Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 9-2-16 Online Edition

National
Federal Judge Stops School Board Elections In Ferguson
FERGUSON, MO -- A fed- eral court judge has put a stop to the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s conducting of school board elections after ruling that the political process is not set in support black vot- ers.
In the ruling, U.S. District Court judge Rodney W. Sip- pell said, “it is my finding that the cumulative effects of his- torical discrimination, current political practices, and the so- cioeconomic conditions pres- ent in the District impact the ability of African-Americans in (the school system) to partici- pate equally in Board elec- tions.” It also stated that their election system violates the Voting Rights Act of 1865.
80 percent of students in
the school district are black and 12 percent are white. Only 3 out of the 7 board members are black, and at the time of the lawsuit’s filing, only 2 out of the 7 were black. A Univer- sity of Pennsylvania study shows that 68 percent of white children attend schools out- side of the district.
South African Girls Protest ‘Racist’ School Policy About Their Hair
RAHWAY, NJ — African fab- rics are more popular than ever, and the time is right to spotlight some of the continent’s most popular textile arts with a month-long celebration in Sep- tember! From fashion runways all around the world to exclu- sive boutiques to discount home décor retailers, the appeal of African culture in cloth contin- ues to grow. And unique forms of creative expression take on even greater meaning when they’re transformed into DIY (do-it-yourself) sewing, quilt- ing, craft, fashion and home decor projects.
African Fabric MonthTM (www.AfricanFabricMonth.com ) is an exciting new venture sponsored by Cultured Expres-
sions, Inc. It promotes the artis- tic and practical uses of such fabrics as batik, kuba, adinkra, bogolan/mudcloth, korhogo, adire, kente, and more, and serves to honor and promote the cultures that create them. Fabrics like these lend them- selves to one-of-a-kind gar- ments, handbags and accessories, quilts and home ac- cents, connecting DIY makers to the creators of the cloths through their culturally relevant colors, patterns and symbols.
“Feel the Fabric... Embrace the Culture,” and African Fabric Month is just another fun vehi- cle to reach people,” says author and designer Lisa Shepard Stewart, the owner of Cultured Expressions.
Student protests the ‘racist’ strict style rule.
High school students in South Africa have protested against black girls being forced by teachers to arrange their hair differently, alleging that they are made to follow racist strict style rules.
A student told Al Jazeera on Monday that protests erupted at the Pretoria High School for Girls after a 13-year-old black girl was disciplined recently for writing an essay on Black women suffering at the hands of "white privilege".
The 13-year-old was later pulled aside by a teacher and told that her afro was too un- ruly.
On Friday, a group of Black students decided to make a stand against the discrimina- tory rules on their hair at their assembly meeting by, "inspired by the Black Panther Party", dressing all in black and wear- ing headwraps.
Security guards were waiting at the assembly meeting.
On Saturday, the students at- tempted to hold a second, silent protest at a weekend fair being held
During apartheid, only white children were allowed to attend the school. Now, more than half the students are black.
CEO, 9, Raises $28,000 On Kickstarter For GaBBY Bows
The U. S. Justice Department Will Not Use Private Prisons Anymore
The U. S. Justice Department will not use private prisons be- cause *shocker* they are less safe and less effective.
Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said in a release, “They simply do not provide the same level of correctional services, programs, and re- sources; they do not save sub- stantially on costs.
Stocks of private prisons have since dropped significantly and opponents of these institutions have rejoiced in the step to- wards ending what seemed like an endless prison industrial complex.
However, it is important to note that Yates is only talking about a very small fraction of inmates. Federal inmates housed in private prisons total about 22,000 individuals as ac- cording to a report by The Washington Post.
A majority of inmates held in private prisons and private im- migration detention centers, are happening at the state level. So what happens next? Is it possible that Yates’ statement and the Office of Inspector General’s memo will create a nationwide trend in reevaluat- ing the use of private prisons? Although the politics of each state differs with regards to how much lobbying power and influence the Correction Cor- poration of America holds, the
DOJ is making a very loud symbolic statement with this decision.
The Office of Inspector Gen- eral’s memo acknowledged that the federal government spent $639 million on private prison contracts.
A recent Movement for Black Lives policy platform titled, “Invest-Divest” outlines how a misallocation of funds can lead to more harm than safety:
“There is no evidence that the massive spending on incarcera- tion reduces crime rates or keeps communities safer. Stud- ies do show that jobs and edu- cation make communities stronger and keep them safer. Investments in community based drug and mental health treatment, education, universal pre-K, and other social institu- tions can make communities safer while improving life out- comes for all.
Children who do not partici- pate in the preschool programs are 70 percent more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18. And youth who partici- pate in summer job programs in Chicago saw a 43 percent de- crease in arrests over a 16- month period. Studies show that jobs and education do not just make communities stronger — they make them safer.”
Gabrielle Goodwin, the 9-year old CEO of GaBBY Bows is in- spiring confidence and youthful creativity, one barrette at a time.
COLUMBIA, SC — Elemen- tary entrepreneur Gabrielle Goodwin recently raised $28,000 on Kickstarter with the help of her mom, Roza- lynn.
She will use the capital to manufacture new designs and colors for her hair accessory so- lution GaBBY Bows. The mother-daughter duo solved the age-old problem of disap- pearing girls’ hair barrettes by inventing The Double-Face Double-Snap Barrette by GaBBY.
The fourth grader received an outpour of support from more
than 300 backers and busi- nesses.
Gabrielle was just five years old when she started daily in- sisting she and her Mom create a barrette that would stay in her hair. They started the company when Gabrielle was seven years old.
Gabrielle is the self-pro- claimed President and CEO, handling inventory, serving as the lead saleswoman at trade shows, speaking to community groups and schools. For her product go to www.gabby- bows.com.
Church Hosts Racists Anonymous Sessions
CONCORD, NC --- After a summer of heightened racial tensions across the nation, Trinity United Church of Christ in Concord, North Carolina is hosting a weekly support group to help people confront and re- cover from their racist ideolo- gies.
For the past month, Pastor Nathan King has welcomed about a dozen people per week into the church fellowship hall to attend weekly Racists Anonymous (RA) meetings. In an interview with WJZY, King emphasized that churches need to do a better job at fighting racism.
“I think the churches came together on civil rights,” King
said, “I was a product of that, but I think we got complacent and it’s crept back in.”
The group’s founder, Carol Stanley, explained her inten- tion in starting the group. “We’re becoming clearer and clearer on the unconscious
racism that we all carry,” she said. “It’s a way to address one’s own racism as a spiritual prac- tice and discipline.”
The sessions, held on Wednesday nights, are led by a licensed therapist following the traditional 12-step model.
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