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UAW President Ray Curry Seeks Re-Election, Best Candidate for the Job

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Hiram Jackson, Michigan Chronicle publisher and Real Times Media CEO, said that Curry (a 2022 Michigan Chronicle Man of the Year Award winner) is a tireless supporter of civil and human rights, and the military veteran is known for his servant leadership skills and for being instrumental in implementing broad financial ethics reforms. “Curry’s dynamic work and talents in his position at the UAW never fail to inspire others to be tenacious in their journey. His passion and experience are why I also back him as being re-elected as president,” Jackson said. “He will continue to go above and beyond to get the job done.”

Published

4 years ago

July 20, 2022

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By Sherri Kolade | Michigan Chronicle

After just over a year of leading the United Autoworkers Union (UAW), Ray Curry, a North Carolina native and president of the UAW (since June 28, 2021) is seeking re-election.

Since taking the helm from then-UAW President Rory L. Gamble last year after his retirement, Curry told the Michigan Chronicle that his tenure has been marked by great transformation and, simultaneously, much-needed continuity.

“It’s been an exciting time and a challenging time. I was previously elected in 2018 as the secretary, treasurer, or chief financial officer, and responsible for the reforms,” Curry said adding that under his helm, he’s continuing the work of transparency that was started during Gamble’s time as president, which he prioritizes, too, after scandals rocked the UAW previously with better checks and balances in place. “We’ve opened up a compliance department that’s soon to be filled. We’ve got a new training mechanism inside the organization. We’re now we’re not just training staff, we’re training staff and all clerical with having human resources and organizational development department. So, we’re excited about being able to keep a cutting edge of institutional knowledge that’s out there alone with new marketplace knowledge … that will be beneficial as we continue to grow.”

As UAW president, Curry continues his commitment to transparency and reform within the UAW. “Restoring member confidence in our union is a high priority. We will continue to work with the monitor to develop and implement more checks and balances for our union.”

Gamble told the Michigan Chronicle that he is endorsing Curry because of his experience.

“He cares about the organization and I have complete faith in his responsibilities and he will complete the job of reconstruction at the UAW to bring the union back to the … prominence it deserves,” Gamble said. “Ray believes that working families in this country deserve to have a strong voice in the workplace. … I believe he will do everything in his power to make sure that happens.”

The UAW’s 38th Constitutional Convention will take place in Detroit from July 25-28. The Convention starts the election nomination process and in the coming months, UAW members will vote on their next president via mail.

Curry became a UAW member in July 1992, when he was hired as a truck assembler at Freightliner Trucks in Mount Holly, North Carolina, (now Daimler Trucks, NA) after serving in the U.S. Army for three years on active duty and five years in the US Army Reserve. Shortly after joining UAW Local 5285, he became active in the local’s civil rights standing committee. “I have always believed that it is a duty to make change happen.

“My years on that standing committee gave me both a deep understanding of our great union as well as the awareness of what can happen when we work together,” according to his biography.

He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Business Administration / Finance. He holds an MBA degree from the University of Alabama.

Curry told the Michigan Chronicle that he sought to be engaged in community efforts in all of the leadership positions he has held, which helped him to “rise through the ranks” to where he is today.

“Whether in my home state of North Carolina or (when I) transferred to different roles and ultimately in Michigan I … understand the sacrifices of membership,” he said adding that he believes in the people he leads.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) president and CEO told the Michigan Chronicle that he supports Curry who he’s known for several decades. The NNPA is the national trade association that represents African American newspapers and media companies.

“Ray Curry’s leadership at the United Auto Workers has been transformational and very uplifting for the cause of labor rights and civil rights,” the lifetime NAACP member said, adding that there is a strong tie between the NAACP and the labor union. “Historically, the UAW was one of the leading forces in labor that supported the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.”

Chavis worked for Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) — a major player in the civil rights march on Washington – while also working for the Black press. He said that the UAW has been a firm proponent of the Black press, too, which continues today.

“During President Ray Curry’s tenure as president at the UAW he was a strong advocate and supporter of the Black Press of America, and on behalf of the NNPA that represents African American newspapers and media companies I just want to say categorically that Ray Curry (in our view) has been the best president in UAW history as he continues to create more and more opportunities for a diverse and inclusive workforce in the automotive industry.”

Hiram Jackson, Michigan Chronicle publisher and Real Times Media CEO, said that Curry (a 2022 Michigan Chronicle Man of the Year Award winner) is a tireless supporter of civil and human rights, and the military veteran is known for his servant leadership skills and for being instrumental in implementing broad financial ethics reforms.

“Curry’s dynamic work and talents in his position at the UAW never fail to inspire others to be tenacious in their journey. His passion and experience are why I also back him as being re-elected as president,” Jackson said. “He will continue to go above and beyond to get the job done.”

Curry said that from dealing with the auto crisis and recession to the evolving marketplace now – the UAW has stood firm in the face of calamity with a steadfast promise of helping their valued members and community.

“We’ve dealt with the food, fuel crisis of the ‘70s … and an evolution of vehicles change in our industry with regard to electric vehicles, transitioning from industrial, internal combustible engine vehicles, and the supplier and component parts that are tied to that,” he said adding that the biggest part of the growth opportunity under his leadership includes three Ps. “Protecting things for our past retirees, keeping the promise to our present members … and also the prospect of future members in growing every single location that we have across the country with another generation of auto workers. That piece is important.”

Curry said that those commitments complement his re-election platform, which is, “Building Our Tomorrow Today,” through prospective partners, organizations, or elected officials across the nation.

“We are also making sure that the right legislation, making sure that the right collective bargaining agreements and others are in place for our tomorrow, but we are building our tomorrow, in actual real-time today,” he said adding that his platform coincides with the UAW’s organizational values. “The whole goal is to build a new opportunity for another generation of auto workers. … It’s important for me that we continue to build and do the work that’s necessary. “

For more information visit uaw.org/uaw-constitutional-convention-2022-update/.

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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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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

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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,