According to a new report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies on the state of Black students at community colleges, an alarming 70 percent of Black students experienced food or housing insecurity or homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report highlighted that while Black students remain disproportionately represented in community colleges, policy barriers prevent the system from producing equitable outcomes.
Race
Goodman Theatre Gem of the Ocean, though set in 1904, its journey is not complete
It is eerily emblematic that the official opening night of August Wilson’s epic ‘Gem of the Ocean’ occurred on the eve of Black History Month, when 17 Historically Black Colleges across several states were forced to close down due to bomb threats. Wilson’s masterpiece is set in 1904, where the chains of slavery still echo disturbingly in the minds of the inhabitants of Aunt Ester’s boarding house in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. The Civil War, Emancipation, the Underground Railroad and the failed charade of Reconstruction are all as present-day to its denizens as the spirits conjured by Aunt Ester (a mesmerizing Lisa Gaye Dixon, who is a veteran of Goodman’s A Christmas Carol). Myth and redemptive hallucination, bordering on a Timothy Leary mind-trip, dominate this soul-searching drama that borders on the Shakespearean.
IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Actor, Sidney Poitier, 94, Has Died
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Sidney Poitier, whose iconic 71-year career, included starring roles in “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Uptown Saturday Night,” was 94. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed. The post IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Actor, Sidney Poitier, 94, Has Died first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
FILM REVIEW: The Best Films of 2021
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “I wanted to use this list as an opportunity to elevate some films that may have been undervalued or overlooked for a variety of reasons including subject matter, perceived lack of star power, genre or release date’” says NNPA Culture and Entertainment Editor Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. “Check out some of the top films of 2021, some of which you may not have heard and others you may not wish to forget as we head into 2022.”
$100 Million Class Action Suit Spells Out Racism, Sexism, Fraud and a Tarnished Blue Wall at D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Civil Rights Lawyer Pamela Keith, an attorney at the Donald Temple Law Offices in Northwest Washington, D.C. and a former United States Navy Judge Advocate, described a most toxic work culture at MPD, where she said blatant corruption, race, and gender discrimination are not only tolerated but rewarded.
Stacey Abrams Governor Run Provides a Jolt for the 2022 Midterms
NNPA NEWSWIRE — A Democrat and noted voting rights advocate, Stacey Abrams lost to Kemp by just over one percentage point in their controversial 2018 battle. Her activism helped Democrats claim the majority in the U.S. Senate when Georgia Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff defeated Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the January 2021 runoff election.
American Cancer Society and Four Historically Black Colleges and Universities Announce Groundbreaking Diversity in Cancer Research Program to Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The awards provided through the DICR program are unique in cancer research. They provide a large amount of salary support for the four colleges to select clinical faculty who need more dedicated time for their cancer research and scholarly activities. They also fund other student and postdoctoral programs and underpin the awards with career development funds and mentorship by established American Cancer Society Professors.
Pritzker signs revised legislative maps that preserve minority representation and reflect Illinois' diversity
After reviewing the General Assembly’s revised legislative maps drawn with 2020 U.S. Census data, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the new House and Senate district maps that reflect Illinois’ diversity and preserve minority representation in Illinois’ government in accordance with the federal Voting Rights Act.
Voter access – a priority for Will County
While Senate Democrats edged closer to an agreement this week on new voting rights legislation, 18 states have enacted 30 laws to make it harder for Americans to vote, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
NNPA Honors Dr. Ebony Hilton with National Leadership Award
NNPA NEWSWIRE — As a practicing physician at the University of Virginia – Charlottesville, Dr. Hilton has continued advocating for underserved and marginalized populations. Her efforts have received recognition from the National Medical Association and the National Minority Quality Forum as one of the top 40 under 40 Leaders in Health Care award recipients.

