

Paris is Burning was filmed in the 1980s and explores the ballroom scene in New York City, following the Black performers who were part of it.

Interviews with drag queens and ball contestants open conversations around gender, race, class, and sexuality in their communities.

This four-hour series sees Henry Louis Gates, Jr. embark on a deeply personal journey through the last fifty years of African American history.

This documentary follows the recent evolution of the BLM movement through interviews with local activists, protestors and scholars.

Read the rest here:
Black History Month 2020: Powerful films and documentaries to stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime - Heart

Too often, stories of Black women who have been abused by the systemic racism in our country go ignored, not only by the majority, but by our Black male counterparts.

As a young black woman and first generation American, I have dealt with the burdens of racial injustice, sexism, colorism and nationalism.

Earlier this year, Officer Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis police force, knelt on George Floyds neck, preventing him from breathing and killing him. This murder resulted in outrage, and a wave of protests all around the country. It unearthed years of trauma and pain experienced by the Black community, not only in the United States but all around the world.

However, two months before Floyds death, on March 13, 2020, a young Black woman was shot and killed by police officers while sleeping in her apartment. Breonna Taylors death received little to no coverage until after George Floyds death received worldwide recognition.

Taylor became a martyr and yet another victim of police brutality who did not receive proper justice.

A grand jury indicted officer Brett Hanksion on three separate counts of first-degree wanton endangerment as he put the lives of Taylors neighbors in danger by firing shots that reached their apartments.

On Sep 15, 2020 Taylors family received $12 million in a wrongful death settlement that included a host of police reforms. In the settlement, the city agreed to an incentive to hire officers who live in the areas in which they wish to serve, and required more review for search warrants among many other changes.

Still none of the officers involved with Taylors death were charged with her death. Protests have continued to surge in response to this verdict as the justice system placed property over Taylors personhood.

These protests have resulted in a large cultural shift, consequently bringing to the forefront the importance of inclusivity and allyship in the Black community. They promote conversations about what we can do to create equality, equity and understanding in a tumultuous, and often hurtful society.

As Taylors story reached the media there were stark differences in how the public received her story versus Floyds.

Taylor was made out to be a caricature, to sell products, and memified. This showed the lack of value for the personhood of Black women in America.

Tiktok users co-opted a cry for justice Arrest the Killers of Breonna Taylor into a TikTok trend on the social media website. The meme is usually preceded by a lead up completely unrelated to police brutality and ends with Arrest the Killers of Breonna Taylor.

This reception, dissemination and performative activism associated with Taylors story is indicative of the erasure of Black womens intersectional experiences and reflective of the stories of so many cis and trans black women who have been harmed by the police and by their own community.

Since the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement, Black women have been champions of change.

The BLM movement was created in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who murdered 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

As we protect and act as mothers of our community, I often wonder who will stand on the front lines and fight for us.

The idea of the strong Black women or the superwoman schema explains the internal conflict experienced by many Black women. They are expected to be emotionless, strong, superwomen, and to act as a voice for their people.

Black women have fought for the lives of Black men to be valued and respected, yet when the lives of Black women enter the conversation, the narrative transforms.

19-year-old Oluwatoyin Salau was sexually assaulted and murdered by Black male Aaron Glee Jr. Glee offered Salua a ride and a place to stay following a protest for Floyd.

When her story reached the media, people, specifically Black men, victim-blamed her. Questions like Why would she go with him? or She owed him appeared on Twitter threads about her.

Iyanna Dior, a trans woman, was beaten brutally by a group of 20-30 Black men at a gas station. Transphobia bled into all of the conversations concerning the brutal attack.

A 15 second video from the Long Island Herald captured Wynta Amor, a seven year old black girl chanting Black Lives Matter. The video of Amor and many other young black girls being propped up as activists went viral on all social media websites. There is no age limit to carrying the burden of your community and country as a Black girl in America.

Black women are carrying the weight of validating the worth of their lives not only as a Black person but as women.

The overwhelming sentiment of not being able to feel that your experience is real or validated has and will continue to contribute to trauma and the adultification of young Black girls who are often forced to grow up too fast.

Blackness and womanhood are intersectional identities that cannot be separated from one another. Black women exist at the crossroads of institutional racism and institutional sexism.

If we erase that fact that Black women experience multiple different marginalized identities, we are simultaneously invalidating them as people and their experiences.

So many stereotypes have contributed to the way that the world relates to Black women.

The Mammy stereotype began with black enslaved women who were expected to be obedient and loyal despite experiencing an insurmountable amount of pain.

The hypersexualization of Black women began when enslaved women were raped.

The angry Black women stereotype invalidates the anger and pain experienced as a result of the injustices they face as a community.

It is important that we see Black women not as warriors for the cause or victims but simply as people. People with depth, purpose and personality.

When I look at pictures of Breonna Taylor, Oluwatoyin Salau, Sandra Bland, Iyanna Dior, Elanor Bumper, Alberta Spruill and so many more Black women failed by the system, I see a reflection of myself.

I see people who were valuable before death and not because of death. These Black women were and are activists, EMT workers, mothers, sisters and friends.

Black women deserve better. They deserve justice while they are living and breathing and they deserve validation when the systems in place to protect them fail them.

This is a painful time for so many people around the world. It is like a period of mourning that will never end until we receive proper justice.

In our process of healing, we lean on our allies and each other. We must educate and love one another, challenge our beliefs, and continue the quest of knowledge. We must recognize how our different intersections impact our experiences.

The process of education and understanding continues as long as we exist on this earth.

Reporter Oreoluwa Ojewuyican be reached at [emailprotected] or on twitter @odojewuyi.

To stay up to date with all your Southern Illinois news, follow the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.

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Opinion: 'The Most Disrespected Person in America is the Black Woman' - Daily Egyptian