Archives for March 2017

Inmate hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center passes away

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

An inmate who had been hospitalized for the past month passed away Sunday at Harborview Medical Center.

A 27-year-old male inmate who had been hospitalized for the past month passed away early Sunday at Harborview Medical Center. He had been hospitalized since Feb. 28, after he was booked at the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle for third-degree theft and drug-related warrants.

The King County Medical Examiner’s office will conduct a review to determine the cause and manner of death.

As part of the standard review process for jail-related deaths, the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention will work with Public Health – Seattle & King County to conduct an internal investigation. The Seattle Police Department will also conduct an independent investigation.

House budget invests in Washington’s families

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

The “Families First” budget passed by House Democrats on Friday, March 31, includes critical investments in programs and services that benefit the children and families of Washington state.

“We are keeping our promise to Washington’s 1.1 million school kids,” said Rep. Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island). “This budget fully funds education, while also recognizing issues of poverty and skyrocketing college tuition.”

The House Democratic budget fully funds basic education, with an investment of an additional $7.1 billion over the next four years. That investment would address the teacher shortage and compensation crisis, as well as provide funding to services that improve student success, such as the Learning Assistance Program, parent engagement coordinators and guidance counselors.

In addition to funding K-12 education, the House Democratic budget makes key investments in other programs and services for children, such as early learning and children’s mental health.

The House Democratic budget includes investments to expand the Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP), allowing 3,000 more low-income children to benefit from early learning. The newly proposed Department of Children, Youth and Families is also funded through the House Democratic budget. The department will focus on improving outcomes for kids, especially foster kids, by consolidating services and removing barriers that various silos of service delivery can create.

The House Democratic budget also expands children’s mental health care as a part of the overall investment in mental health.

In addition, the budget proposal provides support for young adults and their families by freezing tuition for all college students at community and 4-year colleges, making a significant investment in both computer science education, and expanding the State Need Grant program to 6,000 more low-income students.

“We have to start putting families first. Washington is falling behind as a national leader in education, economic development and exploring the 21^st century economy. This budget puts us back on the right path,” said Senn.

Additional investments proposed in the House Democratic budget include funding for critical human services, housing and homelessness, civil legal aid, and quality care for Washington’s aging population and people with developmental disabilities.

In order to provide revenue to fund education appropriately while continuing to fund essential state programs, the House Democratic budget proposal includes a progressive revenue plan.

The revenue package enacts tax code reform, including closing the tax break on capital gains, with exemptions to protect retirement accounts and single-family homes. This capital gains tax would generally affect less than 2 percent of Washington tax filers.

Other provisions of the revenue plan include small business tax relief, which exempts 260,000 businesses from paying B&O taxes; changing the real estate tax to a progressive rate; ensuring marketplace fairness for Washington businesses; and closing costly and unnecessary tax breaks.

Freedom House Church Is Now One Church In Two Locations!

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

This Sunday, April 2^nd, Freedom House Church will be opening its second location right in the heart of Historic South End Charlotte.

With thousands who already call its North Charlotte area location home each weekend, Freedom House Church, which celebrates its 15th year anniversary later this year, is excited to be a part of the fast-growing South End community. The new location, less than a minute walk from the Lynx Light Rail/New Bern Station, features a 400-seat auditorium, several kids and student classrooms, cafe and bookstore.

According to Senior Pastors Troy and Penny Maxwell, the 12,000 square foot building was a former furniture warehouse, which required a 2.8 million dollar renovation by the church.

“This building and location was an answered prayer for our church,” says Troy Maxwell. “For years, we have been committed to reaching young families and single adults, so the idea of being a part of the South End community was something we were not going to miss out on.”

Service times for the new South End location, located on 3000 Griffith Street, will be Sundays at 9am and 10:30am. Parking is available at nearby Triple C Brewery, CMDAutomotive and The Durban Group, however, church attenders are also encouraged to park at the ScaleyBark Station and utilize the Lynx Light Rail.

For more information about Freedom House Church and its new South End location, log onto FreedomHouse.cc.

ABOUT FREEDOM HOUSE CHURCH: Founded in 2002 by Pastors Troy and Penny Maxwell, Freedom House Church is a multi-site, multi-cultural church located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Freedom House Church has grown from a family of five to over 4,000 people in weekly attendance.

Youth In Poverty Six Times More Likely To Experience Detrimental Levels Of Adversity Than Higher-Income Peers

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Center for Promise researchers at Boston University examine adversity’s effects on adolescents to support development of interventions leading to positive developmental outcomes

Barriers to Success: Moving Toward a Deeper Understanding of Adversity’s Effects on Adolescents , funded by Target, is a collection of findings from four separate studies on the role that multiple adversities play in the developmental outcomes of youth and how social supports can buffer the effects of adversity.

Despite increased high school graduation and college completion rates, declining teen pregnancy rates and less risky behavior among teens, many young people – particularly those in low-income communities – are not thriving. Data from each of the four studies shows that young people in low-income communities experience cycles of adversity and trauma that halt social mobility, educational progress, and emotional and social development.

Adversities accounted for in the study include economic hardship, parental divorce, incarceration or death of a parent, domestic violence, neighborhood violence, mental illness in a family member, and a family member dealing with substance abuse.

Understanding these findings will help practitioners and policymakers develop tailored interventions to mitigate the effects of multiple adversities on the lives of America’s youth.

“This report presents us with insights into the severe struggles that too many youth in our country face and the long-term consequences of these struggles,” said Dr. Jonathan Zaff, executive director, Center for Promise. “Children of color and children living below the federal poverty line are much more likely to experience myriad adversities in their homes and throughout their communities. Despite these struggles, we see many of these same youth succeed in school and in life. Our research shows that social supports from family and other adults in their lives and social supports for young people’s parents can help youth overcome their struggles.”

Key Findings

Adversities experienced by youth differ by income, maternal education, and race and ethnic background. White youth are more likely to grow up without adversity. Over half of White youth reported none of eight adversities listed compared to a little more than one-third of Black youth. On the other hand, young people identifying as Black or multi-racial had the highest rates of three or more adversities, at 16.6 percent and 15.5 percent, respectively.
The cumulative number and type of adversities young people experience matters. Adolescents who experienced certain clusters of adversities had lower probability of flourishing than others who had experienced different clusters of adversities; some were more likely than others to graduate high school, attend college, and hold a stable job. For example, clusters like violence and the loss of a parent were found to be the most harmful to a young person’s development.
Relationships can buffer the effects of multiple adversities for young people. The study found that for each additional adverse family experience a young person encounters, neighborhood support buffered the negative effects. There was still an increase in parenting stress, but it was significantly lower for mothers who had neighborhood support than those who did not.

Barriers to Success builds off of the Center’s previous reports, Don’t Call Them Dropouts and Don’t Quit on Me, which shed light on the way adversities affect a young person’s decision to leave school before graduation and the relationships and supports that help them to stay on track or re-engage once they have left.

Report & Other Resources
To access the full report, graphics and other resources, please visit http://www.americaspromise.org/report/barriers-success.

Authors & Sponsors
Michelle V. Porche, Ed.D is an associate professor of practice in Applied Human Development at the Boston University School of Education. Jingtong Pan is a doctoral candidate in Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University. Jonathan F. Zaff, Ph.D., the executive director of the Center for Promise, is also a Research Associate Professor in Applied Human Development at the Boston University School of Education.

This research study, Barriers to Success, is generously supported by Target.

More than one-quarter of children living in poverty (28 percent) experience three or more reported adversities in their adolescence, a rate nearly six times that of their middle and upper class peers, according to a new report by the Center for Promise, the applied research institute of America’s Promise Alliance. Multiple adversities, the research shows, put young people at increased risk of performing poorly in school or dropping out.

National Association of County and City Health Officials Announces Awards to Support Fluoridation in Local Communities

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

— Grants Awarded in Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Washington, and West Virginia through Pilot Project —

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has awarded grants to six entities to support community water fluoridation.

Dental cavities are a common chronic disease among American children; one in four children living below the federal poverty level experience untreated cavities. Water fluoridation prevents cavities by providing frequent and consistent contact with low levels of fluoride, ultimately reducing cavities by about 25% in children and adults.

“Science has demonstrated the effectiveness and benefits of water fluoridation on oral health,” said NACCHO’s Interim Executive Director and Chief Program Officer William M. Barnes, PhD, MBA. “NACCHO and the CDC are collaborating to help communities maintain their support for water fluoridation, especially in rural and low-income areas. We are committed to reducing health disparities and improving the quality of life for everyone.”

In January 2017, NACCHO, in partnership with the CDC, announced the project “Building Capacity for Oral Health: Fluoridation Equipment in Local Communities,” designed to support communities to either replace aging water fluoridation equipment or install new equipment for community water fluoridation. This one-time funding opportunity also helped to identify the need for assistance to support core infrastructure and inform future opportunities for similar projects.

While these community water systems work to diligently maintain their equipment, aging equipment poses a challenge after many years of use, particularly for small systems where resources are scarce. NACCHO received 27 grant applications from 13 states. A total of $125,000 was awarded to the following six grantees:

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities, KY (pop. 125,000)
City of Fircrest, WA (pop. 6,500)
City of Kannapolis, NC (pop. 53,100)
Jefferson Parish Water Department East Bank, LA (pop. 243,782)
Versailles Municipal Utility, KY (pop. 6,200)
West Virginia Oral Health Coalition, WV (pop. 1,634)

Water fluoridation is one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable, and safe measures to improve a community’s oral health.NACCHO is pleased to have the opportunity to provide these communities with the infrastructure support that will aid them inmaintaining effective water fluoridation for the communities they serve.

CIROC Ultra Premium Vodka: Sean “Diddy” Combs and the Makers of CÎROC™ Ultra Premium Vodka Deliver the Ultimate Summer Experience With New Limited Edition CÎROC™ Summer Colada™

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

Sean “Diddy” Combs and the Makers of CÎROC Ultra Premium Vodka proudly unveiled CÎROC Summer Colada, the newest addition to the successful flavor portfolio. The limited edition flavor is made with CIROC Ultra Premium Vodka infused with Coconut, Pineapple and other natural flavors. The liquid is packaged in an all-white bottle with a gold orb to entice the feeling of summer luxury. Summer Colada can be enjoyed on the rocks or with one of many fruit juices such as pineapple or passion fruit. A first for this brand, CÎROC Summer Colada will be available for a limited time only.

To introduce the world to CÎROC Summer Colada the brand launches a new campaign this week featuring “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” performed by British-American composer, singer-songwriter, and Tony Award Winner Rupert Holmes. The creative is inspired by Combs’ first trip to paradise, a life changing journey in which he learned the importance of taking the time to celebrate the fruits of the hustle. The spot runs through June on select digital outlets.

“CÎROC is always dreaming up new ways to celebrate, and this year we wanted to do something extra special for summer. CÎROC Summer Colada takes an incredible liquid that everyone will want to enjoy and delivers it in a special white bottle designed exclusively for the season,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs Chairman of Combs Enterprises. “CÎROC continues to deliver the most successful flavor innovations and this will be no exception. We look forward to making Summer Colada #1.”

Starting in April, CÎROC Summer Colada makes its first stop in Coachella Valley, home to one of the world’s most famous music festivals, as it travels to bring consumers unique experiences in paradise. Throughout the music festival weekend, fans will break from the hustle and experience their first taste of summer at the Revolve Desert House and other celebrity-studded, exclusive day parties, brunches and influencer events in Palm Springs. The makers of CÎROC will offer festival-goers safe transportation to and from select sponsored activities to reinforce the importance of responsible celebration. CÎROC is also enlisting a #CIROCsummer Squad featuring some of today’s most recognized and celebrated movers and shakers to join the movement. The weekend will set into motion a series of events which includes pool parties, rooftop brunches and tastings in top markets nationwide all leading up to the official first day of summer, June 21^st ensuring fans of the brand enjoy the ultimate #CIROCsummer.

CÎROC has created the following signature cocktails to help get you summer ready:

Colada Remix
1.5 oz. CÎROC Summer Colada
3 oz. pineapple Juice
Garnish: Pineapple wedge or mini Pineapple and Mini Umbrella

Coconut Chill
1.5 oz. CÎROC Summer Colada
1 oz. banana juice (or 1 whole banana)
2 bar spoon of coconut cream
½ oz. lemon
1 glass of ice
Blend all the ingredients
Serving: Rocks or Globe glass
Garnish: Pineapple leaves, bananas slices and cherry

Classic Colada
1.5 oz. CÎROC Summer Colada
1 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. coconut water
½ oz. lemon juice
Serving: Rocks glasses or frozen
Garnish: Pineapple leaves with a chunk of coconut

CÎROC Summer Colada is available in very limited quantities at liquor stores and top hotspots nationwide. Be sure to get your hands on a bottle before it is too late. Lock in your order online today at https://www.reservebar.com/ciroc-summer-colada.

ABOUT CÎROC ULTRA PREMIUM:
CÎROC Ultra Premium is made from Fine French grapes, which are distilled five times, providing a crisp, clean taste and citrus nose. CÎROC Ultra Premium launched nationwide in January 2003. In October 2007, DIAGEO – the world’s largest spirits and beer company – made spirits history by entering into a strategic alliance with entertainment entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs, in which Mr. Combs and Combs Enterprises assumed the lead on all brand management activities for CÎROC. The infused Vodka flavors in the portfolio to date include CÎROC RED BERRY, CÎROC COCONUT, CÎROC PEACH, CÎROC PINEAPPLE, CÎROC APPLE, and CÎROC MANGO in addition to CÎROC TEN Vodka. The brand received a 2013 Beverage Industry News Award of Excellence, was named 2011 Spirits Brand of the Year by Market Watch, and earned a double gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2010.

Landmark King Speech Honored at The Riverside Church Michelle Alexander, Ruby Sales, and Rev. William Barber headline 50th Anniversary of Beyond Vietnam

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

More than halfway through President Trump’s first 100 days in office, Civil Rights activists of the past and present headline events at The Riverside Church in the City of New York commemorating Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and drawing sharp contrasts between his legacy and current U.S. policy. April 4, 2017 marks the 50^th anniversary of Dr. King’s controversial Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence speech, delivered at The Riverside Church exactly one year before his assassination, in which Dr. King denounced America’s triple sins of racism, poverty, and militarism. This historic event will be honored with an evening in conversation with Michelle Alexander and Ruby Sales on April 4, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

All events are free and open to the press. RSVP to Rachel Johnson (rjohnson@trcnyc.org) or Brian Simpson (bsimpson@trcnyc.org) by noonApril 4.

“In Beyond Vietnam, Dr. King not only denounced a controversial war, he exposed to the country the underlying social evils of racism, poverty, and militarism which, if unaddressed, would continue to erode the soul of our nation,” said Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, Senior Minister of The Riverside Church. “That we will be marking 50 years since Dr. King’s assassination, exactly one year after he delivered Beyond Vietnam, under an administration endorsed by white supremacists shows how much work our country still needs to do to confront our sins. The strident message of Beyond Vietnam is a reminder that people of faith and good conscience must step up and lead the way.”

Many historians have cited Beyond Vietnam as a turning point in Dr. King’s ministry that lead to a rapid decline in his popularity and his assassination. The speech was written by Dr. Vincent Harding, a longtime confidant and advisor of Dr. King, who went on to be a professor at Iliff School of Theology and founded the Veterans of Hope Project.

“Dr. Harding possessed a spiritual and courageous insightfulness,” said the Rev. Dr. Thomas Wolfe, President, Iliff School of Theology. “He saw himself as a servant of the civil rights movement. Many people, even many within the movement, saw this speech as extremely controversial. Despite the resistance to connecting the movement to the war, he drafted the speech because it reflected the heart of Dr. King’s message and all that was at stake for the soul of America. This speech will continue to inspire and be the voice of generations to come.”

The event commemorating Beyond Vietnam features Michelle Alexander and Ruby Sales in conversation in the Nave of The Riverside Church where King delivered the sermon and is co-hosted by Iliff School of Theology, Veterans of Hope, and Union Theological Seminary. Alexander, visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary, is author of The New Jim Crow, which examines the continued legacy of discrimination and injustice that Dr. King confronted. Ruby Sales is a Civil Rights icon who worked in the Student Nonviolenct Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and went on to found The SpiritHouse Project.

On Sunday, April 2, prior to the anniversary, Riverside hosts Rev. Dr. William Barber II as guest preacher in the 10:45 a.m. worship service. Rev. Barber is former President of the North Carolina NAACP and organizer of the Moral Mondays movement. Anchored by quotes from Dr. King voiced by modern activists, the service will lift up the ways in which Dr. King’s work is being continued today.

These events kick off a yearlong Beyond the Dream: Living King’s Legacy initiative by The Riverside Church, spanning the 50^th anniversaries of Beyond Vietnam and Dr. King’s assassination. The year of activism and education will move participants from celebrating King’s dream and ideals toward living out his calls for justice and reconciliation in our country. Learn more at www.beyondthedream50.org.

Located in Morningside Heights on the Upper West Side, The Riverside Church in the City of New York is one of the leading voices of Progressive Christianity, influential on America’s religious and political landscapes for more than 85 years. Built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and currently led by The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, the interracial, interdenominational, and international church has long been a forum for important civic and spiritual leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, President Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and countless others. Visit www.trcnyc.org or find us on social media to learn more about our rich history and the latest news and events.

Founded in 1892, the Iliff School of Theology is an independent, graduate school related to the United Methodist Church that educates and develops leaders with courageous theological imaginations. Located in Denver, Colorado, it serves more than 30 denominations and faith traditions and is committed to social justice, inclusiveness, and religious diversity. As one of the best theological schools in the nation, the school offers a diverse community that is supportive, challenging, progressive, and enriching for students. Courses are offered on-campus, online, or in hybrid formats.

“Black Heritage Auction” to Feature Songs, Notes and Jewelry of Tupac Shakur

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

On April 7^thrap legend Tupac Shakur will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Brooklyn, New York. On the same day and only a few blocks away, a large selection of Tupac’s lyrics, song lists, clothing, and jewelry will be offered in the first “Black History Auction” held specifically to honor the achievements and contributions of African-Americans. Over 300 items will be sold live by auctioneers Alexander Historical Auctions at The Dumbo Loft, 155 Water St., Brooklyn, New York starting at 2:00 PM.

Offered for sale will be more than three dozen items from the legendary artist, including: 14 sets of lyrics, including “Catchin’ Feelins,” “Wonda Why They Call U Bitch” and “I Ain’t Mad At Cha”; his track list and a master recording for “All Eyez On Me”; his first music contract; contracts made to secure bail money; and his prison identification. Personal items include Tupac’s signed Koran, Rolls Royce license plates, his trademark nose and ear studs, screen-worn clothing, and jewelry, including a bullet-struck medallion from his fatal 1996 shooting.

Also being offered is a signed photo of Dr. Martin Luther King with a quote from the Constitution: “…all men are created equal…” along with a letter by King mentioning “Jackson,” Thurgood Marshall, and the Freedom Riders, and an important signed copy of his “Stride Toward Freedom.” Malcolm X is represented in a letter from prison discussing the “blackness” of a man, and several other important items. From President Barack Obama is a 2012 NCAA “Final Four” leader board, which appeared on ESPN, signed at the center. Boxer Muhammad Ali is represented in several lots, including a signed print of his painting showing a victory in the ring, adding his famous “Float like a butterfly” quote and a print of a painting later “censored” by the U.N.

Other notable items to be offered include:

The first literary work of a black American, a first edition of Phillis Wheatley’s “Poems,” 1773
Booker T. Washington’s notes on the education of blacks
Early Black Panther items including a very rare armband
Gen. Colin Powell’s dress uniform
Michael Jackson’s fedora, sequined bowtie, belt, shirt, and signed photos

Bidding will be available live, by telephone, and at the bidding websites invaluable.com,the-saleroom.com and liveauctioneers.com. The entire sale may be viewed online at http://www.alexautographs.com/pdfs/AlexanderHistoricalAuctions67.pdf. Alexander Historical Auctions may be reached at 203-276-1570, email:sales@alexautographs.com.

IF THE CFPB IS WEAKENED, WON’T THE CREDIT BUREAUS RUN AMOK (AGAIN?) – CFPB’s Successes Include Forcing Big Credit Bureaus To Delete Inaccurate Info, Fix Mistakes –

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

A leading consumer group warned that special interest attacks designed to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would also jeopardize its efforts to rein in the Big Three credit bureaus, which make mistakes that deny financial or employment opportunity to millions. The group added that since 2011 the successful CFPB has returned nearly $12 billion to 29 million consumers harmed by Wall Street banks, debt collectors, payday lenders, credit bureaus and other financial players.

The CFPB has used its strong tools, including supervisory, or examination, authority to investigate and improve compliance with the 1970 Fair Credit Reporting Act by large credit bureaus, especially the so-called Big Three – Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Recent news reports that the credit bureaus are removing liens and judgments that may be inaccurate info suggest strongly that the CFPB oversight is helping consumers.

“Congress passed legislation in 1970 to hold the credit bureaus accountable, but it never gave the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the tools it needed to enforce the law or protect consumers,” said Bruce Speight, WashPIRG Executive Director. “Yet, we are now seeing strong evidence that CFPB oversight is working to clean up inaccurate info. Taking away the CFPB would let the reckless credit bureaus run amok again, allowing their mistakes and abject refusal to fix them to deny financial opportunity again, just as it did for forty years.”

Highlights of recent CFPB actions include:

Recognizing the significance of credit bureaus in the consumer marketplace, the first use of CFPB’s Congressionally-authorized “larger participant” authority was to grant itself supervisory, or examination, authority over larger credit bureaus. The FTC never had this tool.
CFPB’s publication this month of a special edition of a “supervisory highlights” report outlines all the problems examiners have identified with credit bureaus and lists CFPB-demanded changes to the credit bureau’s “sub-par” reporting, reinvestigation and complaint procedures.
CFPB’s Monthly Complaint Database “snapshots” regularly list the credit bureaus as ranking 1, 2, and 3 in consumer complaints of all financial companies.

According to an in-depth analysis of that CFPB “Supervisory Highlights Report” by Chi Chi Wu of the National Consumer Law Center, “The report confirms the long-standing and extensive criticisms that attorneys and advocates have had of the Big Three CRCs [Consumer Reporting Companies] over the decades. As CFPB Director Richard Cordray characterized it, “Standards on the accuracy of information in consumer credit files were distinctly sub-par.”

Both NCLC and PIRG have conducted numerous studies of the credit bureaus and the two groups’ many reports have documented that the bureaus not only make serious mistakes in credit reports, they fail to reinvestigate them as required by law. Consequently, 5% of consumers have mistakes significant enough to be denied employment or financial opportunity or force them to pay too much for the credit they deserve, according to a 2013 FTC report, Speight added.

“The credit bureaus have for too long functioned as gatekeepers to financial and employment opportunity without adequate oversight,” added Mike Litt, WashPIRG Consumer Advocate. “Their mistakes mean you won’t get a fairly priced loan, a bank account, a place to live or even a job.”

“You can choose your bank and you can vote with your feet if you don’t like it. You’re stuck, however, with the credit bureaus,” concluded Speight. “We need to protect a strong CFPB because it’s making a difference for consumers in all financial markets, including credit reporting.”

-30-

New Report Calls for the Elevation of Black Women’s Leadership in Progressive Organizing and Social Justice Movements

March 31, 2017 by NWFacts Leave a Comment

To close Women’s History Month, the Los Angeles Black Worker Center, and affiliate of the National Black Worker Center Project (NBWCP), released a pilot project report, “Black Space for Women: From LA Practice to National Model for Sister Empowerment,” that reveals what Black women experience as barriers to leadership in progressive organizing. The report also offers a set of seven curriculum-based activities, including Letters to My Sister, Focus Groups and a Wellness Wheel, to address the health and wellness of Black Women in the labor and social justice movements.

Findings show that inequities in areas including education, housing, healthcare access and wages, challenge the capacity of Black women to fully exert leadership. In LA County, for example, Black women struggle through a widening gender gap, as well as a racial wage gap. There, Black women represent 14% of low wage workers, which is higher than all white male and female low-wage workers combined. There is also a $5,000 race wage gap between Black women who hold managerial positions and work professional roles compared to their white counterparts. These are oppressive economic obstacles that limit professional and social mobility.

“Historically, Black women have been hardest hit by economic and social crisis,” said Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, UCLA Labor Center Project Director and LABWC co-founder. “Our legacy of leadership has inspired generations to fight, but most of the Black women leaders who participated in the Black Space for Women workshops had stories of backlash to their leadership ambitions.”

The report, an assessment of the Black Space for Women project, is a compilation of more than two dozen interviews, focus groups, workshops and research by the UCLA Labor Center. It is also part of a local and nationwide effort to transform current norms and practices into supportive pathways to Black women’s leadership.

The national goal is to develop a collective plan with the National Black Worker Center Project (NBWCP), a national network of nine Black Worker Centers in Baltimore, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, LA, Mississippi, New Orleans, North Carolina, and Washington, DC, dedicated to addressing the multi-dimensional Black work experience.

“Enhancing Black women’s leadership incorporates the crucial mission of NBWCP’s recently launched #WorkingWhileBlack program,” said Tanya Wallace-Gobern, executive director for the NBWCP. “We have every intention of exposing the impacts of racial and economic injustice in the workplace, across the economic strata, regardless of geography, profession, skills sets, or income level.”

The report also cites unquantifiable barriers. During interviews and focus groups, participants answered a series of questions for discussions around personal experiences, involvement in social justice work, historical influences, role of Black women in the movement, life balancing, mentorship, and advice for sustainability in the work. They also described recent events that required healing. Several themes recurred including the LA jobs crisis, poverty, public perception, defying stereotypes, access to wealth and lack of trust among black women.

“I would like to see people go out there and regain what was took from us,” said Terri Green, LABWC leader activist and merchandiser. “There are so many things that we have done and accomplished that we do not get credit for. It is just time for us to get our rightful dues.” Green participated in the assessments for the report.

While the project initially centered at the LABWC, which is at the forefront of advocating for Black women in Los Angeles, the goal of Black Spaces for Women is to develop partnerships with women leaders at allied organizations to further understand these unique obstacles, advance strategies to overcome barriers, and grow Black women’s leadership. Current partners of the LABWC effort include: SEIU Women and African American Caucuses and Summer Institute on Union Women.

“What we learned speaks directly to the challenges Black women face and why creating spaces for them to heal and gain support for their leadership ambition is imperative to

elevating existing Black women leaders and developing new Black women leaders,” said Smallwood-Cuevas.

The next steps for the Black Spaces for Women includes fundraising to help refine the SPACEs model and sharing the curriculum with allies through theNBWCP affiliates across the country.
“Black Worker Centers play a critical role in grassroots progressive community organizing. Because Black women continue to be at the center of so many social justice movements, there should be dedicated spaces for them to heal, for fellowship with other Black women activists, and to help fulfill their ambitions to lead,” said Smallwood-Cuevas.