Health

‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Still a Social Activist

Published

9 years ago

July 23, 2015

Oakland Post

Jussie Smollett (AP Images/Invision)

By Freddie Allen
NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Before he was Jamal Lyon, the sensitive, talented gay son of drug dealer-turned-music mogul on the hit television show, “Empire,” Jussie Smollett, was a social activist.

Smollett, 31, said that the root of his activism, his ability to speak openly and honestly about sex was always his mother, because she set the tone for who he was, what he was and what he believed in.

“My voice has always been linked to this fight before anybody new anything about my voice,” said Smollett, adding that you don’t need a television show or a hit record to make a change in the world your community.

Smollett continued: “The work doesn’t start with ‘Empire.’ My mother didn’t give us a choice of whether or not we wanted to be activists or not, that was built into us.”

His father, Joel, emigrated from Russia and Poland. His mother, Janet, is mixture of African, Native American and European. In addition to Jussie and Jurnee, an actress, the couple had four other kids: Jake, Jocqui, Jojo and Jazz

All six Smollett children appeared together in the ABC TV program, “On Our Own,” which was broadcast 1994-1995. The Smollett siblings played a family reared by the oldest brother after both parents had died in a car accident.

Jurnee starred in “The Great Debaters,” “Eve’s Bayou,” and appeared in episodes of the Cosby show.

Jussie, a native of Santa Rosa, Calif., currently serves on the board of the Black AIDS Institute (BAI), a Los Angeles-based think tank focused solely on ending the AIDS epidemic in the Black community.

Smollett recently sat on a panel on HIV/AIDS and the role of the Black family in fighting the epidemic at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Smollett was joined by Otis Harris, a 28-year-old gay man living with HIV from Dallas; Harris’ mother, LaTongia Harris-Amadee, and Leo Moore, a clinical scholar with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the University of California at Los Angeles. Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien moderated the panel.

According to national surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 66 percent of Black Americans say HIV rarely, if ever, comes in family discussions– including 30 percent who have never talked about HIV with anyone in their family.

According to the Black AIDS Institute, more than 60 percent of parents of Black children said that “they are ‘very concerned’ that their son or daughter will get HIV,” compared to about 20 percent of White parents.

“Families in general play such an important part in the fight against HIV and AIDS because families,” said Smollett. “It’s not just Black families but the family as a whole – the village. It takes that village to get rid of the stigma to get rid of the shame so that people feel like they have someone to talk to.”

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), launched a national campaign that identified stigma and complacency as two critical challenges to ending the AIDS epidemic in the United States.

Declining awareness and concern about HIV among the American public may lead some to underestimate the continued need or action to fight the epidemic, a fact sheet on the campaign said.

“Young people who have grown up without seeing the epidemic’s devastating effects may be particularly vulnerable,” the fact sheet said. “For example, a study among young black gay and bisexual men in 20 major cities found that among those who thought they were at low risk of infection, nearly one in five was, in fact, already infected with HIV.”

The fact sheet noted that in 2011 the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that not only are people reporting that they’re reading and seeing information about HIV in the U.S. 30 percent less than they were in 2004, but less people also named HIV, “as the nation’s most urgent health problem.”

According to the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), HIV-related stigma can result in the loss of income, loss of marriage and childbearing options and the loss of hope and feelings of worthlessness.

“We live in a nation that we’re about shaming,” said Smollett. “Cultural shaming, religion shaming, sexuality shaming and gender shaming, there’s so much shame. It’s time for people to step up and say, ‘enough is enough.’”

Smollett added: “We have to remember that Black lives matter. We also have to remember that we can not pick and choose when Black lives matter.”

Phill Wilson, the president and CEO of BAI, agreed.

“If we’re serious about the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, we need to talk about all the things that are important for us to live longer healthier lives,” he said,

And that dialogue must include decreasing the number of new HIV infections, getting people into treatment that need it and ending the AIDS epidemic, said Wilson.

Smollett said that even though Black people have been oppressed since we were enslaved and shipped to this continent, we still helped build this nation and this world.

“We can not sit idly by while our children, our fathers and mothers, our sisters and our brothers, our nieces and nephews, and our uncles and our aunts are dying and are being left to feel ashamed for who they are,” said Smollett.

Smollett said that ending the AIDS epidemic is not about gender or sexuality or race it’s about taking responsibility for you and yours, which is the human race.

“Everybody wants somebody to oppress, let’s not be that way,” said Smollett. “Lets spread love. Let’s make sure that everybody knows that they have someplace to go in life, so that they don’t feel alone.”

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

1 week ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

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California Black Media

Gen. Election Update: Tracking Your Votes on Ballot Propositions — and What They Mean for Our Communities

In the Nov. 5 General Election, Californians cast their votes on ten propositions addressing issues from education and climate funding to prison labor and the minimum wage.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

In the Nov. 5 General Election, Californians cast their votes on ten propositions addressing issues from education and climate funding to prison labor and the minimum wage.

Below is a breakdown of the propositions, their potential impact and an update on how we voted on them.

Likely to Pass:

Proposition 2: Bonds for Public School and College Facilities
With 56.7% support, Prop 2 is on track to pass. This measure would allocate $10 billion to repair and upgrade K-12 and community college facilities, especially in under-resourced schools. For students, this funding could lead to safer and more supportive learning environments.

Proposition 3: Constitutional Right to Marriage
Prop 3 currently has 61.4% support and is likely to pass. This measure aims to amend California’s constitution to affirm marriage rights for all. For LGBTQ+ individuals in our communities, this is a powerful affirmation of equality and inclusion.

Proposition 4: Bonds for Water, Wildfire, and Climate Risks
Currently passing with 57.8%, Prop 4 is on track to deliver $10 billion for projects that address water quality, wildfire prevention, and climate resilience. This could have a significant impact on communities that face the harshest effects of climate change.

Proposition 34: Restricts Spending of Prescription Revenues
Prop 34 is narrowly passing with 51.4% support, indicating that it may succeed. The measure would require specific healthcare providers to use 98% of revenue from federal drug discount programs on direct patient care. This could improve healthcare access for low-income residents.

Proposition 35: Provides Permanent Funding for Medi-Cal
With 66.8% of voters in favor, Prop 35 is on course to pass, securing permanent funding for Medi-Cal, California’s low-income healthcare program. For many in our communities who depend on Medi-Cal, this measure promises stability and continued access to essential healthcare services.

Proposition 36: Increased Sentencing for Certain Drug and Theft Crimes
With strong support at 70.5%, Prop 36 is poised to pass, increasing penalties for specific theft and drug offenses. This measure would partially roll back sentence reductions established by Prop 47, sparking concerns about potential increases in incarceration rates.

Likely to Fail:

Proposition 5: Bonds for Affordable Housing and Infrastructure
With 56.4% of voters opposed, Prop 5 is likely to fail. The measure aimed to reduce the voting threshold for local bonds from two-thirds to 55%, making it easier to fund affordable housing. Without it, local governments will continue to face higher approval requirements, potentially slowing progress on affordable housing solutions.

Proposition 6: Eliminates Forcing Inmates to Work
Currently failing with 54.9% opposed, Prop 6 is expected to be defeated. This measure would have ended involuntary labor for incarcerated individuals, a practice critics argue disproportionately affects Black inmates. It’s likely failure means the prison labor system will remain unchanged.

Proposition 32: Raises Minimum Wage
With 52.1% of voters opposing it, Prop 32 appears likely to fail. This measure would have raised the minimum wage to $18 an hour. While proponents argued it would provide greater financial stability for low-wage workers.

Proposition 33: Local Government Residential Rent Control
With 61.9% voting “no,” Prop 33 is expected to fail, meaning that local governments won’t gain expanded authority to enact rent control. Real estate groups argued that this measure could hinder housing development. Its failure means that current rent control laws will remain in place, leaving fewer protections for renters.

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California Black Media

Covered California Open Enrollment Began Nov. 1

Open enrollment for Covered California kicked off on Nov. 1, 2024, offering individuals, families, and businesses a chance to secure quality, affordable health insurance for the upcoming year. This annual enrollment period allows California residents to choose from a variety of health plans that meet their specific needs. Covered California offers comprehensive coverage, including preventive care and financial assistance to help eligible applicants lower their monthly premiums.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Covered California offers comprehensive coverage, including preventive care and financial assistance to help eligible applicants lower their monthly premiums. The program features insurance plans from leading providers, ensuring access to essential health services such as doctor visits, hospital care, and mental health services.

This year, notable updates include expanded financial assistance, which increases the support available for eligible households to help offset monthly costs. Additionally, consumers will find greater plan flexibility, allowing them to select options that fit their lifestyles and budgets. Access to no-cost preventive services — like vaccinations, screenings, and annual check-ups — remains a priority.

Key enrollment deadlines are set as follows:

The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025.
Those who enroll by Dec. 15, 2024, will have their coverage start on Jan. 1, 2025.

To facilitate enrollment, applicants can fill out an inquiry form on the Covered California website, reach out to Certified Enrollment Counselors, or contact Covered California directly at (888) 234-5366 or via email at GetCovered@cbhn.info.

The California Black Health Network (CBHN) collaborates with Covered California to advocate for health equity, focusing on underserved communities, including unemployed and gig workers. CBHN’s certified enrollers engage in outreach and onsite signups to help individuals access affordable healthcare options.