By George Townsend Your birth certificate is one of the most important identification documents you have – containing vital information about you, your birth and your family. It is important that your birth certificate has accurate information. Often, many Marylanders need to change some of the details on their birth certificate, either because of an […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inOpinion
Healthier together: Remembering to have fun when managing your diabetes
By Lamart R. Smith When people ask for my golden rules of managing diabetes, they aren’t surprised by the first items on my list—listen to your physician, exercise regularly, watch what you eat and pay attention to food labeling. But when I get to my final item, have fun, I typically get a quizzical look. […]
Posted inCommentary
Environmental ‘sacrifice zones’ can be beacons of clean energy investment
By Ben Jealous Lower Richland County, S.C. is a place with rich history. The region, which sits on wetlands and a floodplain forest fed by the Congaree River, was an established agricultural center dating back more than 300 years. It’s home to Congaree National Park and other important sites that are central to the experiences […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: For too many kids getting outside is easier said than done
By Ben Jealous, Special to the AFRO After a restful Thanksgiving, my family made a deliberate choice to #OptOutside on Nov. 24. #OptOutside is a growing movement in which participating organizations and companies close their doors on Black Friday, give their employees a paid day off, and encourage all of us to embrace the serenity […]
Posted inCommentary
Small Business Saturday paves the way for holiday sales success
By John Fleming, SBA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Turkey, stuffing, family and friends. Thanksgiving is that special time of year when loved ones gather from near and far to share for what and whom they are thankful, all topped off with cranberry sauce and a slice of pie. Once the dishes are put away and tryptophan […]
Posted inOPINION
Americans want a ceasefire— it’s our politicians who are out of touch
By Farrah Hassen Our elected officials should listen to the two-thirds of Americans calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Two years ago, filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk asked children in Gaza about their dreams. One young girl responded, “My dream is for us to stay alive and to live in peace. We have a right to […]
Posted inOPINION
Chicago’s Black communities suffer from benign neglect
By Brian Mullins Chicago, like so many American cities, faces a worsening homelessness crisis— one that disproportionately affects the city’s Black residents. About 75 percent of the homeless population is Black, according to the city’s 2022 Point-in-Time Count and Survey Report, even though Blacks account for less than 30 percent of Chicago’s overall population. This […]
Posted inOPINION
Maryland is a hub for innovation — but we can’t take that for granted
By Husein Sharaf Maryland has long been a center of invention. That’s one reason I located Cloudforce, my own rapidly growing cloud consulting company, in the National Harbor area. I knew that here I would find the talent, creativity, and business opportunities needed for Cloudforce to thrive. Since that time, I’ve learned that a flourishing […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: When judicial bias is prevalent – what can a lawyer do?
By Andrellos Mitchell, Special to the AFRO Rarely a day goes by without a news story about the behavior of U.S. judges. These stories tend to focus on their courtroom behavior and alleged bias in high-profile cases. For example, Judge Aileen Cannon is accused by the left of showing bias in favor of Donald Trump […]
Posted inOPINION
Draymond Green: The NBA’s Problem Child
By John Celestand, Word In Black It’s safe to say that in my days as an athlete, I’ve seen my fair share of scuffles, dustups, and physical altercations. With so much adrenaline, testosterone, and just macho chest-thumping behavior in team sports, it’s a given that tempers will flare, manhood will be tested, and competition will […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Black people should care about the impact of CASA’s statement on Palestine
By Dayvon Love This society is governed by a global system of White supremacy, which places American imperialism at its center. White civil society exercises control over the major organs of global finance and military power that maintains the global system of White supremacy. The U.S. has engaged in terrorist military interventions and policies that […]
Posted inOPINION
OP-ED: The PACT Act Fulfills Our Obligation to Veterans
By Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn The United States has long been described as a nation of ideas. The founding fathers wrote that “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence…mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” This closing line of the Declaration of Independence underscored […]