National

Community Efforts Urged to Curb Mass Incarceration

Published

10 years ago

June 11, 2015

By Jazelle Hunt
NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The Black community should take a larger role in curbing mass incarceration and be less reliant on public officials to slow prison growth, says Rev. Hebert Brown III, community organizer and leader of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore.

“In addition to banging on the system and going to the White House and moving on legislation to ban the box, et cetera, et cetera, I think it is a mistake for those who are most directly affected to wait for the experts to come do it,” Brown said.

He made his remarks during a panel sponsored by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a progressive policy think-tank in Washington. The panel was part of an event titled, “Toward a More Perfect Union: Bringing Criminal Justice Reform to Our Communities.”

Brown said, “[During the Baltimore uprising] we started to create the systems that we needed. We’re not calling 911 for everything. Let us move into spaces where we develop the training, skills, and whatever else is necessary, and just be neighbors and sisters and brothers again so that we can help to engage some of the issues that might lead to interpersonal violence.”

Justice system professionals, activists, and community organizers all agree that empowering ex-offenders is one of the best ways to rebuild communities and keep people from re-offending. But more than 5.8 million Americans – 1 in 13 Black Americans – are disenfranchised because of their criminal offenses, according to The Sentencing Project, a nonpartisan research and advocacy group for criminal justice reform. In effect, the people most affected by criminal justice policies are excluded from shaping policy decisions.

Though having a criminal record is no longer rare – 1 in 3 Americans has one – employers are generally unwilling to hire ex-offenders.

For decades, formerly incarcerated people have pushed to “ban the box” on job applications that require applicants to disclose past convictions. It’s often used to disqualify otherwise qualified candidates. The “ban the box” effort is gaining official traction, largely through state laws and updated guidelines from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. But unless an applicant launches and wins a lawsuit, there are few repercussions for employers who dismiss applicants on this basis.

“What happens is, you have all of these folks who come home and they feel alienated from society, and they don’t feel like there’s any place for them,” said Pastor Darren A. Ferguson at the CAP event. Ferguson leads Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Far Rockaway, N.Y. and works to provide reentry support. The community organizer is also an ex-offender who spent nearly nine years in the New York corrections system.

“They can’t get jobs because they’re afraid to go to a job interview, because they’re going to ask them that magic question that frightens anybody who’s been incarcerated: ‘have you ever been convicted of a crime?’ And there’s a feeling across the board – there’s no place for me, there’s no hope for me, so what else can I do?”

The laws that created mass incarceration have not only failed to make provisions for mass reentry, but have also devastated Black families and communities. Department of Justice data from 2007 found that 6.7 percent of Black children had at least one incarcerated parent, compared to less than 1 percent of White children and 2.3 percent of Latino children.

Among today’s Black twenty-somethings, 1 in 4 had a parent incarcerated during their childhood, according to CAP research. Another study from The Sentencing Project finds that nearly half of all Black women have a currently incarcerated family member, compared to just 11 percent of White women.

Alicia Garza, award-winning community organizer and co-founder of the national Black Lives Matter organization says that part of empowering ex-offenders is to find ways to restore their voice.

“Part of that is having those folks shape what the policies, practices, and systems look like. Because nobody knows better how to shift the trend of criminalization than those who have been criminalized,” she said at the same CAP event. “Not only do we need to center those voices, but we need to put those who have been directly impacted by the systems we’re facing in positions of power. Folks actually need to be able to make decisions that impact their lives.”

Voting is not the only way to raise one’s political voice. Pastor Michael McBride, a San Francisco-based community organizer and a program director within the PICO Network, an organization of religious leaders working for social justice, who was also part of the CAP event. He points out that elected officials are often bending to the whims of private entities.

“Many of these things happen under the cover of night. A lot of our Fortune 500 companies are actually profiting off of private prison labor, and other forms of legalized slavery. And I think we can shame them publicly in a way that at least creates some form of accountability, and we need to do the same thing with elected officials,” he explained. “We have the responsibility to make it known, and then we have another opportunity to hold them accountable through our voting, through where we shop, through our support, et cetera.”

The tide is slowly turning against mass incarceration and unfair sentencing polices. In 2008, then-President George W. Bush signed the Second Chance Act into law, which gives tax perks to employers that hire ex-offenders. In 2010 President Barack Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act, which significantly reduced the sentencing disparity between crack-cocaine and powder cocaine. And last year, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously to raise the mandatory minimum threshold for drug-related offenses, and allow appeals for reduced sentences under the new guidelines.

Still, Black communities do not have to wait to have these disparities corrected by authorities.

“I am thankful for those working at the federal level trying to move things forward there, but…. It takes so long before my day-to-day reality is impacted by something whoever is in the White House signs,” Rev. Brown said.

“We have to continue to build for power socially, economically, politically so that we can … say, no more will we rely on the benevolence of a system that has an appetite for our destruction to decide our destiny. No more.”

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Harriet Tubman Scrubbed; DEI Dismantled

A photograph of Harriet Tubman has been removed from a National Park Service webpage about the Underground Railroad.

Published

4 days ago

April 7, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

A photograph of Harriet Tubman has been removed from a National Park Service webpage about the Underground Railroad. Previously, the page opened with a photo of Tubman and a description that acknowledged slavery and the efforts of enslaved African Americans to escape bondage. That language is now gone. In its place are images of postage stamps and a reworded introduction that refers to the Underground Railroad as “one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement” that “bridged the divides of race.” The updated version does not mention slavery. The change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump last month directing the Smithsonian Institution to eliminate “divisive narratives.” A review by The Washington Post found that since Trump’s return to office, dozens of webpages across the National Park Service have been edited to soften or eliminate references to slavery, racial injustice, and the historical struggles of African Americans.

On the website for the Stone National Historic Site in Maryland, mentions of Declaration of Independence signer Thomas Stone owning enslaved people were removed. Elsewhere, references to “enslaved African Americans” were changed to “enslaved workers.” A page exploring Benjamin Franklin’s views on slavery and his slave ownership was taken offline. The Defense Department also removed several webpages related to diversity and minority contributions to the U.S. military, including a tribute to Jackie Robinson’s Army service and content honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, the Navajo Code Talkers, and the Marines at Iwo Jima. Officials later said some content would be republished after public outcry. Nearly 400 books were removed from the library at the U.S. Naval Academy. The list includes Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Memorializing the Holocaust, Half American, and Pursuing Trayvon Martin. Officials cited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to eliminate books that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Private companies contracting with the federal government have begun rolling back language diversity and initiatives in response to federal pressure. UnitedHealth Group removed DEI language from its website. Goldman Sachs dropped its diversity requirement for companies it takes public and revised annual filings to reflect “developments in the law.” Bank of America replaced the term “diversity” with “talent” and “opportunity.” Deloitte instructed U.S.-based employees working with federal clients to remove pronouns from email signatures. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Disney, Paramount, JPMorgan Chase, Victoria’s Secret, and others have renamed or eliminated DEI programs. Some, like Paramount, cited the need to comply with Trump’s executive orders.

Target has faced financial and reputational fallout following its reversal of DEI commitments. The company has lost over $12.4 billion in revenue and faces multiple lawsuits related to its shifting policies. Rev. Jamal Bryant launched a national “Target Fast,” urging community mobilization. Separately, the NAACP and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) initiated public education and selective buying campaigns to increase pressure on the retail giant.

“Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA. “If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

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What Parents Think about Childcare Right Now

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Children’s earliest years are a critical period when the foundation is built for lifelong physical health and emotional well-being

Published

4 days ago

April 7, 2025

Oakland Post

By: RAPID, Stanford Center on Early Childhood

The RAPID Survey Project, based in the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, is a program of ongoing national and place-based surveys designed to gather essential information on the needs, health-promoting behaviors, and well-being of young children and their caregivers. Our objective is to make timely and actionable data on the experiences of parents, caregivers, and young children available in an ongoing manner to support parent- and data-informed decision-making. Children’s earliest years are a critical period when the foundation is built for lifelong physical health and emotional well-being. Research shows that consistent, responsive caregiving is conducive to healthy development during these early years. We asked parents of infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) to tell us about their childcare experiences and preferences. Using responses from parents of infants or toddlers who participated in national RAPID household surveys in January 2024 and November 2024, we aim to understand the types of childcare that families with infants and toddlers use and what is most important to parents when selecting child care.

Family, friends, and neighbor (FFN) care is the most common childcare choice for families with infants and toddlers.

We asked parents of infants and toddlers questions about how much childcare they use, as well as their experiences using center-based care, home-based care, and both paid and unpaid family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care. More than two in three (68%) parents of infants and toddlers use childcare for five hours or more per week. Among these families, and consistent with other national data, FFN care makes up the largest share of providers of infants and toddlers.

Responses from the survey show that, on a weekly basis:

—32% of parents use center-based care

—26% of parents use unpaid FFN care

—13% of parents use paid FFN care

—12% of parents use home-based care in the childcare provider’s residence

“Sometimes it is difficult to find relatives/friends who I trust and are available as sometimes their plans change.” Parent in Wisconsin

“I’m relying on family and things arise that make them unable to help. I have looked into center-based care and considered going back to work, but it will cost me more for childcare than I can make in income to pay for it.” Parent in Ohio

“I use babysitters, mostly teenagers, so their schedules are sometimes unreliable. They do their best, but they have other commitments, too. They also can’t always work during the day, which is when I need them.” Parent in Texas

Reliable access to childcare is a particular concern for many parents of infants and toddlers.

The predictable schedules and routines that are associated with stable access to childcare support the positive well-being and development of children, families, and caregivers. In their responses to open-ended questions, parents of infants and toddlers spoke about the different challenges they experience securing childcare, including issues with affordability, hours, location, and trust in their provider. As indicated by the quotes in this fact sheet, parents mentioned concerns about providers meeting the specific and intensive caregiving needs of infants and toddlers, while at the same time families navigate high costs, low availability, and inconsistent schedules. Additionally, many parents, particularly those living in rural areas, noted the limited childcare options near their home or work. This points to the barriers to reliable childcare access that families with infants and toddlers face, and these data can inform policies and programs that support families in meeting this critical need.

“In a rural area, childcare is very hard to find, and rates are not competitive because they don’t have to be.” Parent in Montana

“I had challenges finding other part-time care closer to where we live so I drive one hour twice a week for part-time care.” Parent in Louisiana

“We had to contact this provider very early on. I was maybe five or six weeks pregnant. And she happened to have a spot. If we had waited much longer, we wouldn’t have gotten in.” Parent in South Carolina

“I am currently using backup care days offered by my employer as our primary form of childcare for our younger child. In March, I will run out of days to use, and we are struggling to find an affordable option nearby that has availability when we need it.” Parent in Virginia

Trust in their childcare provider is the most important thing to families with infants and toddlers.

To understand families’ childcare needs, we asked parents what factor matters the most when selecting childcare for their infants and toddlers. We provided a list of factors to choose from for each type of childcare used. Across all types of childcare, parents of infants and toddlers are most likely to say that trust and/or comfortability with their provider is the top factor when they select child care for their family. Parents are significantly more likely to endorse trust and/or comfortability with their provider than any other factor, including affordability, availability, location, or the hours the provider is available.

Factors for selecting childcare, in order of frequency endorsed by parents of infants and toddlers:

Trust and/or comfortability
Affordability
Availability
Location
Hours

“Finding a trustworthy and experienced caregiver who could handle our infant’s specific needs was a major concern.” Parent in New York

“Ensuring the caregiver has the necessary experience and qualifications to care for an infant adds another layer of difficulty.” Parent in Iowa

Predictable and nurturing caregiving contributes to positive early childhood development, and more work is needed to support families with infants and toddlers looking for childcare. RAPID data show that there is an unmet need among families with infants and toddlers for reliable, affordable, and trusted sources of childcare and that families are using a patchwork of childcare arrangements to find trusted sources of care for their infants and toddlers that they can afford and rely on. Parents themselves are experts in selecting the sources and settings of childcare that will best support their family and foster their child’s development, and they are placing an emphasis on selecting providers that their family trusts and feels comfortable with. These findings can inform policies and programs that address parents’ childcare concerns and experiences, so they are better supported in providing the healthy, responsive caregiving that is essential to their young children’s development.

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Trump Profits, Black America Pays the Price

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Over the weekend, while 401(k)s crumbled and mass layoffs loomed, Trump was the main attraction at two lavish, money-making events

Published

4 days ago

April 7, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

As financial pain spreads across the nation, Black families are facing some of the harshest blows — while Donald Trump and his family throw parties, rake in cash, and dismantle protections built to ensure essential equity. Over the weekend, while 401(k)s crumbled and mass layoffs loomed, Trump was the main attraction at two lavish, money-making events: a Saudi-backed LIV Golf tournament at his Trump Doral resort and a seven-figure fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. This all unfolded just days after Trump signed off on sweeping global tariffs — with a Sharpie now sold at his resort gift shop for $3 — sparking one of the largest market crashes in U.S. history. In just 48 hours, the S&P 500 lost $5 trillion in value. By Monday, stocks were in free fall. Analysts warned of inflation spikes that would hit everything from gas to groceries — and disproportionately impact low- and middle-income households.

But for Trump, it was business booming. Every room, including the $13,000-a-night suite, was sold out at Doral. Guests shelled out up to $1,400 for exclusive access, snapped up $550 Trump purses and $18 imported souvenirs, and dined on $130 steaks while posing for photos with Trump family members. “This is the perfect venue,” Eric Trump declared as his father bounced between luxury properties. That same day, the former president posted from his golf club: “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH, RICHER THAN EVER BEFORE.” For Black Americans — who already face the steepest hurdles in the economy — the timing is more than just offensive. It’s dangerous. As the markets tank and federal agencies brace for disruption, Trump is also waging war on racial equity. He’s issued orders wiping out diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across the federal government. That includes dismantling Executive Order 11246 — a cornerstone civil rights protection that, since 1965, has barred discriminatory practices by federal contractors.

Roughly 18% of the federal workforce is Black. Many of those workers are now in limbo, with DEI staffers placed on forced leave and entire programs frozen. Experts warn these rollbacks could erase decades of progress in hiring, retention, and advancement — not just in government, but in every sector that follows federal precedent. Trump has also threatened clean air and water protections for historically neglected Black neighborhoods and proposed privatizing the U.S. Postal Service — one of the largest employers of African Americans. As working families watch their savings disappear, their job security vanishes, and their communities come under attack, Trump and his donors raise glasses over filet mignon and $1 million checks. The disparity isn’t just stark — it’s systemic. And it’s being monetized in real-time. From his Palm Beach resort, as the country buckles under the weight of his policies, Trump made his position clear:

“THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH.”