NNPA NEWSWIRE — Not only does obesity impact 1-in-3 Americans, it also takes a disproportionate toll on communities of color since almost half of Black Americans are living with obesity. Obesity is also a leading risk factor for COVID-19; 78% of people who were hospitalized, placed on a ventilator, or died from the pandemic were overweight or living with obesity. And we know that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts Black and Latino communities, who are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized for severe cases of COVID-19 than whites.
Congress
Posted inTimes Weekly News
AG Raoul urges Department of Education to fix public service loan forgiveness program
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 22 attorneys general, late last week urged the U.S. Department of Education to take robust action to fix the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Business, Community, Featured, Food, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics, Stacy Brown
Change is Brewing Across the Nation
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Now is the time for Congress to embrace bold, courageous leadership and join Congresswoman Cori Bush in co-sponsoring The People’s Response Act and ensuring its final passage. We appreciate Congresswoman Cori Bush for having the courage and vision to introduce the People’s Response Act, legislation that would boldly transform public safety in America,” said Jabari Paul, US Activism Manager for Ben & Jerry’s.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Business, Commentary, Community, Economy, Featured, Homeownership, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics, Rep. James Clyburn
PRESS ROOM: Clyburn Chronicles Episode with Nlihc President and CEO Diane Yentel
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Just like 2020, we will remember as the year of the pandemic, the year when racial inequities were brought to the forefront in so many ways,” said National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) President and CEO Diane Yentel. “I think 2021, if we get this Build Back Better bill right, 2021 could be the year we look back as the year we began to end homelessness in our country once and for all.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Business, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Economy, Featured, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics, Travel
67% Of Business Travelers to Reduce Trips Amid Rising Covid-19 Cases
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The lack of business travel and events has major repercussions for employment both directly on hotel properties, and in the broader community. Hotels are expected to end 2021 down nearly 500,000 jobs compared to 2019. For every 10 people directly employed on a hotel property, hotels support an additional 26 jobs in the community, from restaurants and retail to hotel supply companies—meaning an additional nearly 1.3 million hotel-supported jobs are also at risk.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Community, Economy, Featured, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, NNPA Special - NNPA Black Voter Drive, Politics, Stacy Brown
Several Organizations Set to March on Washington
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “These laws suppress voting methods that enrich our democracy and lead to high turnout: banning ballot drop boxes and mail-in voting, reducing early voting days and hours, restricting who can get a mail-in ballot, prohibiting officials from promoting the use of mail-in ballots even when voters qualify, even criminalizing the distribution of water to voters waiting in the long lines these laws create,” said the March on Washington organization.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Featured, Homeownership, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics, Ray Curry
2021 Fair Housing: Restoring HUD Rules and Revenues
NNPA NEWSWIRE – “By guaranteeing affordable mortgages for White families and excluding Black families or limiting Black families to purchase in less economically advantageous neighborhoods, the government created, encouraged, and reinforced intense residential racial segregation throughout the nation,” said Richard Rothstein, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.’s Senior Fellow Emeritus. “White flight,” or the creation of White suburbs, was also undergirded by massive federal investments in the construction of the interstate highway system. The federal government often took possession of homes and land in Black communities by claiming eminent domain in order to construct highways as physical barriers between White neighborhoods and areas with a large presence of African Americans or communities of color.”
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Economy, Featured, Financial Management, National, News, NNPA, Politics, racism
A year of COVID-19 brought record consumer debt and collection complaints
NNPA NEWSWIRE – “Systemic racism has fostered a debt collection landscape in which people of color are more likely to be contacted by collectors and more likely to be impacted by lawsuits resulting in wage garnishment and bank levies,” states CRL. “State laws differ in terms of how much money is “protected,” or is unable to be seized by a debt collector, to leave money for a family’s basic needs. Federal protection is urgently needed.”
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Economy, Featured, Law, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, NNPA Special - NNPA Black Voter Drive, Politics, Stacey M. Brown
President Biden Poised to Sign $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “As the President said last week, once the rescue plan is signed, we’ll be able to start getting payments out this month,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. “Treasury and IRS are working tirelessly to make that happen. They are building on lessons learned from previous rounds to increase the households that will get electronic payments, which are substantially faster than checks,” Psaki added.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Crime, Featured, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Stacy Brown
Louisiana Trooper Suspended Over Violent Death of Shackled Man
NNPA NEWSWIRE — This week, authorities announced they had suspended Louisiana State Police Master Trooper Kory York, and acknowledged that Ronald Greene, who was shackled, handcuffed and dragged, “was mistreated.” The admission came after Greene’s family viewed graphic body camera footage of the arrest that included York using a barrage of expletives as he detained the Black motorist. York and other troopers were seen on the video choking and beating Greene.
