The Beat Highlights the Diversity That Leads the Nation's Capital
The Beat Highlights the Diversity That Leads the Nation's Capital
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June 27, 2017
CBC Calls Out Tech on Lack of Diversity, House Ethics has Questions for Luján and Conyers, and Susan Rice Speaks Out
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Fallout from the increasingly unpopular Obamacare repeal continues after an independent report said the measure would leave 22 million more people without health insurance by 2026. A scary thought considering that when America catches a cold, communities of color tend to catch the flu. SCOTUS ended their last day on the bench for the term amidst rumors that Justice Anthony Kennedy may be retiring. See more below about decisions from the end of this term. Newly elected U.S. Conference of Mayors President Mitch Landrieu approved a resolution urging the federal government to stay in the Paris climate agreement, bypassing the Trump administration. It’s a cold world. Here’s the hot news:
  • Congressmen Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) under review by the House Ethics Committee.
  • CBC wants Uber and other tech companies to diversify their top ranks.
  • The Beat ventured to NYC to host the cool kids to talk diversity in the nation's capitol. See who joined us below!
  • Michelle Obama heads to the Twin Cities. For what and when? See below and in FOMO.
  • Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) puts a human face on the Senate healthcare bill: hers.
  • Planned Parenthood has an important message for you.
  • Susan Rice says she has many theories.
  • Donni Turner joins the Senate Budget Committee as the Senior Education Policy Advisor. Meet her below.
  • Lynne Patton, Trump family wedding planner, starts at HUD. Seriously.
  • HBCUs may create a league that pays players.

Latino Victory Project VP of Communications Jorge Silva with Congressman Rubén Kihuen (D-NV) last week at a CHC Bold Pac event where they discussed the need for more Latinos in Congress.
Activist Tamika Mallory thanking her fans for winning the Shine A Light Award during the BET Awards 2017 on Sunday.
Luján and Conyers, Lewis CoS Under Ethics Review
The House Ethics Committee is reviewing charges lodged against Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and the staffer is Michael E. Collins, CoS to Congressman John Lewis (D-GA). Statements released Monday by the Ethics Committee did not detail the allegations against the three men, which were forwarded to the Committee by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics based on a “substantial reason to believe” that a violation has occurred. A spokesman for Luján said the investigation is linked to a complaint filed by a conservative watchdog group last year about the sit-in led by Democrats on the House floor in response to the Orlando nightclub shooting. The Conyers investigation appears to concern the departure of Cynthia Martin, a former staffer who “received compensation from the House of Representatives at a time when she may no longer have been working for the House” for several months last year -- a violation of House rules that could implicate Conyers if he approved or was aware of improper payments. More here.
CBC Urges Uber, Tech Industry to Address Diversity Deficit in Leadership
A recent letter submitted by CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) urged Uber and other tech companies to prioritize diversity when filling senior leadership positions. The CBC Diversity Task Force launched the CBC Tech 2020 in 2015, which cautioned leaders in the tech community that its lack of African American inclusion was bad for business and bad for the country. Tech companies have failed to meet the CBC Tech 2020’s demands, which is stated in the most recent letter, “The lack of diverse hiring and failure to create an inclusive and supportive corporate culture in tech companies has had dire consequences.” The letter goes on to explain how tech companies have failed to retain African Americans, which has made the climate for the employees who remain much worse. Silicon Valley must address the CBC’s caution in order to attract new investors and employees in the future. Read the full letter here.
The Senate is considering legislation that would “defund” Planned Parenthood. "Defunding" Planned Parenthood would prevent millions of people with Medicaid coverage from accessing basic health care including birth control and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood health centers. Hear from people who would be hurt most.
Susan Rice Says She Has Lots of Thoughts About Why She Was Targeted by the Trump Admin
When Barack Obama’s former National Security Advisor Susan Rice is asked why she thinks she became a target of the Donald Trump administration, she laughs, sort of. And responds, “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. What do you think?” In an interview with NY Magazine, she says, “All that stuff happened while I was a sitting public servant. I perhaps mistakenly assumed that once I was no longer a sitting public servant, and a private citizen minding my own business and trying to go to my daughter’s soccer games with more regularity, that I would not be of interest to these folks. Um ... Silly me. So this has prompted me to really try to get underneath that question.” She goes on to say, “I do not leap to the simple explanation that it’s only about race and gender. I’m trying to keep my theories to myself until I’m ready to come out with them. It’s not because I don’t have any.” More here.
Michelle Obama Heads to the Twin Cities in September 
Former First Lady Michelle Obama will be speaking at the Beth El Synagogue in suburban Minneapolis, MN on September 10th, focusing on her years in the White House and in particular her four key initiatives while she was the first lady: Let’s Move! to address the challenge of childhood obesity; Joining Forces, to support veterans, service members, and their families; Reach Higher, to inspire young people to seek higher education; and Let Girls Learn, to increase access to schooling for girls across the nation and worldwide. The forum is part of Beth El Synagogue’s National Speaker Series, which has previously hosted former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others. More here and in FOMO below.
Obama alumnus Rick Wade, founding partner of RBR Investments, hosted a Select USA Luncheon to connect Chinese investors with American business opportunities and linked minority firms to foreign business leaders.
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) spoke at the recent RUNAAPI and discussed how to make a stronger AA community.
Meet Donni Turner: New Budget Committee Staffer for Sen. Sanders
Donni Turner, a former advisor and director of African American outreach for the Sanders presidential campaign, has joined the Senate Budget Committee as the Senior Education Policy Advisor for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). This is not Turner’s first dance with Capitol Hill -- she previously served as Legislative Assistant to Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and as Legislative Director for Congressman David Scott (D-GA). She began her Hill career as a congressional staffer in the office of then-Senator Max Cleland (D-GA). She was a Principal with the Podesta Group, the director of policy for the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation, and a former White House intern and legislative strategist. She has strong roots in the city of Atlanta, where she was one of five sisters who graduated from HBCU Spelman College, and received her law degree from the Howard University School of Law. Her résumé speaks for itself. More here.
Despite Outrage, Lynne Patton Starts at HUD
On to a person whose résumé doesn’t seem to fit her new job -- Lynne Patton. Despite Congresswoman Grace Meng’s (D-NY) letter to the president demanding Patton’s immediate removal, and numerous other critics including Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Patton started her new role yesterday as head of HUD's New York and New Jersey office. In an interview with the NYT, she asked people to “Give (her) a chance.” She is hoping she can focus her energy on housing issues, beginning with her plan to release a 10-point plan for the region that would include how NY and NJ could decrease veteran homelessness and increase homeownership rates by selling vacant properties owned by the department. The Region II office oversees billions of federal dollars, but the administrator does not have direct control over the agency’s budget; she will administer federal policies and help coordinate federal programs in the region. Other past administrators had years of experience studying and writing about housing issues and economic development. More here.
Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) celebrated Eid al-Fitr with the Jamaica Muslim Center in Queens, NY on Monday.
Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) met with constituents on Monday who traveled all the way from Alabama to DC in order to have their voices heard.
Hirono, Battling Kidney Cancer, Says Healthcare is a Right
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) went on the Senate floor Monday to talk about her recent diagnosis of kidney cancer and to tell her personal story, amid the Senate's fight on the
Senate GOP healthcare bill that would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026. “Health care is personal and it’s a right, not a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it,” she said. The video (click the image to view) is a must see. We hold her in our thoughts and prayers as she undergoes surgery today.
Lewis and Booker Facebook Live Against Healthcare
Yesterday, civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sat together on the Senate steps, telecasting live via social media, their issues with the GOP health care bill and asking other electeds and the general public to join them to tell their stories. Soon after the start of the telecast, they were joined by others including Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and others. They sat for almost four hours on the steps of the Senate and were soon joined by hundreds. The whole video is incredible and inspirational. Watch it by clicking on the photo.
Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) joined by former NY Governor David Paterson on Monday to call for an end of the SoHa idea in Harlem.
Congressman Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) with children whose parent(s) were deported.
SCOTUS Will Weigh In on Trump Travel Ban
The Supreme Court is taking up the president’s travel ban when it returns from its summer recess in October. Yesterday, SCOTUS decided it would look into whether Trump’s March executive order limiting travel from six mostly Muslim countries -- and suspending the country’s refugee program from 120 days -- is constitutional. Two federal appeals courts have blocked implementing the order. In a blow to advocates, SCOTUS allowed most of the administration’s travel ban to go forward before it hears the case in the fall, granting a stay of the lower court rulings. The court did say that the ban would not able to be enforced for people with a “bona fide” relationship to the U.S. such as those with family members in the U.S., those admitted to college, or with a job offer. More here from the NYT.

SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Immigration Case
In another decision on its last day before its summer recess, the Supreme Court said yesterday it would rehear a case on whether detained immigrants have a right to a bond hearing to challenge their indefinite detention. Immigrant advocates argue that immigrants detained by the government have a right to be free on bail until their case is heard. This case involves an ICE officer who had arrested Alejandro Rodríguez, a legal permanent resident in California, for a misdemeanor possession of drugs. He was detained for three years without the right to appear before a judge. The American Civil Liberties Union took up his case and eventually won his release and a cancellation of a deportation order. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that immigrant detainees and asylum seekers can’t be detained indefinitely, and the then-Obama administration appealed to the high court. More here from NPR.
U.S. Can’t Revoke Citizenship Over Minor Falsehoods, Supreme Court Rules
In more SCOTUS news, last Thursday the Supreme Court made it harder for the government to strip citizenship from naturalized Americans. The ruling goes against the current Trump administration, which has sought to restrict immigration and deport people who have entered the U.S. illegally. In a unanimous 9-0 decision, SCOTUS ruled that a naturalized U.S. citizen cannot be stripped of citizenship if a lie or omission on immigration forms was irrelevant to the government’s original decision to grant entry into the U.S. Government lawyers under the Trump administration have sought to strip citizenship for even the most trivial offenses. One government lawyer said that failing to disclose a speeding violation could be enough to revoke citizenship. What a joke. In ruling after ruling, the courts have blocked multiple attempts by the Trump administration to restrict the rights of naturalized Americans and others trying to entering the U.S. legally. More here.
CNN commentator April Ryan making the most of things at Monday’s no camera White House briefing.
Commentator Angela Rye and Baltimore State's Atty Marilyn Mosby discussed mass incarceration BET's Genius Talks.
Gallego Receives Democracy for America’s First Endorsement for 2018
Democracy for America (DFA) has endorsed Congressman Rubén Gallego (D-AZ), its first endorsement of a House incumbent for the midterm cycle. The progressive DFA commended Gallego for consistently standing up to Trump since the November election and praised him for leading the efforts against Trump’s “hateful agenda.” “In the early days following Donald Trump’s election, a lot of Democrats hemmed and hawed about working with him. Ruben Gallego was not one of those people,” said DFA Chairman Jim Dean. “We need more progressives like Ruben Gallego who are not afraid of taking a stand on their principles, especially when they are doing so alone.” DFA will roll out more endorsements later this week. More here.
House Will Take Up Two Immigration Bills This Week
The House of Representatives is expected this week to take up two bills related to immigration -- Kate’s Law and a “sanctuary cities” bill. Kate’s Law is a proposal to increase sentences for undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of crimes and have multiple illegal entries into the United States and is named after Kathryn Steinle, who was shot by an undocumented immigrant in San Francisco who had unlawfully re-entered after being convicted of a separate crime and deported. The “sanctuary cities” legislation penalizes jurisdictions for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, by blocking some federal law enforcement grants and provides immunity for local law enforcement who cooperate with ICE. More here from The Hill.
Chu Wants to Get Wild By Advocating for More Wilderness in CA
Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced legislation that would grant federal protection as wilderness areas and scenic rivers to nearly 31,069 acres of mountain land, plus 25 miles of year-round waterways located within the Angeles National Forest in southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains Forever Act would also require management plans from the U.S. Forest Service to protect the land, plants, and animals, and would prohibit mountain bikes and all motorized vehicles from being in the designated area. Cell phones and power lines are already prohibited under the 1964 Wilderness Act. A previous attempt to add designated wilderness to the Angeles National Forest was unsuccessful in 2011. More here.
Congressman Mark Takano (D-CA) joined Muslim Americans at the Perris Islamic Center on Monday morning for Eid al-Fitr.
Kevin Durant's mom with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) and Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) at the CBCF.
Transit Turns Sanctuary: BART Votes to Prohibit Officers from Questioning About Immigration 
The governing board of the Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART, voted 8-1 last week on a “Safe Transit” policy that forbids its employees -- including its police officers -- from questioning riders or other employees about their immigration status. The policy also applies to the system’s vendors and new hires, and also prohibits BART employees from sharing information regarding the immigration status of anyone they detain. This is similar to “sanctuary city” policies in the Bay Area, including Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, and other cities and jurisdictions nationwide that have declined to cooperate with federal officials in enforcing immigration laws. More here from the Mercury News.
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) met with local Tallassee, AL resident about the impact of Stone’s throw landfill on the communities health on Saturday.
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke at Saturday’s Senate Diversity Initiative ice cream social in support of diversity in the Senate and its staff. 
Dakota Access Pipeline Reviews Includes Look at Impact on Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
A recent decision by a federal judge to order a further environmental review of the Dakota Access includes looking at what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did when the pipeline was under construction and what a potential oil spill could affect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. But what does it mean for the Sioux? Judge James Boasberg said that the Corps didn’t adequately consider how a spill could affect the tribe’s fishing and hunting rights and if it disproportionately affects the tribal community. The Corps didn’t include the actual reservation in its environmental impact study, and the tribe accuses them of gerrymandering. The judge has scheduled both sides to submit written arguments in July and August, but tribal attorneys say that if the Corps just revises its analysis and doesn’t undertake a full environmental study, it will further take the issue up in court. The Corps says a full review could take up to two years. The tribes are also pushing for a review that includes input from the tribes and from the public. More here.  
Congressman Pete Aguilar's (D-CA) volleyball team won the Bold Pac Championship for the third straight time last week.
Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha Obama on a rafting trip Monday during a vacation in Bali, Indonesia. Credit: Getty Images.
U.S Virgin Islands Dealing with Large Debt
While Puerto Rico grapples with a crushing debt and a slow economy, another U.S. territory is also facing financial problems. While the U.S. Virgin Islands has smaller financial issues, it has a much smaller population -- 100,000 -- than Puerto Rico and a smaller tax base and less of an ability to pay its debt. The USVI owes $6.5 billion to pensioners and creditors and has been struggling ever since a refinery -- its largest non-government employer -- closed in 2012. The NYT reports that the problems that beset Puerto Rico, and now the Virgin Islands, could hit other U.S. territories near and far and is a “recipe for trouble in the future.” More here.
Sran Jumps In Race to Challenge Comstock
Deep Sran
, the founder of the Loudoun School for the Gifted in Virginia, is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA). Sran, 45, grew up in Silver Spring, MD, attended Montgomery County public schools and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a law degree from Georgetown. He worked for firms in Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington for three years “but always felt like education was the way to make lasting social change.” Returning to the University of Maryland, he earned a doctorate in educational psychology and went on to teach and serve as curriculum director at the César Chávez Public Charter High School. He moved in 2004 to Ashburn, VA, a city in the congressional district where he is seeking office. Sran, whose parents are from India, said that with his background and experience, he can relate to the district’s robust South Asian community and adds that he has been working for social justice his entire life. He is cheered on by his wife and two daughters. More here.
Journalist Tamron Hall accepts a LA Press Award on behalf of JAY-Z and Harvey Weinstein with NYC mayoral candidate Akeem Browder at Sunday night’s LA Press Club Awards.
Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) with Peter McLaughlin at the Pride Parade in DC on Sunday.
Catch The Beat in NYC
On Monday night, The Beat DC hosted influencers at the swanky Ascent Lounge in Columbus Circle to talk about the importance of our platform, highlighting the diversity that drives the nation's capital. Before a room of thought leaders, wealth managers, media executives, entertainers, and more, The Beat's Tiffany D. Cross spoke about the wide net of influence cast by the politics and policy coming out of DC. Whether interests lie in New York's finance district or on a studio set in Los Angeles, there is a policy that informs every industry being discussed and decided on Capitol Hill. Hence, The Beat is the only platform that captures the intersection of substantive interests of all communities of color. Spotted at the event: Co-host Allicin Williamson of The Raben Group along with colleague Juliet Gilliam, filmmaker Warrington Hudlin, Pine Street Partner Asset Manager and Obama bundler Brian Mathis, CNN Headline News SVP Keith Brown, MSNBC's Traci Curry, journalist and novelist Curtis Stephens, BET's Sonya Lockett, Parkwood Entertainment's Janet Rolle, business executive Tom Reynolds, UBS's Marc Smith, Annenberg's Richard Grey, Fox Film's Nicky Reidy, and around 25 more of New York's finest. Stay tuned. The Beat will be coming soon to a city near you.

HBCUs to Potentially Create League That Will Pay Student Athletes
In a recent interview with VICE Sports, Andy Schwarz, a San Francisco-based antitrust economist, said he has intentions of starting a league that detaches Historically Black Colleges and Universities from the NCAA and allows those universities to pay their players. The way Schwarz and his HBCU league co-founders -- Ohio–based sports and entertainment attorney Richard Volante and DC-based author and historian Bijan Bayne -- see it, the NCAA is a bit like a traditional taxi company, while their concept is akin to Uber or Lyft. The league would consist of at least 16 members drawn from the four current NCAA Division I and II HBCU conferences, institutions such as Howard University and Florida A&M its athletes would be full-time students. Play on, playas. More here.
President and CEO of NCLR Janet Murguía last week in Newark, NJ spoke with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senator Bob Menéndez (D-NJ) about Latino priorities.
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (R-IL) celebrated the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter with fellow Potter fans on Monday.
FOMO
Today, 12P: Capitol Hill Ramadan Eid Luncheon, with remarks by Congressmen Keith Ellison (D-MN) and André Carson (D-IN). 2043 Rayburn. RSVP@irusa.org

Wednesday, June 28th, 8A: The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center sponsors a rally in front of the White House in support of immigrants and refugees and their families. Click here for more information. 

Thursday, June 29th - July 4th: Amnesty International holds a fast and vigil in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in support of abolishing the death penalty. Click here for more information.

Monday, July 4th - 8th: The League of  United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) holds its 88th annual national convention and exposition. San Antonio, TX. Click here for more information.

Thursday, July 6th, 6:30P: Join the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers in DC, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - DC Alumni Chapter for a STEM policy panel on the Hill. Speakers will discuss current legislative efforts aimed at STEM Education, STEM Careers, STEM diversity and inclusiveness, and STEM innovation. Click here to RSVP.

Thursday, July 6th - 9th: The Japanese American Citizens League holds its 48th annual national convention. Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street, N.W. Click here for more information and to register

Friday, July 7th, 12:30P: The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association holds its monthly lunch meeting at the Longworth Cafeteria. 

Saturday, July 8th - 11th: The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) holds its annual convention. Phoenix, AZ. Click here for more information and to register.

Wednesday, July 12th - 15th: The Rainbow PUSH Coalition holds its 46th annual international convention. Click her for more information and to register.

Thursday, July 13th - 22nd: The March on Washington Film Festival. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets

Thursday, July 13th, 5:30P: The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association co-hosts the Hispanic Employee Council for Foreign Affairs Agencies' (HECFAA) State Department and USAID Chapters Happy Hour. Mackey's Pub, 1306 G Street, N.W.

Thursday, July 13th - Sunday, July 16th: The 14th Annual SABA North America Convention, DC. Click here for more info and to register.
Tuesday, July 18th - July 23rd: The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. holds its 83rd Grand Chapter Meeting in Orlando, FL. Click here for more information and to register. 
Thursday, July 20th, 9A: The Washington International Trade Association sponsors its NAFTA Series kickoff event. Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Hill Staff: contact Diego Anez at 202.312.1600 or danez@wita.org o reserve your seat.
Saturday, July 22nd - 26th: The NAACP holds its 108th annual convention in Baltimore, MD. Click here for more information and to register. 
Wednesday, July 26th - 29th: The National Urban League holds its annual convention in St. Louis, MO. Click here for more information and to register.

Wednesday, July 26th - Friday, July 28th: ColorComm, Women of Color in Communications, holds its 2017 conference in Miami, FL, featuring keynote speaker Whoopi Goldberg. Click here to register
Saturday, August 5th, 3P: The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association hosts a tailgate before the DC United v. Toronto FC game. For more info, email James Hauser at iph86@georgetown.edu
Wednesday, August 9th - 13th: The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) holds its annual convention and career fair in New Orleans. Click here for more information and to register. 
Wednesday, August 16th - 20th: The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance holds its 14th biennial convention in Anaheim, CA. Click here for more information. 
Friday, August 18th: The deadline to apply for the Poynter Institute and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2017 Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media, to be held Dec. 3rd - 8th in St. Petersburg, FL. The tuition-free program trains journalists of color to work in digital media. Click here for more information and to apply
Thursday, September 7th - 9th: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the Native American Journalists Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) sponsor the Excellence in Journalism 2017 conference in Anaheim, CA. Click here for more details and to register.
Sunday, September 10th: Former First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park. MN about her years in the White House. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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