Category Archives: Black Lives Matter

By early childhood, young children are reasoning about race and their social world and developing a moral understanding of fairness and unfairness, equality and inequality with input from those around them. Young children perceive much more than we realize: Research shows that infants as young as three months show racial preferences that grow into racial discrimination by elementary school without intervention.

Gail M. Ferguson

Among the parents in the study who did mention Floyds murder or the unrest, most mentioned race in a vague manner but did not point out longstanding racial injustice in U.S. policing. Only 17% of white parents in the study used color-conscious or power-conscious language or parenting strategies, meaning that only they directly acknowledged race, racism or Black Lives Matter in discussions with their children.

These study results showed that most white Minneapolis mothers surveyed avoided discussing Floyds murder or systemic racism with their children, despite the high-profile event happening in their community. When parents and other adults are silent about race, it communicates apathy or approval of racism, even if thats not what adults intend.

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Importantly, the study also found that white parents own level of racial identity development was closely linked to how they socialized their children. The subset of parents who used color-conscious and power-conscious parenting showed more advanced white racial identity development than other parents based on their responses. In other words, it appeared that white parents parented their children around race only up to the level of their own maturity in handling racial information.

So what can parents, especially white parents, do to help their children become antiracist? The findings from this study suggest a two-pronged solution: active self-reflection to develop a healthy white racial identity coupled with courageous antiracist parenting.

A white person has a healthy white racial identity when they are fully aware of systemic racism, acknowledge their own racial privilege and role in perpetuating racism, and are committed to self-reflection, self-education and other antiracist actions. White parents seeking this personal growth can join a local chapter of an antiracism organization or use an antiracism workbook.

The other prong of this solution is for white parents to explicitly acknowledge race and racism with children. One common misconception is that having conversations with children about racism will make them racist, when in fact the opposite is true. Such conversations are essential to giving them the skills they need to detect and challenge their own biases and the biases around them.

Adults teach children about concepts like fairness and unfairness and justice and injustice, but these lessons often happen in the context of abstract conversations at home or at school. Children need real-life examples to deepen their understanding of these concepts in relation to race and racism.

White parents can use everyday experiences and events in the media to provide children with concrete examples of justice and injustice, accountability, and antiracist action. They should also engage childrens empathy by humanizing victims of police brutality and racism. Mr. Floyd was someones father, son, brother, friend and neighbor, and white children need adults in their lives to help them imagine how they would feel if he had been their father.

If you are new to conversations around race or racism, it also can help to make a plan about how to have a discussion with your children. Short, frequent conversations that occur naturally during teachable moments work better than having one long discussion about the topic.

Race matters in the United States because racism still exists. Parents, especially white parents, can play a role in addressing racism because of the power and privilege they hold in our racialized society. Taking time for honest self-reflection and explicit conversations with children about race and racism (including your own) is, in and of itself, an important act of antiracism.

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Gail M. Ferguson, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she directs the Culture and Family Life Lab.

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The importance of talking to children about race and racism (including your own) - MinnPost

More than a year after the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black people forced a national reckoning with race, support for the movement has not waned in communities of color, a new Pew Research Center poll finds.

When asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, 83 percent of Black Americans surveyed espoused some level of support, with 58 percent saying they strongly backed the cause.

Overall support was slightly lower among Hispanic and Asian respondents 60 percent and 68 percent, respectively while only 47 percent of white respondents said they either strongly or somewhat supported the resurgent movement.

In a Pew poll last June, two-thirds of all adults either somewhat or strongly supported Black Lives Matter. At the time, 60 percent of white respondents approved of the movement.

That percentage dropped to 55 percent last September, though Pews latest version of the survey indicates the level of majority support has stayed steady since.

While the calls for police reform havent gone away, Congress is at an impasse of the issue after negotiations between Rep. Karen BassKaren Ruth BassHouse passes bill to end crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity New poll shows lasting support for Black Lives Matter with people of color Police organizations say failed reform proposal would have strengthened departments, not defunded them MORE (D-Calif.), Sen. Tim ScottTimothy (Tim) Eugene ScottHouse passes bill to end crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity New poll shows lasting support for Black Lives Matter with people of color Police organizations say failed reform proposal would have strengthened departments, not defunded them MORE (R-S.C.) and Sen. Cory BookerCory BookerHouse passes bill to end crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity New poll shows lasting support for Black Lives Matter with people of color Police organizations say failed reform proposal would have strengthened departments, not defunded them MORE (D-N.J.) fell apart last week.

Since the spring, the trio had been trying to forge a compromise on Democrats George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

However, after announcing that a framework agreement had been reached in June, talks lost momentum and stalled.

Over the weekend, Scott described a measure in the legislation that would have required police departments to meet new standards to continue receiving federal aid as defunding the police.

We want the best wearing the badge, and we want the vulnerable protected," Scott told CBS Newss Margaret Brennan. "So when you tie funding losses in this legislation, you should expect an allergic reaction from me."

In an interview with CNN, Booker expressed his disappointment over the failed deal.

"It was a frustrating experience in the sense that we had the biggest civil rights demonstrations in this country's history asking for change," the New Jersey senator said.

"We wanted to have more transparency, higher professional standards and real accountability. If you break the law, you shouldn't be shielded from that," he added.

On Tuesday, a pair of police unions pushed back against the notion that the legislation would have defunded the police.

Despite some media reports, at no point did any legislative draft propose defunding the police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement.

The legislation specifically provided additional funding to assist law enforcement agencies in training, agency accreditation, and data collection initiatives, the groups added. It is our joint belief that the provisions under discussion would have strengthened the law enforcement profession and helped improve the state of community police engagement without compromising management and officers rights, authorities, and legal protections.

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New poll shows lasting support for Black Lives Matter with people of color | TheHill - The Hill

From Staff Reports| Vineland Daily Journal

Black Lives Matter's history from Trayvon Martin to George Floyd

From Trayvon Martin to George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement continues to highlight Black lives lost to police and racial injustice.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

BUENA VISTA - The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey will present the paintings of John Morris and Melvin Lee Smith in the Black Lives Matter exhibit from Oct. 1 through Dec. 29. A reception to meet the artists will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 9.

The expressive brushstrokes of John Morriscapture the spirit of protest and respect that fueled the Black Lives Matter movement, while the grisaille technique of Melvin Lee Smith describes a preceding generation of protest that changed the world. The artwork is a visual conversation between the featured artists.

Museum president and founder, Ralph E. Hunter, Sr., explained that, the issues that led to the Black Lives Matter movement still remain and the museum is proud to oer an exhibit that supports respect for everyone, regardless of race.

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The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday and Sunday by appointment.

Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

The museum is in the Martin Luther King Community Center at 661 Jackson Road in Newtonville.

Visitors are asked to wear masks to protect against the COVID-19 virus.

For information, call (609) 704-5495 or visit aahmsnj.org.

Send community news and event items to lvoit@gannett.com. Help support local journalism with asubscription to The Daily Journal/Courier Post/Burlington County Times.

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Black Lives Matter art featured at African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey - The Daily Journal

Will Smith says the worldwide reckoning with racism that occurred in the aftermath of George Floyds death has been mostly positive but he thinks it could use better branding.

The entire world was in lockdown, watched what happened to George Floyd, and stood up with one voice and said, We see it. We agree,Smith told GQ magazinein a profile published Monday.Thats never happened before and with that the opportunities are unlike theyve ever been.

Case in point: Emancipation, Smiths upcoming Civil War-era epic for Apple TV. The movie, directed by Antoine Fuqua, tells the story ofWhipped Peter,an enslaved man who was the subject of one of the most widely circulated images of slavery of its time.

Ive been trying to get movies made for a long time. And the amount of money that Apple is paying to tell the story [of Emancipation] is unprecedented, Smith said. And those opportunities are globally present and plentiful.

Earlier this year, Smith also produced and hosted the six-part Netflix docuseries Amend, which focused on the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and offered a close look at the history of racial oppression in America, among other subjects.

Still, Smith worries that Black Americans could be making more of this moment.

I just want to encourage Black Americans to take the acknowledgment and seize upon the present global opportunities, he told GQ. I would just like us to argue less about certain things and pay attention to the big ripe fruit.

Smith, who has spoken in the past about his own experiences with police racism, said he thinks certain terms, like defund the police and critical race theory, could use different language to make them better understood to people outside the community.

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Abolish the police. Defund the police. I would love if we would just say Defund the bad police. Its almost like I want, as Black Americans, for us to change our marketing for the new position were in. So critical race theory, just call it truth theory, Smith said. The pendulum is swinging in our direction beautifully. And theres a certain humility that will most capitalize on the moment for the future of Black Americans, without discounting the difficulty and the pain and the emotion.

This is a difficult area to discuss, but I feel like the simplicity of Black Lives Matter was perfect, he said. Anybody who tries to debate Black Lives Matter looks ridiculous. So when I talk about the marketing of our ideas, Black Lives Matter was perfection.

By comparison, he argued, Defund the police doesnt get it done, no matter how good the ideas are.

He added: Im not saying we shouldnt defund the police. Im saying, just dont say that, because then people who would help you wont.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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Will Smith: 'Black Lives Matter' Is A Better Slogan Than 'Defund The Police' - Yahoo News

In what can be termed as a Black Lives Matter movement effect, two earliest portraits of men of African descent in the history of European art are being exhibited together.

This has happened for the first time in the 500-year-old history, the Rijksmuseums curators have said.

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Over 100 portraits by Renaissance artists are being showcased by the museum in Amsterdam from Tuesday.

The Remember Me exhibition is running until January 16. It features works made between 1470 and 1570. It also examines the reasons that lie behind portraiture, an art form that flourished in the 1500s.

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In it, Albrecht Drers 1508 sketch, which was discovered in the German painters workshop at the time of his death, and Jan Jansz Mostaerts portrait, which dates back to 1525, are being also displayed.

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On asking why it wasnt done before, Friso Lammertse, curator of 17th century Dutch paintings at the Rijksmuseum, suggested, a relative lack of interest about the pieces seems to have been the reason of their exclusion from such exhibitions.

Things have changed only really recently, with the Black Lives Matter movement, Lammertse said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Black Lives Matter effect: African men portraits by Europeans find space in exhibition for first time - WION

It is very easy to get caught in this frame of mind, because you can look at the millions of people of color, who are a success in one generation. Instead of challenging and fighting racism, they put the blame on the person.

On many different levels people of color are advancing, and there is much to be proud of. There are now more children of color being born, than White children each year, and White people are concerned with their existence.

White supremacy or White supremacism is the belief that White people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of White power and privilege. White supremacy has roots in the now discredited doctrine of scientific racism, and was a key justification for colonialism, states Wikipedia.

The Democrats would want Americans to think that in 2021, only Republicans are the only party that is racist, but racism is systemic and institutionalized. When White folks get together, there are always the Black jokes, and the jokes about how fast Black men can run.

Many would think that Black jokes are harmless, and they would never say them in front of their Black friends, but sometimes other words slip out. There is something fundamentally different about being born White, and more doors are opened, from the start.

Some call it White privilege and it is a benefit that is enjoyed by all White folks, and it does not matter if you are a Democrat or Republican. There is a cultural thread that runs through the society, and Whites take advantage of all these benefits. White privilege is an aspect of White power, and all White people have the ability to pull out their White power card.

History in America has demonstrated that White citizens will make war, and justifying horrific atrocities against Black people, including lynching. Even after slavery was abolished, there was still lynching, and many today believe police brutality is still connected to the history of lynching. There were 3436 people lynched from 1889 to 1932, and the majority was Black people, according to publisher Ida Wells.

As Black Americans look to the past for answers, Ida Wells was always very vocal in her campaigns to stop lynching and racial violence against her community. When her newspaper was published, she risked being lynched, and her office was burned to the ground.

She was determined to make a change, and in 2021, Black Americans must agree on a Black Agenda to make significant change. When White supremacy and racism shows its ugly face, it is important that the community is prepared to fight.

In 16 states, White supremacy is fighting to disenfranchise Blacks and people of color. Everyone and it does not matter your color, should be fighting to uphold voting rights. All these organizations should take a page from Ida Wells, and become the loudest voice in the room. We must be more vocal, and racial justice and change must be a part of every conversation.

Intimidation never stopped Ida Wells from getting up in the morning, to do what is right, and it cannot stop us from winning in 2021. Our ancestors have shown us the way, and it is time to come together and start a Black, people of color movement for change.

The color of your skin makes you Black, and All Black Lives Matter, and we must change America, and next the world.

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Black Lives Matter and The Color of Your Skin Free Press of Jacksonville - Jacksonville Free Press

SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --More corporations than ever before are including race in their pay equity analyses after the murder of George Floyd, according to a new report from Syndio, a leading EquityTech analytics platform. Syndio today released its 2021 Pay Equity Trends, a guide to help inform corporations' fair pay analysis as pressure mounts from investors, employees, and legislation to improve pay equity practices.

Based on survey responses from more than 50 leading companies and patterns observed from customers' pay equity analyses, Syndio identified five trends among corporations leading in pay equity strategy:

Before the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, only 50 percent of companies analyzed race in their pay equity analysis in Syndio's software. Today, 98 percent analyze both gender and race. Companies are also expanding their analyses to include additional comparator groups based on demographics like age, sexual orientation, and veteran status. While 18 percent of respondents currently analyze age, 26 percent plan to do so in their next cycle.

Respondents also indicated a broader analysis of compensation types beyond base pay. Of those companies that have equity or stock as part of their compensation plan, 25 percent are reviewing equity or stock in their current analysis, with 44 percent planning to do so in a future analysis. As pay equity analysis becomes standard across organizations, companies are increasing budgets to deal with the issue on a long term basis. In 2021, 61 percent of respondents are budgeting for pay equity, up from just 46 percent the prior year.

Additionally, pay equity leaders are moving towards more proactive approaches to fixing and preventing pay disparities, and more transparency. While 70 percent of companies analyze pay equity once a year or less, nearly 30 percent have started to analyze quarterly or every six months with 65 percent wanting to conduct pay equity analysis more frequently than they currently are.

"This report highlights our core belief that companies who start addressing pay disparities transition to tackling equity across the entire workplace," said Syndio CEO Maria Colacurcio."As the pressure grows to close the persistent gaps underlined in this report, these companies should be applauded for expanding their analyses and leading the way in showing how to create enduring success by placing equity front and center."

Syndio CEO Maria Colacurcio will host a webinar and panel discussion on September 29th, 2021 at 9am PT/12pm ET where she will discuss with several outside experts ways companies can prevent, measure, and resolve persistent equity gaps. To register for Syndio's Fairness at Work webinar click here.

Syndio's 2021 Pay Equity Trends report can be downloaded here.

About SyndioSyndio's mission is to empower employers to eradicate unlawful pay disparities due to gender, race, and ethnicity and make ongoing compensation decisions that are consistent and equitable. Syndio customers drastically reduce legal risk, save millions in ongoing remediation, and create a positive brand reputation, which helps attract and retain top talent at every level of the business. Over time, we help companies close their pay gap. Syndio is proud to partner with brands including Salesforce, Nordstrom, General Mills, Nerdwallet, Match Group and many more who are leading the way in equity and setting the standard for workplace fairness.

SOURCE Syndio

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New Report: In Wake of Black Lives Matter Protests, 98% of Syndio Companies That Analyze Pay Equity Practices Now Include Race - PRNewswire

Photo: Scott Olson (Getty Images)

Black Lives Matter signs have been drawing unwanted attention to businesses and family homes, making many supporters of the movement very viable targets.

At his sentencing this past summer, a Michigan man admitted to targeting a Black familys home in 2019 because of the BLM sign in a front window. Michael Frederick Jr. fired bullets into the familys home, threw rocks through their front windows and graffitied their cars over several days.

Last month, Proud Boys leader Henry Tarriowas sentenced to more than five months in prison for burning a Black Lives Matter banner from Asbury United Methodist Church, a historically Black church in Washington D.C.

In another case, a white man was caught on video tearing a BLM sign out of a Chicago familys front lawn.

Now, federal investigators and fire officials are looking into a possible arson fire at a century-old church in Portland, Maine, which had a Black Lives Matter sign hanging out front. According to the Portland Press Herald, Portland New Church members believe it may have been racially motivated.

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From Press Herald:

It appeared to be set in an area where a Black Lives Matter sign had been posted, according to Lorraine Kardash, the church pastor and building manager. The sign, which had been displayed outside the church for at least a year, was later found by investigators in bushes near the church.

Neighbors who spotted the fire called for help and rushed across the street with buckets of water to try to put it out, Kardash said. They did not see any suspects at or near the scene, she said.

Members of the fire department were able to put the flames out in just a few minutes. The fire damaged the front wall, but both the inside entryway and structure of the church remain intact. No one was injured, Press Herald reports. The Portland police and fire departments and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating. It is standard procedure for the ATF to be involved with church fire cases.

President of the church council, Rev. Anne Gresinger, told the Press Herald that a diversity banner used to hang in the church. However, in the past several months, it was removed. She is unsure if the banners removal is connected to the fire, but she believes someone is trying to make a statement.

It certainly seems like someone is making a statement about not being OK with those things, she said to the Press Herald. Hopefully, the investigation will clarify things. They are asking a whole lot of questions and talking to neighbors. Were told they do have some leads, so we may learn something soon.

According to the Boston Globe, Portland New Churchs pastor, Lorraine Kardash, said the Black Lives Matter sign will be going back up. She also told the Globe that she believes someone started the fire.

A peace picnic, meant to showcase support for diversity, is planned for Oct. 10 in the churchs front yard.

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Investigators Looking Into Suspected Arson Fire at Portland, Maine Church With Black Lives Matter Sign - The Root

FedEx delivery worker sanitizes package with 'true kindness'

A FedEx worker's "act of true kindness" was captured on camera.

Storyful, Wochit

A FedEx employee is out of a job after he made an expletive-filled TikTok video claiming he would not deliver packages to homes if there were Black Lives Matter, President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris flags.

"What's up TikTok. Just wanted to come on here and let all you know if you have a Joe Biden, Kamala [expletive] camel toe [flag] posted up in front of your house Black Lives Matter [flag], I will not deliver your [expletive],"VincentPaterno, the employee, said.

"I will bring that back to the station and I will keep doing that [expletive]. Have a good day."

Paterno posted the 36 second clip onTikTok on Sept. 16 while wearing a FedEx uniform and appearing to be in a delivery truck. The clip has been viewed over 80,000 times with many users commenting he was about to lose his job.

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The users had a good hunch because FedEx told USA TODAYin an emailed statement that Paterno was no longer an employee.

We are appalled by the behavior depicted in this video, which does not reflect the views of FedEx. This individual is no longer providing service on behalf of the company, the statement said.

Paterno posted a follow-up TikTokon Sundaysaying he decided to quit and was not fired after multiple news sites reported the latter.

"I didn't know I could get fired when I didn't work there anymore," he said.

Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha.Email: agilbert@usatoday.com.

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A FedEx driver claimed he would not deliver to homes with BLM flags. Now he's out of a job - USA TODAY

A letter from Waukesha School District officials banning Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Thin Blue Line, anti-racist and other posters and materials is still causing controversy in the Waukesha community a month after it was first published.

The Aug. 20letterto staff members, from Waukesha School District Superintendent James Sebert and Deputy Superintendent Joe Koch, asked teachers to remove such materials from their classrooms.

"Our advocacy for curricular resources and supports for learning are never ending, but our personal beliefs and convictions must stay out of the classroom," said Sebert and Koch in theirletter.

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The two said the practice is consistent with the Waukesha School Board's policy on controversial issues inclassrooms "and past practice related to other controversial issues, relating to political stances, religious issues and other non-curricular content."

The letter's messagewas a subject of contention at the Sept. 15 school board meeting and has since drawn support and condemnation from local politicians. Most of the 34 residentswho spokeduring the board meetingaddressed Sebert and Koch's letter; the majority appeared to oppose the district's decision.

A district parent, Jenny Franke, who wrote a response to Sebert, Koch and the board obtained by Now News Group, said she was concerned, frustrated and disgusted by the district's decision.

"I understand the desire to remove politics from the classroom but what exactly is considered 'too political'?" she wrote.

"Is immigration, race, ethnicity and nationalities possibly too political because immigration reform is a political topic?" Franke wrote. "What about socio-economic background because social programs and tax reform are alsopolitical topics?It sounds ridiculous right?But so does removing a sign that says 'We welcome Students who are LGBT."

The Waukesha signage ban also is the latestexample of controversial artwork being taken down in area school districts, and yet another example of how school board meetings nationwide have increasingly turned into political battlegrounds.

Parents were upset this summer after the Cedarburg School District removed a LGBTQ+ mural on display at Webster Middle School. The district said the art was removed"due to the failure to follow the proper process for approval."

A local online store, Cedarburg Threads, decided to print the mural on the products sold there. The mural is also featured in Grafton-based Arts Mill's program "Inclusion,"which runs through Oct. 10.

The Waukesha School Boardon Sept. 15 briefly discussed its policy on controversial issues in the classroom, but it took no action on the letter since it wasn't listed as an action item on the agenda.

Community membersalso commented on the sign ban during the board's Sept. 21 policy committee meeting; because the item was not on the agenda, the committee did not address the issue.

Controversy surrounding the letter has swelled enough to prompt reactions from state politicians.

State Rep. Scott Allen, a Republican whose district covers Waukesha, said in a statement released before the board's Sept. 15 meeting that he supportsthe district's policy.

"Divisive symbols serve as barriers to students' learning, and therefore, must be prohibited," Allen's statement said. "Students must not feel discouraged and deterred from engaging in both a positive learning experience and environment. Students in the classroom should not be directly influenced by a teacher's personal and seemingly private political or moral positions."

In an email, Waukesha County Democratic Party Chairman Matt Mareno criticized Allen's remarks.

"Only a radical, like Representative Allen, would see a pride flag, anti-racist signs, or inclusive language as divisive.It shouldn't be lost on any of us that his focus isn't on funding schools or providing a safe environment for kids during a pandemic, but rather scoring MAGA points," said Mareno.

Sebert and Kochsaid in their letterthey have worked with the board to understand that staff can share professional opinions to enrich classroom discussion in a way that doesn't bring inindividual political positions.

"In order to be successful in teaching students critically, we must work with our students to entertain multiple perspectives while not being influenced by an adult to believe that any one perspective is right or wrong," the letter said."Our role is educator/teacher, not activist/advocate in the classroom."

ContactAlec Johnson at(262) 875-9469 oralec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

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The Waukesha School District has banned teachers from displaying signs on 'controversial issues,' like Black Lives Matter and Thin Blue Line -...