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More than 40 Baltimore organizations and small businesses call on Congress to demand an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine

THE AFRO — “Thousands of Baltimoreans have made phone calls and participated in protests against Israel’s genocide in Palestine, and still our elected officials ignore us” said Anna Evans-Goldstein, who helped coordinate the letter following a Jewish-led sit-in at the office of Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) that helped move the congressman to call for a ceasefire on November 8.
The post More than 40 Baltimore organizations and small businesses call on Congress to demand an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 year ago

December 6, 2023

AFRO Staff

By AFRO Staff

Baltimore, MD – On Dec. 5, more than 40 organizations and businesses representing more than 200,000 people in the Baltimore area sent a letter urging Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), and Rep. John Sarbanes (MD-03) to join a growing list of members of Congress calling for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine.

The letter’s signatories include leading civil rights, student, Jewish, veteran, faith, and street violence prevention organizations.

“Thousands of Baltimoreans have made phone calls and participated in protests against Israel’s genocide in Palestine, and still our elected officials ignore us” said Anna Evans-Goldstein, who helped coordinate the letter following a Jewish-led sit-in at the office of Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) that helped move the congressman to call for a ceasefire on November 8.

“In a time when Torah and Jewish values are being weaponized by many to call for greater violence, my Jewish community and so many Jewish Marylanders uplift that our tradition honors pikuach nefesh—saving a life, as a value that supersedes all else,” said Rabbi Ariana Katz, the founding rabbi of Hinenu: The Baltimore Justice Shtiebl. “Immediate ceasefire is the only way to pikuach nefesh in the face of the heinous bombardment and invasion of Gaza.”

“The catastrophic carnage, death, and devastation in Gaza, funded by billions of U.S. tax dollars, is reminiscent of some of the darkest periods in human history,” said Zainab Chaudry, Maryland director for the Council on American–Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil liberties organization in the U.S. “We are urging members of congress to demonstrate moral courage in this critical moment and take immediate action to help save innocent lives by supporting an immediate, permanent ceasefire and the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid.”

“As an organization of over 100 public school students in Baltimore City, we stand unequivocally for peace and an end to our government’s complicity in Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of civilians and public infrastructure—including a number of schools—in Gaza,” said Ethan Eblaghie, a member of the Baltimore Student Union.

“We need a lasting ceasefire and a full hostage exchange as the first step towards a long-term political solution that ends occupation, apartheid, and siege and ensures equality, justice, and safety for all Palestinians and Israelis,” said Zackary Berger of IfNotNow Baltimore, a Jewish organization dedicated to ending the occupation of Palestine.

“Billions of dollars have been willingly provided to support Israel’s brutal military assault on Gaza,” said Ashley Hufnagel, Executive Director of United Workers. “But when it came time to extend the pandemic era protections and benefits that cut child poverty in half, decreased hunger, and kept people on life-saving Medicaid, there was no money? For poor people in Palestine and poor people in America, the outcome is the same—death and misery.”

“As a citizen of the world, I understand that oppression, trauma, and misunderstandings that lead to violence painfully impact the whole of us—while peaceful, equitable, and humane problem-solving helps to heal the whole of us,” said Erricka Bridgeford, founder of Baltimore Peace Movement (formerly Baltimore Ceasefire), which works to end violence in the city. “Please honor our humanity by calling for a ceasefire between Israel and occupied Palestine.”

“More than 15,000 Palestinians, almost half of whom have been children, have been killed by the Israeli military since October 7,” said Ida K., a member of The Greater Baltimore Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. “We desperately urge our political representatives to sign on to official demands for a permanent ceasefire and put an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people. We will keep organizing until peace is achieved in occupied Palestine.”

Rep. Mfume remains the only Baltimore-area member of Congress to call for a ceasefire, despite polls showing 80% of registered Democrats and 66% of all voters supporting one. Complete List of Signers: Anti-Imperialist Action UMBC, Baltimore Abortion Fund, Baltimore City Green Party, Baltimore Palestine Solidarity, Baltimore Peace Movement, Baltimore Phil Berrigan Memorial Veterans For Peace, Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy, Baltimore Student Union, Baltimore Youth Arts, Black Theology Project, Bloom Collective, Community College of Baltimore County Muslim Student Association, Community Play Project, Council on American Islamic Relations Maryland, Fruit Camp Studios, Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America, Greater Baltimore Residents for a Ceasefire, Hinenu: The Baltimore Justice Shtiebl, IfNotNow Baltimore, Islamic Community Center of Laurel, Jewish Voice for Peace Baltimore, June and July Therapy, Malaya Movement Baltimore, Maryland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, Mera Kitchen Collective, MICA Organizers & Activists, NLife, NoMuNoMu, Our Time Kitchen, Peace Action Baltimore, Peace Action Maryland, Present Company, Red Emma’s Cooperative, Students and Labor Against Police, Station North Tool Library, Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Towson Freedom School, Tubman House, United Maryland Muslim Council, United Workers, Women Leading Baltimore.

The post More than 40 Baltimore organizations and small businesses call on Congress to demand an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers .

The post More than 40 Baltimore organizations and small businesses call on Congress to demand an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Palestine 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

16 hours 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

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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

2 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.”

Stacy M. Brown

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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

2 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: