Author: Carma Henry

     The program’s participation rate, which now exceeds one-third of eligible households, far outweighs that of the Lifeline program, which offers a $9.25 discount on phone or internet service and has attracted less than one-in-five (19%) eligible households to enroll. Because of the program’s success, education, civil/human rights, religious and civically conscious groups are imploring the powers that be to not cast the 20 million participating households into the digital dark…to not allow the ACP to end.

It took 10 brief years for “His-Story” to recalibrate the stalwart civil rights backstop, Black Lives Matter (BLM). It was created on July 13th, 2013 after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman. Three heroic ladies, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, ignited this online grassroots protest vehicle. The momentum of this juggernaut movement had to be stopped. The New York Times titled a lengthy article describing the inertia as, “Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History.” That article described the intensity after the George Floyd murder this way, “Four recent polls — including one released this week by Civis Analytics, a data science firm that works with businesses and Democratic campaigns — suggest that about 15 million to 26 million people in the United States have participated in demonstrations over the death of George Floyd and others in recent weeks.”

As several states undertake concerted efforts to circumscribe the boundaries of what educators can impart concerning race, gender, and sexuality, Arkansas has emerged as a new focal point in this ongoing dialogue.

In his recently published book, The Myth of Affirmative Action, published by Ethics International Press, Dr. Rudolph Alexander, Jr says White society has long scapegoated Blacks for social conditions.

     They continued, “Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as ‘the Black Godfather’ in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports. Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss. Clarence passed away gently at home in Los Angeles on Sunday, August 13, 2023.”

State Sen. John Scott, a longtime South Carolina lawmaker who served for more than three decades, died Sunday after a stint in the hospital, according to Democrats across the state. He was 69.

     As schools look at student learning post-pandemic and communities react to standardized test scores, NEA members are leading the conversation about how to boost student learning. Teams of education stakeholders—including educators, district leaders, and a parent or community representative—gathered for three days, in Los Angeles, last winter to explore best practices to accelerate student learning and offset learning delays.  

As the summer heat reaches its peak, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) debuts a revamped version of its interactive, augmented reality (AR) tool, the House of Savings. New this year, each time a customer completes the House of Savings mobile experience, $2 will be donated on their behalf, up to a total of $100,000, toward FPL’s Care To Share. This program provides eligible customers who are in financial crisis with emergency bill payment assistance as well as help for those who need to make electrical repairs to their meter can or weather head.

     Jones, 67, who has been working as a special adviser for the city of Gainesville’s juvenile and community programs for the past year, announced his retirement from the city last month effective Oct. 1. But with nearly five decades of experience, Jones hasn’t been one to sit idle as longstanding issues throughout the community need to be addressed.

     Parents keen to support their child’s transition may have to start by learning a whole new vocabulary, especially the difference between sex, gender, and sexuality. Further, they’ve got to define what support and care look like for their child at every life stage—from tots through teens. To complicate matters, parents often feel that they have to go through this journey discretely, for fear of outing their children. Thankfully, other parents can be a lifeline to share tips, avoid pitfalls, and recommend resources for the whole family.