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It goes down in the DMZ. Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo made a top-secret trip to North Korea to meet with Kim Jong Un over Easter weekend -- shortly after Trump tapped him to be Secretary of State. Pompeo has taken the lead on the administration’s negotiations with Pyongyang. Plans for a possible summit between the two leaders are underway, Trump confirmed via tweet this morning. On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is refusing to bring a vote to the floor on protecting Special Counsel Robert Mueller or on the White House's rescission plan or war authorization. He says the bipartisan Mueller bill is unnecessary and the president would never sign it. McConnell also said he's comfortable using the existing war authorizations. In the House, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has endorsed his top lieutenant, Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), to succeed him as Speaker (assuming the GOP maintains control of the House). Allies for Majority Whip Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA) are reportedly in their feelings about not being given a heads up. This morning, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Whip Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-CA), with Congressmen Will Hurd (R-TX) and Jeff Denham (R-CA), will make an announcement about using the bipartisan “queen-of-the-hill” rule to force a debate and a vote in the House on four measures to provide solutions for DACA recipients. And Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) is tossing the deuces to Congress sooner than expected. He was already slated to retire but, on Tuesday, he announced he'll leave in May. He has expressed interest in a TV analyst position. Question: Eric Holder, are you running for president or nah? “Yeah, I’m thinking about it.” That’s what the former Attorney General told MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Tuesday. In other news, Starbucks said it would close its more than 8,000 stores for one day to conduct anti-bias training after two Black men were arrested at one of its stores last week. The incident, caught on video, prompted outrage. Shout out to all the people who survive similar incidents every day that are not caught on video. In some sad news, former First Lady Barbara Bush, the widely admired wife of one president and the fiercely loyal mother of another, died Tuesday evening at her home in Houston. She was 92. We’re kicking off Wednesday with this...
- Tri-Caucus Chairs call for a hearing on ICE & DOJ amid concerns that the agencies are disseminating misleading and inaccurate information.
- Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) teams with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to intro bill to combat the opioid crisis.
- Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) wants to reauthorize and reform a program that supports America’s neediest students.
- UN Ambassador Nikki Haley fights back ... against her own administration.
- FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn (D) announces plans to step down.
- Meet the new Chiefs of Staff for Guam’s Representative.
- Did Barack Obama say Black Panther’s Killmonger was right and call 45 a dipsh*t?! Read on.
- Ava DuVernay partners with Getty Images.
- Associated Press Sports Editors elects first Black woman VP.
- SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor broke her left shoulder in a fall at her DC home.
- Supreme Court strikes down part of a federal law that requires the mandatory deportation of immigrants.
- LIBRE Initiative names a new Director of Coalitions.
- UPS appoints new President of U.S. Operations.
- Meet the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda’s new Executive Committee.
- American Association of Political Consultants inducts first Black woman into its Hall of Fame.
- The National Action Network’s annual conference kicks off today, and the MALDEF DC gala is tonight. Get more deets in FOMO.
- Elle sees Joy-Ann Reid! In a new profile piece -- with commentary from The Beat DC’s Tiffany D. Cross -- the magazine documents how Reid is changing the game for women, and especially women of color, in TV news. Make sure to catch it in Blogs.
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Matter of Fact host Soledad O’Brien enjoying Friday’s warm weather horseback riding. | |  |
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) receiving the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s Legislative Leadership Award this weekend, with Humane Society's Executive Vice President Michael Markarian and Acting President and CEO Kitty Block. | |
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Tri-Caucus Chairs Call for Hearing on ICE & DOJ Disseminating Misleading & Inaccurate Information
The Congressional Tri-Caucus Chairs -- composed of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu (D-CA), and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) -- sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC), urging him to hold a hearing and open an investigation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Justice after a whistleblower alleged that the agencies disseminated and touted misleading and inaccurate information to the press and general public after an ICE operation in California -- a state that has been targeted by the Administration for its vocal opposition to Trump’s immigration policies. “It is alarming and completely unacceptable to hear reports that executive level officials at two federal agencies deceptively acted to provide deliberately fraudulent information to the public. This outright dishonest conduct is deeply concerning and damages and undermines the credibility and integrity of federal agencies across the country… Unfortunately, this is yet another example of the Trump Administration eroding the public’s trust in government and pushing an anti-immigrant agenda that does not square with the facts,” the Members wrote. “In order to restore the public’s trust in ICE and DOJ, we urge you, as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, to (1) open an investigation into the accusations made by ICE Spokesman Schwab against ICE; (2) hold a hearing to question Acting ICE Director Homan and Attorney General Sessions regarding their Oakland raid statements.” See the full letter here.
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Cummings Partners with Warren on Opioid Bill
Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are planning to introduce today the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act (CARE Act) that would require $10 billion a year in federal funding to combat the opioid crisis. The legislation is modeled off 1990’s Ryan White Act, which provided billions in federal money to combat the AIDS crisis -- to address the drug overdoses which are claiming lives in record numbers. The program would send federal help directly to local and state governments to provide treatment services. The pair is also planning to tour the states hardest hit by the opioid crisis to drum up support for the bill. “This is a problem that is crying out for a solution,” Cummings said. “It is literally life or death.” In 2016, over 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses -- more than the highest death tolls of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s. About two-thirds of the drug deaths were attributable to opioids, according to the federal government. Yet, according to the Surgeon General, only about 10% of people in need of specialty treatment receive it. “I’m proud to partner with Elijah on a bill that’ll give communities the tools to fight back against this epidemic,” Warren said in a statement. “Congress has come together before to save lives — it's time for us to do so again.” More here.
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Marco Rubio’s New Chief Raises Questions of the Senator’s Political Ambitions
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has named a new Chief of Staff that’s sparking questions about his political ambitions. Former Heritage Action for America CEO Michael Needham, who waged years of unforgiving political warfare against the Republican Party establishment -- of which Rubio is widely considered to be a member, is heading to the Hill to run the Senator’s office. Needham can be credited with deepening the divide between party leaders and grass-roots activists that helped elevate Donald Trump to the presidency. Rubio went through several changes on the 2016 campaign trail before his presidential hopes were dashed by Trump. Is this another chance to position himself for another try at the White House? In an NYT interview on Tuesday, Rubio said that since his presidential campaign ended in March 2016, he has spent a lot of time contemplating what Trump got right and what he misjudged. Rubio insisted that he had no current plans to run for president again. “It’s so far-off in the future, I don’t know where my mind will be.” At only 46, time is on the Senator’s side. And with a 36-year-old now running his office, it may present an opportunity for the pair to tap into a younger base -- a demographic where 45 remains grossly unpopular. Rubio’s Chief of Staff position had been vacant since January when he fired the previous Chief after allegations of inappropriate conduct. More here.
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Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) with artist Jackson Browne on Wednesday. | |  |
Sarah Audelo, Executive Director for the Alliance for Youth Action, with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) on Monday at a conference. | |
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Hurd Proposes GEAR UP Program Reforms
Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) has proposed a bipartisan bill to reauthorize and reform a federal grant program that provides counseling, tutoring, mentoring and scholarship opportunities to America’s neediest students. The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) for Success Act of 2018, which Hurd introduced last week with Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA), would revamp GEAR UP, a nationwide competitive grant program administered by the Department of Education that helps low-income students prepare for postsecondary education. “GEAR UP serves thousands of local students in my district and gives them the tools they need to become valuable contributors to our workforce,” said Hurd. “I’ll continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that every student has an equal chance for success.” Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the companion bill in the Senate along with Kamala Harris (D-CA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Joe Manchin (D-WV), among the original cosponsors. More here.
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Congress Readies to Kill CFPB’s Auto-Loan Rule Preventing Discriminatory Lending
The Republican-controlled Senate on Tuesday moved closer to undoing an Obama-era regulation aimed to prevent auto lenders from allowing borrowers of color to be charged more than their white peers -- even if they have the same credit scores -- through a practice called “dealer markups.” On average, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American customers paid from $200 to more than $300 more for auto loans than did whites who were equally creditworthy, federal officials charged. The finance companies and the dealers split the extra profits. Under President Barack Obama, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) imposed tens of millions of dollars in fines on several auto lenders between 2013 and 2016, including Ally Financial Inc. and Toyota Motor Credit Corp. The GOP and the industry have long sought to roll back the regulation. And now that Trump’s Budget Director Mick Mulvaney is at the helm of the CFPB and the GOP controls Congress, looks like they will get their wish. The legislation, which has more than a dozen Republican sponsors, needs a simple majority to pass. Senators began debating the bill Tuesday afternoon. It could come up for a vote late Tuesday or Wednesday morning. It also has the support of the White House, but still must pass the House. Democrats and consumer advocates have said that repealing the CFPB policy would open the door to discriminatory practices. More here.
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Nikki Haley Doesn’t Get Confused
We told you yesterday that UN Ambassador Nikki Haley had over the weekend announced that new sanctions against Russia were coming on Monday, before they were shut down by Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Trump’s National Economics Advisor Larry Kudlow said that Haley “got ahead of the curve” and that she might have had “some momentary confusion” about the sanctions. Haley quickly replied,“With all due respect, I don’t get confused.” That set off a series of events that resulted in Kudlow calling Haley to apologize and issue a public comment to the NYT, where he had to backtrack and said, “She was certainly not confused. I was wrong to say that — totally wrong. … As it turns out, she was basically following what she thought was policy. The policy was changed and she wasn’t told about it, so she was in a box.” More here.
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CA congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar (D) on Sunday speaking at a meet and greet in Jamul, CA. | |  |
Blavity CEO and Co-Founder Morgan DeBaun earlier this month in San Francisco with poet Aaron Samuels and CEO of Cinchappi Jeff Nelson. | |
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Mignon Clyburn Announces Retirement from FCC
During a meeting of the FCC yesterday, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn (D) announced her plans to step down. The Obama-era Commissioner joined the FCC in 2009, and spent her eight-year tenure focused on the needs of low-income and minority communities through advocacy for programs like Lifeline -- which helps make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers -- and fought against the high cost of phone calls for prison inmates. Clyburn is the only Black voice on the five-member commission, and she served as interim FCC chief in 2013, becoming the first African American woman to lead the agency. She is the daughter of Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC), the third-ranking Democrat in the House. Clyburn became one of the most outspoken proponents for net neutrality, calling the FCC’s recent decision to repeal the 2015 rules that ensured net neutrality a “significant attack on internet freedom.” Prior to joining the FCC, the University of South Carolina grad was Co-Owner and General Manager of The Coastal Times, a Charleston newspaper with a focus on issues affecting the Black community. “Mignon Clyburn will go down in history as one of the best FCC Commissioners of all time,” said Gigi Sohn, who was Counselor to former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. “For nearly 9 years, she has been a vocal and passionate advocate for the public interest and defender of the most vulnerable in our society.” More here.
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Meet the New Chiefs of Staff for Guam’s Representative
Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) has appointed Adam Philip Carbullido as Chief of Staff for her DC office and Jon Junior Calvo as Chief of Staff for her Guam District Office. In December, we told you that Carbullido had been promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff for the Congresswoman. The University of Notre Dame grad is one of the only Pacific Islander Chiefs of Staff in Congress. Carbullido has been with Bordallo’s office since 2010 and has previously served as Staff Assistant, Press Secretary, Legislative Assistant, Communications Director, and Deputy CoS for the Congresswoman. He is also the Treasurer of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association. Calvo has been with Bordallo since 2011. The University of Guam grad, who also has his Master’s from the school, first served as Policy Advisor before being promoted to District Director. He serves as the Vice Chair for Democratic Party of Guam. Congrats, Adam and Jon Junior!
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Congressmen Conor Lamb (D-PA) and Jimmy Gómez (D-CA) at Lamb’s swearing in ceremony last week. | |  | The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights' Director of Communications & Media Relation Shin Inouye with President and CEO Vanita Gupta, after an appearance on MSNBC's AM Joy over the weekend. | |
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Obama Has Words on Killmonger and 45 ... Or Does He?
Director Jordan Peele and BuzzFeed’s CEO Jonah Peretti, the filmmaker’s brother-in-law, teamed up to film a PSA, and they used one of the most powerful faces in the world to punctuate their cautionary tale deceptive online tactics. Using some of the latest AI techniques, Peele ventriloquizes former President Barack Obama, having him voice his opinion on Black Panther (“Killmonger was right”) and call Donald Trump “a total and complete dipshit.” As the video soon reveals, the man speaking is not the former Commander-In-Chief, but rather Oscar-winning Peele, with a warning for viewers about trusting material they encounter online. The duo wanted to warn the public about the rapidly evolving threat posed by digital misinformation after discussions between them about new technologies and the erosion of a shared reality. “This is a dangerous time. Moving forward, we need to be more vigilant with what we trust from the internet,” says Peele as Obama. The PSA ends with Peele urging people to “stay woke” by being vigilant to media sources. “It may sound basic,” Peele says as Obama, “but how we move forward in the Age of Information is gonna be the difference between whether we survive or whether we become some kind of fucked-up dystopia.” The fakery was built using Adobe After Effects, a readily available piece of video software, and FakeApp, an artificial intelligence program that made headlines in January when it was used to transplant actor Nicolas Cage’s face into several movies in which he hadn’t appeared. More here.
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Ava DuVernay Partners with Getty Images
ARRAY Alliance, a creative collective founded by Director Ava DuVernay to amplify the work of women and people of color filmmakers, has announced the launch of the first Getty Images ARRAY Grant, open to both filmmakers and photographers from around the world who are using their art forms to create diverse and inclusive visual stories. Four grants of $5,000 each, totaling $20,000, will be awarded to two commercial creative photographers and two editorial filmmakers who capture the visual narrative of underrepresented ethnic communities such as African American, Caribbean, South Asian, Arab, Indigenous, or Latinx and use their medium to progress visual representation. The winners will be selected based on their project submissions, focusing on the quality of their cinematography, photographic skills and how their work is used to drive authenticity and inclusion. "We at ARRAY are proud to collaborate with Getty Images to identify and amplify exceptional, underrepresented image makers through this initiative," said DuVernay. "Our mission is to shift the dominant gaze and create a new normal when it comes to the voices and vision of artists of all kinds, and we are pleased to join forces with Getty Images in this effort." More here.
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APSE Elects First Black Woman VP
Lisa Wilson of ESPN’s The Undefeated has been elected Second Vice President of the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE). She becomes the first African American woman to be elected to office in APSE’s 44-year history. She is a Senior Editor at ESPN’s The Undefeated where she is responsible for content on the sports vertical while overseeing a team of seasoned sports writers who produce compelling daily stories and long-form features. She also spearheads sports-focused multimedia projects at The Undefeated and works with counterparts across ESPN platforms on other content. Prior to that, she served a successful 18-year stint as Sports Editor at The Buffalo News where she arrived as a Copy and Layout Editor in September 1998. Through the years, her roles and responsibilities grew progressively at the Western New York media company, including a promotion to Assistant Sports Editor in October 2007. Prior to The News, Wilson worked at the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, NY from 1992-98 as a Sports Reporter, Features Editor, and Sports Editor. The three-year term at APSE will ascend to the presidency in 2020-21. The 1991 Canisius College graduate will officially begin her duties at the conclusion of the June convention in Nashville. More here.
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Senate candidate and current CA state Senator Kevin de León rallying support in Oxnard over the weekend. | |  |
CNN commentator Symone D. Sanders at Harvard University last week with VA Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax and GA gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D). | |
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Van Jones Joins Jared Kushner on Capitol Hill
CNN’s Van Jones is joining Donald Trump's Advisor-On-All-the-Things Jared Kushner on the Hill this morning to talk bipartisan prison reform legislation alongside conservative activist Grover Norquist. Liberal and civil rights groups are already going to bat against Kushner's preference for a narrow approach, as opposed to bipartisan criminal justice legislation recently introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA). More than 60 groups sent a letter last week warning that the White House-backed narrower-strategy is "doomed to fail," and the Brennan Center for Justice will send its own plea today to House Judiciary Committee leaders urging that sentencing reform opposed by the administration be considered alongside prison reform. The letter urges Committee leaders to continue efforts to pass the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, which would reduce the number of federal prisoners and was close to passing last year. Jones just joined Ford Foundation President Darren Walker on Tuesday night to discuss a bipartisan movement to end mass incarceration. See video here.
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Sonia Sotomayor Breaks Shoulder
SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor broke her left shoulder in a fall at her DC home. The 63-year-old will have to wear a sling for several weeks and undergo physical therapy. She is not, however, expected to miss any time on the bench. SCOTUS is in session and the justices are hearing arguments this week and next. The fall occurred on Monday morning and a doctor confirmed the break in the afternoon. Sotomayor was in court Monday and did not appear to be in pain. This marks the second medical issue that Sotomayor, 63, has faced this year. The lifelong diabetic was treated by paramedics for low blood sugar in January. More here.
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SCOTUS Strikes Down Immigration Law ‘Crime Of Violence’ Provision
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a provision of federal law that requires the mandatory deportation of immigrants who have been convicted of some "crimes of violence." SCOTUS held that the law is unconstitutionally vague. The case, Sessions v. Dimaya, had originated during the Obama administration but had been closely watched to see if the justices would reveal how they will consider the Trump administration's overall push to both limit immigration and increase deportations. Justice Neil Gorsuch joined with the more liberal justices for the first time since joining the court to produce a 5-4 majority invalidating the federal statute. In doing so, Gorsuch was continuing the jurisprudence of Justice Antonin Scalia, who also sided with liberals when it came to the vagueness of statutes used to convict criminal defendants. Tuesday’s decision involves James Dimaya, a native of the Philippines who came to the U.S. legally as a 13-year-old in 1992. After he pleaded no contest to two charges of burglary in California, the government began deportation proceedings against him. The government argued among other things that he could be removed from the country because his convictions qualified as crimes of violence that allowed his removal under immigration law. Immigration officials relied on a section of immigration law that lists crimes that make people eligible for deportation. Immigration judges would have allowed Dimaya to be deported, but the federal appeals court in San Francisco struck down the provision as unconstitutionally vague. The Supreme Court affirmed that ruling Tuesday. More here.
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AP Race & Ethnicity writer Erin Haines Whack on vacation in Turks & Caicos this week. | |  |
NPR Latino USA host María Hinojosa enjoying live music in Albuquerque, NM this weekend. | |
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LIBRE Initiative Names New Director
Michael Monrroy has joined the LIBRE Initiative as Director of Coalitions. Monrroy previously served on the RNC's Virginia Hispanic Advisory Council and before that, as Chairman of the Loudoun Young Republicans. The American University grad also served as an advisor to Ed Gillespie’s gubernatorial campaign on Hispanic outreach efforts. Monrroy, the son of Latin American immigrants who came to the U.S. from Bolivia and Colombia, is a VA native. He also completed a certificate in Electoral Management through the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute international business program in Madrid, Spain. The Koch-funded Libre Initiative self describes as a grassroots organization founded "to empower Hispanics" and advance "liberty, freedom and prosperity." They say they are “dedicated to informing the Hispanic community about the benefits of a constitutionally limited government, property rights, rule of law, sound money supply and free enterprise through a variety of community events, research and policy initiatives that protect free and open society.” Monrroy’s addition comes as LIBRE has joined the Koch Network's advocacy groups and Freedom Partners on a new, seven-figure national tv and online ad blitz -- airing this weekend -- which calls on Donald Trump and Congress to find a permanent solution to protect “Dreamers.” More about Monrroy here.
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UPS Names President of Operations
UPS has appointed George Willis to the position of President of U.S. Operations. The 30-year veteran of UPS operations currently serves as the West Region President and has responsibility for all package delivery operations in 25 central and western states in the U.S. Willis began his UPS career in 1984, like many UPSers as a part-time package handler in the Georgia District. He held a variety of part-time supervisor operations positions while attending Morehouse College. Willis ultimately received his bachelor’s degree from Trinity College. He previously served on the board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters International and as an Executive Committee Member on the Orange County United Way Board of Directors in California. He also worked extensively with the Black Executive Exchange Program and 100 Black Men of Orange County. He will assume his new role on May 1st. More here.
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National Hispanic Leadership Agenda Announces New Executive Committee
The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 46 Latino advocacy organizations, announced the results of its 2018 election of officers. The new leadership includes: Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Chair; Jessica González-Rojas, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), Vice Chair; Amy L. Hinojosa, President and CEO, MANA, A National Latina Organization, Treasurer; and Members At-Large Juan Andrade, Jr., President, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI); Al Zapanta, President, United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce; and Mark Magaña, Founding President and CEO, GreenLatinos. The new Executive Committee released a joint statement “thank[ing] outgoing NHLA Chair Hector Sanchez Barba, Treasurer Brent Wilkes, and At-Large Executive Committee Member Yanira Cruz for their years of service in leading NHLA. Under their leadership, our coalition has grown from 30 member organizations in 2012 to 46 today, and NHLA worked in unity to lift up the Latino perspective on a broad range of policy issues facing the nation.” They continued, “We are eager to work together on behalf of the coalition to continue advancing our public policy agenda and speaking out and advocating for the interests of the Latino community. NHLA is here to be a voice for over 57 million Latinos in our nation’s federal policy debates, and we will make ourselves heard as we work together to build a more inclusive, equitable, and just America for all.” Meet them here.
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American Association of Political Consultants Induct First Black Woman Into Hall of Fame
Minyon Moore, former Senior Advisor to the Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign, became the first Black woman inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame. In a ceremony last weekend she received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Under President Bill Clinton’s administration, Minyon served as Assistant to the President and Director of White House Political Affairs. She also previously served as CEO of the DNC. Her rich political history includes serving in high-level positions of the 1988 presidential campaigns of Reverend Jesse Jackson and Governor Michael Dukakis. The Chicago native attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and has been a guest lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Yale University. She is also a graduate of the digital filmmaking program at Boston University. Watch the full tribute video here.
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| FOMO Today, 9A: The Congressional Black Caucus will hold a meet and greet for Lauren Underwood, Democratic candidate for Illinois 14th Congressional District. CBCPAC Chairman Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) host. CBCI Townhouse, 413 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003. For questions or to RSVP, contact events@cbcpac.org.
Today, 6P: The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) 2018 Gala and Awards. Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. To purchase tickets, contact Heaven Ocampo, hocampo@maldef.org or 213.629.2512 ext. 143.
Today - Saturday, April 21st: The National Action Network hosts its annual conference, this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Sheraton Times Square, NYC. Click here for more information.
Thursday, April 19th, 12P: The California Endowment hosts “Twenty Years of Life: Challenging Health Disparities and Inequities by Investing in Communities.” The Aspen Institute, 2300 N Street, NW, Suite 700. Click here to RSVP.
Thursday, April 19th, 6:30P: Cocktails & conversation with Juana Matias, Candidate for Massachusetts 3rd Congressional District. Suggested donation: Hosts Committee $250 | Supporter: $100 | Young Professional: $50. Address available upon RSVP. Email oscar_t_ramirez@yahoo.com to RSVP.
Thursday, April 19th: The University of North Dakota sponsors a conference on the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Standing Rock protests. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, April 25th - Friday, April 27th: The African American Mayor Association 2018 Annual Conference. DoubleTree Hotel, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA. Click here to purchase tickets.
Thursday, April 26th, 6:30P: Lab 29 presents “Equity in Education: Why Keeping Culture in the Classroom Matters,” a discussion on how the connection between culture and education is a key aspect in empowering Native Americans in the U.S. George Washington University, 2121 I Street Northwest, Funger Hall, Room 209. RSVP here.
Wednesday, May 2nd, 6P: The Latino Victory Fund hosts Latino Talks 2018, on how Latinos are changing America. Special guests include former Univisión anchor María Elena Salinas. Click here to purchase tickets.
Friday, May 4th, 5P: Please join the Friends of the American Latino Museum and LatinVIP to celebrate the 7th anniversary of the American Latino Museum Commission report and Cinco de Mayo. Los Gallos Negros perform. VIP admission and specials with donations of $50 and more. Decades DC, 1219 Connecticut Ave NW. RSVP here.
Friday, May 11th, 9A: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds a public briefing on hate crimes and bias-related incidents. The Commission will examine best practices for local law enforcement on collecting and reporting data, and the role of the Education and Justice Departments in prevention and prosecution. USCCR, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 1150. RSVP to publicaffairs@usccr.gov. Click here to watch a livestream of the briefing.
Monday, May 21st - Tuesday, May 22nd: Common Cause Pennsylvania will host their Democracy Works Summit. Sheraton Downtown Hotel on 201 N. 17th Street in Philadelphia, PA. Click here for more information.
Sunday, June 10th - Tuesday, June 12th: The ACLU Membership Conference. Speakers include Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), and founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, AL Bryan Stevenson. Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW) and Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. (901 Massachusetts Avenue NW). Click here for more information.
Thursday, June 21st - Sunday, June 24th: The Black Millennial Political Convention, which aims to increase engagement of Black millennials in the political sphere and shed a light on policy issues impacting black communities. This year’s theme is The Advocacy of Policy, Pipeline and Power for the People. Hyatt Regency, Crystal City, VA. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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