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- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) intros a bill to combat the epidemic of murdered and missing Native American women and girls.
- Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) says no more spanking in schools.
- Latinx comprise over 80% of farm labor but make up less than 6% ownership. More below on how racism has shaped the farming biz.
- Under Armour and Papa John’s name Chief People Officers.
- Kamala Harris got an endorsement from CAPAC member Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) last night. We’ve got more in Blogs!
- Be sure to catch The Beat DC’s Tiffany D. Cross on Keepin’ It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton today at 1:20P EST on SiriusXM ch. 126.
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Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) talking with Long Beach constituents on Sunday about the end of the government shutdown. | |  |
ABC News' Deborah Roberts with her husband, NBC News' Al Roker, and Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda in San Juan, PR for the closing night of Hamilton over the weekend. | |
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Alcee Hastings Calls for an End to Corporal Punishment in Schools
Corporal punishment is still legal in 19 states. In 2018, more than 100,000 students were physically punished in school by being hit, slapped, and spanked. Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) wants to bring an end to this practice. “Corporal punishment is disproportionately used as a form of punishment for African American students, male students, and students with disabilities,” Hastings said. “Corporal punishment is an outdated, barbaric, and ineffective practice that has no place in our schools today.” In some states, including Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas, tens of thousands of students are paddled every year. The Ending Corporal Punishment In Schools Act would prohibit any educational institution that allows school personnel to inflict corporal punishment on students from receiving federal funding. “The time has come to end this practice once and for all. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the passage of this important legislation to make schools safe places where students can learn free from harm.” The bill was sent to the House Education and Labor Committee last week. So far, there is no companion measure over in the Senate. More here.
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Stephanie Murphy Intros Bill to Crack Down on Stalkers Who Target Children
Internet sexual predators tend to fall between the ages of 18 and 55, according to recent data. And their targets tend to be between the ages of 11 and 15. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) has reintroduced a bipartisan bill to crack down on adults stalkers who target children both online or in their communities. The Combat Online Predators Act, introduced with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), would increase criminal penalties on stalkers going after minors including those that take part in cyberstalking, adding an additional five years to a sentence if a stalker targets someone under the age of 18. The bill would also mandate that the DOJ study federal, state, and local laws targeting stalkers, and review the best practices to share with law enforcement agencies across the nation. Last year, the House passed the Murphy-Fitzpatrick bill with broad bipartisan support. The Senate then unanimously passed the bill in a slightly modified form, but time ran out before the House could vote on this version before sending it to the president for his signature. More here.
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Actresses Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, and Danai Gurira on Sunday after their film, Black Panther, took the top prize at the SAG Awards in LA. | |  |
Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), who was named to the House Judiciary Committee, on Thursday at the Committee's organizational meeting. | |
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Greg Meeks Intros Bills to Provide Financial Relief and Protection to Federal Workers Impacted by Shutdown
Now that the partial federal government shutdown is paused, federal agencies plan to disburse the back pay on different days and in many cases with two separate checks -- the second of which may not hit their bank accounts until February. For some who have fallen behind on bills, this will have a negative impact on their credit. Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) introduced two bills that he hopes would provide significant financial relief to federal workers and government contractors who have gone without pay during the recent government shutdown. The Federal Worker Credit Protection Act would allow furloughed employees to remove negative information from their credit reports should they resolve late payments three months after the end of this shutdown. And the Federal Workers Banking Assistance Act would incentivize banks to provide interest-free loans, fee waivers, and other affordable financial products to furloughed employees and government contractors impacted during a shutdown. “One too many times, federal workers have been used as pawns in political gamesmanship,” said Meeks, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions. “It’s a disgrace and the least we can do is provide financial relief and protection by allowing workers to repair their credit and receive affordable or free financial services.” More here.
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Catherine Cortez Masto Intros Bill to Address Missing and Murdered Native American Women
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) has reintroduced bipartisan legislation to combat the epidemic of murdered and missing Native American women and girls by improving the federal government's response to addressing the crisis. There is surprisingly little data on missing and murdered indigenous woman despite American Indian and Alaska Native women experiencing higher rates of domestic violence and sexual assault than any other population of women in the U.S. One consequence of this reality is that domestic and sexual violence occurs on a spectrum of abusive behavior and can include abduction and murder. Given the complicated and tense mesh of federal, state and tribal law -- as well as entrenched racism towards indigenous people in America -- cases continue to fall through the cracks. “It is long past time that Congress took action to help curb the tragic epidemic of violence toward Native American women,” said Cortez Masto. Her bill, which she introduced with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), would increase the coordination among all levels of law enforcement, improve data collection and information sharing, and empower tribal governments with the resources they need in cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls wherever they occur. The bill, Savanna’s Act, is named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who vanished in August in Fargo, ND while eight months pregnant. Her body was found days later in the Red River. The bill was killed last year by former Republican VA Congressman Bob Goodlatte as his last act before leaving Congress. More here.
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MSNBC's political commentators Maya Wiley, and Jill Wine-Banks with Latino USA’s María Hinojosa on Saturday on the set of AM Joy in NYC. | |  |
Rapper and actress Awkwafina at the Sundance Festival premiere of her movie, The Farewell, in Salt Lake City, UT over the weekend. | |
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Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang Wants Everyone Over 18 to Get $1K/Month Stipend
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur and author who founded Venture for America, an NYC-based nonprofit focused on placing top-college graduates in startups for two years in emerging U.S. cities to generate job growth and train the next generation of entrepreneurs. The son of Taiwanese immigrants said his first priority as president would be to implement Universal Basic Income (UBI) for every American adult over the age of 18: $1,000 a month, no strings attached, paid for by a new tax on the companies benefiting most from automation. The 44-year-old NY native believes UBI would allow all Americans to pay their bills, educate themselves, start businesses, and have a real stake in the future. To test this theory, Yang will be personally funding one person the dividend an “unconditional payment of $1,000 a month.” The only requirements include being a resident of Iowa who is an American citizen and over the age of 18. The recipient will be selected in March. Other top priorities for the father of two include Medicare for All to move in the direction of a single-payer system. Yang’s previous company, Manhattan GMAT -- a test preparation company, was acquired by The Washington Post/Kaplan. Prior to that, he served as the co-founder of an Internet company, an executive at a healthcare software start-up, and as a corporate lawyer. The Brown University graduate, who earned his law degree from Columbia, is the author of Smart People Should Build Things and The War on Normal People. In 2012, Yang was named as a Champion of Change by the Barack Obama White House. In 2015, he was again honored as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship. “I am running for president because we are in the third inning of the greatest economic and technological transformation in the history of the world,” Yang said. “I am running for president to help our society evolve and create an economy that works for us all — young people in particular.” More here.
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Will Eric Holder Announce a 2020 Run?
Former Barack Obama-era AG Eric Holder is reportedly leaning towards a 2020 presidential bid. AURN WH Correspondent and CNN Contributor April Ryan on Monday said that people close to Holder expect him to announce his decision in mid- to late February. The timing would coincide with a visit to Iowa on February 12th. He is scheduled to be in Des Moines at an event hosted by the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University where he’s slated to discuss redistricting, voting rights, and national law enforcement. Holder currently serves as Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. When asked about a potential presidential run on CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Holder said he was thinking about it. At the time, he said he was focused on midterms. “We’re going to be picking half the people right now who will be doing redistricting in 2021 and we have a real problem in this country with regard to partisan gerrymandering,” he added. The 68-year-old NY native is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, which he rejoined after serving for six years as the 82nd Attorney General of the U.S. -- the first African American to hold that post. Stay tuned.
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Primary Challenge to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Endorsed by House Dem Colleague
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has made enemies on the right. But could some in her own party be looking to primary her? The Hill’s Scott Wong reports that at least one House Democrat has been urging their New York delegation colleagues to recruit a local politician from the Bronx or Queens to challenge Ocasio-Cortez. “What I have recommended to the New York delegation is that you find her a primary opponent and make her a one-term congressperson,” the Democratic lawmaker, who requested anonymity, told The Hill. Ocasio-Cortez reportedly angered the Congressional Black Caucus and NY colleagues after Politico reported that she and the Justice Democrats, a progressive group which helped her get elected, were considering a primary challenge to rising Democratic star and fellow NYer Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. “I don’t think that is something the New York delegation would contemplate. As you can see, we are totally united behind each other. … The New York delegation sticks together,” Jeffries said, adding that Ocasio-Cortez denied the news report that she was backing a challenge to him. Still, allies of former Congressman Joe Crowley -- whom she beat -- including his cousin and former NYC Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley are reportedly still “furious” at Ocasio-Cortez. However, given her star-status and the continued media attention covering her every tweet, Ocasio-Cortez would be tough to beat. More here.
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Obama Alumnus Joins Howard Schultz Team as Former CEO Mulls 2020 Run
A Barack Obama alumnus has signed on to help former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz as he considers launching a 2020 presidential run, according to reports. Bill Burton is serving as a Communications Advisor to Schultz. He served as Obama’s national Press Secretary during POTUS44’s 2007 campaign and later served as Deputy White House Press Secretary from January 2009 until February 2011. Burton is now Managing Director for SKDKnickerbocker in California. The 41-year-old University of Minnesota graduate, whose father is African American, is also a Co-Founder and Senior Strategist with the Priorities USA Action super PAC. He joins a bipartisan team. Schultz has also tapped Steve Schmidt, who ran John McCain’s 2008 campaign against Obama. More here.
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Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) after a Muslim and immigration panel series last week in Michigan with some of the event attendees. | |  |
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and San Francisco, CA Mayor London Breed last week meeting to discuss efforts to address homelessness. | |
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Latinx Comprise Over 80% of Farm Labor, Less Than 6% Ownership
New data shows that farming in the U.S. is enmeshed with both racism and capitalism in a way that has had a profound impact on who owns, accesses, and benefits from farmland. Dr. Megan Horst, an Assistant Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University, found that agriculture today appears to be just as segregated as it was a century ago, with farmers of color at a significant disadvantage. From 2012 to 2014, white people comprised over 97% of non-farming landowners, 96% of owner-operators, and 86% of tenant operators. They also generated 98% of all farm-related income from land ownership and 97% of the income that comes from operating farms. Meanwhile, farmers of color (Black, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and those reporting more than one race) comprised less than 3% of non-farming landowners and less than 4% of owner-operators. They were more likely to be tenants than owners; they also owned less land and smaller farms, and generated less wealth from farming than their white counterparts. And, Latinx farmers comprised about 2% of non-farming landowners and about 6% of owner-operators and tenant operators, well below their 17% representation in the U.S. population. They also comprised over 80% of farm laborers, a notoriously under-compensated, difficult, and vulnerable position in U.S. farming. Horst says what’s needed is a radical transformation of the entire U.S. food system. More here.
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Washington State Begins Efforts on Native American Voting Rights
According to the National Congress of American Indians, turnout for registered Native American voters ranges from 5 to 14 percentage points lower compared to any other racial and ethnic group in the U.S. The state of Washington is hoping to change that by removing some of the barriers that disenfranchise Native American residents. Committees in the state legislature are considering the Native American Voting Rights Act, which would allow tribal members with nontraditional addresses to register and be mailed ballots, and allow tribes to request more drop boxes. Problems with addresses and distant drop boxes prevent tribal members from registering and voting. Gerrymandering has also impacted Native American communities. Across multiple legislative districts, some tribal members have difficulty registering because their listed address, a post office box, is in one district but they live in another. The bill is sponsored by John McCoy, the only tribal member in the state Senate. More here.
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Matter of Fact’s Soledad O’Brien on-set with Columbia, SC Mayor Steve Benjamin after taping an interview in DC. | |  |
Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) and The Hill’s Scott Wong discussing the end of the shutdown on Capitol Hill last week in DC. | |
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Magic Johnson Names New President
Christina Francis has been named the President of Magic Johnson Enterprises, where she will be responsible for managing and directing the Beverly Hill investment firm’s day-to-day operations including strategy, business development, and overseeing many of the organizations prestigious partnerships. Francis joined the company in 2014 as SVP of Marketing and Communications. The New Orleans native was previously the VP of Marketing & Events for NFL Players Inc., where she was instrumental in helping NFL Players continue its evolution from a licensing division to a sports and entertainment marketing leader. She also previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for the Orange Bowl Committee. Francis also has a long work history with the basketball legend and entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson. When she worked at Burger King Corporation, she created and managed the marketing and public relations programs for his 30 Burger King restaurants in Atlanta, Miami, Birmingham, and Dallas. Preceding Burger King, she spearheaded the national advertising and promotional campaigns for Lincoln Mercury -- which also included Magic Johnson. “I trust her to continue growing this company to new heights and establishing new partnerships in the coming years,” Johnson said. Francis is a member of the National Black MBA and The Links, Incorporated. The Xavier University graduate earned her MBA from the University of New Orleans and was a Fellow for the Consortium in Graduate Study and Management at the University of Texas at Austin. Magic Johnson Enterprises has an estimated value of $1 billion dollars. More here.
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Under Armour Names Chief People and Culture Officer
Under Armour has appointed Tchernavia Rocker as its new Chief People and Culture Officer. In her new role, she’ll lead all facets of the company’s human resources function and partner with the executive leadership team to advance and execute Under Armour’s people and culture strategy. Rocker joins Under Armour from Harley-Davidson, Inc., where she spent more than 18 years in human resources leadership roles, most recently as the VP and Chief Human Resources Officer. She also served as a member of the executive leadership team, as well as the company representative and advisor to the HR Committee of its Board of Directors. Prior to that, Rocker worked for Goodyear Dunlop North America Tire Inc. as an Associate Manager for Human Resources. The 1996 University of Alabama in Huntsville graduate, who earned her Master’s from Alabama A&M University in 2000, begins her new role in February. More here.
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Papa John's Names First-Ever Chief People Officer
Papa John's has named Marvin Boakye as its first-ever Chief People Officer. In this newly created role, he’ll play a critical part in implementing the company’s talent management strategy, which includes overseeing people operations, compensation, benefits, and learning and development. Boakye has held several HR roles in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. He most recently served as VP of Human Resources at petroleum company Andeavor in San Antonio, which was recently acquired by Marathon Petroleum. Boakye previously was Chief Human Resources Officer for the Canadian telecommunications company MTS Allstream. He has held senior human resources positions at Goodyear, Pulte Group, and The Home Depot. The 1995 University of Winnipeg graduate earned his Master’s from Royal Roads University. The company has a long road to brand recovery after John Schnatter, founder of the Papa John's pizza chain, stepped down as Chairman of the Board after using a racial slur about African Americans during a conference call last year. More here.
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Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) with San Antonio Spurs player Pau Gasol last week at the San Antonio Food Bank’s Eighth Annual Champions Against Hunger Dinner. | |  |
SEIU EVP Luisa Blue, PPFA President Leana Wen, and Asian American Action Fund Co-Chair Bel Leong-Hong last Tuesday at a meet-and-greet reception in DC. | |
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WaPo Builds Daily 202 Staff
The Washington Post has added Mariana Alfaro as a Researcher for their flagship political newsletter, The Daily 202. She joins WaPo from Business Insider, where she has been covering immigration and the 2020 campaign as an intern. Prior to that, Alfaro interned at The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal's metro sections where she covered NYPD, ICE, oyster reefs, eclipses, rats, and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. The El Salvador native is a two-time graduate of Northwestern University and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She starts her new role on February 4th. More here.
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Society of Professional Journalists Appoints New At-Large Directors
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) has appointed two At-Large Directors to its national Board of Directors. Ivette Dávila-Richards is currently a freelance Assignment Editor for Fox News Channel and previously spent 10 years as an Associate Producer for CBS News in NYC. She is a former President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ New York chapter, Regional Director for the Northeast, and VP for Broadcast on the national board. Dávila-Richards was also an SPJ Diversity Fellow at the 2018 convention. The 2003 Baruch College graduate, who is fluent in English and Spanish, began her journalism career as a Video Journalist/News Assistant at Spectrum News NY1. Victor Hernández most recently served as the Director of Media Innovation at Banjo, a technology startup specializing in event detection used by global newsrooms. Prior to Banjo, he was a Program Manager for Editorial Systems at Turner Broadcasting Systems. Before that, he spent 12 years at CNN, where he worked extensively within the organization’s editorial leadership and product technology areas. The 1998 California State University, Fresno graduate began his career as an Assignment Editor at KSEE-TV in Fresno. More about them here.
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NYT Hires Freedom of Information Act Researcher
The New York Times has hired Mark Walker as a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Researcher. He was previously a Training Director for Investigative Reporters and Editors, where he traveled across the country instructing newsrooms on the best strategies for making document requests under the FOIA. Prior to that, Walker worked as a watchdog Reporter at The Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, SD, where he focused on law and order; in 2016, he was named South Dakota Young Journalist of the Year and won the South Dakota Newspaper Association’s public service reporting award. Walker earned his undergraduate degree at Fort Valley State University. More here.
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| FOMO
Wednesday, January 30th, 3:30P: "New Chiefs of Staff Empower Hour." Join new Chiefs as they share their paths to Capitol Hill and give tips on how you can start preparing for senior roles in 2020. Location provided upon RSVP. Click here for more information.
Friday, February 1st: Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) hosts his first annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Summit. The HBCU Summit will provide students, educator, and administrators an opportunity to exchange ideas and earn skills through workshops on grant-writing and career preparation. HBCU students will also be able to meet with prospective employers at an on-site job fair. Lawson State Community College - Birmingham Campus, Alabama Center for Advanced Technology and Training Building (third floor), 3060 Wilson Road, SW, Birmingham, AL. Contact Jones' office for more information.
Friday, February 1st - Saturday, February 2nd: The Washington National Cathedral hosts “A Long, Long Way: Race and Film, 1989–2019,” which will compare historical and contemporary film to explore narratives of race and prejudice over time. Films showcased: Do the Right Thing (1989) and BlacKkKlansman (2018). Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Monday, February 4th, 6P: APAICS Celebration of Senior AAPI Congressional Staff to kick off Lunar New Year, join us as we celebrate AAPI staff leadership on Capitol Hill. TBD, DC. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, February 5th, 7P: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 20th Annual Washington, D.C. Opening Night Gala Benefit, kicking off Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s annual engagement at The Kennedy Center. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Opera House. 2700 F Street, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, February 7th, 12-6P: Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) will host the first annual Dominicans on the Hill, a day at the U.S. Capitol where Dominican Americans from communities around the nation will attend workshops on issues ranging from immigration, education and the workforce, the U.S. economy, and trade. DC. Click here for more information.
Saturday, February 16th: The Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s 93rd Annual Black History Luncheon. Washington Renaissance Hotel, 999 Ninth Street, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, February 21st – Sunday, February 24th: The Power Rising Summit, a space for Black women to turn their power into action and create an actionable agenda. Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, February 27th - Saturday, March 1st: Black Women Talk Tech presents the 3rd annual Roadmap to Billions 2019 Conference, the only annual tech conference created exclusively by Black women founders for Black female founders and their supporters. Union West, 535 West 28th Street, New York, NY. Click here for more information.
Thursday, February 28th - Sunday, March 3rd: The Women of Power Summit, a professional leadership conference designed especially for executive women of color. Confirmed speakers include Valerie Jarrett, Stacey Abrams, and Merary Simeon, Diversity Vice President, Pepsico, among others. The Mirage, 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, March 6th, 5:30P: The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) will honor Congresswoman and former NALEO President Sylvia R. García with the 2019 Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service at the organization’s annual NALEO Gala. Marriott Marquis Hotel, 901 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., DC. Click here for more information. Wednesday, March 6th - Thursday, March 7th: The ninth annual International Women’s Day Forum: The Equality Opportunity, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State. The event gathers the business community, civil society, and government representatives to advance progress, partnerships, and prosperity through gender equality around the globe. Actress, singer, and philanthropist Keke Palmer will keynote. U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1615 H Street, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
Friday, March 8th - Sunday, March 17th: SXSW 2019. Featured speakers include Co-Founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Priscilla Chan; Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY); Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI); and Endeavor's Bozoma Saint John, among others. Austin, TX. Click here for more information.
Monday, April 1st - Tuesday, April 2nd: HACU 24th National Capitol Forum on Hispanic Higher Education. Washington Marriott at Metro Center, 775 12th St., N.W. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, May 14th: APAICS 25th Anniversary Awards Gala Dinner to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The evening honors Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders, both current and pioneers, and recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations that continue to politically empower the AAPI community. 1000 H Street, N.W., DC. Click here for more information.
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