Photo by Elvert Barnes In a devastating blow to progress, the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions has begun to unravel decades of hard-won gains for women and students of color in higher education and beyond. Recent statistics from Brown University reported a 40% drop in Black student enrollment in […]
White Supremacists in Charlottesville Rally Found Liable
On Tuesday, a federal jury in Charlottesville, VA found that more than a dozen white supremacists “conspired to intimidate, harass, or commit acts of violence during 2017’s deadly Unite the Right rally.” The jury decided that these men, along with the white supremacist groups to which they belong, owe $26 million in damages. The jurors […]
Social Justice Takes the Stage: Feminist Recap of the 2021 Met Gala
The 2021 Met Gala took place Monday evening, showcasing several attendees who used their time on the red carpet to advocate for social justice issues. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) was joined by fellow New York Congresswoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in using the Met Gala’s theme of “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” to […]
Texas Governor Greg Abbott Signs Restrictive Voting Bill into Law
On Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that will impose new voting restrictions on the people of Texas. The bill was passed by the Texas Legislature last week. The bill, called SB 1, will disproportionately limit voting access for people of color, people with disabilities, and elderly people in Texas. It bans drive-through […]
Allyson Felix Wins 11th Olympic Medal and Becomes Most Decorated U.S. Track Athlete of All Time: Feminist Recap of the 2021 Olympic Games
On Saturday, American track athlete Allyson Felix won her 11th Olympic medal by earning gold in the 4×400 meter relay. She is now the most decorated U.S. track athlete, of any gender, in history. Felix, 35, surpassed track star Carl Lewis, who had previously held the most Olympic medals of any American track athlete. Her […]
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is Today
Today marks Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which is the day that Black women would have to work into 2021 in order to make the same amount of money that non-Hispanic white men made in 2020. Black women are paid $0.63 for every $1.00 a non-Hispanic white man makes, according to the ACS Census data. […]
Texas Senate Passes Bill that No Longer Requires Schools to Teach the History of Marginalized Groups or White Supremacy
Last week, the Texas Senate passed SB 3, a new bill that would eliminate several social studies curriculum requirements from public schools. Most of the omitted requirements involved teaching the history of marginalized populations and the history of white supremacy in the United States. The Texas Senate voted to pass the bill 18-4. However, it […]
Teachers’ Unions Pledge to Defend Teachers Against Critical Race Theory Backlash
On Tuesday, the country’s second-largest teachers’ union announced its commitment to offer legal protection to teachers who face repercussions for how they teach the history of race and racism in the United States. The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, said during a virtual union conference, “Mark my words: Our union will […]
Feminist Recap of Olympics News: Sha’Carri Richardson, Soul Cap Swim Caps, and Gwen Berry
Sha’Carri Richardson, a star American sprinter set to join the U.S. Olympic track team, received a one-month suspension last Monday for a positive marijuana test. The suspension, issued by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, could jeopardize her participation in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics later this month. Richardson apologized for using marijuana, explaining that she used […]
Supreme Court Maintains Arizona Voting Restrictions Further Weakening Voting Rights Act
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that two Arizona voting restrictions did not violate the Voting Rights Act, the landmark legislation that bans racially discriminatory voting rules. The 6-3 decision was made along ideological lines, with the court’s conservative members comprising the majority and the liberal justices in dissent. Their ruling upholds two voting laws […]
Black Voters Matter End Freedom Ride in DC
On Saturday, advocacy organization Black Voters Matter gathered in D.C. with other political advocacy organizations to demonstrate and garner support for voting rights. The goals of the rally, which was held in front of the Capitol building, included passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, passing the For the People Act, and granting Statehood to […]
Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 22.5 Years in Prison for Murdering George Floyd
Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd in May of 2020, was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on Friday. The sentencing decision was delivered by Hennepin Country District Court Judge Peter A. Cahill. Chauvin, 45, will likely only serve 15 years of the 22-and-a-half-year sentence. After 15 years, […]
Senate Approves Legislation to Make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
Yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed a measure to make Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, a federal holiday. The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for approval. If passed by the House and subsequently signed into law by President Biden, June 19th will be […]
Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill Denouncing Anti-Asian Discrimination
On Thursday, the Senate passed with a strong bipartisan majority a bill denouncing discrimination against Asian communities in the US. The bill also creates a new position at the Department of Justice to expedite reviews of potential COVID-related hate crimes. The vote was 94-1, with lone opposition from Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. The bill was […]
House Votes to Pass DC Statehood Bill
On Thursday, the House voted 216-208 to grant statehood to Washington, DC. This move is the first time a Congressional chamber has approved establishing DC as a state. The legislation renames the capital as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, named for abolitionist Frederick Douglass, granting it two senators and a voting representative in the House. DC currently […]
Derek Chauvin Found Guilty for George Floyd’s Death as Police Kill Ma’Khia Bryant
On Tuesday, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges for the murder of George Floyd last year. The prosecution argued that George Floyd died as a direct result of Chauvin’s physical actions– Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck caused low oxygen levels which led to a brain injury and arrhythmia, which caused his heart […]
House Judiciary Committee Votes on Bill to Establish Commission on Reparations for Slavery
Last week, legislators in the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance a bill that would establish a commission to propose ideas on how to redress the effects of slavery in the U.S. H.R. 40, sponsored by Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and named after the unfulfilled promise of “40 acres and a mule” for emancipated […]
Florida Passes “Anti-Riot” Bill to Criminalize Protesting
On Monday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB1 into law, referred to as an “anti-riot” bill, which puts stronger penalties on protesters who engage in “violent rallies”. This comes days before a verdict is expected in Derek Chauvin’s high profile case. The law staunchly criminalizes “rioting”, “looting”, and “harming law enforcement officers”, as well […]
Police Officer Killed 20-Year-Old Daunte Wright
On Sunday, a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man during a traffic stop. The shooting happened ten miles from where Derek Chauvin is on trial in the killing of George Floyd. According to the Chief Tim Gannon of Brooklyn Center Police Department, the officer intended to tase […]
NAACP Image Awards Honors Stacey Abrams
On Saturday, the NAACP held their 52nd annual NAACP Image Awards to celebrate Black stories and excellence in entertainment. As part of the special awards segment of the show, Michelle Obama presented Stacey Abrams with the Image Awards’ first Social Justice Impact Award. “Her courage… it’s contagious, her approach is inclusive, and her eyes are […]