Creating a Tournament of Roses that celebrates the diversity of Southern California – OCRegister

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

History can be a powerful teacher, even when it involves a Rose Bowl queen.

Back in 1957, the Tournament of Roses named Joan Williams as Miss Crown City, the predecessor to the current Rose Queen. Then officials learned that she was African American and suddenly the city curtailed official duties of the honoree, according to an obituary for Williams, who died last year at age 86.

She was not invited to ride on a parade float. In fact, that year Pasadena decided against entering a float in the parade at all.

But in 2015 58 years later the city extended an apology and offered Williams an invitation to ride in the first float of the storied parade.

For 130 years, the spectacle on the first day of every new year has captured the attention of millions of people around the world. The parade was started as a showcase of sorts of the abundance provided by California weather, and also of its benefactors, the stalwart Pasadena scions who created it. For most of its history, the Tournament of Roses, which includes a foundation and committees that consist of volunteer members, reflected the epitome of Pasadenas old guard the white and male establishment.

In recent years, the organization has moved forward in fits and starts on its way to reflecting the Pasadena of today diversifying the ranks of volunteers, committee members and staff who keep it going. Its membership has grown to include more African Americans, Latinx and Asians, according to numbers provided by the organization.

As the community has become more diverse, so have the efforts to make the membership reflect that, says Tournament of Roses CEO David Eads.

Those efforts include adding at-large committee members who are ethnically diverse, says Laura Farber, the organizations immediate past president. Farber was the organizations first Latinx president; her term ended with the most recent festivities in January. She now chairs the committee that oversees football game management, a position never before held by a woman.

The committees are the pipeline by which executives, officers and presidents are promoted. All those who have served as president have come up through the committee system after years of service. The at-large members are chosen for their diversity.

I think that was intentional, observes Farber, an immigrant from Buenos Aires. We can at least make sure we are providing an opportunity to people from a variety of viewpoints. I credit the at-large positions for diversifying the organization.

The Tournament of Roses 935 members now number more women than men and are younger 43 is the average age of the latest class, Eads says. Its members are 11% African American, 20% Latinx and 20% Asian. Pasadena residents overall are almost 10% African American, 34.4% Latinx, 16% Asian and 36.5% white.

The committees oversee all the activities and the foundation that donates $200,000 to local nonprofits annually. They are what helped promote the Tournament of Roses first Asian American president in 2014, the first African American president two years ago and Farber one year ago.

An attorney with Pasadena law firm Hahn & Hahn, Farber says she first learned of opportunities to volunteer with the Tournament of Roses from other attorneys at the firm. She had never thought about it because she had the impression she would not be welcome.

Of course I would have never envisioned people like myself getting involved, she says. Im glad that I was encouraged to do so.

Farber has served on nine committees over 26 years and believes its important for young people from all walks of life and all socio-economic backgrounds to see people of color in prominent positions. With that in mind, she made a point to visit all of Pasadenas public schools and different community groups to invite them to visit the Rose Bowl headquarters while she was president.

You need experience to lead, she says. It took time. It took an investment. We are reaping the fruits now of the work we did over many years to bring this change.

Farbers notable contributions to the organization included bringing on three Latinas as grand marshals of the parade, something that had never been done before. Actresses Rita Moreno and Gina Torres joined Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez for the festivities this past January.

Farber also opened up the parade entries to a more global audience, which brought in bands and floats from countries that had never participated before.

Farber and Eads made it their goal to broaden the organizations membership, to bring in many different groups within the community, not just ethnically diverse groups and women.

Farber says she wants people from all economic classes to feel welcome to the festivities and to Wrigley Mansion, the Tournament of Roses headquarters. She has joined committees with the local NAACP to help businesses during the current economic downturn.

Farber wants to encourage participation so that more people who represent the community at large move into executive positions. Many members of the Tournament of Roses committees come from nonprofit organizations that work to support the community and create an overlap of interests.

The foundation grants $200,000 annually to nonprofit groups offering programs in education, sports and recreation, and the visual and performing arts. It offers a scholarship for high school football players nationwide and funds local nonprofits in their fundraising efforts.

To increase participation, Eads says the organization has participated in community parades and events, such as the Black History Parade, the Latino Heritage Parade and the San Gabriel Valley Pride Festival. It has been a deliberate effort, he says.

We continue to evolve. We try to keep a balance between holding on to our values. The joy and excitement of the Tournament of Roses and our traditions are only enhanced when we have an inclusive membership, Eads says.

But while there has been progress in reflecting the community, that progress should not be taken for granted, says former Pasadena developer Jim Morris, who once protested the lack of diversity of the Rose Bowl with an actual roadblock of the coronation festivities. He and other activists persisted in efforts to bring awareness to what they saw as stagnation in getting the organization to better reflect the community.

Morris fears there are efforts to eliminate those at-large positions that helped elevate Farber, Gerald Freeny, the first African American president, and Richard Chinen, the first Asian American president.

Morris also believes the foundation can do a better job of supporting local communities of color rather than donating to organizations in economically well-off cities such as San Marino and La Caada Flintridge.

Along with the encouraging changes brought on by diversifying the membership, Morris hopes that diversity broadens and that more history of the event be known that, for instance, the land on which the Rose Bowl and the Wrigley Mansion reside was once owned by an African American.

Morris is encouraged, however, to see the recent demands for structural change in the country and believes it will benefit all people if these changes are enacted.

Theres a hope that this change is going to be meaningful, he says, adding that when more people are included in organizations such as the Tournament of Roses, everybody benefits.

Eads too looks forward to seeing the tournament continue to embrace and reflect all people of Southern California today. It makes for a better organization. We are stronger for it.

Women in Hip-Hop Cannot Thrive While Misogynoir Exists – HarpersBAZAAR.com

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

It was just the worst experience of my life. And its not funny. Its nothing to joke about. It was nothing for yall to start going and making fake stories about, said Megan Thee Stallion on Instagram Live, holding back tears as she addressed her shooting injuries. I didnt put my hands on nobody. I didnt deserve to get shot.

The men in the hip-hop community have failed Megan Thee Stallion. On social media she was mocked and memed, diminishing the gravity of violence enacted upon her. It points to a larger problem: the sadistic nature of misogynoir in hip-hop, an industry stained by the blood of violence against Black women by its forefathers.

Hip-hop, a genre born from the overt abuse and brutality Black communities have suffered by law enforcement, upholds the patriarchy. Its one of the few spaces where Black men can emulate the power ideals of whiteness. It's a developed framework that justifies Chris Browns existence on Billboards chart despite his physical assault of Rihanna in February 2009; instead of being held accountable by his peers, he was welcomed into a fraternity of success and masculinity built on the dehumanization of Black women. Its often said that Black women are fighting two wars based on the intersections of race and gender. Misogyny is institutional oppression against women at large, but misogynoir is the dehumanization of Black women perpetuated through individual, societal, and cultural violence toward Black women. Until men in hip-hop show genuine support and investment for Black women in hip-hop, the latter will never be granted justice, not even in death.

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As Black women took to the streets to protest the death of Breonna Taylor, social media and blogs reduced their calls to justice for Taylors death to a superficial meme, a trend void of the richness and complexity of her life. When news broke about Megans attack, Twitter erupted with misogynistic memes from Black users centered on her ass, boobs, and knees, implying that the loss of her sexual appeal mattered more than her actual life. Her face was superimposed on Ricky Bakers (played by Morris Chestnut) when he is shot in the film Boyz N The Hood and Madame Vera Walkers (played by Della Reese) when her pinky toe is shot in Harlem Nights. The migration of memes across social media platforms reinforces the devaluation of Black women in celebrity and hip-hop culture, where their full humanity is reduced, sexualized, and rendered as one-dimensional.

One of the most compelling emcees and lyricists of her generation, Megan Thee Stallion is hip-hop's biggest star. She has accomplished world-wide success and renown for her explicit lyrics that put women in power, catering to their satisfaction and fulfillment as she raps about her player ways and skimpy clothes. Shes the Houston hottie with a model body, yet through a patriarchal lens, men in hip-hop seek to reconstruct her lyrics of empowerment as justification for objectifying her body as a holding place of male desire, rage, and violence.

Who hears a Black womans cries of fear and pain if their personhood is stripped away?

Who hears a Black womans cries of fear and pain if their personhood is stripped away? If Black women are no longer regarded as human, then their bodies are deemed deserving of disproportionate amounts of pain. If Black women are no longer granted femininity, then their bodies are subjected to transphobic attacks in an attempt to validate the violence they endure. Camron responded to Megans attack by reposting an Instagram post that said her shooter "saw that dick and started shootn..IDC what no one say. His commentary reflects a double standard in hip-hops misogynistic framework, one that awards male rappers for protecting themselves against an aggressive assailant but blames women for their hostile behavior that results in gun violence. 50 Cent, who survived being shot nine times (he references the attack on his hit Many Men (Wish Death) from his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin), posted a meme about Megans injury, which he later apologized for and deleted after her Instagram Live session.

Megan Thee Stallion didnt deserve to get shot. Liza Rios didnt deserve to be hit by Big Pun. Dee Barnes didnt deserve to be attacked by Dr. Dre. Steph Lova didnt deserve to be harassed by DJ Funkmaster Flex. Linda Williams didnt deserve to be punched by Damon Dash. Lil Kim didnt deserve to be in a violent relationship with The Notorious B.I.G. Drew Dixon, Sil Abrams, Sherri Hines, and others didnt deserve to be sexually assaulted by Russell Simmons. (Simmons has denied the allegations.) Misogynoir is an intracommunal pandemic.

Its not the responsibility of Black women in hip-hop to address the racialized and sexual violence towards their community.

Oppressive structures are maintained by the erasure and intentional neglect of individuals who are disregarded and marginalized. In a white supremacist society, hip-hop is unique because of its existence as one of the few influential structures where cisgender heterosexual Black men can be in positions of power, but their silence toward Black women is reflective of the patriarchal systems they have upheld. Hip-hop has provided a space for Black men to build empires and legacies; Def Jam Recordings, Roc-A-Fella Records, and Bad Boy Records have affirmed Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, and Diddys places as worldwide ambassadors for hip-hop culture. Where was Jay-Z following Megans attack? She signed to Roc Nation management and collaborated with Beyonc on the Savage'' remix, but he said nothing. Where was Diddy? He featured her on his COVID-19 Dance-a-Thon, but he also said nothing. Though some men like Wale and 21 Savage showed their support, the majority of voices in hip-hop who displayed comfort and support for Megan Thee Stallion were Black women, who historically have shown up for themselves when no one else would.

Before the age of 25, Megan Thee Stallion had publicly lost her mother and grandmother. Yet during her ascension to stardom, and through her grief, she still continued to reach out and support Hotties with engagements on social media, charitable donations to her hometown of Houston, and a CashApp campaign. On her July 27 Instagram Live, her first appearance since the shooting, she continued to show that resilience, assuring us, A bitch is alive and well. Strong as fuck. Im ready to get back to regular programming with my hot girl shit.I cant keep putting my energy in a bunch of you motherfuckers.

Its not the responsibility of Black women in hip-hop to address the racialized and sexual violence towards their community. Black men in hip-hop need to participate in the disinvestment of misogyny in the culture, instead of silence. In order for Black women in hip-hop to live and thrive, the structure of misogynior must be abolished.

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Women in Hip-Hop Cannot Thrive While Misogynoir Exists - HarpersBAZAAR.com

State hears testimony on closure of Holyoke Medical Center’s birthing center – GazetteNET

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

HOLYOKE When Jane Frey began working as a midwife in Holyoke in 1985, the citys infant mortality rate was the highest in the state.

As part of the Holyoke Infant Mortality Task Force, Frey and others worked with the Department of Public Health, or DPH, to take steps that significantly lowered that mortality rate. However, after Holyoke Medical Center recently announced that it intends to close its Birthing Center by Oct. 1, Frey is concerned that history might repeat itself.

I fear we are back to the beginning, Frey said Tuesday, speaking in front of the same state agency whose work with the task force led to the creation of the midwife practice at Holyoke Medical Center.

Freys comments came at a DPH hearing mandated as part of an essential service closure process that hospitals must complete before closing a unit. Holyoke Medical Center announced on May 29 that it planned to shutter its 13-bed obstetrics unit and 10-bassinet infant nursery services it had already temporarily ended in early April when it agreed to house patients from the Holyoke Soldiers Home during a massive coronavirus outbreak at that facility.

Beginning the hearing, HMC CEO Spiros Hatiras said that the medical center had previously closed birthing services in 1974 due to a low volume of births and that it only re-opened in 1993 because the hospital had lost contracts with two HMOs that insisted hospitals provide birthing services.

It was widely acknowledged that the reopening would be a risky move and would be unpopular with other providers in the area because there was no unmet need in the community for birthing services, Hatiras said.

Hatiras said that birthing volume has been below the hospitals target for nearly three decades and that a low volume does not allow providers to maintain their professional competencies. Hatiras also said the hospital has not received reports that patients, who are now being sent to Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, have had issues with accessing birthing services since the unit closed in April.

Holyoke Medical Center is only discontinuing birthing services at our facility, not all maternal services, Hatiras said. We have been and will continue to provide prenatal services, family planning services, GYN services and postpartum care.

Hatiras said the hospital has a transportation system for patients. He also said the hospital will continue to provide education, care and support for mothers and babies before and after birth, which he said are the most important factors for keeping infant mortality low.

Many speakers during the public hearing, however, expressed outrage over the decision to close the Birthing Center, the way the closure was handled and the effects they said it would have on the community.

I urge Mr. Hatiras and (head of womens services Marc) Zerbe to walk the two-mile climb from the Flats of Holyoke to the OB-GYN offices at Holyoke Medical Center, pushing a baby carriage or with other children in tow to see what it is like if you had no transportation, Frey said.

Frey added that when she recently called HMC to inquire about prenatal care, she was told there were only two OB-GYNs and one nurse midwife on staff, none of whom speak Spanish. She also said she was told obstetric care would be provided at HMC and that deliveries will be done at Mercy with providers patients have not met, she noted.

Many took issue with the way they said Birthing Center staffers were treated, which they said pointed to a systemic and intentional dismantling of midwifery and birthing services.

If the hospital had these concerns, never once did they truly share them with us, the people on the front lines, said Nina Kleinberg, a nurse midwife who worked at the practice from 1988 until 2019. Instead, they created a toxic atmosphere that made us want to leave, and thats why I dont trust their rationale.

Kleinberg was one of five former employees who spoke on the record for a Gazette investigation into the closure. The five women alleged that higher-ups engaged in bullying, intimidation and micromanagement of midwives and other staffers, pushing out many longtime employees in the process.

Despite what is being stated as low numbers, actually for our community hospital we were doing quite well and maintaining our numbers despite a plummeting birth rate in the nation as well as in the state of Massachusetts, said former HMC nurse midwife Vanessa Ross, who worked at the practice from 2006 until 2019. That administration systematically brought about the low numbers that you now see.

Ross and former nurse Lisa Pack Kirschenbaum, who worked at the Birthing Center for 26 years, challenged the assertion that a lower volume of births led staff to be less prepared for emergencies.

During his testimony, HMC Chief Medical Officer Simon Ahtaridis said that a low volume also meant the hospital only kept a small number of physicians on staff, which he said caused problems if somebody took time off for any reason.

Our patients and providers deserve better for that, and in partnering with Mercy our remaining two physicians will be able to join the Mercy team of nine physicians and provide more sustainable and stable coverage for urgencies and emergencies, Ahtaridis said.

For many speaking Tuesday, the closure of the Birthing Center represented a larger problem with health care in the region and country.

My concern is that the public health of individuals of our community, particularly in Holyoke, its always been considered due to revenue, said Ward 1 City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez.

Patricia Duffy, who is running for the citys state representative seat, said city residents expressed concern that local control or other services may be lost at the hospital. Current state Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, expressed frustration with a system that he said leaves the community hospital reliant on care packages from the federal government and last-minute bailouts by MassHealth to keep it afloat.

DPH now has 15 days to determine whether the services being closed are necessary for preserving access and health status within the hospitals service area. If deemed necessary, the hospital will have 15 days to submit a plan for assuring access.

However, that is the extent of the powers DPH has under state law. The state has no power to stop the closure or penalize the hospital for closing services, even if they are deemed essential. State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton, noted that fact in her comments Tuesday.

We see consistently programs taken apart piece by piece until they are no longer deemed essential, and that seems to happen more often than not in poor communities, it happens in communities of people of color and it seems to be real easy when women are involved, she said. And that is something that DPH along with the Legislature really is going to need to take a hard look at.

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State hears testimony on closure of Holyoke Medical Center's birthing center - GazetteNET

Monterey County joins in suing Trump administration over exclusion of undocumented immigrants in census. – Monterey County Weekly

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

The census happens every 10 years and is the federal government's process of data-gathering that guides all sorts of decisionssuch as how federal funds are allocated, and how congressional district lines are drawn and how much representation a region gets in Washington. And given those high stakes, President Donald Trump's efforts to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count have drawn immense backlash.

First, there was a proposal to include a new question:"Is this person acitizenof theUnited States?" Dozens of cities counties and states sued, arguing the question was contrived just for the purpose of intimidating non-citizens and discouraging them from completing the census. In June 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the plaintiffs' favor, and the question was dropped.

Fast-forward to July 21, 2020, with the census in full swing.Trump issued a memo that would alter the definition of "whole persons" used in census-based calculations, excluding undocumented immigrants.

Cue another round of lawsuits, again filed by a large coalitionnine cities and six countiesagainstPresident Trump, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Census Director Steven Dillingham.

On July 28, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted to join that lawsuit.

As we continue to work hard to get an accurate count in the 2020 Census, we want to send a clear message to our communities: if you live here, you count, Chris Lopez, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. Intentional and unconstitutional efforts to deter legal participation in the census will not go unchallenged. Our fair representation and equal access to funds depends on the census, we encourage every person living in Monterey County to stand up, log on, and get counted.

Monterey County joins in suing Trump administration over exclusion of undocumented immigrants in census. - Monterey County Weekly

Not Everyone in Philly Has Access to Pads and Tampons. Thats a Problem. – Philadelphia magazine

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

Q&A

No More Secrets, a Mount Airy-based nonprofit, is doing the work to combat Philadelphia's period poverty.

Founder Lynette Medley (right) and her No More Secrets team are working to end period poverty in Philly at a grassroots level. | Photos courtesy No More Secrets.

I realize Im getting my period when I go to the bathroom with cramps and find that quite suddenly, Im bleeding heavily. I grab two Midol, a tampon that Ill have to change soon, and, depending on the pain level, a heating pad, and get on with my day. Some days, the pain is debilitating, and my body feels weak and woozy. Some days, I can tolerate it well. Regardless, I never have to worry about blood leaking everywhere. I can afford the tampons I prefer, the size that works for me, and pads for extra lining when I need it.

For much of Philadelphia, the reality is different.

Women all over Philadelphia wake up with their periods their uteruses contracting, often painfully, to help expel their lining and no supplies to help them manage the pain or the blood flow. Theyll miss work or school, or try to manage the bleeding in other ways, like by using kitchen towels or old rags. Theyll ruin clothes and underwear because of this. Theyll ration pads and tampons to get through. And theyll do it again next month.

This is period poverty: the inability to afford products for dealing with menstruation. Its an issue most often associated with developing countries (a UPenn sophomore won an Oscar last year for her work depicting the issue in New Delhi), but its actually common throughout the United States.

One local organization is trying to change that reality here in Philly. No More Secrets, a sexuality awareness and counseling organization, was founded in 2012 by Mount Airy-based sexual health counselor Lynette Medley, 51, who delivers daily care packages with her daughter, Nya McGlone, 28.

Medleys nonprofit delivers almost 200 three-month supplies of menstrual products in the Greater Philadelphia area each week, undaunted by thunderstorms, 95 degree weather and COVID-19. A normal day for the No More Secrets crew means upwards of 50 deliveries of menstrual products in the city and suburbs.

And what theyre doing is sorely needed. A 2019 study of American cities found that two-thirds of low-income women didnt have the resources to buy menstrual products at some point within the past year. In Philadelphia, almost a quarter of our citizens live in poverty, with Black Philadelphians being about twice as likely to live in poverty as white Philadelphians. And, for some reason, period products which are a human necessity for health, sanitation, and attending work or school arent covered by Medicaid or SNAP. Theyre also not uniformly available in our public schools. In addition to the years of work by No More Secrets, newer organizations like the teenage-run Menstrual Equity Project have been seeking to fill the gaps in Philly schools recently, but this problem mostly continues, as it has for years, without a government solution in sight.

In July, No More Secrets launched its latest social action campaign, #BlackGirlsBleed, to help raise awareness of and end period poverty, address systemic racism in the menstrual health space, and decrease stigma about menstruation in Black communities.

I chatted with No More Secrets founder Lynette Medley to find out more about #BlackGirlsBleed and period poverty in Philadelphia and what we can do about it.

Lynette Medley delivering supplies in the Philly area. | Photograph courtesy of Lynette Medley

Philadelphia magazine: How did you decide to launch your latest social media campaign?Medley: With #BlackGirlsBleed, we are really intentional about entering a space that is not really welcoming to Black bodies and Black organizations. We are really trying to push the envelope and get donations that are actually going to do good. We are trying to ask people to be inclusive of our efforts. Its funny, because we are small very small and we have been doing a lot, because it is our passion.

How did you first become aware of the extent of period poverty in Philadelphia?Im a therapist and sexual awareness counselor. I got into this space because of a situation with a client who was referred to me for acting out sexually. This 13-year-old young lady was sent to me for help.

I asked her, What is going on that you are acting this way? She said, Its just that I will do whatever I can to get a pad or tampon for me and my siblings! My mouth dropped. I was shocked.

I said, What are you talking about?! She said she would do whatever she could everything from stealing to selling her body. I said, You are kidding me!

I said we could fix it. We could call somebody. I told her, Im sure there are resources out there let me call these people. She told me, There are no resources.

Of course, I said we could fix it. We could call somebody. I told her, Im sure there are resources out there let me call these people. She told me, There are no resources. I said, Well, lets call together.

We start calling. I start calling my friends and the city and the health department and the schools. They said they could give her one pad or tampon, but not multi-day supplies. I told her, Dont worry, I am sure there is a bank somewhere. There was no bank. There were no resources. I said Well, doesnt public assistance cover it? She said no. I started calling the government, the state, and to my surprise, nothing covered it. I was shocked. And that is how I got into this space.

So there were no government resources, and you had to take matters into your own hands?Yes. I started collecting and distributing menstrual product donations immediately. I started with saying we were gathering toiletries for teens to raise money. I was aware that there is a stigma, and I didnt want to ask directly for funds for tampons. I didnt know how the community was going to donate, you understand? I wanted to keep it soft so it wouldnt shock them.

We started small, giving out small care packages, and worked our way up to having a menstrual supplies bank that we manage. Everything is still organic. We still have dont have a corporate sponsor; we dont have brands that are funding us. Everything has been from donations and marketing what we do ourselves. When we created the menstrual supplies bank, the people that need these supplies told me that they dont have money to travel to even pick up these supplies they need them delivered. Thats how we started the delivery service.

There is a stigma, and I didnt want to ask directly for funds for tampons. I didnt know how the community was going to donate, you understand? I wanted to keep it soft so it wouldnt shock them.

That is fascinating. I think many people dont understand that this problem isnt only happening in developing countries its a Philadelphia issue.Thats very true. I get frustrated sometimes, but at the end of the day, I think there is really a lack of education and awareness about it. I feel like we arent talking about it enough. I dont think women talk about it enough in general. I started this #BlackGirlsBleed campaign because I really think there is a deficit in communities of color. The purpose was to amplify the voices of Black women, and also to reach out to different brands and suppliers and say, I see your pages, but I dont see people that look like us talking about our experiences. I really just want to decrease the stigma in the communities of color specifically.

For example, not everybody dealing with this is living in total poverty. Many women who ask for donations are hourly wage earners struggling to meet their families needs. Usually when people find me to get products, I find out that their attitudes towards their periods are generational. Theyll say, My mom did it, and my grandmother did it. We all stayed home, couldnt go to school, and we just used this or that. People are still using pieces of rag and pieces of comforter and socks and thinking that its okay. I have had parents and they work, and they are just trying to buy food, and they are trying to pay for utilities, and they and their children use paper towels because there isnt another option for them. Its so much deeper than people imagine, because we really arent talking about it. People dont have a space to talk about it.

What is period poverty, by your definition?Menstrual equity and period poverty are two different things. A lot of large organizations say they address period poverty. If you are giving someone a lunch bag with three tampons and two pads, that is not period poverty; that is menstrual equity. Its, I am giving you this for a moment until you can get other things.

Period poverty is, I dont have any pads; I cant get access to pads or tampons; me and my family need monthly supplies. Period poverty is when you are rationing pads between your sisters every month. That is a whole different conversation. But all these organizations are saying period poverty. So you give me two tampons in the little brown bag , and they are talking about solving period poverty! That is for what, one day? A half-day of my cycle?

What can change at a policy level? In the majority of the United States, these items are still taxed. I dont really get into that conversation about the Pink Tax, because the populations we serve whether its taxed or non-taxed, they still cant pay for it. A dollar or two is not going make a difference for them. These people have stood in lines all summer in the heat trying to get food. Some people would call me and say they need period supplies so they can go get food, because they are bleeding and they dont have toilet paper or paper towels. They cant go get supplies because they are bleeding.

I have had meetings with city officials and with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Health. I have gotten rebuttals like, This is not an issue in the community. How can you prove it? Where is the research? There does need to be more research so we have the evidence to show. I think this needs to be on the risk assessment for the Department of Human Services as risky behaviors, like housing insecurity and food insecurity.

Tell me more about the #BlackGirlsBleed Campaign this past month.#BlackGirlsBleed is a movement that we started in July of 2020 addressing the systemic racism in the practices of the menstrual space. The menstrual space is really a white space. There are not many people of color in these commercials and at these companies. We realized because of that, menstrual brands and menstrual movements have not historically uplifted Black communities or Black organizations. They dont like to give us resources even though we are on the ground doing the work. I want to highlight the disparities. I want to highlight that Black girls bleed and share their stories. We realized that women in our communities dont see people like them talking about their menstrual cycles, talking about their periods. Its not just menstrual equity its self-esteem-building, and changing the conversation and helping to empower young women to love themselves.

Their experiences are different than they might see in ads. Ill ask girls, What do you see in the commercials? They talk about people who are surfing and swimming and high-diving, but they say, That is not my experience.

We need to get to reality and be able to get to talk about these issues and not feel shame. It is really just a way of highlighting their voices and amplifying how they feel in our community. We want to get rid of the generational stigma within communities of color. I want women to start seeing more people talking about it. Women in our communities often suffer in silence.

Not everybody dealing with this is living in poverty. Many women who ask for donations are hourly wage earners struggling to meet their families needs.

Photograph courtesy of Lynette Medley.

Do you partner with schools or other local organizations?We do all the deliveries. We delivered to the School District of Philadelphia when it was open. When we delivered to them, they were called RED boxes resources for education and distribution. We would give a huge bin filled with pads, tampons, wipes, whatever the school requested. The school system only supplies feminine products to a very small number of our hundreds of schools. And, they only distributed size-one pads. Nurses who got these supplies told us, We need heavier; we need thicker; we need this size; we need variety.

Thats true. A thin size-one pad would be useless for me and many women I know.Yes. Its not like anyone is asking for a certain brand. I am trying to fit the needs of the people that I am serving. If you are giving size-one pads to a child in poverty who already has an irregular or heavy period, and they are having clots and they are in class, they cant use it. They will tell me, I am still not going to go to school, because I will be there bleeding over this size-one pad on the one uniform I have, and my mom doesnt have regular running water, so I dont know when it will be washed.

I have women who have been in the EARN program. They tell me, I get fired every time because I dont have pads. I only have one outfit to wear to work, and two pairs of underwear, and the boss will ask, Why do you keep going to the bathroom? Its because I have one dollar-store pad and I leak through it every five minutes. These are conversations we just dont have. People are really suffering, and it is actually keeping some people in poverty.

I dont feel as though it is a handout, because I feel that its a disgrace and discriminatory in nature to not address menstrual rights in our communities. I feel it is a human rights issue. Im just giving them what they need to live their lives.

Is there any ever hesitation or shame from people about receiving these boxes of pads and tampons from you?We used to be like thieves in the night and go out to deliver at night, in the dark. Then one day, one of the recipients in our community, Amirra Jenkins, asked me, Why are you not thinking business? Why are you not posting this on IG so people know what you are doing? We took a picture, and soon we started seeing all these girls posting it on social media. So now, people all want to take a picture with us. They want to change this perception.

It was so surprising to me, but the girls feel proud that this is a movement. Its a movement for these girls and women to say, This makes no sense that this happening, and to take a stand. I dont feel as though it is a handout at all, because it is a disgrace and discriminatory in nature to not address menstrual rights in our communities. I feel it is a human rights issue. Im just giving them what they need to live their lives.

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Not Everyone in Philly Has Access to Pads and Tampons. Thats a Problem. - Philadelphia magazine

University System of Maryland to require COVID-19 testing this fall – Maryland Daily Record

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Dook Domini

Testudo overlooks McKeldin Mall at the University of Maryland in College Park. (The Daily Record / Tim Curtis)

The University System of Maryland announced Thursday that students, faculty and staff returning to all of its campuses must be tested for COVID-19 within 14 days prior to arrival. Students and employees must also submit official confirmation of a negative result to university officials.

USMs 11 universities, which are typically home to over 170,000 students, will also implement additional infection prevention and control protocols and work with individuals if complications arise as they attempt to get tested, according to a statement released Thursday.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 prior to arriving at a USM campus will not be allowed to return until a required period of isolation has been met, the system said. Those who test positive after arriving on campus will consult with university officials regarding medical follow-up and isolation requirements.

The announcement comes amid an intense national debate over reopening the nations schools from kindergarten up to universities.

USM policies were developed in response to increases in COVID-19s spread. Institutions engaged in involved and intentional discussions among themselves and worked closely with the Maryland Department of Health and its local jurisdictions, said Joann Boughman,senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at USM.

USM also took guidance from its professors with expertise in medicine and public health. Officials said adhering to testing, symptom monitoring and disease mitigation protocols are essential, for both safety and the ability to resume and sustain in-person instruction this fall.

Marylands cases, which started decreasing in late May and began increasing again at the beginning of July, have not been accelerating as rapidly as much of the nations. Right now, Marylands seven-day-averages total out to 873 cases and 10 deaths daily, according to data from the New York Times.

Prince Georges County has the highest rates of infection and death per capita in the state. One out of 40 residents has reportedly been infected with COVID-19. One out of 1,200 has died.

USMs largest campus, the University of Maryland, College Park, is in Prince Georges County. The university last year enrolled over 40,000 students, and it plans to welcome some of them back on Aug. 31. Population on campuses will be quite limited, a fraction of what would occur under more traditional circumstances like fall 2019, said Mike Lurie, media relations and web manager at USM.

Boughman said the system hopes students will be able to access nearby testing sites, which are often provided at no cost or covered by health care providers. Some USM campuses, like College Park, will set up testing sites on their grounds.

While were waiting for the test results, we want students to be not fully interacting and out there. In general, we want them to hunker down if you will, Boughman said. Were not asking them to quarantine in their room and not come out of their rooms, but we want them to in fact be prudent in what theyre doing until we get negative tests back. Once we get the negative tests back, we remain expecting students to do their symptom monitoring on a daily basis and follow the other public health actions.

Individual system universities will provide guidance to students and employees who have been tested for COVID-19 but are still awaiting their test results at the start of the fall semester. The schools alsowill share alternative testing arrangements with anyone who is unable to access a COVID-19 test before arriving.

Each campus will manage records of negative tests differently, said Boughman. Students living in on-campus residences must have this documentation when they move in, and they will be referred for testing if they do not. Universities will also use their campus health officials, registrars offices and general student management systems to stay organized and enforce this requirement.

All students and employees returning to a USM institution must also begin daily symptom monitoring and reporting 14 days before their arrival on campus. Individual universities will provide further evaluation and guidance to anyone reporting COVID-19-associated symptoms.

USMs statement provided a list of five requirements that employees, students and visitors at every USM institution must adhere to:

Individual universities will share with their campus communities the consequences of noncompliance with these rules.Noncompliance could lead to disciplinary measures through a universitys student conduct process, said Boughman. Still, she expects there will be flexibility for honest mistakes.

Everybody is going to be reasonable about this. There are times when people walk out of their dorm or a day they may forget a mask or something, Boughman said. It is the intentional noncompliance that we are most concerned about.

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University System of Maryland to require COVID-19 testing this fall - Maryland Daily Record

HRC and SHOWTIME launch initiative to support LGBTQ businesses during pandemic – Metro Weekly

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Dook Domini

Dog Days at Miss Pixies Photo: Rachl Davis

The Human Rights Campaign and SHOWTIME have announced a new initiative to support businesses serving the LGBTQ community particularly LGBTQ people of color, women, and transgender individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative, named Queer to Stay, will identify LGBTQ-led businesses and encourage lend them financial support so they can continue operating.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many LGBTQ-led organizations experienced a loss of revenue during the month of June, when patrons are typically more likely to frequent LGBTQ businesses as part of Pride Month.

That has exacerbated a downward trend in the number of LGBTQ-specific spaces that has continued since the 1980s, due to larger societal trends, including assimilation, gentrification of traditional LGBTQ neighborhoods, and the rise of dating apps.

Businesses who wish to receive support may apply by submitting applications by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15. Recipients who have been approved will be notified later in the summer.

We know that businesses like bars, restaurants and coffee shops often serve as affirming and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ people including young people who may not have supportive families or communities at home, HRC President Alphonso David said in a statement.

With a global pandemic and its economic impact threatening to shut down queer spaces, its important that we support and preserve those that have provided a place for LGBTQ+ people to express ourselves freely, find community and be our authentic selves. We are grateful to collaborate with SHOWTIME on this initiative to protect and preserve LGBTQ+-serving spaces.

According to research from the Human Rights Campaign, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the transgender community, notably transgender people of color.

In April, polling indicated that LGBTQ respondents who are more likely to work in front-line jobs or jobs affected by closures were more likely than their cisgender peers to express concern about the pandemics impact on their finances.

And additional research has shown LGBTQ people are more likely to be unemployed or to have lost work hours compared to the general population, again with transgender people and LGBTQ people of color bearing more adversely affected.

See also: Advocates urge authorities to combat disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ community

According to a study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Black applicants who applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans were treated poorly or unfairly compared to their white counterparts.

As the nation continues to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is uncertainty as to when businesses, including LGBTQ+-serving establishments, will return to usual.

As such, the initiative aims to be intentional about supporting LGBTQ businesses owned or led by people of color, to ensure they have enough financial resources to remain viable.

We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with HRC this year by bringing aid to beloved and crucial LGBTQ+ locations, Michael Engleman, the chief marketing officer of Showtime Networks Inc.

SHOWTIME has a history of telling diverse, complicated, authentic stories with a marked emphasis on LGBTQ+ creators, characters and storylines. Our sincere hope is that this step marks only the beginning of a focus on spaces that are key to both the history and current lifeblood of the LGBTQ+ community.

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HRC and SHOWTIME launch initiative to support LGBTQ businesses during pandemic - Metro Weekly

City Council hearing highlights social disparities of COVID-19 – The Philadelphia Tribune

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Dook Domini

Dr. Ala Stanford, founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, is calling on the citys major hospitals to break down the barriers for providing coronavirus testing.

During a City Council virtual hearing on the racial and ableist disparities of COVID-19, she suggested that all Philadelphia hospitals that received millions of dollars in CARES Act funding should open their doors from 9 a.m. to midnight to make it more convenient for residents to be tested.

"The hours are 9 to 5," Stanford said. "There are no hours on the weekends. How are people supposed to get tested?"

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Stanford also said making people show identification or obtain physician referrals can keep people from getting tested.

People retreat and recoil when they hear that, she said. Its like asking them to sign something thats 20 pages long with a vocabulary that they may not understand. The reality is you need a persons name, you need a date of birth and you need a way to contact them. When we test people on the street at Broad and Olney or at 52nd and Market, those were the only three pieces of information that we needed.

The hearing was held by the Council Committee on People with Disabilities and Special Needs, chaired by Councilman Derek Green and the Committee on Public Health and Human Services, chaired by Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

Too many of our citizens have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic, not only from a public health perspective but also from an economic perspective, Green said.

That experience is not only in the African-American community, but also in the Latin community as well as the disability community. All of these communities were having major challenges in reference to public health before COVID-19. What COVID-19 has done has only illuminated the disparities that many people in our city are dealing with every day.

We as elected officials, as members of the executive branch, of the general public, those who are leaders in our community, need to do what needs to be done to address this issue, he continued.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Tom Farley said current city data show marked disparities of the coronavirus impact by race and ethnicity.

As of last weekend, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported 846 COVID-19 deaths in African Americans, 461 deaths in whites, 146 deaths in Hispanics and 49 deaths in Asian Americans.

COVID-19 seems to following a pattern of other health problems, Farley said.

African Americans have higher mortality rates than whites for a wide range of diseases and injuries from heart diseases to diabetes to homicides. These disparities are one result of structural racism in our society that reaches back across generations.

The exact mechanisms by which this legacy affects COVID are not fully clear, but we can speculate about. People of color are more likely to work remotely and are more likely to be front-line workers and risk their exposure to the virus, he said.

The legacy of redlining in our city means that Black and Latino city residents are more likely to live in crowded housing, where they are unable to safely quarantine or to isolate if sick.

Farley highlighted the Public Health Departments new COVID-19 Racial Equity Response Plan.

Racial disparities of COVID-19 infection are representative of deep-seated problems so they will not be eliminated easily or quickly, nonetheless we will take the steps in our plan to reduce deaths and continue to look for additional opportunities to solve this problem, he said.

The plan includes increasing access to COVID-19 testing, tracking racial and ethnic disparities, conducting community outreach, preventing chronic health conditions, protecting essential workers, preventing spread in congregate settings such as nursing homes, shelters and prisons and a new contact tracing program.

Weve worked with partners across the city to expand testing access with an intentional focus on Black and Latino neighborhoods, Farley said. There is more to be done but we have made significant progress.

One of those partners is the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, which city officials have promised to pay $1.3 million to test Black residents over the next six months.

The consortium has tested 8,000 people in Philadelphia since April, through partnerships with local Black religious institutions.

I formed the organization because Black people in Philadelphia were being diagnosed and dying at a rate higher than any other group and there was not a concerted effort to decrease that death and disease on April 16 when we started, Stanford said.

As of last week, the number of Philadelphia residents tested for coronavirus jumped from 1,500 per day to more than 3,000, Farley said.

Of the people tested so far, for whom we have race and ethnic information, 54% of those tested were African American, 27% were white and 9% were Latino, he said.

During the hearing, Koert Wehberg, executive director of the Mayors Commission on People with Disabilities, underscored how COVID-19 has impacted people who are disabled.

When COVID hit, many people with disabilities were in congregate care facilities, nursing homes, group homes, personal care homes (and) correctional facilities and unfortunately over half of the people who succumbed to COVID had an underlying health condition or disability, he said.

Abrupt changes in routines have resulted in people with intellectual developmental disabilities having increased behavioral issues and issues with home care. Weve heard heart heartbreaking stories from folks who are afraid or unable to leave their homes, since this all started, as a result as their change of routine and difficulty in obtaining PPE (personal protective equipment) for themselves of their home care workers.

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City Council hearing highlights social disparities of COVID-19 - The Philadelphia Tribune

State Sen. Holly Mitchell, MLK CEO Joined Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies Workshop for Deep Dive Discussion on Birth Inequities in Los…

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Dook Domini

State Sen. Holly Mitchell, MLK CEO Joined Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies Workshop for Deep Dive Discussion on Birth Inequities in Los Angeles

Keynote speaker Sen. Holly Mitchell (DLos Angeles) joined a lineup of visionary leaders to address Black infant mortality and patient experience and safety for Black mothers and birthing people.

LOS ANGELES, July 24, 2020 Communities Lifting Communities (CLC), the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, and the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) hosted a unique virtual workshop on addressing birth inequities in the Black community on Friday, July 24. The event was part ofCherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies, a collaborative effort to reduce Black infant deaths and improve patient experiences and safety among Black moms and birthing people in South Los Angeles, the South Bay and the Antelope Valley.

The Honorable Holly J.Mitchell deliveredopening remarks and discussed SB 464, the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act. Mitchell shared how she authored the bill and shepherded its passage.She also sharedher vision for respectful, equitable maternity care especially for Black mothers, and her steadfast support and call to action for perinatal care providers.

Following months of tireless advocacy, Mitchell saw SB 464 signed into law in October 2019. Aimed at improving outsized infant and maternal mortality rates that have long hurt Black families, the legislation she championed mandates hospitals, alternative birth centers and clinics that provide birth services implement implicit bias training and track relevant statistics.

Black women deserve better, Mitchell stated in 2019. Bias, implicit or explicit, should no longer impact a womans ability to deliver a full-term baby or to survive childbirth.

At the event, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital CEO Elaine Batchlor and Perinatal Services Manager Tammy Turner shared how the facility is implementing an equity focus, and best practices that have led to improved outcomes for Black birthing women. The hospital has received statewide attention for its c-section rates, which stand at less than a third of the state average. The facility attributes its success to a unique birthing model that adds laborists and midwives to obstetrics teams.

Attendees also heard key themes from aJuly 12Listening Sister Circle that convened Black pregnant and parenting people, community advocates and birth professionals who live or work in South Los Angeles, South Bay or Antelope Valley on specific recommendations to hospital partners participating in theCherishedFuturespilot program.

We believe this work cannot be done for Black women without Black women, said Dana Sherrod, Perinatal Equity Manager for the Public Health Alliance of Southern California, and project lead forCherished Futures. We are intentional about bringing Black women, our voices, and lived experiences to the decision-making table.

In Los Angeles County, Black women and families continue to disproportionately experience higher rates of infant and maternal mortality and morbidity compared to other racial or ethnic groups. Research shows that factors such as education, income, and health status to do not fully explain the gap, but rather points to systemic issues such as racism and toxic stress throughout a womans life, which negatively impacts birth outcomes.

Through a two-year grant from Health Net and in partnership with CLC, HASC, and the Public Health Alliance of Southern California (Alliance), theCherished Futures for Black Moms & Babiespilot initiative is uniting decision-makers from local birthing hospitals, public health, health plans, community-based organizations, advocates and patients to co-design systems-change interventions at three levels: clinical, institutional and community.

Cherished Futureshas a cohort of five participating hospitals: Antelope Valley Hospital, Cedars-Sinai, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Torrance.

To learn more about the work being done by Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) andCherished Futures, please visit https://communities.hasc.org/cherished-futures.

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State Sen. Holly Mitchell, MLK CEO Joined Cherished Futures for Black Moms & Babies Workshop for Deep Dive Discussion on Birth Inequities in Los...

Twin Cities Black clergy hope to seize power of the moment – Union Democrat

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Dook Domini

MINNEAPOLIS The Rev. Edrin Williams, pastor of one of the most racially diverse churches in the Twin Cities, quickly launched an emergency food distribution center when rioting after the death of George Floyd destroyed neighborhood stores. Now he's taken on another role as well: dispensing food for thought to white faith leaders grappling with how to combat racism.

"I get calls nearly every day from around the country and even one from Switzerland," said Williams, of Sanctuary Covenant Church in north Minneapolis. "They ask, 'What should we be doing?'?"

The national spotlight on racial inequities has injected new energy and placed new demands on African American religious leaders, long at the forefront of civil rights movements. Many are orchestrating their largest-ever food relief projects, fielding outreach from allies, working to quell community tensions and exploring new strategies to combat racial injustice.

A group of Twin Cities Black pastors has been discussing a proposal with Gov. Tim Walz to create a Minnesota "social compact" that would forge new investments and public policies to begin erasing racial inequities. Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis is preparing to launch a project to transform one Minneapolis public school into a culturally appropriate model for Black achievement.

Minnesota's evangelical community has created what it hopes will be a $1 million fund to support African American churches. Many Black pastors are in demand for speaking and consultation. And, for the first time, their food programs are attracting armies of white volunteers.

"There's something special happening at this moment," said Williams. "People are seeing the (racial) barriers who haven't seen them before. There's a captive audience."

Bishop Richard Howell of nearby Shiloh Temple International Ministries marveled that while participating recently in a panel before largely white religious leaders, the first question directed to him was, "What is systemic racism?"

"There's an openness to hearing us finally in a manner we haven't seen before," said Howell. "I've been preaching 40 years, and I've never seen our friends listen to the facts, and the painful facts, of African American history. We have an opportunity to share what we know with those who don't."

Whether it's just a flash of racial consciousness, or something deeper, is the big question, he said.

On a recent Friday, Williams stood in front of about 90 volunteers in his church parking lot. Wearing shorts, a T-shirt and face mask, he bowed his head and said a prayer moments before hundreds of neighbors streamed in to pick up groceries and other goods.

With the Cub Foods across the street still boarded up, they stopped at tents with signs announcing what was inside apples, carrots, diapers. It's a massive undertaking created in just two months, assisted on the ground mainly by white volunteers from cities and suburbs.

How to tap that surge of support from individuals, religious groups, businesses and philanthropy and harness it to tackle institutional racism is a topic of great discussion. While grateful for the support, many Black faith leaders worry that volunteers leave with no greater understanding of the racial inequities that shaped the community they're serving.

That understanding, along with deeper personal relationships in the Black community, are needed to become strong allies for change.

"If George Floyd hadn't taken place, we wouldn't have these relations," said the Rev. Runney Patterson of New Hope Baptist Church in St. Paul. "We've had some in the past, but they fizzled out. I tell (white) pastors, 'Don't come here just to feel good.'... My hope is we can build real relationships and be intentional about it."

Bridging such divides has long been a mission of the Rev. Richard Coleman of Wayman AME Church. He oversees a monthly Bridge of Reconciliation luncheon for pastors and community leaders of different races focused on supporting north Minneapolis.

During this month's Zoom meeting, Coleman announced that his church and the Minneapolis nonprofit Hope United CDC planned to organize a network of community partners to help transform one Minneapolis school into a model for academic achievement by offering training for cultural competencies, curriculum, mentors and other services.

The project would mark Wayman's 101st anniversary.

"With the moment, the killing of George Floyd, we wanted to pick something big and significant that can really make a difference," Coleman said. "There's a lot of energy right now. To deal with the problems in the Black community requires a systemic approach, and I believe we are in that space now."

The Rev. Alfred Babington-Johnson, CEO of the Stairstep Foundation in Minneapolis, also hopes to seize the moment. He and other clergy involved in His Works United, an ecumenical collaboration of African American religious leaders, have been talking with Walz and staff about a sweeping proposal to address racial disparities in housing, health, wealth and education.

It is designed to have Black-led organizations develop the capacity to address their community's issues, he said.

Sitting at his desk, Babington-Johnson pulled up a PowerPoint slide listing about a dozen Black-led organizations behind the plan, including the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce and the Phyllis Wheatley Center in Minneapolis. Community supporters include the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Metropolitan YMCA and Minneapolis St. Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership.

"We're having some very hopeful conversations with government, with corporate leadership," said Babington-Johnson. "What we have is the opportunity to be of service, because the whole society is riveted" by the inhumanity surrounding Floyd's death.

Other Black clergy are forging different paths. The Rev. Stacey Smith, senior pastor at St. James AME Church in St. Paul, typically isn't orchestrating protest marches. But she felt compelled to organize a clergy march last month, during which hundreds of faith leaders prayed silently while walking the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul where violence had erupted.

The idea took shape on a Sunday night, when she began e-mailing invitations. By Tuesday morning she found herself walking past Floyd's memorial in the largest march of faith leaders in memory.

"It was an outpouring unlike anything I've seen," she said.

Smith's church already is running a food program. Now she'd like to offer counseling and support for people suffering from trauma, whether from the COVID-19 pandemic, poverty or racism. She had considered the idea earlier but is convinced now is the time.

African American churches are getting support from other corners. Transform Minnesota, the umbrella group for Minnesota's evangelical Christians, was planning to raise money to support African American churches suffering financially because of COVID-19. That idea kicked into high gear after Floyd's death. It launched the One Fund with a goal of raising $1 million before the anniversary of Floyd's death on May 25, said Carl Nelson, CEO of Transform Minnesota.

"It's one way to tangibly respond to the disparities we're now talking about," Nelson said.

As faith leaders look ahead, they remain hopeful, but guarded, about the prospects for societal change.

They recall that police killings of other Blacks nationally and locally, including Jamar Clark in 2015 in the Twin Cities, have ignited public attention and mobilized communities. But the outcry subsided.

"These things have been cyclical," said Babington-Johnson. "The difference this time is that folks are becoming aware of the inhumanity (confronting Blacks) in different and deeper ways and the need for society to change."

___

Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at http://www.startribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Twin Cities Black clergy hope to seize power of the moment - Union Democrat

City Council hearing highlights social inequalities of COVID-19 – The Philadelphia Tribune