Source: YouTube.com

There are some who say gay rights are the Civil Rights’ issue of our time. And there are some blacks who say that the rights the LGBTQ community are fighting for are nothing compared to the rights blacks fought for in the ’50′s and ’60′s and are still fighting for today. Each side is saying it’s not the same. We had it harder.

Well, in Youth Speaks’ annual slam poetry competition, “Brave New Voices,” two young women Shanita Jackson and Dakota Odur addressed this issue in their dynamic, tear inducing poem “Gay Is The New Black.” The poem was performed in last year’s competition but in the past day or so it’s started circulating around on the internet.

Check it out on the next page.

University of Maryland law professor Sherrilyn Ifill has been tapped to lead the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), starting in January 2013. She will be following in the footsteps of the legendary Thurgood Marshall, who headed the LDF when it was first launched in 1940 until 1961. The LDF is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law firm.

It’s a perfect fit. Ifill is a civil rights litigator who has specialized in voting rights and political participation, and she is also an LDF alum. According to the Afro, as a young attorney, Ifill served as assistant counsel in LDF’s New York office.

“It was a dream come true to serve as a lawyer at LDF years ago, and it is a high honor to return to this premiere institution as president and director-counsel,” Ifill said in a statement.

LDF, which was founded more than 70 years ago, focuses on legal advocacy centered around advancing equality in the criminal justice system, achieving educational parity, increasing political participation and ensuring the appointment of fair-minded and diverse judges. Some of most famous civil rights cases were prompted by the LDF. When the LDF coordinated legal assault against officially enforced public school segregation, the campaign culminated in Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark Supreme Court decision in 1954 that overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine of legally sanctioned discrimination, known as Jim Crow.

Ifill says she is up to the task. “I am looking forward to working with the LDF team, allies and partners to advance an innovative 21st century civil rights practice that confronts the barriers to equality and justice in the lives of the most marginalized members of our community,” she added in the press statement.

Outside of he courtroom and classroom, Ifill is a noted public intellectual, who regularly offers commentary on pressing issues. Ifill, a graduate of the New York University School of Law,  is also the author of On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st Century.

In 1993 Ifill joined the faculty of  the University Maryland School of Law, where she established several innovative legal clinics, including an environmental justice clinic, and one of the first legal clinics in the nation to focus on the legal rights of ex-offenders.

If her surname sounds familiar, Ifill is a cousin of noted Public Broadcast System news anchor Gwen Ifill.

Source: wetpaint.com

Okay, I’m not going to rehash the entire “Real House Wives of Atlanta” episode as  Brande Victorian did an excellent job highlighting all the key points of frustration and flat out foolishness yesterday.  But I do want to talk about how ill at ease I feel about Porsha Stewart, granddaughter of Civil Rights icon Hosea Williams, jumping into the frays of ratchetness on the latest season of RHOA.

Personally, it has always been disheartening to see the children and grandchildren of famed and noted historical figures, particularly the off-spring of black human rights activists and icons, go in such an opposite direction of their family’s legacy. For me, Hosea Williams’ legacy was not embedded in the who’s who in the pecking order of the black social elite. He was a minister, a politician and an activist. And when I think of his legacy, I think of the man, who was a trusted member of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle. And after the assassination of Dr. King, Williams continued his own mission of advocating for the homeless and the hungry.  However, thanks to Ms. Stewart, his legacy has also been tainted with the shenanigans and pure foolishness, which is reality television.

I know that the children of human rights activist shouldn’t be expected to walk directly in their ancestor’s footsteps.  However there is something very jaded and pessimistic about watching the granddaughter of a man, who advocated for the homeless and hungry, blunder over knowing that we are in a “recession,” bragging about the privilege of never having to earn a living, and having her NFL husband flaunt her Chanel cake and bag at a charity event, which was supposed to be for the homeless and hungry. I know it may not seem fair but watching children of human rights activists embrace the materialistic and somewhat superficial aspects of our society’s culture, makes you question the virtues of their family’s legacy. I mean, there are people in this world, particularly in the black community, who are still suffering. And if the message of that icon was so empowering and relevant, why aren’t the keepers to the message, the children and grandchildren, abiding by it?

Likewise, you do have to wonder about the motivations of anyone, who knowingly throws themselves into the limelight of reality television, especially a reality television show with a reputation as dubious as the Real Housewives franchise. Last week’s episode definitely gave me cause to ponder if her appearance on the show is to raise the status of the plight of the homeless and hungry, as Stewart’s bio suggests, or is it to raise her own profile as a socialite and/or a brand? Also according to her bio, in addition to being a new wife and mother who’s into yoga, afternoon dips in her pool and of course charity work, Stewart is also nurturing a “budding music career.” It’s probably safe to say that fame is as much of a factor as any commitment to social responsibility.

That’s not to say that Stewart’s philanthropy does not have a social conscious. Any money raised at that evening at the fundraiser, including that $250,000 check her husband cut at the charity event, will go a long way in funding lots of nonprofits, particularly the ones on the ground doing the grass root work. However she should be re-evaluating whether having her life documented for reality television, thus under the constant public scrutiny, is the best way to advocate, represent and establish longevity for the cause. Perhaps she should do less talking about her family’s name and action and focus on her own personal ambitions of singing – if not for the charity, at least for the legacy.

Source: sfgate.com

We’re not encouraging this or anything; but for centuries, women have used sex as a bargaining tool. Apparently, things haven’t changed. In Togo, the women’s branch of a civil rights group in the country has decided to withhold sex, for a week, to encourage their husbands and partners to call for the resignation of the country’s president. Faure Gnassingbe, who took office in 2005, after his father’s death has recently changed electoral rules. Many believe these rules will help him to get reelected easier.

So, the women have come up with a solution. Withhold sex for a week so Gnassingbe will resign. The Togolese women took their inspiration from Liberian women who did the same thing back in 2003 for their campaign for peace. They announced the strike this past weekend in the capital of the country. And the strike started two days ago, on Monday. Some women are certain their methods will yield results. Abla Tamekloe, one of the strikers said, “For me, it’s like fasting, and unless you fast, you will not get what you want from God.”

Others are calling for a shortened time frame. Two days, instead of a full week. Still others think the whole movement is unrealistic.

Ekoue Blame, a journalist in the country, doesn’t think it will work. “It is easy for her [Isabelle Ameganvi, the leader of the strike] to say because she is not married herself. She does not live with a man at home.”

Do you think such a strike could be successful, why or why not?

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Source: Salon.com

Oooooh, tough crowd, eh? Just kidding, it wasn’t that bad, or maybe it was…

While speaking to the NAACP in Houston at their annual convention today, Romney’s criticisms of President Obama and his policies was met with boos and uber shade by those in the crowd listening to his 25-minute speech. When he talked about his hope to get rid of non-essential programs and policies that President Obama has put in place, including “Obamacare,” many in the crowd booed loudly. He tried not to let the heat burn his collar, and kept his speech and smile going. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Romney also felt the heat for saying, “If you want a president who will make things better in the African American community, you’re looking at him.” I think laughing at that remark would have been more appropriate than booing loudly, but to each their own.

But I’m sure Mitt Romney knew he wasn’t going to be able to impress or change the mind of many in that room, as many in the NAACP stand behind the president, but think of all the hell he would have caught had he passed on their invitation. Ironically, President Obama isn’t planning to speak to the group this election season, but will send Vice President Joe Biden in his place.

Other things Romney touched on during his speech to the civil rights group included his support of traditional marriage in light of President Obama’s support of gay marriage (no boos there from the crowd), and even shouted out his late father, George Romney, and his work with civil rights as if they were his own accomplishments:

“It wasn’t just that my dad helped write the civil rights provision for the Michigan Constitution, though he did. It wasn’t just that he helped create Michigan’s first civil rights commission, or that as governor he marched for civil rights in Detroit – though he did those things, too. More than these public acts, it was the kind of man he was, and the way he dealt with every person, black or white.”

And though he says his dad’s work inspired him to do the same and be the same way, let’s keep it real: When you align yourself with fools like Donald Trump who lead the “Birthers” movement and embrace those of the Tea Party, you’re not going to have much luck with many black voters. I’m just saying, but nice try though.

“Thank you, come again.” *in my Apu voice*

Check out video from the convention, which includes his thoughts on “Obamacare” and the crowd’s response…

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I know, I don’t know where he came from either, but former “Love Connection” host Chuck Woolery was determined to make his presence known at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) with a ridiculous statement about civil rights.

Last Thursday, Chuck  met with former Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann at CPAC in DC. While there he said it was wrong for the U.S. Court of Appeals to find Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage law in California, unconstitutional because, you know, gays don’t need need protection from discrimination.

 ”Majority rules,” he said. “We were born with national rights. We don’t need civil rights. [African-Americans] don’t need civil rights. They don’t need them. They have inalienable rights granted by God in the Constitution. I mean, I’m discriminated against all the time. I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me. [I'm discriminated against] because I’m old.”

Oh Chuck, if only it were that simple. In an ideal world those inalienable rights would be enough, but anyone who’s been on this earth for 30 seconds knows the Constitution was not meant to grant rights to blacks or homosexuals—and please don’t try to equate your discrimination with everyone else’s.

Also, I didn’t know God wrote the constitution? Get this man out of here.

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

On January 15, 1929, a star was born. You know who he is: The late great Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, we celebrate the gains and revolution ushered in by the civil rights pioneer and activist. For African-Americans and for any group which has been discriminated against, King represents an integral part of our lives, our souls, and our freedoms. Although he died at the hands of hate, we continue to celebrate his life of love. We  hope all our readers take the time today to consider King’s principles and to feel inspired.

The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, the interracial couple whose union sparked the U.S. Supreme Court case of  Loving vs. Virginia in 1967, will make its television debut on HBO in February.

The film, “The Loving Story,” tells of the civil rights struggle that overturned the state’s ban on interracial marriage with exclusive interviews with the family of the couple and the attorneys who worked to establish the monumental statute.

Check out the trailer for the film before it airs on Valentines Day, 2012. Will you check this out?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Girl talk is half the reason black women love to hit up the beauty shop on a regular, but long before women just showed up every week for a wash and set and a side of gossip, hair salons were the birthplace of political activism.

NPR recently talked about the civil rights element of black salons with Tiffany Gill, associate professor of history, African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Gill is the author of “Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women’s Activism in the Beauty Industry,” and in her book she talks about how black women came to the forefront of the beauty industry around the 1820s when it became unacceptable for black men to style white women’s hair and how enslaved women in Urban areas were even able to hire themselves out as stylists and make money.

Stemming from the entrepreneurial example set by Madame CJ Walker at the beginning of the 20^th century, Gill said by the time the 1950s and 1960s rolled around, guidelines were written into beauty college curricula about how to engage clients in conversations about politics.  She went on to talk about a South Carolina woman named Bernice Robinson who’s salon was known as a place for “all kinds of subversive activity.”

“She would literally be washing someone’s hair, put someone under the drier, be walking someone through the long kind of elaborate voter registration hurdles that black people had to go through and while someone was under the drier she would go and run someone down to the courthouse, try to get them to register to vote, and then come back,” she said.

“And then she actually took it to a more formal level where she would actually organize other beauticians in the area and tell them that, yes, within your space, as women come in, we can do citizenship education classes. We can help prepare people to vote. We can help prepare African-Americans to engage in civic activity and so they balanced their entrepreneurship with their politics.”

Gill said when she started her research she expected to see a decline in political activism inside shops today but she found that the conversation isn’t all weaves and kinky twists in the new millenium.

“I found in San Diego, there’s this very robust research as well as community activism happening, where beauty shops are being engaged in health activism. So everything from empowering beauticians to talk with their clients about HIV/AIDS, about mammograms – because they found that that was a space where African-American were willing to take care of their bodies, willing to talk about their bodies.

So it’s still there. It functions differently, but certainly the health activism, as well as domestic violence prevention, is something that’s happening very much in beauty shops today.”

In 2010, The L’Oréal Fondation D’Enterprise founded Hairdressers Against AIDS to provide in-depth training to thousands of salon professionals at special L’Oréal educational sessions, and this year they held their annual event in Harlem to address the high rate of new HIV diagnoses among African Americans in New York City. Several other black shops held independent events at their salons in recognition of Aids Awareness Month as well.

Were you aware of the history of social activism spurred in black beauty shops? Do you witness this type of activity in the salons you visit?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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It’s always nice to read about when trifling people get in trouble for putting their foot in their mouth–especially corrupt police officers. Check out Michael Daragjati, 32, an eight-year veteran who is now facing civil rights charges for a stop-and-frisk arrest on a 31-year-old black man in Staten Island back in April. After the man complained about the stop and asked for his badge number, the officer wasn’t feeling that and decided to arrest him for resisting arrest.

Unfortunately for Officer Daragjati, he started running his mouth very fast. After having the man sit in jail for 36 hours, filling out a random report and going to court for the arrest, Officer Daragjati called up a female friend to brag about his deeds. The convo included the following ignorant mess, according to the New York Times:

“’I sat there for a couple of hours by the time I got it all done but, fried another N-Word,’ the officer says on a transcript provided by prosecutors. ‘What?’ The woman asks. Officer Daragjati uses the same phrase and then adds, ‘no big deal.’ The woman laughs.”

This phone call set Officer Daragjati up (not literally) to get charged with a misdemeanor civil rights violation that can get him a year in prison, or even a fine of up to $100,000. It has also come to light that Officer Daragjati lured an individual he thought to have stolen one of his snowplows (from a separate business he runs) to an open parking lot in Staten Island, where a group of men jumped the guy and threatened him with a gun. Officer Daragjati was later found showing off photos of the man’s injuries. AND homeboy also got caught and charged with insurance fraud for trying to get money to damage one of his own vehicles. So on top of civil rights charges, Officer Daragjati is looking at both extortion and insurance fraud, the latter two having more consequences than the first (up to 20 years in prison). And let’s be honest, we know this crooked cop isn’t going to receive any time for the false arrest, especially since this mess happens on the regular.

Have you ever been falsely arrested or stopped because of your skin color?

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