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Need for organ and tissue donors greater than ever; waiting list grows

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Many people believe that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of an organ and tissue donor, which is also untrue. Doctors who work to save lives are not the same doctors involved with organ donation, and organ donation will be considered only after every attempt has been made to save your life.

Published

7 years ago

April 18, 2019

Oakland Post

By Aisling Mäki, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Angela Gordon had no known health issues when she ended up in the emergency room with an unbearable headache. It was there that she discovered she had hereditary hypertension. And although she was just 19 years old, her blood pressure had reached stroke level. What shocked her most was learning that her kidneys had already developed scars and she would eventually need a kidney transplant.

In 2006, she underwent a procedure at the Methodist Transplant Institute to receive the kidney of a donor who had died in a car wreck. Gordon’s body later rejected the organ and, three years ago this month, she underwent a second kidney transplant. Thanks to medical advancements in recent years, she is doing well. She is alive today because two people made the decision to donate their organs.

Gordon has since become an ambassador for the Mid-South Transplant Foundation (MSTF), educating the public about her experience as a two-time organ recipient.

“MSTF is wonderful because they showed me I wasn’t the only one dealing with the emotions I had around the fact that someone had to lose their life in order to save mine,” she said. “They let me know that was the wish of the donor, to help somebody, and that there’s no need to feel guilty. It meant a lot just to have a group there who understood and to know there are a lot of other people like me.”

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are 113,697 on the national waiting list, and 94,913 are waiting for a kidney. More than 4,000 Mid-Southerners are awaiting organ and tissue donation, and 2,000 of them are African Americans waiting for kidneys. This is due in part to the significant prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetes in the Mid-South community.

However, despite the need, many people are still not registering to become organ and tissue donors.

“Even though so many of us have people in our family who have high blood pressure and diabetes and may need transplants, still, not enough of us choose to donate our organs to save lives,” Gordon said. “One person can save up to 50 lives with their tissue and organs, and many more lives because you touch the families of people’s loved ones who are waiting. We can do something about it.”

According to MSTP, it’s often a lack of knowledge, lack of trust of the medical profession, and a number of common myths that prevent people from registering as organ and tissue donors.

For example, some believe there are costs associated with donation, which is false. The donor’s family pays nothing for the cost of donation. All costs related to the donation of organs and tissues are paid by the recipient, usually through insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

Some people believe their religion doesn’t support donation, when, in fact, all major religions support organ and tissue donation and see it as a final act of love and generosity toward others by giving the ultimate gift of life.

Another persistent myth people believe is that no one will want their organs and tissues because of their age or medical history. However, age and most medical conditions do not exclude you from being a suitable organ and tissue donor. There are very few rule-outs, and due to medical advancements, those few may even change over time.

Many people believe that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of an organ and tissue donor, which is also untrue. Doctors who work to save lives are not the same doctors involved with organ donation, and organ donation will be considered only after every attempt has been made to save your life.

MSTF ambassadors like Gordon are working hard to educate the community about the facts of donation and transplantation by visiting churches, colleges, high schools, civic groups, health awareness events and workplace partner events. And that education seems to be having an impact; In 2018, the number of transplants was on the rise.

“I feel it’s due to increased education,” said Randa Lipman, MSTF Community Outreach Manager. “However, the needs are still so great in our community. Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the waiting list, and 22 people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time.”

Registering is easy. Simply check “yes” to be an organ and tissue donor every time you renew your driver’s license or state I.D, or register online; the MSTF website has a link to state registries where you can update your wishes at any time.

Friday, April 12 is Blue and Green Day 901. The Big River Crossing and Hernando de Soto Bridge will be lit blue and green for organ and tissue donor awareness. Shelby County School employees and students will wear blue and green, city and county governments will decorate their offices and wear blue and green, and an exciting surprise will be in store for the public at Overton Square at 6 p.m. Learn more about Blue and Green Day 901 at www.midsouthtransplant.org.

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#NNPA BlackPress

Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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#NNPA BlackPress

Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

4 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

4 days ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,