#NNPA BlackPress

CBCF Embraces the Black Press

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Our Annual Legislative Conference is a gathering to develop solutions to the challenges facing black communities around the world through issues forums, brain trusts, a town hall meeting, networking sessions, and more,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-Calif.).

Published

6 years ago

September 20, 2019

Oakland Post

This year’s ALC theme, “400 Years: Our Legacy, Our Possibilities …” observed 400 years of the first enslaved African to land in Jamestown, Virginia.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

An estimate of more than 10,000 people filled the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation’s capital during the just completed five-day Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC).

This year’s ALC theme, “400 Years: Our Legacy, Our Possibilities …” observed 400 years of the first enslaved African to land in Jamestown, Virginia.

“Our Annual Legislative Conference is a gathering to develop solutions to the challenges facing black communities around the world through issues forums, brain trusts, a town hall meeting, networking sessions, and more,” said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass (D-Calif.).

This year’s conference included town halls on black men and boys and a Sojourner Truth Town Hall titled, “Bridging Pathways for Black Women in Leadership and Politics.”

“The contributions of Black women in shaping and changing the world for the better are often minimized. At every moment in history, black women have worked alongside their more famous male counterparts to advance political movements,” Bass said.

CBCF officials added that the goal of the Sojourner Truth Town Hall was to increase the significance of black women in leadership.

It’s also aimed at building a strong infrastructure of support for black women candidates and their role in bridging gender equity, voter participation, economic empowerment, access to health care, and criminal justice reform as they look to 2020 and beyond.

Among the highlights were discussions on closing the racial wealth gap; the state of housing in black America; Black money matters; a financial services brain trust; and a national town hall that focused on the possibilities in the black community as well as the challenges.

“We cannot give up hope because every time we fight, we win,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, who served as a panelist on a two-part national townhall that explored the possibilities and challenges facing African Americans.

Meanwhile, National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chair Karen Carter Richards and NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., led a contingent of publishers to the Cuban Embassy where Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas greeted them.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee later joined the organization at the Embassy.

During a CBCF panel, moderated by Chavis and hosted by Pennsylvania Congressman Dwight Evans, the focus turned to black businesses and their survival.

The panel’s theme was “Nation Building Through the Black Business Community: The Next 50 Years.”

Panelists included Rob Busby, Sr., the President, and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers; Economist and former Bennett College President Dr. Julianne M. Malveaux; Black Enterprise Senior Vice President and Editor-At-Large Alfred A. Edmond, Jr.; and The Enterprise Center President, Della Clark.

“This is a vital issue,” Chavis said. “For the discussion, we wanted to come after this from different perspectives, and this was a great discussion,” he said.

The 2019 NNPA National Leadership Awards were also handed out during the week.

The awards went to the Honorable Karen Bass, U.S. Representative (D-CA); the Honorable Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. Representative (D-MD); the Honorable Bobby Scott, U.S. Representative (D-VA); the Honorable Bennie Thompson, U.S. Representative (D-MS); Ray Curry, Secretary-Treasurer of the International Union, United Automobile Aerospace and Agriculture (UAW); Shani W. Hosten, Vice President Multicultural Leadership, AARP; Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley, Clinical Director of Hematology and Director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); and Crystal Windham, Director, Cadillac Interior Design, General Motors.

Karen Carter Richards, the current NNPA Chair and publisher of the Houston Forward Times; Cloves Campbell, former chair and publisher of the Arizona Informant; Denise Rolark Barnes, former chair and publisher of the Washington Informer; Chavis and several NNPA publishers were invited to attend the Phoenix Awards, the CBCF’s highest honors.

Presented during a gala hosted by journalist Isha Sesay and actor Omar Dorsey, Phoenix Award recipients included Dr. Calvin Mackie; Dr. Wanda Austin; Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.); The Exonerated (Central Park) Five; and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

“The NNPA salutes the outstanding leadership of CBC Chair Karen Bass,” Chavis said. “She is leading the CBC to higher heights and all people of African descent will benefit especially.”

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#NNPA BlackPress

Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

6 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: