Baltimore, MD (February 22, 2022) – United Way of Central Maryland today announced that Laura Johnson has been appointed as senior vice president and chief innovation and data research officer. In this new position, Johnson will be charged with designing and launching a new enterprise to address complex community challenges and accelerate impact across the organization’s core areas […]
Category: Afro Briefs
Posted inAfro Briefs
Mississippi: Donor funds Fannie Lou Hamer scholarship
The Associated Press An anonymous donor is giving the University of Mississippi $100,000 to pay for a scholarship named after civil rights pioneer Fannie Lou Hamer, according to a news release from the university. The scholarship is designed to help students who are pursuing African American studies in the university’s College of Liberal Arts. Hamer […]
Posted inStop Killing Us
Black women hold protest in Bridgeport, demand police reform
The Associated Press Black women and their supporters held a protest march in Connecticut’s largest city on Feb. 19, demanding police and government reforms amid accusations of racial insensitivity by the Bridgeport Police Department in how it handled the deaths of two Black women. About 150 people, including Black elected women and leaders, turned out […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
In GOP embrace of Canadian protestors, some see racist double standard
By Corey Williams and Sara Burnett, The Associated Press Former President Donald Trump, who repeatedly called Black Lives Matter protesters “thugs” and “anarchists,” said there’s “a lot of respect” for the overwhelmingly White truckers who blocked streets in the Canadian capital and shut down border crossings with the U.S. to oppose COVID-19 restrictions. To Republican […]
Posted inNational News
Family: Judge in Potter case swayed by ‘White woman tears’
By Steve KarnowskiThe Associated Press The judge who sentenced White former Officer Kim Potter on Feb. 18 to two years in prison for killing Black motorist Daunte Wright cited the difficult job that police face — and Potter’s remorse — as justification for giving her a light sentence. Hennepin County District Judge Regina Chu choked […]
Posted inHBCU
Media training program will focus on HBCU students
The Associated Press A company is creating a media training program focused on students at historically Black colleges and universities in Mississippi. The program by Atlanta-based Gray Television Inc. will be based at one of the broadcasters it owns, WLBT-TV in Jackson. The station is an NBC affiliate. Gray Media Training Center is expected to […]
Posted inReligion
Black Catholic Messenger brings young, Black Catholic voices and perspectives
By Deborah Bailey, Special to the AFRO In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic the pace of the world transitioned from frantic to still, allowing a small group of young Black Catholics to see even more clearly what had been evident for years. Their voice was too often muted, adjusted, omitted even for the […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Amir Locke laid to rest
By Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Amir Locke, an aspiring singer and entrepreneur who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on Feb. 2 during a no-knock raid, was remembered as sharp and charismatic at his funeral at Shiloh Temple International Ministries on Thursday. Karen Wells, Locke’s mother, remembered him during a speech to mourners. “My son called […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
United Way of the National Capital Area offering free and virtual tax preparation services
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Membermsayles@afro.com The 2022 tax season is in full swing, and the IRS has already delivered more than four million refunds as of Feb. 4. Low- to moderate-income workers and families can qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which can be used to reduce […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
The basics of understanding legislative bills and where to find help
By J.J, McQueen, Special to the AFRO The idea of learning about legislative bills can be intimidating, and for most individuals the judicial system and its processes are often studied in grade school, and seldom if ever revisited after high school graduation. Unfortunately, the concept of bills isn’t something that we can ignore the impact […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Want a healthier Valentine’s Day? More hugs and kisses
By Michael Precker, American Heart Association News Too much Valentine candy probably won’t be good for your health. But the heart-centric holiday’s hugs and kisses are a different story. “We crave social connection and human touch,” said Ashley Thompson, a social psychologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. “Hugging and kissing are […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Leadership Baltimore County hosts initiative to discuss the impact of COVID -19 on the local community
By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer Communities are at their best when pulling together for a common cause. Leadership Baltimore County (LBC) is a community leadership program with a mission to improve opportunities and the quality of life for its citizens. It operates with three main pillars in mind; to educate leaders about the […]