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Brandon Johnson’s Inauguration Speech: Unify the City Around Tough Issues
Brandon Johnson delivered an inauguration address that primarily centered on inclusivity and collaboration, which will inform how he plans to confront Chicago’s most pressing issues. “That means right now, we get to write the story of our children’s and our grandchildren’s futures. And we get to do that together,” he said. “We get to tell […]
The post Brandon Johnson’s Inauguration Speech: Unify the City Around Tough Issues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.


Brandon Johnson delivered an inauguration address that primarily centered on inclusivity and collaboration, which will inform how he plans to confront Chicago’s most pressing issues.
“That means right now, we get to write the story of our children’s and our grandchildren’s futures. And we get to do that together,” he said. “We get to tell a different story. I’m talking about a story that again binds us together.”
Other critical takeaways from his address are that Johnson wants to open up access to mental health clinics, make the city a refuge for migrants and take a collaborative approach toward public safety.
Johnson began his rousing 40-minute speech by acknowledging the diverse populations’ contributions to the city’s history, from the Native American tribes that first occupied its territory to the Southern Blacks and European immigrants who came here and influenced culture and industry. He referred to the races and ethnicities that comprise the city as “the soul of Chicago.”
He also challenged residents, public officials, police officers and other stakeholders to come together to write a new history, so to speak, for Chicago, especially as it takes on homelessness and the migrant crisis.
“We don’t want our story to be told that we were unable to house the unhoused or provide a safe harbor for those who are seeking refuge here because there’s enough room for everyone in the city of Chicago,” he said.
He added, “Whether you are seeking asylum or you are looking for a fully funded neighborhood, we don’t want our story to say that we did not invest in all of the people and all of the communities that make our city great.”
Johnson also promised to address disinvestment in underfunded communities and provide pathways out of poverty for people through access to colleges, high-tech jobs, trades and apprenticeships.
That theme of collaboration also included issues such as education.
He asked for education stakeholders such as the Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates and SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer to work with officials like Chicago Public School CEO Pedro Martinez to come together and advocate more resources for children.
“And so while we’re at it,” declared Johnson, “let’s work together to make sure that there is childcare for all, for every single person in the city of Chicago.”
Yet, one of his most potent, declarative calls to action centered around mental health treatment. In invoking his late brother Leon’s struggles with addiction and homelessness, Johnson said,” I want to make sure that no one ever has to suffer because they do not have access to mental health services.”
He called for the private and public sector, the county, state and federal government to “find the best solutions for delivering these services, including reopening our mental health care centers across the city of Chicago.”
Ultimately, Johnson ended his address by calling upon residents and officials to be allies in his administration’s mission to usher in a new era of inclusivity, equity and collaboration toward solving Chicago’s most pressing issues.
“I’m talking about a revival in the City of Chicago, where the soul of Chicago comes alive,” Johnson said. “A brand new Chicago is in front of us.”
The post Brandon Johnson’s Inauguration Speech: Unify the City Around Tough Issues appeared first on Chicago Defender.
The post Brandon Johnson’s Inauguration Speech: Unify the City Around Tough Issues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Remembering George Floyd
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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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Hate and Chaos Rise in Trump’s America
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 1,371 hate and antigovernment extremist groups operating across the United States in 2024. In its latest Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC reveals how these groups are embedding themselves in politics and policymaking while targeting marginalized communities through intimidation, disinformation, and violence. “Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos, and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless,” said SPLC President Margaret Huang. The report outlines how hard-right groups aggressively targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout 2024. Figures on the far right falsely framed DEI as a threat to white Americans, with some branding it a form of “white genocide.” After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, a former Utah legislator blamed the incident on DEI, posting “DEI = DIE.”
Tactics ranged from local policy manipulation to threats of violence. The SPLC documented bomb threats at 60 polling places in Georgia, traced to Russian email domains. Similar threats hit Jewish institutions and Planet Fitness locations after far-right social media accounts attacked them for trans-inclusive policies. Telegram, which SPLC describes as a hub for hate groups, helped extremists cross-recruit between neo-Nazi, QAnon, and white nationalist spaces. The platform’s lax moderation allowed groups like the Terrorgram Collective—designated terrorists by the U.S. State Department—to thrive. Militia movements were also reorganized, with 50 groups documented in 2024. Many, calling themselves “minutemen,” trained in paramilitary tactics while lobbying local governments for official recognition. These groups shared personnel and ideology with white nationalist organizations.
The manosphere continued to radicalize boys and young men. The Fresh & Fit podcast, now listed as a hate group, promoted misogyny while mocking and attacking Black women. Manosphere influencers used social media algorithms to drive youth toward male-supremacy content. Turning Point USA played a key role in pushing white nationalist rhetoric into mainstream politics. Its leader Charlie Kirk claimed native-born Americans are being replaced by immigrants, while the group advised on Project 2025 and organized Trump campaign events. “We know that these groups build their power by threatening violence, capturing political parties and government, and infesting the mainstream discourse with conspiracy theories,” said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC’s Intelligence Project. “By exposing the players, tactics, and code words of the hard right, we hope to dismantle their mythology and inspire people to fight back.”
Click here for the full report or visit http://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/year-hate-extremism-2024.
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