Author: Carma Henry

     A good recitation on the aim of Redlining, was articulated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The AP reported  Mayor Bloomberg opined in his 2020 Presidential campaign that the great “Recession” was due to the credit given to poor people (insert-Black/Brown).  He said, “It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone. People in these neighborhoods are poor, they’re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages…” 

     The good news is that it is possible to stretch your healthcare dollars by finding a Medicare Advantage plan that offers extra benefits and services. According to the Better Medicare Alliance, members of Medicare Advantage plans reported saving nearly $2,000 a year, while experiencing better health outcomes. And the time to shop is now. During Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, people eligible for Medicare select a plan for coverage taking effect Jan. 1, 2023.

     According to his coach, Cedric Alexander, Duran Davis, the Westside Gazette’s Student/Athlete of the Week, epitomizes the tenacious fighting spirit of the ‘22 Piper Bengal football team which on Friday lost a hard fought battle to the talented, undefeated Blanche Ely Tigers, leaving the Bengals with an overall 5-3 won /loss record as the regular season nears its conclusion sans those in playoff contention.

     The Biden administration blasted the Russian court’s decision to deny her appeal calling it a “sham hearing.” The administration’s Jack Sullivan released this statement:

     Though an extraordinary moment in the history of race in this country, the trailblazing Pierce preferred to let others tell the story. The historic moment was remembered at Friday’s football game, celebrating its 75th anniversary with an on-field recognition of Pierce’s daughter, a tribute video and commemorative T-shirts distributed to 500 fans. Yulander Wells, a deputy director of athletics, spoke of its significance.

     That’s the goal as the Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Rainbow Push, the Hip Hop Caucus, and others set out on a bus tour across the nation to blunt voter suppression and misinformation ahead of the all-important midterm elections.

 During the St. Jude Spirit of the Dream event, guests heard about the strides made by St. Jude on racial equity since its founding in 1962 as the South’s first fully integrated children’s hospital. As part of this commitment to racial equity, St. Jude launched a sickle cell program in 1968 to study this disease, which disproportionately affects African American people. That program has grown to become one of the largest in the U.S.

Founded by mother-daughter duo, Melissa and Esi Orijin, Orijin Bees’ Baby Bee Doll collection is now being featured in Amazon’s newly-released Holiday Kids Gift Book and recognized in their “Toys We Love” List for 2022. The collection is available in an array of skin tones and curl patterns representing features of Black and brown children.

      When it comes to Serving the People, Voting for Candidates and Engaging in Politics, consider ascribing to this notion:  We cannot lead, where we don’t go—and cannot tell, what we don’t know! To challenge ourselves to do more, we must put in the work. Our actions really speak louder than our words. Educating and informing ourselves as voters is paramount! As responsible individuals, organizations, and institutions, we must hold ourselves accountable to learn of legislative policies, amendments and charter questions impacting our personal lives and community.

    Several statewide candidates on the Democratic ticket came to explain their reasons for running and answer questions. Anita Kelly, candidate for Place 5 on the Alabama Supreme Court said,” I have had 18 years’ experience as a judge in Montgomery and my Republican opponent has none. He was the lawyer for the Republican Party in Birmingham and was a delegate to the RNC for Trump in 2016 and 2020.” Kelly urged voters to go to her website and that of her opponent and see who had the best record for Alabama.