Greene County Democrat

Category: Health

  • Newswire : Trump Admin erases decades of school integration

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

    The Trump administration has ended a decades-old federal school desegregation order in Louisiana, the latest move in what legal experts and historians describe as a methodical dismantling of civil rights protections under the Project 2025 blueprint. Announced Tuesday, the Department of Justice declared the 1966 court-enforced desegregation decree involving Plaquemines Parish schools no longer necessary.
    Officials dismissed the long-standing order as a “historical wrong” and used its termination to signal that other civil rights-era mandates may soon be repealed. “We are getting America refocused on our bright future,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said. The Justice Department and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a joint motion stating, “The parties are satisfied that the United States’ claims have been fully resolved.” Officials said that the district was declared integrated in 1975, but the court never formally closed the case, and records have since vanished.
    Trump’s second term has unfolded in lockstep with Project 2025, a hardline conservative roadmap that calls for purging the government of diversity programs, civil rights enforcement, and what it calls “woke ideology.” Within days of taking office, Trump signed an executive order eliminating all chief diversity officers in the federal government, terminating racial equity contracts, and halting programs intended to remove discriminatory barriers.

    He has revoked the 1965 executive order on equal employment opportunity, cut funding to minority and women-owned businesses, and frozen grants focused on racial disparities in health care. The administration has labeled DEI efforts “immoral” and, in one executive action, accused cultural institutions of promoting “national shame.” Diversity itself, officials now say, is a “curse word.” Inside the Justice Department, appointees have privately discussed withdrawing from other desegregation orders, calling them an outdated burden on schools, according to a source familiar with the conversations. Yet dozens of districts across the South remain under court supervision to ensure racial integration—a legacy of the government’s post-Brown v. Board of Education enforcement.

    Civil rights advocates argue these agreements remain vital because segregation was never fully dismantled. However, officials aligned with Trump insist that the consent decrees are relics that have outlived their purpose. Historians say the administration’s actions extend beyond legal rollbacks and into aggressively reengineering American memory.
    Trump has criticized the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, accusing it of portraying Western culture as “inherently harmful.” Some government websites briefly removed references to Harriet Tubman and other Black historical figures before restoring them under public pressure. “It’s not just about erasing DEI. It’s about reshaping how this country sees itself,” said Lawrence Rosenthal, chair of the Center for Right-Wing Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. “Project 2025 replaces the institutions of democracy with a loyalty test to one authoritarian vision.”
    Meanwhile, research continues to show the lasting power of desegregation. A new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research followed Black children relocated under Chicago’s 1966 Gautreaux program. Those who moved to predominantly White neighborhoods earned up to $34,000 more by age 38, were more likely to be homeowners, and lived in communities with lower poverty. The benefits were most pronounced for children who moved at younger ages. “How on earth can you teach about Rosa Parks without talking about racism?” asked Mark Bray, a civil rights scholar at Rutgers University. “This is an attempt to rewrite the past—and in doing so, control the future.”

  • Newswire : Attorneys General sue Trump over Health Department purge

    By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

    Twenty state attorneys general, led by New York’s Letitia James, have filed a federal lawsuit to block what they call the Trump administration’s unlawful dismantling of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The lawsuit accuses the administration and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. of gutting the federal health system and putting lives at risk through mass firings and the shutdown of life-saving programs.

    The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, seeks to halt the so-called “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) directive, which the attorneys general argue violates the Administrative Procedure Act, the Appropriations Clause, and the constitutional separation of powers. “This administration is not streamlining the federal government; they are sabotaging it and all of us,” said Attorney General James.

    “When you fire the scientists who research infectious diseases, silence the doctors who care for pregnant patients, and shut down the programs that help firefighters and miners breathe, or children thrive, you are not making America healthy – you are putting countless lives at risk.”
    On March 27, Kennedy announced the MAHA directive under the Trump administration’s “Department of Government Efficiency” initiative. In a single move, 28 HHS divisions collapsed into 15, more than 10,000 workers were terminated overnight, and half of HHS’s 10 regional offices were shut down. By April 1, thousands of federal health employees had been locked out of their computers, emails, and office buildings—many learning of their termination only after their badges failed to work.
    Programs for low-income families and children, including Head Start, have stalled as regional offices closed and grant funding was frozen. Staff responsible for determining food and housing assistance eligibility, Medicaid, and TANF were fired. The team that runs the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was also eliminated, leaving millions at risk amid rising energy costs. The firings crippled mental health and substance use programs. Half the workforce at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was dismissed, its regional offices closed, and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline team drastically reduced. HIV/AIDS programs were cut, and tobacco enforcement has all but ended with the elimination of federal oversight.
    Entire maternal health teams at the CDC were fired, ending efforts to track and combat maternal mortality. The only federal lab that certifies N95 masks has shut down. Infectious disease surveillance has been severely weakened after key labs monitoring illnesses like measles were closed. The World Trade Center Health Program, which serves more than 137,000 9/11 survivors and first responders, faces the loss of key personnel needed to certify cancer diagnoses.
    California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the administration’s actions are beyond the scope of presidential power. “The Trump administration does not have the power to incapacitate a department that Congress created, nor can it decline to spend funds that were appropriated by Congress for that department,” Bonta stated. “That’s why my fellow attorneys general and I are taking the Trump administration to court—HHS is under attack, and we won’t stand for it.”
    Kennedy reportedly admitted he rejected a more deliberate review process for the terminations, saying it could slow “political momentum.” “The disastrous cuts to the WTC Health Program are placing in peril the lives of every first responder and survivor that relies on this health care program to stay alive,” stated Gary Smiley, a 9/11 first responder and union official.

  • Newswire : Legendary civil rights attorney Fred Gray honored with statue at Alabama State Bar

    Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray, right, and his wife Carol Gray look on during the unveiling ceremony of a statue of Fred Gray at the Alabama State Bar Association building in downtown Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday April 24,2025. (Mickey Welsh / Advertiser)

    By Safiyah Riddle, Philadelphia Tribune

    MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Legendary attorney Fred Gray — once deemed the “chief counsel” of the Civil Rights Movement by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — was honored with a statue outside the Alabama State Bar Association on April 24, 2025.
    “Growing up in Montgomery on the west side, I never thought that one day my image would be in stone to honor my professional career,” the 94-year-old said in an impassioned speech at the statue unveiling in downtown Montgomery.
    Gray represented prominent civil rights leaders like King, Rosa Parks and John Lewis throughout the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama, allowing activists to intentionally leverage mass arrests and civil disobedience to push for equal rights. Gray also represented participants in Selma-to-Montgomery marches in March 1965, which led to the Voting Rights Act in August later that year.
    On Thursday, Gray emphasized his gratitude for the countless other people he represented who aren’t often recognized — including Claudette Colvin, who was arrested in 1955 when she was a teenager after she refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus, months before Parks earned worldwide appreciation for doing the same.
    “I humbly accept this award for all those unknown heroes and clients whose names never appear in print media, whose faces never appear on television. They are the persons who laid the foundation so that you can honor me here today,” Gray said.
    The statue is engraved with the words “lawyers render service,” a phrase coined by Gray that is now championed by the Alabama Bar Association. Gray was the first Black president of the statewide organization in 2002.
    Gray’s role in the Civil Rights Movement was the first of many accomplishments in his 70 years practicing law. In 1970, he became one of Alabama’s first Black state legislators after Reconstruction.
    Around the same time, Gray represented Black men who filed suit after the government intentionally let their illnesses go untreated in the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study. His work eventually led to an official apology from President Bill Clinton on the government’s behalf in 1997.
    Gray is currently involved in a lawsuit seeking to remove a Confederate monument from a square at the center of mostly Black Tuskegee.
    In 2022, Gray received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
    Gray, who is an ordained minister, attributed his successful career to his faith in God and the support of his family, many of whom were in the audience as he spoke.
    He acknowledged Thursday that the court “system doesn’t always deliver justice” but said that he would continue to keep working “until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a stream.”

     

  • Newswire : Sounding The Alarm

    African American Museum of History and Culture, in Washington, D. C.

    By April Ryan, NNPA Washington Correspondent

    Hands off Our History plans more protests like the Saturday Washington DC rally, where several organizations banded together to draw attention to attempts to remove artifacts from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Black people built this country, and we will not allow anyone to erase us from the American story because Black History is American History,” says Melanie Campbell, president/CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
    Campbell told Black Press USA that Saturday “was the beginning of our resistance movement to fight to demand our Black history be respected.”

    In a March 31st article published by the North Carolina Black Alliance, the Smithsonian leader revisits history during an HBCU stop at Shaw University; Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch said, “I will probably get fired at some point,” Bunch said. “But I think the goal would be to, sort of, fight the fight as long as you can.” That fight is in the planning stages with leaders like Marc Morial of the National Urban League, Shavon Arline Bradley National Council of Negro Women, and Professor Kimberle Crenshaw of the African American Policy Forum, who were also part of the weekend demonstration for Hands Off Our History.

    Referring back to the March 31st published story, “The Smithsonian, with me at the leadership, is considered the best example of DEI leadership — you know, a woke leader,” Secretary Lonnie Bunch said. “So they’ll come after the Smithsonian. I get it. I think that the most important thing for me is to help the staff continue to do the work they need to do because the challenge is, with all that’s going on, people get paralyzed.” A threat of budget cuts can also cripple the museum, according to Bunch. “The reality is nobody’s immune.
    We plan every day for significant budget cuts,” Bunch said. “I’ve done scenarios with budget cuts as much as 40%, which means you have to reimagine the Smithsonian.” This reporter asked the Smithsonian spokesperson, Linda St. Thomas, about the story from the North Carolina Black Alliance. She said, “I have nothing to add. The Secretary speaks for himself.”
    Shavon Arline Bradley, the President of the National Council of Negro Women, is sounding the alarm with concerns over the house once owned by Mary McLeod Bethune that is now owned by the federal agency, the National Park Service. Bradley says, “We have to be concerned about the National Council of Negro Women’s Council House because you need more activity to show more engagement.” The concern is that the federal government won’t see the property as viable if there is not enough foot traffic and tourists there. “so I’m safe to say we should be concerned if we do not see more visitation to the council house,” added Arline Bradley.
    The building is Mary McLeod Bethune’s final home, where she met with then-First Lady Eleanor Rosevelt and other high-ranking officials to raise awareness and action on Black issues such as equity, the economy, community development, and education. When the building was sold to the National Park Service in 1994, the organization thought the federal government would preserve the historic building and “ensure protection and the upkeep.”
    NCNW Members have asked to repurchase the building. Arline-Bradley says she doesn’t know “if it is that simple.” Bradley says, “Protests, marches, and a financial plan are part of the efforts to save Black historic museums and history. Meanwhile, Melanie Campbell reiterates, “Black people built this country, and we will not allow anyone to erase us from the American story because Black History is America’s History.”

  • No Dumping in Greene County

    Illegal trash dumping is the improper disposal of waste in locations where it’s not permitted, often in public areas or on private property without the owner’s consent. This includes dumping trash in alleys, dumpsters, vacant lots, or open spaces. Illegal dumping can have negative impacts on the environment, public health, and property values. 

    To stop littering and illegal dumping, focus on preventing it, educating the public, and implementing effective solutions. This includes increasing trash and recycling bins, providing convenient waste disposal options, and promoting responsible waste management practices around Greene County and in the industrial park.

    The Eutaw Chamber of Commerce and other agencies in the county have organized and hosted annual clean up days to promote awareness through education campaigns to educate the public about the negative impacts of littering and the importance of responsible waste disposal and  engage residents in litter prevention efforts. 

    Enforce littering ordinances:
    In an effort to enforce existing laws against littering and to deter unwanted behavior the Greene County IDA has installed cameras on the property. There are signs warning against illegal dumping. The IDA is working in partnership with the Alabama Department of Public Health to enforce fines and imprisonment to deter this behavior. 

    STATE OF ALABAMA LAW CRIMINAL LITTER
    Ala. Code 13A-7-29 (1975). The State of Alabama’s law on criminal littering is very clear- anyone who knowingly deposits in any manner litter on any public or private property or in any public or private waters without permission to do so… It goes on to say that litter bearing  the name of a person shall constitute a rebuttal presumption that the person whose name appears on the material knowingly deposited the litter.

    Criminal littering is a class B misdemeanor. The fine for the first conviction shall be up to $500. The punishment for the second and any subsequent conviction shall include either a fine of up to $1000 and up to 100 hours of community service and the form of picking up literal along highways, roads, streets, public right away, public sidewalks, public walkways, or public waterways or by a fan of not less than $2000 and not more than $3000.

    It is the full intent of the Greene County IDA to enforce the state law with the assistance of the Alabama Department of Public Health.  For purposes of this article, 3 people have been identified as breaking this law in the Crossroads of America Port and Park. A thorough investigation is underway to determine the person who knowingly dumped food service trash in the industrial park. All three have been contacted by certified first class mail. One person has paid the fine. The other two parties have received a second notice. Their failure to respond to the second notice has forced the IDA to turn this matter over to the legal authorities. Thus their fine will be 10 times more than originally assessed.

     

  • Greene County celebrates 20th Year of Black Belt Community Foundation

    L to R: Community Associates Geraldine Walton, Mollie Rowe, Nancy Cole, BBCF President Felecia Lucky, BBCF Founder Carol P. Zippert, BBCF Community Associates Miriam Leftwich, Darlene Robinson and Johnni Strode-Morning.

    On Friday, April 25, 2025, the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) Greene County Associates held its 20th year celebration lifting community engagements supported by BBCF. Its theme: The Roaring 20’s depicted an era of fashion and a period of extraordinary community work in Greene County.

    BBCF President Felecia Lucky shared in the celebratory occasion, saluting the Associates with the statement “Greene County always goes big.” Greetings were also brought by Eutaw Mayor Latosha Johnson and Greene County Commission Chairperson, Garria Spencer, Associates Coordinator Miriam Leftwich, Nancy Cole, Johnni Strode-Morning and Darlene Robinson. Mollie Rowe served as Mistress of Order.

    A special recognition was presented to Dr. Carol P. Zippert as a founding member of BBCF. She gave a brief overview of the journey of the foundation.

    The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) is celebrating its 20th year of serving 12 counties in the Alabama Black Belt. Each of the 12 counties, including Greene, Sumter, Pickens, Hale, Perry, Marengo, Choctaw, Dallas, Lowndes, Wilcox, Macon and Bullock is hosting a 20th Year celebratory event.

    Through community grants and other financial and technical resources, BBCF assists local groups engaged in transformational work to lift its community through arts and culture, education, health and wellness, childcare, civic engagement, youth leadership, and related projects. Each county has a group of volunteers known as Community Associates who are dedicated to educating the community on the vision and mission of BBCF and assist in raising funds, which earn a percentage match by BBCF, to support local projects. Funds raised by Associates in a particular county support grants to groups in that county.

     

  • Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce holds annual meeting and dinner

    Pictured : Tennyson Smith Jr., Keynote Speaker;  Carrie Logan giving Citizens of the Year Award to Danny Cooper

    The Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting and dinner on March 24, 2025, in the newly renovated street level of the original Greene County Courthouse in downtown Eutaw. The Chamber serves and promotes the business and community improvement organizations in Eutaw and surrounding areas of Greene County.
    This gave many business and community leaders a chance to see the results of a renovation grant provided by the State of Alabama, to the Greene County Historical Society, for the renovation of the street level of the original Greene County Courthouse. The upstairs level, which was the historic courtroom, still needs to be renovated to complete work to make the old Courthouse into a welcome center, museum and community space.
    Carrie Logan, Director of the Chamber, gave a welcome. Rev. Julia Lyons gave an invocation, and a catfish dinner was catered from the Southfresh Fish Truck.
    Teresa Atkins, a former classmate of the keynote speaker, introduced Tennyson Smith Jr., Director of Student and Community Outreach at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, and a native of Greene County. Tennyson Smith Jr., spoke mostly from his PhD dissertation at the University of West Alabama on access by low-income rural students to higher education.
    In his talk, Tennyson Smith Jr., urged the Chamber of Commerce members to take more interest in supporting K-12 education in Greene County, to be able to train and retain a skilled workforce in the county. He urged businesses to visit schools, provide internships and mentorships for students ,and to encourage  parental involvement in the schools. “We need to make sure our schools are teaching and exposing our low-income rural children to the skills and mindset they will need to pursue a career in the future,” said Smith.
    Carre Logan reported on the work of the Chamber during the past year, highlighting a mural on Greene County near the Eutaw City Hall, work on the Christmas Parade and other community-wide activities.
    Logan then presented awards. Danny Cooper, former Alabama Power District Manager, Chair of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority and leader of the Eutaw Garden Club as the Chamber’s “Citizen of the Year”. Judy Jarvis was honored as the Chamber’s “Volunteer of the Year”. Phillis Belcher, Executive Director of the Greene County Industrial Development Authority was recognized as the Chamber’s “Business of the Year”.

  • Newswire : Could the next Pope be Black?

    Source: VINCENZO PINTO / Getty –
    Cardinal Peter Turkson,

    By Shannon Dawson, Newsone

    On April 21, Vatican officials confirmed the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88. According to CNN, the beloved pontiff died from a stroke and heart failure. As tributes pour in from around the world, many are mourning a spiritual giant whose legacy will be felt for generations. But amid the grief, a pivotal question has begun to surface: Who will follow in his legendary footsteps? And more specifically, could the next pope be Black?
    For centuries, the papacy has been predominantly held by Europeans. Yet, in recent decades, the Church has slowly begun to see figures from around the world step into the coveted position. Pope Francis himself shattered centuries of tradition as the first Latin American—and the first Jesuit—to ascend to the papacy in nearly 1,300 years.
    Now, as the world looks to the future, the question of representation is once again front and center. Could we be on the brink of witnessing a historic moment, the election of the first Black pope in the modern era?
    Cardinal Peter Turkson has a strong chance of becoming the first Black pope in centuries.

    Cardinal Peter Turkson, a leading frontrunner, would make history as the first African pope in centuries, if elected. According to Newsweek, he currently holds 5:1 odds in betting markets and boasts a strong resume for the role. Turkson previously led the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, where he was outspoken on key global issues including climate change, poverty, and economic justice.
    Made Archbishop of Cape Coast (Ghana) in 1993, Turkson rose to high ranks in 2003, when he became the first Ghanaian to become a cardinal-priest following an historic appointment from Pope John Paul II, according to The College of Cardinals Report. He has also played a major role in shaping the Vatican’s stance on social justice, environmental issues, and human rights.
    Retired American Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of Washington, D. C., was the first Black Cardinal appointed in the United States. Gregory at age 77 is eligible to vote in the upcoming Conclave and could also be selected as Pope.
    The idea of a Black pope isn’t as far-fetched or unprecedented as it might seem. In fact, history tells us that there have already been three popes of African descent, albeit in the early centuries of Christianity, according to Pope History. These include Pope Victor I (served c. 189–199 AD), Pope Miltiades (served 311–314 AD) and Pope Gelasius I (served 492–496 AD).

    Pope Victor I (c. 189–199 AD)
    Widely recognized as the first African pope, Victor I was born in the Roman province of Africa—likely in present-day Libya or Tunisia. His papacy is best remembered for his decisive leadership during the Quartodeciman controversy, a major dispute over the correct date to celebrate Easter. Victor pushed for the uniform observance of Easter on a Sunday, aligning with Roman tradition and moving away from the practice of celebrating it on the 14th of Nisan, a date based on the Jewish calendar. Though his firm stance drew criticism from some Eastern bishops, it established a precedent for liturgical unity in the Church, according to Pope History.
    Pope Miltiades (311–314 AD)
    Born in Africa, Pope Miltiades led the Church during a pivotal transition in its history. His papacy began just as the Roman Empire was easing its persecution of Christians. In 311 AD, Emperor Galerius issued the Edict of Toleration, ending the systematic oppression of Christians and allowing them to worship freely. Miltiades was instrumental in helping the Church navigate this newfound freedom. His diplomatic skills and steady leadership laid the groundwork for Christianity’s emergence from the shadows and into the public square as a legally recognized faith.
    Pope St. Gelasius I (492–496 AD)
    Considered one of the most prolific papal writers of the Church’s early centuries, Pope St. Gelasius I was born in North Africa during the twilight years of the Western Roman Empire, just before its fall to the Vandals. Despite the political chaos of the time, Gelasius powerfully asserted the primacy of the Bishop of Rome over the other major patriarchates of Christendom—Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria. His most enduring legacy lies in his articulation of the doctrine of the “Two Powers”—spiritual and temporal—establishing the pope’s supremacy in spiritual matters. This vision of papal authority would influence Church-state relations for the next thousand years.
    Could It Happen?
    So, could there be a Black pope in the future? Yes, it absolutely could happen. There is no doctrinal or institutional rule preventing a Black man from becoming pope. The increasing diversity of the College of Cardinals and the Church’s growing inclusivity make it a very real possibility in the coming decades.

     

  • Newswire : Young Americans losing faith in the system

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

    A new national survey from the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School finds young Americans facing financial uncertainty, deteriorating mental health, and a growing lack of trust in institutions. The 50th edition of the Harvard Youth Poll offers a comprehensive look at the attitudes of Americans aged 18 to 29—particularly young Black individuals—who feel increasingly left out of national conversations and underserved by political leadership.

    Conducted March 14–25, 2025, the poll surveyed 2,096 respondents across the country. More than four in 10 say they are “barely getting by” financially. Young Black Americans continue to face deep financial stress, with 45% reporting hardship. Many express concern about limited opportunities, stagnant wages, and the rising cost of education and housing. Among those struggling, 51% believe President Trump’s policies will worsen their finances in the coming years.

    Only 15% of all respondents say the country is headed in the right direction. Just 16% report doing well financially, while economic hardship is more severe for women, young Hispanics, and those without a college degree. Nearly half of young women (47%) report limited financial security, while 52% of young Hispanics say they are struggling or just getting by. Half of respondents without a degree report hardship, compared to 29% of college graduates.
    Approval ratings among young Americans continue to decline. President Trump’s approval stands at 31%, virtually unchanged from earlier years. Approval of Democrats in Congress has dropped to 23%, down from 42% in 2017. Congressional Republicans remain essentially unchanged at 29%. Among young Black Americans, Trump’s approval has risen to 16%—up from just 6% in 2017—but a strong majority still disapprove. Social connection has also weakened. Only 17% of young people report feeling deeply connected to any community, and 18% say they feel no strong sense of belonging. For Black youth, the sense of isolation intersects with political disengagement and mental health struggles. Those without strong community ties are more likely to report symptoms of depression, with 59% saying they felt down or hopeless for several days in the past two weeks.
    The long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain evident. Isolation during formative years—especially among those who were entering high school or college in 2020—continues to shape mental health outcomes. Individuals aged 19 and 23 report the highest levels of lasting social isolation, with 38% and 40%, respectively, saying they lost connection with friends and have not reestablished those relationships. Among those who lost friendships and failed to reconnect, 55% reported depressive symptoms. Views on traditional life milestones are shifting. Just 48% say having children is important, and 57% say the same about getting married. While 86% say financial security is a top goal, only 56% are confident they’ll achieve it.
    Confidence in reaching life goals is higher among Republicans, who are more likely than Democrats to say marriage, children, and homeownership are important—and achievable. Distrust in major institutions is widespread. Only 19% of young Americans trust the federal government to do the right thing most or all of the time. Trust in Congress stands at 18%, the presidency at 23%, and the Supreme Court at 29%. The survey also found that young Black Americans are more likely to say they feel excluded from decisions that affect their lives and communities.
    The debate over Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) remains divisive. Just 9% of young Americans say DEI initiatives have helped them personally, while 11% say they have been harmed. Among Democrats, 22% report positive experiences with DEI, compared to only 3% of Republicans. Conversely, 21% of young Republicans believe DEI harmed them. Young people of color are more likely than white youth to view DEI as promoting fairness.
    Foreign policy views also reveal generational differences. Young Republicans are less likely to support global alliances than Democrats. Only 13% of young Republicans say the U.S. should maintain current NATO obligations, compared to 46% of Democrats. When asked about reasons for U.S. involvement abroad, respondents most often cited protecting allies, defending national security, and addressing human rights violations—but fewer than one in five supported interventions to promote democracy or counter foreign influence. Concerns about immigration have shifted over the past year. Forty-two percent of young Americans now say there is a crisis at the Southern border—down from 53% in 2024. Among Democrats, belief in a border crisis dropped 17 points, from 43% to 26%. Democratic respondents are also more likely to say that recent immigration has done more good than harm.
    President Trump’s policy proposals continue to meet resistance among young Americans. None of the eight tested initiatives—ranging from tariffs to eliminating federal departments—received majority support. Tariffs were backed by just 19% overall, and only 5% of Democrats. A proposal to create a Department of Government Efficiency received 35% support, the highest among those tested. One of the least supported policies—redeveloping Gaza by displacing Palestinians—was opposed by a majority, including 77% of Democrats. “These findings are a stark reality check,” said Setti Warren, director of the Institute of Politics. “And leaders across the country would be wise to pay close attention.” “This is a generation that’s weathered pandemic isolation during formative years, entered an unstable economy, and faced skyrocketing housing and education costs—all while being told they’re not resilient enough,” said John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Institute of Politics. “What Gen Z needs isn’t another lecture, but genuine recognition of their struggles and leaders willing to listen before they speak.”
    “Amid financial hardship and a devastating crisis of community, young Americans are increasingly disillusioned with the world as they struggle to find their place in it,” said Jordan Schwartz, student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project. “This generation doesn’t expect politics to solve their problems, but as young Americans continue to lose faith in government institutions, the need for politicians to listen to and learn from young people has never been greater.”

  • Neswire: Chavis confronts digital racism and demands reparations at U.N. Forum

    Dr. Benjamin Chavis speaks at UN

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

     

    National Newspaper Publishers Association President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. delivered a forceful address during the fourth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, calling on global leaders to confront algorithmic discrimination, reject media-driven imperialism, and fully recognize the crimes of slavery through official reparatory justice.
    Representing the Black Press of America and media led by people of African descent around the world, Chavis condemned what he called “digital racism” — the growing presence of racial bias embedded in artificial intelligence and across digital platforms. He said the same systems that once commodified Black bodies are now being used to control and misrepresent Black voices in the digital space. “We, therefore, call on this distinguished gathering of leaders and experts to challenge member states to cite and to prevent the institutionalization of racism in all forms of media, including social media, AI, and any form of digital bias and algorithmic discrimination,” Chavis stated.
    This year’s forum theme, “Africa and people of African descent: United for reparatory justice in the age of artificial intelligence,” guided a week of sessions and events hosted by the U.N. and its agencies. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) participated in multiple discussions centered on justice, recognition, and development, with Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem delivering remarks at the session’s opening.

    Chavis, a veteran civil rights leader and former NAACP executive director, said one of his key goals was to ensure accurate and direct language around slavery and its legacy. He pointed out that for the first time, the Permanent Forum is officially using the term “reparations.” He also called for the U.N. and its member states to update terminology related to the transatlantic slave trade, including recognition of chattel enslavement as a legal framework for understanding the denial of humanity.

    “We cannot trust nor entertain the notion that former and contemporary enslavers will now use AI and digital transformation to respect our humanity and fundamental rights,” Chavis told the forum. He proposed the formation of an international collective of multimedia and digital organizations that are owned and operated by Africans and people of African descent. Such a collective, he said, would serve as a necessary counter to the racism and imperialism maintained by so-called mainstream global media corporations and technology companies.

    Established by the U.N. General Assembly in 2021, the Permanent Forum serves as a consultative and advisory body to the U.N. system and the Human Rights Council. Its mandate includes providing expert guidance on combating systemic racism, contributing to the drafting of a U.N. declaration on the rights of people of African descent, and assessing progress from the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024) while shaping the next decade (2025–2034).
    Chavis’s appearance also focused on language deconstruction, especially in the Caribbean, where sanitized or inaccurate terminology has distorted historical understanding. The famed Wilmington Ten leader spoke of the importance of framing slavery as a crime against humanity rooted in the ownership of human beings. “Our focus is on reparatory justice, digital justice, and the dismantling of algorithmic bias,” Chavis said. “Basta the crimes against our humanity. Basta Racism. Basta Imperialism. A Luta Continua. Victoria est Cert.”