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D.C. Business Encounters Discrimination in Quest to Help Ukraine

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Davis said her group had installed “living containers and living facilities” that provided families with things like furniture and bunk beds, as well as generators. “We installed electrical systems and other mandatory features,” she stated. As the war’s anniversary approaches, though, it appears that American impulses have also kicked in.
The post D.C. Business Encounters Discrimination in Quest to Help Ukraine first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

February 11, 2023

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Carolyn Davis, like many others, had an immediate reaction to the destruction in Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion.

“Those folks need help,” said Davis, the CEO of the District of Columbia-based CDAG International.

To help, her construction company visited areas of the war-torn country where civilians and military personnel alike needed assistance.

Davis said her group had installed “living containers and living facilities” that provided families with things like furniture and bunk beds, as well as generators.

“We installed electrical systems and other mandatory features,” she stated.

As the war’s anniversary approaches, though, it appears that American impulses have also kicked in.

U.S. politicians, government organizations, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and others have neglected CDAG’s work, even though U.S. military aid and spending has reached over $50 billion, and firms are pitching services to gain contracts to help reconstruct that Eastern European nation.

Davis has repeatedly requested that USAID allow the company to compete for contracts to provide relief in Ukraine, but USAID has routinely declined.

USAID counts as an independent agency of the government that’s responsible for providing civilian foreign aid and helping development.

Legislators also have ignored CDAG’s attempts to contact them.

Davis stated, “They do not recognize me. I’m just some Black woman who wants to lend a hand. And that’s exactly what they perceive. I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t want to support a Black-owned business, but they clearly don’t.”

The American envoy to Ukraine also snubbed CDAG’s request for a meeting, despite the Ukraine Ministry of Defense having given Davis’s firm a glowing recommendation.

The Defense Ministry expressed gratitude to the United States government in a letter dated December 30, 2022, for its support during Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

The letter addressed to Nathaniel Adler, the principal director of the U.S. Office of the Under Secretary for Policy at the Department of Defense, noted that Ukraine still requires urgent supplies, equipment, and logistical support.

Meeting such requirements would be impossible without access to necessary resources and a reliable support system, the defense minister wrote.

“Due to the intense fighting in several areas, it’s very difficult to get these materials to our troops on the front line and other locations, and there are very few companies that can accomplish this task,” the letter continued.

“CDAG International has worked with our military and has proven that they can assist the Ukrainian government to acquire critical services and facilitate many of our requirements. CDAG has proven beneficial to our troops and had contributed to saving lives.”

The letter is only one of many testimonials to CDAG’s capabilities, according to Dwight Brown, senior managing partner for CDAG and a retired U.S. Army Sgt. Major.

“We’ve created enough housing to accommodate 3,000 people and we’ve done it in approximately eight months,” Brown said.

CDAG has focused its efforts on the western side of Ukraine, where the war’s destruction has forced many people to relocate, he said.

“There are people who left Ukraine and are trying to make their way back,” Brown noted. “We see a lot of squatters and in villages there are people with tents on the side of the road. We want people to get back inside warm structures before it gets too far into the winter there.”

The Ukraine government provided CDAG 60 acres of land, but without funding or even a token commitment from the American government, it will be difficult for the company to meet current demand.

CDAG managing partner Warwin Davis added that the firm has supplied heating, generators, and external stoves to aid Ukrainian forces.

Davis, who has managed multinational supply chains for almost three decades, insisted, “We made history over there.”

“Historically speaking, it was Carol Davis who made history,” Davis demanded.

“It’s incredible that we haven’t been able to acquire a quarter from USAID despite what we’ve shown that we can accomplish.”

CDAG hopes to meet with White House officials.

“The elephant in the room is we are a woman-owned and minority small business, and the U.S. government and USAID are giving all the dollars to the regular companies,” Brown asserted.

“We’re going not continue to ride the Office of the Secretary of Defense, USAID, and congressional offices. People with weaker constitutions than us would have thrown in the towel. That’s not us. When they tell us ‘No,’ it just means next opportunity. We’re coming to the table and not asking for special set asides, just an opportunity.”

The post D.C. Business Encounters Discrimination in Quest to Help Ukraine first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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

1 day 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.”

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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

3 days 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.”

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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

3 days 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: