Is a Bubble the Answer?

by with 2 Comments FeaturedSports

For 5 weeks I’ve been living life in the WNBA bubble, also known as the wubble, in Bradenton, Florida at the prestigious IMG Academy. Players and team staff are quarantined, tested daily, and holding social distancing practices as much as possible. We practiced, ate, and gave medical care while getting used to our new normal without being allowed to leave the premises. Well, as much as possible around teens who were on campus for various sports camps and Academy staff who were going home to their families everyday. I guess you could say that we were separated from them as much as we possibly could, although I did find out that Academy staff were being tested every 2-3 days as well. 

I’d be foolish if I said that everything was well-planned and that the logistics were perfect from day one, but through some trial and error, and constant communication, we seem to have hit a bit of a sweet spot. For instance, every person on each team’s travel party had to take 3 coronavirus tests prior to flying out to prove that he/she had not been exposed to the virus. The testing did expose several players prior to leaving and even caused one team to delay departure due to multiple positive results. However, once given the “all clear” we were placed on a commercial flight which, from our city, happened to be a full flight that allowed for no social distancing at all. Thankfully, as a healthcare provider, I was well prepared with an N95 mask, face shield, gloves and enough wipes to sanitize the entire plane. Upon arrival, we then mixed in with the rest of the people in the airport- although by no means full- Florida had just been rated a growing coronavirus hot spot, so even a handful of people warranted suspicion. 

Once we arrived as a team at the IMG premises, we picked up our room or house keys and set out to find our dwellings for the next 4 days where we would be quarantined again. Meals were delivered 3 times a day, and grocery delivery services became fast favorites of everyone. The only time of day that we were allowed to leave was for the daily testing procedure that was scheduled by team so that we did not potentially cross-contaminate one another. After the initial quarantine period practices began for 2 weeks until the season finally kicked off on July 25.

While there have been a small number of true positive tests, most teams have stayed to themselves still, with the occasional moments of mingling at meals or the pool. When a positive result is returned, all team leads are notified, with care to protect the identity of the person to decrease the stigma. The athlete or staff member is immediately isolated in a designated off-campus hotel and tested again for the next 2 days to determine whether or not the result is true or false. In some cases, if there is a roommate or family member present, appropriate care is taken to retest and isolate them if necessary as well. 

The elephant in the room was the noticeable differences between what was shown and exposed about the NBA bubble compared to the wubble. For instance, our testing seemed to be administered using a different procedure almost daily, by different people- some getting good samples and some barely seeming to scratch the surface. The problem is that an insufficient sample is listed as “positive,” causing the individual to be isolated at a remote site and having to wait at least 2 days to obtain consecutive negative results. This has lead to missed games and practices. Instead, the NBA has access to rapid tests to be used in similar cases which can turnaround results within hours and avoid an unnecessary isolation and missed games. Let’s not even talk about how it’s taken the entire 5 weeks to get someone (2 people to be exact) into the wubble to staff the hair salon for a limited 2 week period to do hair for a couple hundred women and the male staff, while the NBA has had multiple barbers on site from the beginning, and they rotate them out every 2 weeks. The WNBA doesn’t know if/when the hairstylists will return after this initial 2 week period. NBA players can also have family members visit and go in and out on designated days, while WNBA players cannot unless they came in on the first day as a caregiver for an accompanying child. 

The disparities in services and accommodations are present and the topic of some conversations, but overall everyone recognizes the real reason we are here- to cut the risk of exposure to, and spread of the coronavirus. It is my opinion and has been for a few months now, that it will be difficult to play any sport without the use of a “bubble” experience. This takes a lot of time and effort to plan and raises multiple medical and logistical challenges. I applaud the medical professionals and team and league representatives who have labored tirelessly to make a season possible, and I believe that the NBA and WNBA have been successful because of it. Is it realistic to put all football (college or professional) or major league baseball teams into the same bubble where they only interact with one another, are tested daily, and don’t have to travel for games? Probably not. For this reason, I side with the college conferences that have decided to forgo all Fall sports. 

I also applaud the NCAA for beginning to look at possible bubble situations for men’s basketball already, and hope that they can identify locations that can adequately support the unique needs of athletic medicine, performance and education of college athletes. I’d be lying if I said that I was 100% confident that the NFL season would start without a hitch. We have seen the challenges that MLB has faced when each team has been allowed to “create” it’s own bubble at the facility. However, trusting athletes to go straight home, not have outside company or even family visit, and the many other scenarios make it very difficult to predict outcomes from day to day. The truth is that America still has way too many people who don’t take the virus and it’s spread seriously, thus the decisions made away from the facility are often based solely on self.

I’m not sure what it will take for us to change our behavior collectively so that we can eradicate this virus, but hopefully, sports can help us unify in ways nothing else has been able to do. 

Similar Read: Do You Remember 2020?

An Imposter at the Homegoing

by with 4 Comments CultureFeaturedPolitics

Perseverance in the face of tragedy is a staple of the Black community. Surviving devastation has become so engrained in the Black psyche, it’s hard to separate the two. Events that appear insurmountable for many are often anticipated, a literal rite of passage. “How old were you the first time you experienced . . . (insert horrific event)?”

The Black “Homegoing” is a microcosm of that same Black experience in America. Early in the African Slave Trade, slaves were much more closely tied to their ancestral roots. Traditions were carried with human cargo during the Middle Passage. The newly-enslaved Africans believed death signified a return of the soul to the Homeland with the ancestors. Considering the horror they now faced, death was easily a much better existence. It mandated a celebration.

True to its DNA, the Black community persevered through centuries of the worst treatment of human beings in documented history. Relegated to the status of permanent livestock, hope for a life free from bondage sustained generations. That freedom could be in the physical form on Earth, living life as a “freedman” or it could mean a symbolic freedom with the soul released to a better place.

Forced cultural assimilation could never extinguish the will of the Black community to hold on to its humanity. The Black community now practiced a corrupted and modified version of Christianity. This form of population control sought to subjugate Blacks to permanent subordinate status by coupling their physical bondage with a far more insidious form of domination, mental servility.

Despite the clear objective of mental castration, the Black community still held traditions as sacred. Full forms of music, methods of cooking, story-telling, and manner of style/dress survived centuries of extensive efforts to sever any tie to the Black ancestral home(s). The Black community took this corrupted form of Christianity imposed upon them to further white supremacy and turned it on its head. The same Bible that was only presented to them in an abridged form (though never allowed in their exclusive possession) still provided hope to Blacks living a literal hell on Earth.

It is upon this backdrop that the Black Homegoing must be analyzed. One cannot overstate just how sacred the tradition is. After generations, Blacks in America replaced the African ancestral homeland with the heaven they heard preached in the Bible. They became synonymous and after generations, the Black community knew more of slavery than their actual bloodline. Sadly, slavery became the entire existence of the overwhelming majority of Black people in America.

Hope for something greater was all many had. Survival required them to hold on to the hope of reaching the “Promised Land,” lest they only exist to be subjected to daily torture. Whether that land be physical or spiritual, it was a blessing many sang of and sought daily. It sustained them. So one can only imagine the literal joy many felt to see another subjected to the same nightmarish existence, finally free. The celebration that “sent” that human being “home” was a recognition of them finally at peace. It was simultaneously providing hope for others. One day they too would no longer have to toil in the abyss of bondage.

The means of the Black Homegoing has evolved over generations, but the end is always the same. It is mandatory to celebrate that person’s life and the reality that the Black oppression in America can no longer harm them. While it is true that slavery in its original form has ended, it is still very much practiced in every state of the Union. Oppression and denial of the Equal Protection of the Law is likewise denied the remainder of the Black community that is not currently incarcerated.

The Black Homegoing is a celebration of those realities no longer controlling the life of the person currently celebrated. This is true of any Black American, be it the homeless man that remains nameless or a Civil Rights ICON. So with this context in mind, the passing of the arguably the greatest remaining vestige of the Civil Rights Movement necessitated the greatest Black Homegoing imaginable in the world of COVID-19.

John Lewis fought his entire life for the Black community. Literally penning a letter of instructions to the people from his deathbed, Lewis always sought to advance the Black community from the tortuous reality he endured for 80 years. The path was slow and arduous and unfortunately too long for Lewis to see it to fruition. With this reality in mind, Lewis’s Homegoing was planned. It involved multiple locations and services on multiple days, one last crossing over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and his being honored by a who’s who of both the Black community and the world of social justice. Lewis was to be eulogized by the last President this country has seen, the first Black President of the United States, Barack Obama. It must be noted that the Obama Presidency likely never occurs without John Lewis and all he fought for, a reality that was never lost on neither Obama, nor the Black community.

However, before that sacred event could be concluded, America had to have one “last laugh.” In total, three former Presidents spoke at Lewis’s final service of his Homegoing. Ironically, the Republican former President knew full well what was and was not appropriate. George W. Bush’s words were eloquent and gracious, a far cry from his Presidency. His dialogue actually made many ponder on how far he had come, almost wishing the current occupant of the Oval Office could be more like him.

But true to form, White America had to make its indelible mark of despotism on the life of John Lewis one final time. Bill Clinton, a man that once joked he was the first Black President, is perpetually too comfortable in exclusively Black spaces. Indicative of his nature, Clinton would not waver during the sacred Black Homegoing for a sacred icon of the Black community. His words, reminiscent of the Willie Lynchism tactics imposed during slavery, sought to illuminate a perceived division in the struggle for Black liberation.

It was an underhanded and veiled slight, spoken quickly in a manner that would lead the passive listener to believe that John Lewis openly disagreed and clashed with another icon in the struggle for Black equity. While praising Lewis, Clinton referenced a division HE remembers in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). SNCC was an organization of student protestors and freedom fighters who sought nonviolent means to protest and resist segregationist practices in the South. SNCC was founded by 126 student delegates from various institutions. Among them were John Lewis and Stokely Carmichael. Their goal was uniform, direct-action challenges to civic segregation and the political exclusion of the Black community. SNCC sought to eradicate both with all deliberate speed.

Lewis and Carmichael may have personally favored different means of achieving their goal at times, but not to the point of pitting one against the other as an adversary. Put simply, they were fighting the same beast at the same time, seeking the same outcome. But, leave it to Clinton to impose revisionist history during the Homegoing for John Lewis. “Thankfully, Lewis prevailed…” were the words of Clinton, hinting that there was some struggle to “liberate” SNCC from the oppression of Carmichael. It was shameful and uncalled for.

Stokely Carmichael was a freedom fighter and not an oppressor. His contributions to the Civil Rights Movement cannot be quantified any more than those of John Lewis. Carmichael coined the phrase Black Power. A phrase many take for granted today, was unheard of when he first said it. One of the most revered alumni of Howard University, Carmichael set the world on fire with his powerful rhetoric. One cannot speak of the struggle for Black liberation without mentioning the name Stokely Carmichael (or Kwame Ture the name Carmichael took in later years). 

Much like John Lewis, Carmichael is a sacred icon. To speak negatively of Carmichael invites passionate debate or worse. It is an insult to the Black community to degrade its icons. Clinton did exactly that while on invite to an exclusively Black space, a sacred Black Homegoing for a sacred Civil Rights icon. He pitted one icon against the other without either of them alive to refute his subversive tactic. It was horrific.

However, the Black community will always survive. It will always endure. True to its character, the Black community brushed off this nasty tactic, which could have easily placed a stain on such a sacred moment. After all, those in attendance (either physically or virtually) were waiting for someone greater. While he is an imperfect human (a trait he wears on his sleeve openly), Barack Hussein Obama is a master of understanding the moment. Obama delivered one of his best speeches of recent memory, eulogizing the great John Lewis appropriately. By the conclusion of his speech, Clinton was a distant memory, as he should have been. John Lewis was appropriately sent “home.” He was finally at peace, no longer burdened by the cancerous disease that plagued his life. Racism could no longer harm him. He was finally free and no form of oppression, be it overt or the “wolf in sheep’s clothing” from Arkansas, could ever touch him again.

Long live John Robert Lewis, an icon and personification of the Black experience in America.

Similar Read: Until the Revolution of 1776 is Complete

Guidance Counseling in the Midst of COVID-19

by with 4 Comments CultureFeaturedGen Z

[New Contributor]

The mental toll of COVID-19 will require many counselors to come back to school prepared to help their students. However, this may not be so easy. Already, there is a lack of sufficient support for students from guidance counselors – the national ratio of students to counselors is 482 to 1, nearly double the recommended 1 counselor for every 250 students. This issue caused problems before the pandemic, and may affect virtual counseling during the new school year. 

Students feel as if they won’t be able to connect the same way with their guidance counselors due to the distance created with virtual learning. The transition from in school to virtual could be a setback for the growing relationship between counselors and students. 

“Having a good relationship with your guidance counselor is essential to your growth as a high school student,” rising sophomore Lily Ukpere said. “As a freshman last year, that was the first year the counselors got to know me. It was hard to create the same relationship I had with my counselor in school, online.” 

However, guidance counselors continued to offer their best support to their students when schools closed down in the spring. Different schools tackled the situation effectively, while using various tactics to let their students know that they were still there for them. At Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, counselors posted encouraging videos, made informational sheets about mental health, and continued to contact their students through email or phone. Despite the plan, Guidance Counselor Jennifer Kratsa at Conestoga still missed the face-to-face interaction she used to get with her students in school. 

“Working in Student Services is very personal. We get to know students well, so we missed the face-to-face interactions very much. We, just like everyone else, had to adjust to that. That doesn’t mean we had to love it, but we had to figure out a way to make it work so that everyone felt comfortable,” Kratsa said. 

Although the District hasn’t worked out the full plan for counseling in the fall, they know that it will be different than the Spring. The TESD District Plan; however, ensures that school counselors and mental health specialists will continue to meet students, despite the circumstances. Guidance counselors plan to use Microsoft TEAMS, a platform similar to Zoom, to communicate with their students. They aim to have group meetings in the beginning of the school year to explain the plan to students, parents, and teachers. Conestoga counselors want their students to remember that they will continue to offer their support, regardless of whether they are at home or school. 

“Overall, we just want to help students navigate their way through high school,” Kratsa said. “We hope that all our students know that we are here, ready and willing to help when they need us.”

In the end, counselors need to come back to school prepared to face a different future. The need for ample counselors may make it difficult for counselors to adjust to the new changes, but it may also shed light on the large deficiency and initiate changes for the future. 

Similar Read: School in September?

Second Time’s a Charm?

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

When Kamala Harris made her run for the Democratic Nomination for President, I was very skeptical. I was skeptical and openly questioned her background and her experience as a Prosector.

After she dropped out of the race, I took a step back to look at all the media coverage she received. I was really disappointed with how I handled my scrutiny of her. While it’s absolutely fair to share opinions on a political candidate, I for some reason held her to a higher standard than I did some of the other options. Not because I didn’t want to see her win but because as a Black woman myself, I couldn’t wrap my head around some of her decisions. Kamala was bullied by the media and while that certainly won’t stop now that she’s Biden’s VP pick, I can say with confidence that I will not be a part of the onslaught this time. While I definitely do not agree with some of her decisions in the past, I believe that she is a capable and promising addition to Biden’s campaign. My only hope now is that she be used as an asset and not a pawn. 

Similar Read: The Woman for the Job

The Woman for the Job

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

On August 11, 2020, in the midst of a pandemic and primary elections taking place in multiple states, Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden selected California Senator Kamala Harris as his Vice President (VP) pick. This is a historic moment for women and Black women specifically, and no doubt a game-changer for the Biden campaign. She would be the first African-American woman, the first Asian-American woman, the first Howard University Alumni, and the first HBCU graduate to become the Vice President of the United States of America. Her background as a District Attorney and Prosecutor were very challenging for her as they are for many prosecutors. She made decisions at the time that many strongly disagree with; but like all of us, we try our best to make the best decisions at the time. While we have to admit that sometimes we miss the mark, we must get up and keep moving. And I believe the people want Harris to keep moving.

Harris’s record is impressive. She was the first African-American District Attorney in San Francisco. She is only the 2nd African-American woman to serve in the US Senate and she is currently the only African-American woman currently serving in the US Senate. There have only been 11 African-American Senators elected since 1827 in both Republican and Democratic Parties, but only 10 were seated when Louisiana Republican Senator-Elect Pinckney B.S. Pinchback African-American Senator was elected but denied the seat. President Obama was only the 5th African-American to serve in the US Senate. Corey Booker became the 9th African-American US Senator to serve and Kamala Harris became the 10th, and the only Black women currently serving. 

Kamala Harris seems to be one of the women that President Trump is actually afraid of. He has minimized his attack on Harris thus far although we are expecting that to change rather quickly. There is no doubt that Biden could have chosen many great candidates out of this all-women selection pool. But Kamala Harris is definitely the toughest and the best woman for the job.

Kanye West and the Power of the Black Vote

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

Kanye West declared his candidacy for president. Then he was no longer running. Now Republican operatives are trying to get him on the ballot in Wisconsin. Yes, Republicans are trying to help Kanye run for President in hopes that he’ll steal enough votes from Biden, which could ultimately help Trump win the state.

It sounds crazy, but it’s true. What’s worse than the actual Republican plan to get Kanye on the ballot? Their belief that Black voters are dumb enough to fall for it. Because that’s really what this boils down to… the power of the Black vote. If Kanye is on the ballot, can Kanye, with the help of Republican strategists, convince enough African-Americans to vote for him instead of Biden? The answer should be no. And whether they think the answer is no as well, they’re desperate and willing to try anything.

If Black voters in Wisconsin, and the rest of the country for that matter, show up to vote for Biden like South Carolinians did in the primaries under James Clyburn’s leadership, then Trump will be a one-term president. Whether or not Black voters are convinced Biden deserves their vote is a worthy question and debate, but considering Kanye is not. Republicans might not admit it, but they fully understand the power of the Black vote, and this latest stunt with Kayne proves it.

Similar Read: Kanye West’s Political Party

School in September?

by with 2 Comments CultureFeatured

[New Contributor]

What will school look like in September? It’s a question that’s at the top of most people’s minds, especially educators. This is typically the time of year most educators spend reflecting on their practice, spending time with family and in some cases attending professional development to engage in learning communities to share best practices. However, this year things are different. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic with questions that can’t be answered, with the most pressing question being, “Do we return to school for face to face instruction, or do we go completely virtual?” While the answer seems pretty clear, many districts are planning to return to school for face to face instruction in September, and with the threat of losing out on federal funding for not returning, it seems as if this is their only option.  

Face to face instruction for large student populations poses a health risk for anyone working in the building, especially educators and students, and quite frankly, with cases on the rise this option just doesn’t make sense. Teachers will now be responsible for things such as cleaning the desks, supplies, and anything else that may have been used before students enter their room all while managing and ensuring student use of PPE and teaching with students sitting 6 feet apart. Let’s remember, this is merely one layer and does not begin to address the nuanced interactions educators and students have at school. 

Although virtual learning is the most viable option, it still comes with drawbacks. Not all families have access to the internet or devices to support the students in the household, not to mention working from home is not an option for many parents and neither is leaving their child at home unattended for the workday. Furthermore, we all know that learning is social, and without intentional planning and adequate teacher training, students will lose important critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Although there are obvious health risks in returning to school for face to face instruction, there are other long-lasting issues that if unchecked, will continue to decimate the already frail educational structure. In my humble opinion, it’s time for a complete overhaul and restructuring of what education should look and feel like. 

Despite being in the eye of the storm, we can still find peace. Returning to school for face to face instruction quite frankly is too dangerous and will inherently be the cause of more outbreaks. It’s time for a complete overhaul and it begins with the community. For example, communities could start homeschooling co-ops that mirror what more affluent districts are doing. There would be individualized instruction, smaller class sizes and classes could be held outdoors and in other non-traditional settings. Companies like Tailor Made Learning, based in Detroit, MI, do a great job of sitting with families and designing an educational experience that truly allows families to have a say in HOW their young person learns. Community Activists and educators such as Nikala Asante, based in Houston, TX, are creating and building opportunities for virtual African-Centered homeschooling. There are options. 

We live in a capitalist society and it’s time we understood what that truly means. All too often the people impacted the most by these decisions are not at the table, yet we have yet to realize we are the ones with the real power. Sending your child back to school in September for face to face instruction is not safe. The world of education is changing and it’s time we started designing experiences that teach our young people how to think critically and problem solve in ways that positively impact OUR communities. Yes, it takes hard work, but the outcomes are worthwhile and most importantly long-lasting.

Similar Read: Do You Remember 2020?

Until the Revolution of 1776 is Complete

by with 2 Comments CultureFeaturedPolitics

U.S. Congressman and Civil Rights activist John Lewis passed away last weekend at the age of 80. He famously spoke at the Great March on Washington on August 28, 1963, the youngest of all the speakers that day, before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people. Despite the agony of walking and standing under the scorching August Washington D.C. Sun, history would be made thanks to the speeches given by greats such as John Lewis, Roy Wilkins, and of course, the famous “I have a dream” speech by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

In the present tense, we claim to honor those greats by “continuing their legacy,” but that simply isn’t true. 

We are not doing enough. Period. We, meaning we as Americans as a collective, haven’t done enough to ensure the hard work of Congressman Lewis doesn’t have to be done all over again. 2020 has fully exposed our complacency for pushing for needed change in this country. From the handling of the Coronavirus pandemic to the murder of George Floyd, both expose America’s glaring need to no longer ignore systematic ills. Though the systematic ills of America are nothing new to Black people, the “ills” are sometimes not as clear as we may want to think. 

When Congressman Lewis was figurately and literally (he had his skull mashed into by a Police Officer) fighting systematic racism in the 1960s, the obstacles were more direct. Under the protection of “states rights,” states could enact systematic white supremacist measures like Jim Crow laws. The works of the 1960’s Civil Rights movement led to hallmark acts like the Civil Rights Voting Act, Voting Rights Act, and the Housing Rights Act, VISIBLY desegregated America. However, as we most certainly know, the true work resided in the post segregated America. Measures not so direct and noticeable. You do not “see” a doctor neglecting the prenatal needs of a Black woman in favor of a White woman. You do not “see” qualified Black candidates get passed over by their lesser qualified White peers in the same manner you “saw” a young John Lewis get physically assaulted by a Police Officer. 

2020 has shown the long neglect to address failures in the healthcare system, criminal justice system, and education simply cannot continue. The need to apply true pressure to elected officials to make drastic and impacting change is the legacy Congressman John Lewis wanted to create. He said it best…

“I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation. Get in and stay in the streets of every city, every village and hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes, until the revolution of 1776 is complete.”

We cannot allow the call for Black Lives Matter, Equality, and Justice to morph into nothing more than a bumper sticker or hashtag. The consequences are too much to allow that to happen. Let’s vote, let’s stay on the elected officials we elect to do their job of progressing the cause of all people and let’s keep doing it… until the revolution of 1776 is complete!

Similar Read: You Are NOT Your Ancestors!

Biden His Time

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

Joe Biden appears to be a patient man. You don’t see him on the campaign trail lamenting all the negative aspects of the incumbent. While the pandemic is a significant part of the rationale behind his strategy, there’s another reason for not campaigning: The incumbent is doing it for him. 

Just a few weeks ago, Biden was under some intense scrutiny. The media was eagerly waiting to jump on the next gaffe that was almost guaranteed to happen. It didn’t. Like a magician’s redirection of a rapt audience’s attention, our collective dismay at the current spate of ramblings and vitriol from the person who currently occupies the White House is effectively making Biden’s past bumblings disappear.

Maybe it’s not so surprising that Biden’s potential running mate doesn’t appear to be a factor to many voters, according to a recent Politico poll. Biden is showing impressive leads in polls everywhere. Something to keep in mind: Polls mean nothing. They’re a gauge of voter sentiment at that particular moment, and are no indicator of what will happen in November. We have the evidence of our last election to remind us of that. 

Despite Trump’s efforts, his current attacks at Biden don’t seem to register much at all. They’re rather bland and uninteresting compared to what he’s spewed at other opponents in the past. Biden is far from bullet-proof, but Trump seems to be running out of ammo. He’s more focused on discrediting the scientific community for going against his blatantly uneducated and dangerous claims about our current healthcare crisis than he is on taking full measure of his opponent and addressing his base’s faltering blind faith. As Trump is fond of saying, if someone punches him, he punches right back. Forget the fact that the punches laid on Trump are richly deserved. Any schoolyard bully will cry foul when someone retaliates after constant abuse. It’s high time that the nation wake up to see the bully-in-chief for what he really is.

This distraction of Trump’s own making is serving Biden’s campaign well and is taking smart advantage of the situation. By keeping a low profile, Biden is showing a particular level of cunning that comes only from decades in politics. He knows that voters are becoming wise to Trump’s deadly refusal to acknowledge what the nation is facing, and is allowing the fallout to go its natural course.

Biden is under increasing pressure to show his hand, however. We still don’t know how many VP hopefuls are on the short list, and the self-imposed August 1 deadline to make a choice is fast approaching. What we do know is that odds are favoring a woman of color. That said, I think Biden is looking for a running mate that is happy to stay in the background – much like he was during Obama’s tenure. Will any of his potential picks be satisfied to do so? Hard to say, but women in politics are a tough and vocal bunch. And people of color who have spent years serving the public are equally tough and vocal. Biden will need to choose carefully.

The relationship between Biden and his running mate will need to be strongly based on trust, professionally and personally. This is critical if he is to have a successful campaign – and presidency. The friendship between Obama and Biden seemed genuine, and Biden’s quiet support during those two terms never seemed to waver. Can the same be said of our current democratic hopeful? The relationship between Trump and Pence is a different story, however. One needs only to scratch the surface to see what’s really going on there. But, that’s another story for another time.

This relative silence will soon come to an end, and Biden will have to show his cards. One can be assured, however, that his pick is unlikely to cause too much backlash. As long as Biden chooses well and can keep his unscripted and potentially damaging comments to a minimum, he just may make it to the White House. 

The old saying goes, “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” In this particular case, we’ve come to know both devils. To grab from another idiom, I would say that there is definitely a lesser evil here. 

Similar Read: 2016 Is About To Happen Again

There is Joy at Night

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

History will be made on July 20, 2020. MSNBC‘s weekend host of AM Joy will officially be the first African-American woman to anchor a show during primetime on cable television. Many of her viewers and followers, many of whom have been following her for years, feel like they’re a part of this history. And as a result, many have shared their strong views in celebration of this historical moment. African-Americans specifically feel like their sister or their Aunt Joy has made history. She has recently been praised by CA Rep Maxine Waters who made it clear how huge this was for African-American women. Many women have shared that this is a great opportunity and door for all women that Joy is walking through. 

You also have a number of esteemed journalists coming forth to congratulate her on this historic accomplishment and great promotions, such as Dan Rather, former anchor of “CBS Evening News”, and iconic Carole Simpson, the first African-American woman in history to host a show on a major news network. Simpson, who anchored “NBC News” in 1975, became the first African-American woman to anchor a major network newscast.

Joy Reid’s Journey…

Many people don’t know that Joy has been working for this moment for nearly 25 years. According to Wikipedia, Reid began her journalism career in 1997, leaving New York and her job at a business consulting firm to begin working in southern Florida for a WSVN Channel 7 morning show.[10] She left journalism in 2003 to oppose the war in Iraq and President George W. Bush, but returned to broadcasting as a talk radio host, and then worked in the Barack Obama presidential campaign.[1] From 2006 to 2007, Reid was the co-host of Wake Up South Florida, a morning radio talk show broadcast from Radio One’s then-Miami affiliate WTPS, alongside “James T” Thomas.[7] She served as managing editor of The Grio[11] (2011–2014), a political columnist for Miami Herald (2003–2015), and the editor of The Reid Report political blog (2000–2014).[12] From February 2014 to February 2015, Reid hosted her own afternoon cable news show, The Reid Report.[13] The show was canceled[14] on February 19, 2015 and Reid was shifted to a new role[15] as an MSNBC national correspondent.[16] Since May 2016, Reid has hosted AM Joy, a political weekend-morning talk show on MSNBC, and is a frequent substitute for other MSNBC hosts, including Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow. As of 2018, Reid’s morning show on Saturday averages nearly 1 million weekly viewers.

In June 2020, it was announced that Reid would likely be taking over “Hardball with Chris Matthews”. But in July, MSNBC announced that Reid would host “The ReidOut”, a new weeknight show at 7 p.m. EST that was once slotted to replace Hardball and Chris Matthews’s following his sudden retirement. 

Joy Reid was the one that brought us the Trayvon Martin story. She reported this horrific tragic loss of life from its conception to today, as well as countless others who’ve been unarmed and murdered by the police. She is a wife and mother and finds time for family while leading a successful career. Joy is known as the no-nonsense journalist, the one you cannot lie to. She’s quick with follow-up questions and will literally pull out receipts as they call it while live on air. She has been wrongly attacked and made to look bad in the media for previous LGBTQ comments that were taken out of context… an unsuccessful attempt to stop her successful rise. In fact, the LGBTQ community came to her rescue. Trained journalists and everyday citizens know that Reid has been a strong advocate for the LGBTQ community, as well as other marginalized communities. She is someone that everyone loves to hear from, talk to, or take a picture with while attending the annual National Association of Black Journalist Convention (NABJ), where she has held multiple nominations. So I am personally excited about this move by MSNBC to make history with Joy Reid in July 2020. I hope that we support her as she has supported us over the years.

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