African American Community

Practical Politics

Between the Lines

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

State Attorney General Kamala D. Harris has filed a brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit District supporting the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and urging the court to affirm the states’ rights to protect the health and safety of their citizens. According to the brief, the healthcare law solves a national problem in a way that gives greater power to states by building on a successful model of cooperative federalism. Further, the brief states that the framework established by the law “empowers states to create enduring solutions to those problems, and to do so with federal support.” The attorney general also argued that the minimum coverage provision is a constitutional and integral element of Congress’ interstate solution to the healthcare crisis.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. the world’s oldest intercollegiate fraternity founded by African American men, will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a celebration of his life and the historic monument that will be unveiled on the National Mall on Aug. 28, in Washington, D.C. “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. has served as the initiator, the catalyst, and the driving force to preserve the legacy and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a citizen of the world, who belongs to the ages, and whose example will inspire generations to come through the Washington, D.C., National Memorial,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 33rd General President Herman “Skip” Mason Jr. “I have been committed to making the dedication of the King Memorial an historic and unforgettable occasion to mark the greatest undertaking to date for the Fraternity.” One highlight of the celebration is the invitation-only, white-tie, gold carpet affair at the DAR Constitution Hall on Aug. 26. The star-studded event is expected to draw attendees from the civic, entertainment, corporate, and high society communities.

Hyundai Motor America recently announced a $1 million donation in support of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The donation was granted to support the Foundation’s mission of making the dream of a permanent memorial to Dr. King in the nation’s capital a reality. The MLK Memorial is the first on the National Mall to honor an African American. President Barack Obama is scheduled to officiate at the dedication ceremony. The memorial will be permanently installed at the intersection of West Basin Drive SW and Independence Avenue SW in Washington, DC.

Committed to ending joblessness in Black communities, Baptist Health South Florida, the region’s largest private, not-for-profit healthcare organization, was a key participant at the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Job Fair this week in Miami. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson of the 17th District of Florida hosted the event. “We [were] delighted to partner with the Congresswoman and take part in this critically important initiative,” stated Corey Heller, corporate vice president and chief human resources officer for Baptist Health. At present, Baptist Health has 322 external postings throughout their organization. This includes 251 clinical postings and 71 non-clinical postings. Baptist Health had four employment booths and personnel on site for the CBC Job Fair, to engage and initiate viable employment opportunities.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) recently announced the recipients of the 2011 Regional Minority Enterprise Development Week award. The winners from five different regions-Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and New York-will make up the pool of eligible candidates for the National Minority Business of the Year Award ceremony on Sept. 30. The award is given to the nation’s top firms across a number of different categories. The regional awards are designed to celebrate minority firms achieving outstanding success in the construction, manufacturing, retail, energy, global technology and supplier distribution industries. Other categories of recognition include an advocate award, media award, distinguished supplier award, and an access to capital award. “Minority businesses are a phenomenal asset to the United States economy in a variety of sectors, from manufacturing to hospitality services and everything in between,” said MBDA National Director David Hinson. “These firms create good-paying jobs and boost economic growth in America’s communities. The businesses recognized through the MED Week awards program represent just a few of our nation’s brightest and most innovative minority enterprises.”

According to a national study on child well-being published recently by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, child poverty increased in 38 states between 2000 and 2009. As a result, 14.7 million children (20 percent) were poor in 2009. That represents a 2.5 million increase from 2000, when 17 percent of the nation’s youth lived in low-income families. In the foundation’s first examination of the impact of the recession on the nation’s youth, the researchers concluded that low-income children will likely suffer academically, economically and socially long after their parents have recovered.

The research also found that Nevada had the highest rate of children whose parents are unemployed and underemployed. The state is also home to the most children affected by foreclosures-13 percent of Nevada youth have been kicked out of their homes because of an unpaid mortgage, the study found. At least 34 percent of Nevada’s children were living in families with both parents not working full-time in 2009, the largest increase in the nation, according to the survey. Nevada also saw the largest rates of children living with at least one unemployed parent, followed by Rhode Island, Oregon and Kentucky; and Black children were 39 percent more likely to be living with an unemployed parent, than their White counterparts.