By Shaylyn Cochran and Rob WeinerWord in Black The 2026 midterm will be a referendum on the direction of our country, but without the fair and complete participation of Black voters and communities of color, next fall’s election will not truly reflect the voice of the people. Unfortunately, in granting a stay in the Texas […]
Category: Commentary
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Baltimore’s violence drop proves investing in Black-led youth and the arts works
Baltimore’s historic drop in youth homicides and gun violence is the result of intentional investments in Black-led organizations, youth arts programs, recreation centers and public spaces, not chance. Drawing from her work with Creative Nomads, Kayenecha Daugherty argues that art, community-based leadership and equitable funding are proven public-safety strategies—and warns that recent gains are fragile without sustained support.
Posted inOPINION
47th president’s foreign policy is White supremacy
By Dayvon Love One of the impacts of the descent of news media into the realm of pop culture is a general neglect of political discourse in Black spaces on foreign policy. The focus on things that will get likes and shares disincentivizes rigorous foreign policy conversations in Black civic and political circles. This has […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Structural inequality undermines Jamaica’s schools
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. This week he highlights that curriculum reform efforts falter without intentional, culturally grounded curriculum implementation leadership.
Posted inCommentary
From heartbreak to hope: Reclaiming the soul of Watch Night
By Rev. Stacy Swimp For many, New Year’s Eve is a night of sparkling lights and resolutions. But for the Black community, the ticking clock has a deeper echo. To understand why we gather in churches on Dec. 31, we must look beyond the party and confront a journey of profound survival. We must remember […]
Posted inCommentary
If violent crime is truly a national priority, why isn’t gun violence?
By Renée Hall Another American community is grieving today. This time it is Stockton, Calif., where families woke up to the kind of news no parent, no neighbor, and no city should ever have to endure. Sirens at night. Candles by morning. Another headline. Another vigil. And a community asking the same heartbreaking question we […]
Posted inCommentary
Reframing autism in D.C. schools: From label to understanding
By Nicole A. Wynn In a busy Washington, D.C. classroom, a student rocks gently in his chair, hands over his ears. The teacher assumes he’s being defiant and calls his name sharply. In reality, the fluorescent lights and echoing voices have overwhelmed his senses. This scene plays out daily in schools across the District not […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Maryland must end the harmful practice of automatically charging youth as adults
Attorney Kisha Brown previously served as director of both the Maryland Attorney General’s Legislative Affairs division and the Civil Rights department. She was the first woman to lead the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights. In this piece she argues Maryland’s criminal justice system continues to disproportionately harm Black communities, especially through its outdated practice of automatically charging some youth as adults, a policy critics argue urgently needs to end.
Posted inCommentary
Fostering inclusive societies: Breaking barriers for persons with disabilities
Wayne Campbell highlights the systemic barriers—attitudinal, physical, transportation and policy-driven—that continue to limit the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Caribbean and globally. He emphasizes the importance of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy and calls for stronger enforcement of inclusive policies, meaningful participation of people with lived experience, and societal commitment to creating disability-inclusive societies.
Posted inCommentary
It’s difficult being grateful during stressful times
By Maurice Carroll None of us make it out of life without experiencing some stress. Let’s face it, stress is one of those human traits that crosses all boundaries of faith, nationality, gender and age. There are studies dedicated to defining it and others dedicated to finding and sharing treatments for it. As African Americans, […]
Posted inCommentary
Don’t hide your Kwanzaa under a rock
By Bill Curtis As policy of the current federal government in 2025, the era of integration is over. From 1965 with the Voting Rights Act until the regime of President Trump, integration was the policy of the Federal government for 60 years. And American society stumbled forward out of its darkness. Lyndon B. Johnson, the […]
Posted inCommentary
The lie about immigrants and America’s debt to them
By Stacy M. BrownBlack Press USA Senior National Correspondent There is a lie moving through America. It creeps through congressional halls and across television screens, whispering that undocumented immigrants live freely off the sweat of the American taxpayer. It is a lie told by those who know better and repeated by those who are too […]