Dayvon Love, public policy director for the Baltimore-based think tank Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, argues that individual stories should be considered alongside empirical data and subject matter expertise when developing policies, and that the pain of victims of violent crime should not be used to justify opposition to criminal justice reforms.
Category: OPINION
Posted inCommentary
The soul of a nation: Love, hate and the legacy of Dr. King
By Mustafa AliWord in Black The chasm between the dream and the despair grows wider each day. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once ascended the pulpit at Riverside Church and offered a vision that sought to heal a fractured America. The transformational lessons that King shared with the country were heartfelt and powerful. He urged […]
Posted inCommentary
The illusion of equal opportunity for minority NFL coaches
Joseph N. Cooper, UMass Boston (THE CONVERSATION) On the day after the New England Patriots ended their NFL season with a miserable 4-13 record, team owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo, the team’s first Black head coach. In a press conference following his decision, Kraft explained that he put Mayo in “an untenable situation” by […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: Black Vote, Black Power: What do we do now? 10 Action steps for the next 4 years
Keith Boykin outlines 10 action steps to stay engaged, make a difference, and protect Black America’s rights and interests in the face of a dangerous and divisive political environment.
Posted inOPINION
Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative and the limits of liberal reform
Maryland’s Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative, launched to reduce mass incarceration, has faced challenges due to political pressure from law enforcement and the general public. The group’s recommendation to limit the automatic charging of youth as adults was influenced by these pressures.
Posted inOPINION
While Biden rights wrongs, Marilyn Mosby’s legacy is overlooked
Marilyn Mosby, a key advocate for ending the war on drugs, was overlooked by President Biden for a pardon, despite her significant contributions to drug reform and her courageous stance against prosecution of drug possession.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: How Super Bowl quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes prove diversity matters on and off the field
Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, both African American quarterbacks, are leading their teams to the 2025 Super Bowl, proving the importance of diversity in sports.
Posted inOPINION
Op-ed: A people-first plan to balance the budget and ‘leave no one behind’
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has proposed a budget plan that prioritizes education, tax reform, and economic growth to balance the state’s budget, with a focus on helping those who have felt overlooked and left behind.
Posted inCommentary
The ‘American Dream…’ and nightmare
Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for humanity has yet to be realized for many Black Americans, leading to a lack of dreams and a sense of apathy and irrelevance.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: The ‘America first agenda’ and what it means for marginalized communities
President Trump’s “America First” agenda, which includes hardline immigration policies and a reduction in government hiring in DEI initiatives, could exacerbate existing inequities for Black Americans.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Resisting the current presidential administration: Look to Florida — and organize
Florida has become a laboratory for MAGA experiments in extremist education policies, but Fedrick C. Ingram, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, emphasizes the importance of organizing to resist these extremist policies.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Black Vote, Black Power: Don’t be fooled. The president’s J6 pardons are all about race
Donald Trump has granted clemency to every criminal involved in the January 6 insurrection, including those who attacked police officers, raising concerns about the U.S. legal system and the treatment of White supremacy.