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Yesterday, Donald Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. The move does not release any additional funds to combat the effort. However, it’s important to note just how differently policymakers respond to addiction when the addicts are white. Outreach workers in urban areas told PBS that while funds and attention have been directed to white opioid and heroin users in suburbs, they struggle to get resources to help people of color fighting the same addiction. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, House Republicans narrowly approved the Senate's budget, and they are planning to unveil their tax bill next Wednesday. But there’s still some infighting to deal with if they want to get it through the Committee and the House floor by Thanksgiving. Okay, let’s get this Friday started. We’ve got tricks and treats for your clicks and tweets. We kicking off the weekend with this...
- Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) lend some bipartisan support to their colleague Senator Bob Menéndez (D-NJ).
- Eric Holder and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) heading to VA this weekend.
- Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) wants to join the all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
- Michelle Obama once hosted Beyoncé at Camp David.
- DNC Chair Tom Pérez talks about the committee’s role in funding the dossier on Trump.
- Lawmakers tour Puerto Rico, USVI, and Florida.
- Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) wants mandatory sexual harassment training on Capitol Hill.
- Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) wants the VA to study weed for vets.
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) wants Twitter to answer for Russia accounts.
- NYPD is investigating threats against CNN’s Don Lemon.
- Telemundo launches investigative unit.
- CNN’s Manu Raju honored with congressional reporting award.
- Trump’s “African American” is running for Congress.
- Indian American businessman launches congressional bid.
- Trio of Latina engineers sues Uber for discrimination.
- Members intro bills to clean up ports and provide fair wages for truck drivers.
- Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) wants spectrum on the market.
- Congressman Al Lawson (D-FL) may have a challenger.
- GAO to investigate Trump’s commission on voter fraud.
- Chicago Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp taking on new role in the Windy City.
- It’s a World Series wager for lawmakers. And they say keep your money -- put your food where your mouth is.
- Beats By Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA)!
- Charles Duncan passed away last week. He worked for many major Democratic campaigns and served in the Carter and Clinton administrations. Public viewing is today in Raleigh.
- Lawmakers get answers on what happened in Niger. Check it out in blogs.
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|  | HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson speaking with residents of Sun Valley in Colorado. | |  | NBC News correspondent Morgan Radford with Telemundo and NBC News anchor José Díaz-Balart. | |
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Holder and Harris to Campaign for Northam
This coming weekend, both former AG Eric Holder and Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) will hit the campaign trail for VA gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam. On Saturday, Holder will make stops in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and then both Holder and Harris will campaign in Richmond on Sunday. “During the tour, Holder and Senator Harris will galvanize Democrats to get out and vote for Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax, and Mark Herring,” Northam’s campaign said. Yesterday, The Beat DC reported that Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and NM Governor Susana Martínez would be in VA campaigning for Republican candidate Ed Gillespie. More here.
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Curbelo Wants to Join the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Republican Congressman Carlos Curbelo (FL) is hoping to join the ranks of the all-Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus. A spokesperson for the caucus says members are still discussing Curbelo's application. “He got us to a good place,” said CHC Chair Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) of the Cuban American’s push to join the Caucus. It began with his appointment to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a nonprofit affiliated organization. CHC currently boasts 31 members. With Curbelo, they could become 32. The Caucus at one time included members from both parties, but several Florida Republicans walked out years ago over differences on Cuba policy and formed their own group, the Congressional Hispanic Conference, which is chaired by Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL). Curbelo, who is up for re-election in 2018 in a Democratic-leaning district in Miami, had asked to join the CHC eight months ago. “My goal and my intention is to work constructively with all of those members on a lot of the issues that unite us.” More here.
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What the Obamas Did at Camp David
In the book Inside Camp David: The Private World of the Presidential Retreat, Rear Admiral and former camp commander Michael Giorgione examines how first families spent their time at the retreat. According to the book, former President Barack Obama didn’t go to the camp as often as Michelle and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia. When Michelle visited she often brought a crew of friends, and once hosted Beyoncé to celebrate the artist’s birthday. “Like Bess Truman, Michelle Obama enjoyed bringing female friends for the weekend, along with a chef to prepare healthy meals,” Giorgione writes. “She and her friends would work out pretty intensely — up to three times a day in the gym, with Marines holding the punching bags — then relax by the pool, laughing and talking.” When President Obama did visit, he loved to play “a hard-fought basketball game” and once “got knocked to the ground in an aggressive scramble,” Giorgione writes, adding that everyone was upset, except for the president. More here.
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Booker and Graham Go to Bat for Menéndez
Yesterday, we told you that Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would testify on behalf of their colleague Senator Bob Menéndez (D-NJ) during his trial on bribery charges. On the stand, Booker testified that Menéndez is honest and trustworthy, adding, “Bob has not forgotten where he comes from. He is someone who has known poverty and insecurity and what is honorable about him to me is that when I go home, and I am reminded of who I’m fighting for, I know Bob Menéndez doesn’t just have my back but has their backs.” Graham testified to Menéndez’s dependability, saying, “In very difficult circumstances he always keeps his word -- a handshake is all you need from Bob." A teary-eyed Menéndez said he was “honored” that the pair came to testify. More here.
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Pérez Talks DNC’s Role in Trump Dossier
DNC Chair Tom Pérez said on Wednesday that he’d learned only a few days ago about the DNC’s role in the funding of the dossier compiled about Donald Trump. "You hire a lawyer and we hire lawyers all the time who hire third party vendors to do their work and so we knew that we were paying for opposition research at the DNC, but we didn't ask questions about who they're hiring in the context of doing their research," Pérez said before continuing, "I find this issue somewhat curious because here's a news flash, candidates conduct research on their opponents and in the case of Donald Trump, the imperative for that is, to not do that is political malpractice. Why? Because Donald Trump refused to release so many documents." Get more here.
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CODEL Heads to Puerto Rico, USVI, and Florida
Congresswoman Norma Torres (D-CA) and Congressman Anthony Brown (D-MD) joined fellow lawmakers for a bipartisan congressional delegation to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Florida Keys. Politico reports that they left Thursday for Miami, where they were set to receive a briefing on the response to hurricanes Irma and Maria at the Coast Guard Air Station Miami. They’re joined by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), and Congressman Jeff Denham (R-CA). CHC Chair Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) is joining them for the Miami briefing. The delegation will then meet with Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) on St. Croix, where they’re planning to tour Frederiksted and observe a condemned school and a destroyed post office. When they return to the mainland, the delegation will tour damage in Marathon, FL, as well as a debris removal site, and then receive a briefing in Key West on recovery efforts by the Coast Guard, FEMA, and the EPA. On this leg of the trip, they’ll be joined by Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL). More here.
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Brenda Lawrence Wants Sexual Harassment Training to be Mandatory on Capitol Hill
Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) on Thursday introduced the Congressional Sexual Harassment Training Act, which would require every congressional office to enroll employees in training to prevent sexual harassment. The Office of Compliance (OOC), which enforces workplace protection laws for the legislative branch, already offers sexual harassment training about employees’ rights and recourses, but it is not mandatory. Currently, executive branch employees must complete anti-harassment training every two years, while only ethics and cybersecurity trainings are mandatory for congressional offices. “As a former human resources manager and certified Equal Employment Opportunity investigator for a federal agency, I care deeply about preventing and responding to sexual harassment in federal workplaces,” said Lawrence. “We must take this small, first step to support our employees’ rights and serve as an example to the nation.” More here.
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|  | Moms at work: The University of Chicago's Alaina Beverly with her daughter, Zora at the university's Urban America Forward conference. | |  | Congressmen Joaquín Castro (D-TX) and Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) with Mickey Ibarra at a DC signing for Ibarra’s new book, Latino Speakers Speak, Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph. | |
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NYPD Investigating Threats Made to Don Lemon
CNN’s Don Lemon filed a report with the NYPD over numerous racist and threatening messages directed at him on Twitter. A police source told TMZ that some of the threats recorded in the police report included “F*** you n***** can’t wait to stab your neck,” and “U r a pile of rotting Dogshit,racist,communist, socialist, Liberal moron asshole,i will find u U will pay.ill see u real soon…” The Midtown North Precinct took a report for aggravated harassment inside of 1 Time Warner Plaza (CNN). There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. Lemon regularly used his platform to criticize Trump’s performance as president. More here.
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Manu Raju Awarded by RTCA
CNN’s Manu Raju was awarded the Joan S. Barone Award at Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner in DC. The award recognizes excellence in Washington-based congressional or political reporting in the past year. Raju scored a big interview just this week with retiring Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who used the opportunity to discuss his differences with Donald Trump. Interesting fact, Raju's brother is an acclaimed TV director whose work includes episodes of How to Get Away With Murder, NCIS: New Orleans, and Criminal Minds. Back to Manu. He is a veteran reporter in Washington, having previously served as a top Capitol Hill correspondent at Politico for seven years. Prior to that, he reported for The Hill, Congressional Quarterly, and Inside Washington Publishers. The Daily Show’s Roy Wood, Jr. was the dinner’s headline entertainer. More about the dinner here.
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Telemundo Launches Investigative Unit
The Spanish-language national evening newscast Noticias Telemundo is staffing up for its first investigative unit. Adweek reports that Noticias Telemundo Investiga will produce in-depth original exposés and documentaries on key Hispanic topics. “Investigative journalism has never been more critical for our viewers,” said Noticias Telemundo EVP Luis Fernández. “Allocating resources to long-term, in-depth reporting is a demonstration of our commitment to empower Latinos with useful information and the news that really matters to them.” Noticias Telemundo Investiga stories will air across Telemundo’s platforms and broadcast on the nightly newscast anchored by José Díaz-Balart. More here.
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NFL and Kaepernick Will Discuss Social Justice Initiatives
On Wednesday night, NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said that the league expects Colin Kaepernick to be invited to the next meeting -- likely taking place next week -- between owners and players to discuss social justice initiatives. The league and players met last week to discuss player protests, but Kaepernick was not invited, according to his attorney. Lockhart said Kaepernick "has been in discussion with the players' coalition. I expect that he will be invited to this meeting and we look forward to him joining the conversation ... I don't have any confirmation that he is planning to attend." More here.
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|  | Paris Dennard and Angela Rye are politically polar opposites but also good friends. | |  | Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) with colleagues and healthcare providers talking about legislation to block Trump's rule that rescinds the Affordable Care Act requirement that employers include birth control coverage in their health insurance plans. | |
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Businessman Launches Congressional Run in Indiana
Indiana businessman Yatish Joshi announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for the chance to unseat Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN). Joshi arrived in in the United States on Christmas Eve in 1976 from his native Bombay, India to pursue graduate studies. He ultimately made his way to South Bend, where, in 1988, he founded GTA Containers Inc., which makes large-scale water containers for the military. He has suffered terrible tragedy, losing his wife in a plane crash he piloted in 2007, and in 2006, his 24-year-old daughter died in a single-engine plane crash. The 67-year-old has already received support from former South Bend Mayor and Indiana Governor Joe Kernan, who called the Indian American "one of a kind." The primary election for the 2nd Congressional District in Indiana is set for May 18, 2018. Among the other Democrats running are Aaron Bush, Douglas Carpenter, and Mel Hall. More here.
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Trump’s “African American” is Running for Congress
When then-candidate Donald Trump dubbed a random guy in the audience at one of his 2016 campaign rallies “my African-American,” it was Gregory Cheadle he was referencing. Since then, Cheadle has launched a congressional run for the third time. He unsuccessfully tried to represent California’s First District in 2012 and again in 2014. He’s hoping now that the third time will be the charm in his effort to unseat Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA). Cheadle refers to himself as a “nerdy negro” and recently came under fire from fellow Republicans when he defended NFL players protests on his Facebook. “I wasn’t their boy,” he said. “And I’m not their boy. I’m an independent person.” He said that the country has systemic racial issues, and players aren't disrespecting the country by peacefully protesting them. He still supports Trump on most issues, but Cheadle said he's disappointed in him when it comes to race -- he says especially because of the way Trump responded to the appearance of white supremacists in Charlottesville, VA. Cheadle's website says his undergrad degree is in psychology and pre-med, and that he has a Masters degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on healthcare administration. It says he recently received his law degree but does not identify any schools. It also says that Cheadle is a real estate broker, luxury playhouse builder, and has an emergency teaching credential that allows him to be a substitute teacher. Read more about him on his site.
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FL Mayor Teases Challenge to CBC Member
There’s a rumor percolating in Florida that Congressman Al Lawson (D-FL) may be getting a challenger. Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown reportedly told some local Democrats that his plan was to launch a campaign after former Congresswoman Corrine Brown is out of the news, which could happen as soon as her November sentencing date. He has also reportedly been talking to consultants as well. In 2011, the Jacksonville University graduate was the first African American to be elected Mayor of Jacksonville, but he lost a re-election bid in 2015 to a Republican. Lawson picked up his congressional seat when he challenged Brown in 2016. So far, Brown has $190,126 raised (all but $51,000 of that from committees), with $97,876 cash on hand. He only raised roughly $32,000 in Q3. Stay tuned to The Beat DC for any official announcements. More here.
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|  | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), with Armando, an intern in Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colon’s (R-PR) office. | |  |
Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló visiting one of the power plants in Puerto Rico undergoing post-Hurricane Maria repairs. | |
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GAO To Investigate Presidential Voter Fraud Commission
The Government Accountability Office is moving forward with a request by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to investigate the activities of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, the office set up by the Trump administration to investigate incidents of voter fraud. The Senators say the controversial Commission lacks transparency and has not responded to congressional requests for information. Trump has falsely claimed that he lost the popular vote because “millions of illegal voters” cast ballots for Hillary Clinton. The Commission is headed by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who like Trump believes there is widespread voter fraud. Last week, two of the four Democrats on the 11-person commission sent letters complaining of a lack of information about the panel's work. The GAO probe is expected to begin in approximately five months. More here.
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Maxine Waters Wants Twitter to Answer for Russia Accounts
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) is demanding Twitter provide information on accounts linked to Russia that she says targeted her and her congressional district. She says that she had suspected for some time that she was a target but had not talked about it publicly until now. "I have often noticed that every time I tweeted about Trump and Russia, dozens of strange accounts would immediately tweet various lies and falsehoods that fringe alt-right websites would subsequently use as a basis to write fake news stories,” she said in a statement, adding that she wants the American people and Congress to know that they too could be “vulnerable to this type of foreign disruption.” In the letter the Congresswoman wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Waters asks for information on the total number of accounts linked to Russia accounts that ever mentioned her name and the “manner and number of tweets” that mentioned her. More here.
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Correa Wants Clinical Study of Medical Marijuana for Vets
On Thursday, Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) introduced a resolution urging Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin to conduct a clinical study comparing the effectiveness of cannabis in treating chronic pain in veterans to help stop the opioid crisis. “It is imperative to the health and safety of our veterans that we find alternative treatments for chronic pain and service-related injuries. Numerous veterans attest to the treatment benefits of medical marijuana. It’s time the VA did a formal study,” Correa said. More here.
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DHS Unveils Border Wall Designs that Hurd Says Are Ineffective
Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX), whose district includes a large portion of the U.S.-Mexico border, continues to be one of the most vocal critics of a wall. He says it’s expensive and not very effective. “We should be using the money we spend on border walls to invest in technologies such as sensors, camera, and other things, which are a fraction of the cost,” Hurd told NYT. Nevertheless, the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday evening in San Diego unveiled several prototypes of the proposed wall. Agency officials say they will test the wall mock-ups over the next few months to see which design would work best. Despite the prototype rollout, a border wall remains largely part of the administration’s wish list, as Congress has not appropriated funds. In fact, DHS used funds from other programs to pay for the prototypes. More here.
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Congresswoman Jenniffer González-Colon (R-PR), with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) at the signing of legislation to fund hurricane recovery efforts. | |  | Latino Victory Fund's Cristóbal Alex with musician Steve Aoki (with a photobomb from DNC's National Finance Chair Henry R. Muñoz III). | |
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Olukotun Joins Sonos as Head of Social Impact
Deji Bryce Olukotun, previously the Senior Global Advocacy Manager at Access Now, is now Head of Social Impact at Sonos, which makes internet-connected speakers and recently launched a campaign to fight censorship in the arts. Deji is an attorney with a background in human rights and technology. He previously worked at the digital rights organization Access, where he drove campaigns on net neutrality and surveillance. Before that, he fought for free expression and the defense of writers around the world at PEN American Center with support from the Ford Foundation. His work has been featured in Vice, Slate, GigaOm, NYT, LA Times, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Atlantic, Guernica, The Millions, World Literature Today, ESPN, Chimurenga, and other publications. Deji graduated from the University of Cape Town. He also holds degrees from Yale University and Stanford Law School. He is the author of the novel Nigerians in Space, a thriller about brain drain from Africa. More about him here.
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Windy City Deputy Mayor Takes on New Role
Chicago Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp has been named CEO of World Business Chicago, a public-private economic development initiative chaired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and with more than $15 million in revenues. As Deputy Mayor, Zopp oversaw the creation of the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, which uses money from Chicago businesses to fund economic development in the city’s neighborhoods. Since last year, the Fund has supported 32 businesses with $3.2 million in funds. Zopp told Crain’s Business that going over to World Business “is really a very natural next step from what I’ve been doing here.” The Harvard Law graduate and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was CEO of Chicago Urban League from 2010 to 2016, and previous to that spent four years as EVP and General Counsel at Exelon. She is a former U.S. Senate candidate and was the first woman and first African American to serve as First Assistant in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. More here.
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K12 Names Ed Reformer President of Academics, Policy, and Schools
K12 Inc., a technology-based education company, announced that national education reform advocate Kevin P. Chavous has been named the company’s President of Academics, Policy, and Schools. The Indiana native previously worked as the Education Committee Chair of the DC City Council and as the founding Board President of Washington Latin Public Charter School in DC. Following his graduation from Wabash College, Chavous went on to graduate from Howard University School of Law where he was president of his graduating class. After serving on the DC City Council, he made an unsuccessful run for mayor in 1998. Chavous has also previously worked at law firms Cadeaux & Tagliere; Arent Fox; and Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, where he practiced education and government law. He also worked as VP of Communications for Covad Communications Group. The member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity has authored four books including Serving Our Children: Charter Schools and the Reform of American Public Education; Voices of Determination: Children that Defy the Odds; and Building a Learning Culture in America. More here.
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New to The Beat DC? Check out our podcast on iTunes. We talk to policymakers, business leaders, people of color and colorful people. From Uber's Chief Diversity Officer to the Hip Hop Curator at the Kennedy Center, it's a good listen. Join us for the conversation here.
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Trio of Latina Engineers Allege Discrimination at Uber
Three Latina software engineers at Uber are suing the rideshare company, claiming racial and gender discrimination. Ingrid Avendaño, Roxana del Toro López, and Ana Medina claim that the company’s compensation and evaluation practices are “not based on valid and reliable performance measures.” The company uses a ranking system that evaluates employees from best to worst, and the lawsuit alleges that women, Hispanics, Native American, and Black employees are routinely given lower scores compared to their white or Asian male counterparts. “Female employees and employees of color are systematically undervalued compared to their male and white or Asian American peers because female employees and employees of color receive, on average, lower rankings despite equal or better performance,” the lawsuit states, adding that the low scores make the employees lose out on promotions and bonuses and Avendaño and del Toro López left Uber over the summer, while Medina is still with the company. Among other things, the trio is demanding a jury trial and payment of back wages. The LA Times reports that Uber declined to comment. More here.
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Civil Rights Groups Call Out More than Just American Airlines
American Airlines is just one of eight of eight airlines that have recently come under scrutiny for questionable policies. The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and Muslim Advocates, another civil rights group sent a letter addressed to executives at American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest, Virgin, and United Airlines outlining what lawyers with the two organizations have described as a serious and possibly growing problem on the nation’s airlines. WaPo reports that passengers filed 95 civil rights complaints against U.S. airlines and foreign carriers flying into the country in 2016. That’s a 45% uptick from 2015. The NAACP LDF, CAIR, and Muslim Advocates worked with the Association of Flight Attendants and the Department of Transportation during much of 2016. And in the last weeks of President Barack Obama’s administration, the federal agency issued the first update to the passenger bill of rights in 21 years. More here.
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|  | Tina Tchen, former CoS to Michelle Obama, in Calgary speaking at the Canadian Women's Foundation. | |  | Tamron Hall on Monday night in NYC being honored by the Ackerman Institute for the Family. | |
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Lawmakers Say Eat That Over World Series
With the World Series underway between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Congressman Jimmy Gómez (D-CA) made a bet with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). If the Astros win the series, Gómez owes Jackson Lee “French Dipped” sandwiches from a downtown LA restaurant. If the Dodgers become MLB’s champs, Gómez gets some Texas BBQ. Additionally, the Congress member from the losing side has to wear the other team’s colors for a day and deliver a congratulatory message on the House floor. Over on the Senate side, the bet is between Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) and requires the losing member to buy lunch. More here.
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Matsui Wants to Help Sell Spectrum
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), co-chairs of the Congressional Spectrum Caucus, introduced a bill that will make it easier for the FCC to auction off spectrum frequencies which comprise the radio frequencies that power smartphones, Wi-Fi, and all other wireless technologies. Commercial demand for spectrum has exploded as the country has rapidly digitized, but the federal government still holds licenses for many spectrum frequencies, and the FCC also continues to study other bands that could be commercialized to meet demand. The FCC has held very successful spectrum frequency auctions, raising billions of dollars for deficit reduction and various other accounts. Going forward, however, the Commission has indicated they are having trouble partnering with private financial institutions to hold the large sums of money from bidders that make up auction deposits. They say the Spectrum Auction Deposits Act fixes this problem by allowing the FCC to partner with the Treasury Department to hold in escrow the deposits of auction bidders. More here.
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Members Intro Bills to Clean Up Ports and Provide Fair Wages for Truck Drivers
Congresswomen Nanette Díaz Barragán (D-CA) and Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), with Congressmen Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) yesterday introduced the Port Drivers’ Bill of Rights Act and the Clean Ports Act to help clean up ports and protect wages for truck drivers. An estimated 87 million Americans live in port-adjacent communities which fail to meet federal air quality standards. Current federal law limits the extent of what ports can do to improve their local environment. This same federal law also allows trucking companies to avoid state and local wage laws in order to underpay and overwork their drivers. These bills aim to stop the exploitation of drivers and empower local ports to reduce environmental pollution, mitigate traffic congestion, and improve highway safety and efficiency, without putting the burden on the backs of the truck drivers. “My cousin is a truck driver, and I remember him looking at his paycheck to figure out why he got so little money. Sometimes these truck driver[s] are earning less than the minimum wage,” said Díaz Barragán. “What’s happening to these truck drivers amounts to indentured servitude.” Get more here.
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|  | Congressman André Carson (D-IN) at a U.S. citizenship swearing-in ceremony. | |  |
Rodell Mollineau, Co-Founder and Partner at Rokk Solutions, pumpkin picking with a friend over the weekend. | |
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Beats By Congressman Dwight Evans
Freshman Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA) began his career in public service in the Pennsylvania State Legislature in 1980. But before that, the graduate of the Community College of Philadelphia and La Salle University was an educator in Philly and a community activist for the Urban League. While in the State House he unsuccessfully ran for higher office four times including in 1994 when he became the first African American to run for Governor of Pennsylvania. He says the best thing about being a person of color is “everything.” He credits Harriet Tubman, Rev. Leon Sullivan, Frederick Douglass, and Thurgood Marshall with helping to build and shape his identity. We asked Evans if there was one phrase or saying from his background that he carries with him every day, he pointed to Frederick Douglass’ “Agitate, Agitate, Agitate.” Evans said, “To me this means, keep fighting, keep driving that narrative, keep pursuing an agenda you believe in that strengthens our neighborhoods.” Check out his full Beats here.
Who do you want to see us feature? Hit up info@thebeatdc.com and let us know!
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| FOMO
Saturday, October 28th - October 30th: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 31st Annual Conference in San Diego. Click here for more information and to register.
Monday, October 30th (NYC) & Wednesday, November 1st (DC): The Pop-Up Magazine performances where writers, radio producers, photographers, filmmakers, and illustrators perform new, mostly reported stories in all kinds of media mixes together. Topics include politics, social issues, music, and crime, among others. Contributors include LeVar Burton, Aparna Nancherla, and Daniel Alarcón. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Monday, October 30th, 5:30P: The 23rd annual ADL In Concert Against Hate. This year's honorees are Gavin Grimm, Tolu Olubunmi, Ann Jaffe, and Chief Louis M. Dekmar. Kennedy Center. Click here to purchase tickets.
Tuesday, October 31st, 9A: "The New Abolitionism: Symposium on Money Mechanics & A Moral Economy." Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, 9832 Piscataway Road, Clinton, MD. Free. Click here for more information and to RSVP.Wednesday, November 1st, 6P: Join the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund for the launch of Staff UP Congress, a National Initiative for a Representative Congressional Workforce. Majority Group Townhouse, 19 D Street, S.E. RSVP to: bmoz@naleo.org
Thursday, November 2nd, 10A: The National Action Network Legislative and Policy Conference Hill Day. Congressional Auditorium, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, First Street, NE.
Thursday, November 2nd, 6P: Join the Film, Gun Violence Prevention, and Hillary for America alumni communities for a reception in support of Lucy McBath for Georgia House District 37. NYC. Click here for more information and to register. Address provided upon RSVP.
Wednesday, November 15th, 8:30A: The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Chairman Conversation with former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, moderated by Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ken Biberaj. New York Law School, 185 West Broadway, NYC. RSVP to: events@manhattancc.org Friday, November 17th: The 24th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards to honor visionaries from across the Caribbean. J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. To learn more about the Caribbean American Heritage Awards, visit: www.caribbeanheritageawards.org
Sunday, November 19th: The National Portrait Gallery Second biennial American Portrait Gala, honoring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, HIV/AIDs researcher Dr. David D. Ho; artistic director, choreographer, and dancer Bill T. Jones; film director, producer, writer, and actor Spike Lee; and multi-award-winning actress Rita Moreno. Click here for more information. Wednesday, November 29th, 8P: Join Congressman André Carson (D-IN) for JAY-Z's 4:44 Tour. Capital One Arena, 601 F Street, N.W. For more information or to RSVP, contact Courtney Hodges or Randy Broz at: 202.403.0606 or email: Courtney@ABConsultingDC.com
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