By Al Wynn In state legislatures across the country the “right to repair” movement is gaining momentum. Thirty-three states and Puerto Rico considered right to repair legislation during the 2023 legislative session. And while this might be a good idea for some products, policymakers should oppose any attempts to weaken regulated safety requirements for repairing […]
Category: OPINION
Posted inCommentary
A time to think: Words are like bullets, fire when ready
By Maurice Carroll “Words are like bullets. If they escape, you can’t catch them again.” -African Proverb There are hundreds of quotes and proverbs about the power of words that suggest warnings. The intention is for us to be mindful about the words we choose. With rapid fire lifestyles, a considerable amount of pressure and […]
Posted inCommentary
A call to action: How rites of passage can combat attacks on the minds of Black boys
By Dayvon Love One of the central elements of the condition of Black youth in the U.S. is that they are being socialized in a society full of dehumanizing systems. Pop culture, public education, politics and a host of other societal messages bombard Black youth with the idea that they are worthless. If we are […]
Posted inCommentary
The importance of independent Black organizations in a sea of nonprofits
By Dayvon Love, Special to the AFRO For 13 years, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS) has been aspiring to be an independent, Black, revolutionary political organization that can have a meaningful impact on the lives of Black people in the Baltimore region. We were clear that in order to advocate in a way that […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Why mass incarceration still has mass appeal
By Hiram Jackson, Word in Black America’s love affair with incarceration unnecessarily deprives people of their freedom. It also comes with enormous social and economic costs for formerly incarcerated individuals, their families and their communities. More than 10.2 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world, mostly as pre-trial detainees, remand prisoners or […]
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: The heart condition hiding in plain sight
By Wayne A. Pulliam The health of a community is often about connecting. Connecting with our neighbors, friends, and family to recharge our souls. Connecting with information that empowers us to make positive change. Now we need to get connected and work together to address a serious cause of heart failure called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, […]
Posted inCommentary
The CBC sets economic justice agenda for 2024 elections
By Roger House As voters express anxiety over President Biden’s handling of the economy, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) gathered in Washington last month to discuss an agenda for the 2024 election. I attended the conference to learn what this national organization of elected leaders plans to do about the economic stress in the Black […]
Posted inCommentary
New federal regulation empowers human trafficking survivors with credit repair support
By Heather Heiman Human trafficking survivors often struggle with poor credit and other financial challenges after their trafficking experience, particularly if they were a victim of identity theft or financial coercion. Traffickers often seize victims’ identification, such as driver’s licenses, passports or ID cards, and may misuse them to fraudulently secure credit cards, bank accounts, […]
Posted inCommentary
The HBCU conversation on gun violence is long overdue
By Ron Taylor Scuttling homecoming at an historically Black college or university is like canceling a flight on the Concorde or pushing back a U.S. presidential inauguration a week or two. And if such events are postponed to clean up carnage from a petty dispute over drugs, sex or hurt feelings, well, someone has to […]
Posted inCommentary
Maryland General Assembly must address violent repeat offenders and juvenile crime
By Ryan Coleman The community, the Randallstown NAACP, members of the General Assembly from both political parties, the governor’s office, the mayor’s office, the county executive office, police and state’s attorneys, business leaders and citizens simply tired of crime and juvenile offenses must come together this year’s legislative session to create a real package of […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: The Black middle class of Baltimore County needs attention too
By Ryan Coleman, randallstownnaacp@gmail.com The median wealth for a U.S. White family was $171,000 in 2021, according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent numbers. That number was $17,600 and $20,700 for Black and Latino or Hispanic families, respectively. This huge gulf in wealth warrants a distinct policy agenda for Black families who, even if they […]
Posted inOPINION
The clean energy transition must be a just transition
By Ben Jealous When General Motors, Chrysler and Ford – the “Big Three” American automakers – were close to extinction 15 years ago, their workers and the American people stepped in to save them. The United Auto Workers (UAW) gave back wages and benefits they had every right to get under a contract they had […]