Morehouse names a new president and NOLA will elect its first female mayor.
Morehouse names a new president and NOLA will elect its first female mayor.
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October 16, 2017
Obamas Name Official Portrait Artists, CHC Wants Diversity Numbers from the Valley, and Morehouse Names New President
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True story: Russian hackers used the Netflix series House of Cards as their influence in how to infiltrate the U.S. electoral system and understand American politics. Meanwhile, North Korea has quietly deployed more than 6,000 hackers to finance the country’s operations. Last year, they tried to steal $1 billion from the NY Federal Reserve. Only a spelling error stopped them. Guys, the documentary examining Trump’s time in office is going to have to be split into nearly 30 different parts. It will essentially have to be a miniseries. On Netflix, perhaps. WSJ reports that Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) are expected to unveil a deal this week to stabilize Obamacare markets, just days after Trump roiled the industry by announcing an end to federal subsidies that help cover healthcare costs for low-income enrollees. What’s 45 doing this morning? Tweeting about Hillary Clinton. Which brings us to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He still refuses to deny calling the president a moron. He says he won’t dignify the rumors with a response. I get it. I was booked to go to the gym on Saturday morning. When my alarm went off at 6A, did I get up and go work out? I won’t dignify that question with a response. We’re kicking off the week with this...
  • CHC wants the tech community to release diversity numbers.
  • CBC, top Dems question the FBI’s “Black Identity Extremists” threat report.
  • CA state Senate leader Kevin de León makes it official: he’s running against Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
  • Chance The Rapper teams with Obama.
  • CHC Chair and gubernatorial candidate Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) gets an endorsement from Westeros.
  • The Obama Foundation holds its first training. Guess who made a cameo?
  • Meet the artists who will paint the official portraits of the Obamas.
  • Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) calls for an investigation into Puerto Rico’s drinking water.
  • Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) pushes for more aid for the hurricane-ravaged USVI.
  • CHC members ask for help for foreign-born military veterans.
  • Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) says tax reform by Thanksgiving is not happening.
  • Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA), Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), and Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) blast proposed cuts to African aid.
  • Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) pushes for more experienced educators in high-need districts.
  • Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and actress Uzo Aduba to be featured honorees at the Human Rights Campaign dinner.
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda’s new song on track to be #1.
  • Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) joins group asking FCC to put an end to cell phones in jail.
  • Former NFLer tells Congress full-contact practices should end.
  • Colin Kaepernick claps back.
  • Could UN Ambassador Nikki Haley be the next Secretary of State if Rex Tillerson leaves?
  • Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice has two words for AIPAC...
  • The Hispanic Heritage Foundation and other groups sponsor first-ever hack against racism.
  • Malia Obama attends Black student convocation. Read to the bottom!
  • The Electoral Justice Project is hosting a national launch call TONIGHT! RSVP to join.
Father of the bride: Rev. Al Sharpton walked daughter Dominique down the aisle as she married Dr. Marcus Bright on Sunday in NYC.
Jennifer Kildee, MS Society DC Chapter President Chartese Berry, UAE Ambassador Al Otaiba, and Cristina Antelo at the 39th Annual National MS Society Ambassadors Ball on Thursday in DC.
CBC, Top Dems Question FBI’s “Black Identity Extremists” Threat Report
Following The Beat DC’s reporting that the FBI had declared “Black Identity Extremists” as a major threat, CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Ranking Members John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI/Judiciary), Bennie Thompson (D-MS/Homeland Security), and Elijah Cummings (D-MD/Oversight) sent a letter to Director Christopher Wray requesting to meet about the origins of the assessment and how it will be used. In the letter sent on Friday, the members expressed significant concern about the assessment given the FBI’s “troubling history” of targeting Black citizens, including Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders. “As you are no doubt aware, the FBI has a troubling history of utilizing its broad investigatory powers to target black citizens. During the 1960s, Director J. Edgar Hoover used the Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) to surveil and discredit civil rights activists and members of the Black Panther Party. For example, the FBI falsified letters in an effort to blackmail Martin Luther King, Jr. into silence.   Given this history, and given several concerning actions this Administration has taken on racial issues, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are justifiably concerned about this FBI Assessment,” they wrote. They are requesting a written response by October 26th, warning that if the FBI fails to respond, “many of our Members and constituents will interpret a lack of response as confirmation that the FBI intends to unfairly target African Americans.” See their full letter here.
CHC Wants Tech Community to Release Diversity Numbers
On Friday, CHC Chair Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) and Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX) sent a letter to 32 top tech companies to ask for critical diversity metrics. They want to obtain a baseline of data and information on staffing and corporate social responsibility priorities for these tech companies, in order to review and build on efforts to increase diversity in the technology sector and educational pipeline. “[W]e write to express our strong concern regarding efforts by tech and “gig economy” companies to hire qualified Hispanics both internally, as full-time employees, and externally as professional services vendors and consultants, as well as the amount of partnership and philanthropic spending that you allocate to Hispanic-serving and Hispanic-led institutions,” they wrote. The letter was sent to 32 tech companies: Airbnb, Amazon.com, Apple, Dropbox, Ebay, Etsy, Expedia, Facebook, GoDaddy, Google, Groupon, Handy, Intel, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, Oracle, Pandora, Paypal, Postmates, Reddit, Salesforce, Spotify, TaskRabbit, Tesla, Thumbtack, TripAdvisor, Twitter, Uber, Vmware, Yahoo, and Yelp. Get more here.
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Chance the Rapper is Planning Creative Design of Obama Summit -- And Performing
On Friday, the Obama Foundation announced the closing event of the Obama Foundation Summit. Chance the Rapper is working with the Foundation on the creative design of the event and he will also perform. Other performers include Gloria Estefan and The National rock band. Additional artists will be announced at a later date. The performances will take place on November 1st and livestreamed at Obama.org. In a video and e-mail, Chance the Rapper explained his enthusiasm for inspiring young people to tackle the great challenges in their communities. See the video here.
Obama Surprises Foundation Training Attendees
On Saturday, the Obama Foundation hosted its first pilot training in Chicago at Gary Comer Youth Center, and they got a surprise visitor -- Barack Obama himself. The former president dropped by at the end of Saturday’s training to hear from young people about what they had learned during the day. The pilot trainings are one-day experiences to teach young people how to put “civics” into action, use their own story as a powerful tool for change, and become more active in shaping their communities. Each training will include 175 young people ages 18 to 24 --150 participants and 25 peer advisors. The Obama Foundation has partnered with organizations in each community -- from universities to churches to opportunity youth organizations -- to help design and lead the trainings. Partner organizations also helped solicit and recommend applications from young people. Additional training days will be held in November in Tempe, AZ and Boston, MA. See video of Obama’s surprise visit here.
Meet the Artists Who Will Paint Official Portraits of the Obamas
The Smithsonian revealed the two artists set to paint official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama. Kehinde Wiley, famous for portraits of young Black men that incorporate elements of Western art, will paint the former president. Baltimore artist Amy Sherald will paint the former First Lady. Both will be the first Black artists to create official presidential portraits for the Smithsonian. Both portraits are set to be unveiled in early 2018 and hang in the National Portrait Gallery. Wiley is known for lush, larger-than-life portraits that overlay Black street culture with European classical motifs. He has painted rapper LL Cool J in the style of John Singer Sargent, Ice T as Emperor Napoleon by David, and young African American men in stained glass tableaus, like saints in a cathedral. Sherald, who graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2004 and just joined the faculty there, is known for her use of gray skin tones. Last year, she became the first African American and the first woman to win the National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition; she was chosen for the $25,000 award from among 2,500 entrants. Her work is included in collections of the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the NMAAHC. More here.
The Electoral Justice Project is hosting a national launch call TONIGHT at 7PM. Click the image to RSVP.
Kevin de León Makes Feinstein Challenge Official 
California state Senate leader Kevin de León made his challenge to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) official with an announcement on Sunday. In his campaign launch video, 50-year-old de León talks about being the youngest child of a single immigrant mother who cleaned other people’s homes. “It doesn’t make a difference if it’s Latino, African American, if it’s white, Asian American, if it’s a racially mixed community. Poverty is poverty. And I think it’s incumbent on policymakers, on leaders, to provide real opportunities so everyone can succeed,” the candidate said. He has been at the forefront of California’s progressive climate change and 'sanctuary state' legislation. The 84-year-old Feinstein has been in the Senate since 1992, is the Senate’s Ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, and has never faced a serious electoral challenge from within her party. She has already been endorsed for re-election by Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). De León’s strategy will be to assemble a coalition that includes Latinos, African Americans, and younger voters, and going after the heart of supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). See the announcement here.
Game of Thrones Creator Endorses House Luján Grisham
CHC Chair and gubernatorial candidate
Congresswoman Michelle Luján Grisham (D-NM) will be joined by a handful of Hollywood heavy hitters, including Game of Thrones author and Santa Fe resident George R.R. Martin, for a roundtable discussion about the future of New Mexico’s film industry, which generates millions of dollars annually for the state’s economy. Martin has endorsed Luján Grisham’s candidacy. The October 20th event will also include a panel with Tony Mark, the executive producer of The Hurt Locker, and producer and documentary filmmaker Andrea Meditch. State officials announced earlier this year that the movie and television industry generated a record $505 million for New Mexico’s economy over the last fiscal year. They say more than 60 film and television productions were shot in the state during the period. More here.
Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) on Saturday with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and CA state Assemblymember Ash Kalra.
Tina Tchen, Chief of Staff to former First Lady Michelle Obama, on Sunday during a taping of MSNBC's PoliticsNation with Rev. Al Sharpton.
Morehouse Names New President
Morehouse College board members have named the former dean of Georgetown University’s business school to lead the Atlanta-based HBCU. Late Sunday, the board named David A. Thomas the college’s 12th president. Interim president Harold Martin Jr., a former Morehouse board member, will lead the college through the end of the year. Thomas, 61, takes office on January 1st, 2018. He said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution his goals include increasing enrollment from its current 2,200 students to 2,500 students, providing more scholarships, finding opportunities for every student to study abroad, supporting faculty research and engaging in issues that improve outcomes for African American men, noting Morehouse “is a place where we can offer solutions to those issues.” Thomas received a bachelor’s degree, as well as master's and doctoral degrees in Organizational Behavior, from Yale University. He also holds a master’s in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. He currently is a member of the Board of Governors for the American Red Cross, the Board of Directors of DTE Energy, and the Estoril Conferences Advisory Board. He also is an industry advisor for Brightwood Capital Advisors. More here.
New Orleans Will Elect First Female Mayor
For the first time in New Orleans’ nearly 300-year history, the city will elect its first female mayor. Both of the candidates to emerge from the first round of voting on Saturday are women. New Orleans uses a top-two “jungle primary” system in which nonpartisan elections proceed to a runoff if no candidate gets over 50% on the first ballot. The top two contenders, City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell and former Municipal Court Judge Desiree Charbonnet, will now face each other in a runoff election on November 18th. The unofficial count from Saturday's vote saw Cantrell take 39% of the vote to Charbonnet's 30. Cantrell, a community organizer who thwarted an effort to raze her Broadmoor neighborhood after Hurricane Katrina and grew up in Los Angeles, is regarded as the more progressive of the two candidates. Charbonnet's advantage in the primary and the general election is her ties to CBC Chair Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), who could provide key resources needed to ensure she can turn out her base of voters. More here.
Hill Staffer Joins Amazon
Miguel Mendoza
starts today on Amazon's transportation policy team. He most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL). The 2004 University of Florida graduate left the office after 13 years. The NYT reports that this year, Amazon has increased its lobbying staff to 83 members from 60, making it one of the biggest corporate lobbying shops in town. The company is also on its way to surpassing its previous high for lobbying spending: $11.3 million last year. The $6.2 million Amazon spent in the first two quarters of this year was the 11th most among companies. The company has been sweeping the nation’s capital with a branding campaign for job creation and support for small businesses, promoting the upsides of its major expansion in media, groceries, and transportation -- which critics say may hurt competition. After more than a decade of navigating Capitol Hill, the more than capable Mendoza will have his hands full. More about him here.
IL congressional candidate Lauren Underwood with She Should Run Executive Director Clare Bresnahan.
MSNBC's Richard Lui and Raúl Reyes last week during special coverage tracking Hurricane Nate.
CHC Members Ask for Help for Foreign-Born Veterans
Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX)
and fellow members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent a letter to the House and Senate Chairs and Ranking Members of the Armed Services committees, asking for a temporary, two-year program offering assistance to foreign-born service members, including those who have been deported after their service. CHC members are asking for the program’s inclusion in the 2018 Defense Department 2018 budget. As of this year, there were 10,644 noncitizens currently serving in the U.S. military and 11,524 noncitizens in the reserves. Additionally, there are nearly 608,000 foreign-born veterans of the U.S. armed forces. “Anyone who honorably risked their life to defend our freedom should not be subject to removal from the United States and separation from his or her family,” said Castro in the letter. “Many LPRs (legal permanent residents) serving in the military have every intention of becoming citizens, but don’t realize their naturalization isn’t automatic or don’t know when deadlines in the process are approaching.” CHC members are requesting a moratorium on the deportation of any active duty or honorably discharged foreign-born veteran and their family. Some members traveled earlier in the year to the Mexican border city of Tijuana to meet with deported veterans, and have introduced legislation to prevent active-duty members from being deported and allow deported veterans to return to the U.S. Read the full letter here.
Plaskett Pushes for More Aid to USVI; CBC Plans Trip to Tour Devastation
Last week, the House approved a $36.5 billion disaster aid package that includes $18.7 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week when it’s back in session. But Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI), called the aid package “inadequate for the needs of the Virgin Islands, and I believe, inadequate for the needs of Puerto Rico and so many other areas.’’ The Virgin Islands, which is about 76% Black, was hit hard by hurricanes Irma and Maria. “There is massive devastation that the people of the Virgin Islands are experiencing right now, support that is not being given to them, attention that they are not receiving that they should be receiving,’’ Plaskett said before the House vote. CBC members are pushing for a trip to the Virgin Islands to assess the damage there and draw attention to the plight of residents still struggling in the wake of two major hurricanes. “We think it’s important for people not only who are on the ground to see the cavalry coming, but it’s important for us to go down and independently assess the needs of the people,’’ added CBC Chair Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA). More here.
Scott Says Thanksgiving Deadline on Tax Reform Unrealistic
The GOP has given itself a Thanksgiving deadline to push Donald Trump’s tax reform bill through the House and the Senate. However, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), who is closely involved in the current tax reform push, said Friday it is "highly unlikely" that deadline will be met. The Washington Examiner reports that Scott was speaking to a private gathering of conservative donors in Manhattan and said there are several questions surrounding deductions and carve-outs that may complicate tax reform in the coming weeks. "I think it's likely that December becomes the month where the Senate is fighting over the last of the deductions. But November, in my opinion, is just unrealistic." Scott serves on the Senate Finance Committee and helped unveil the plan with his #KeepYoMoney mantra. He said congressional tax-writing committees are currently "behind the curb" due to inter-party debates over certain elements of tax reform. "Some of the deductions that are going to be most challenging are the state and local deductions ... the mortgage deduction," he explained. "We're still going to have a debate." More here.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) with Congresswoman Jenniffer González (R-PR) and Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló on Friday on the island to discuss post-hurricane recovery efforts.
 Orlando Ashford, President of Holland America Line, with Derek T. Dingle of Black Enterprise magazine.
Lawmakers Blast Proposed Cuts to Africa Programs
Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA)
criticized the Trump administration’s proposed cuts in funding for programs in Africa, telling two administration officials at a House subcommittee hearing last week that she was sorry they had to be put in a position to defend it. “I know you have to support his budget, and it must be very painful because it’s just filled with contradictions,” Bass told Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Donald Yamamoto, and Cheryl Anderson, the acting administrator for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development. The budget sharply reduces food aid and completely eliminates all funding for family planning programs in Africa. “What’s the reason for that? What’s the logic?” the Congresswoman asked them. They responded that they had to make “tough choices.” Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) also took issue with the cuts, saying, “The policies the president is putting forward will make us weaker and do not reflect our values,” he said. Congressman Joaquín Castro (D-TX), also weighed in, stating, “We’re ceding a lot of ground to other countries, such as China.” More here.
Lawmakers Ask FCC to Stop Prisoners from Using Cell Phones
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) joined more than 50 members of Congress in writing to the FCC, asking Chair Ajit Pai to stop prisoners from using cell phones while incarcerated, calling the security threat posed by contraband phones "an issue of critical importance." ABC News reports that the letter is the latest direct call for action on the phones -- thrown over fences, smuggled by employees, even delivered by a drone -- which prison directors call the biggest threat to prison security. A decades-old law says federal officials can grant permission to jam the public airwaves only to federal agencies, not state or local ones. Telecommunications companies are opposed, saying jamming cell signals could set a bad precedent and interfere with legal cell users nearby. More here.
Chu Champions More Experienced Educators
Last week, Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-CA) reintroduced the Equal Access to Quality Education Act. Chu says this bill works to close the education inequality gap by helping high-need schools attract, train, and retain the best teachers. “The Department of Education found that schools with mostly African-American students are twice as likely to have teachers with only one or two years of experience, compared to predominantly white schools in the very same district. Inexperienced teachers lead to lower academic achievement scores, and this maintains cycles of poverty that disproportionately affect people of color. It is unconscionable to allow these race- and class-based disparities to continue,” she said. Original co-sponsors of the bill include members Mark Takano (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU). See the language of the bill here.
Whoops! Pentagon Copies Reporter on Internal Talking Points on Puerto Rico
Late last month, Pentagon communications officials inadvertently included Bloomberg climate reporter Christopher Flavelle on an internal distribution list, in which Defense Department and FEMA officials discussed their evolving strategy for presenting the response to Hurricane Maria. Bloomberg reports that despite repeatedly alerting officials to the error, the reporter continued receiving the emails for five days. After San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz criticized the spin and called Puerto Rico a “people-are-dying story,” the government message was to use FEMA talking points and ignore Cruz, instructing its officials to say that “the federal government’s full attention is on Hurricane Maria response.” See the rest of the messages here.
Chef José Andrés on Friday on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques serving meals he and volunteers prepared to help residents affected by Hurricane Maria.
Rev. Jesse Jackson in Puerto Rico on Saturday meeting with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz.  
Lin-Manuel’s Love Song to Puerto Rico on Track to Debut at #1
Lin-Manuel Miranda's new single "Almost Like Praying," which he wrote to help raise funds for Puerto Rico hurricane relief and features a variety of artists, has more than 100,000 downloads sold in the tracking week ending last Friday. Proceeds from the song benefit the Hispanic Federation’s Unidos Disaster Relief Fund. “Almost Like Praying,” which is sung mostly in Spanish, could be part of the first set of back-to-back Latin music No. #1 Digital Song Sales, coming after the current “Mi Gente” featuring BeyoncéMore here.
Speakers Named for HRC Dinner
The Human Rights Campaign has announced that Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) will be honored and will give the keynote speech at the organization’s 21st annual HRC National Dinner on Saturday, October 28th. Two-time Emmy Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba will be presented with the HRC Ally for Equality Award. Known internationally in part for her celebrated role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in the series Orange is the New Black, Aduba is an outspoken ally of the LGBTQ community who credits the show with helping educate her and the rest of the country about many of the unique challenges LGBTQ people face. The dinner is expected to draw more than 3,600 attendees to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown DC. More here.
Women’s March Organizers Tout Maxine Waters in the Face of Bernie Backlash
On Saturday, leaders of the Women’s March apologized for the “hurt and confusion” among women who disagreed with the decision to have Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speak on the opening night of its first national convention. The Women’s Convention, set to take place October 27th-29th in Detroit, is the first national gathering since the march in January. Tamika D. Mallory, one of the organizers of the Women’s March, defended the decision to invite Sanders to speak at the convention, reminding critics that Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) is the headliner for the convention. The statement also said that other women, such as Hillary Clinton and Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) couldn’t fit the convention into their schedules. More here.
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Ex-NFL Player Tell Lawmakers Full Contact Practice Should Be Eliminated
On Friday, former NFL linebacker DeAndre Levy, who played in 95 games in eight seasons before the Detroit Lions released him in March, took part in a congressional forum on head injuries in football with members of the House Energy and Commerce and Judiciary committees. During the forum, Levy told the lawmakers that the NFL should eliminate full-contact practices. “It’s just inherently a violent sport,” Levy said. “Just to survive and not get injured, you’re going to open yourself to some of the risk. I think right now we should try to find ways to limit those risks and cut down on the unnecessary collisions. I don’t think we should be in any collisions other than on Sunday. It makes no sense. I went in the game on Sunday with my neck and my head aching just because of Wednesday and Thursday.” WaPo reports that last month the Canadian Football League announced that it was eliminating full-contact practices. The collective bargaining agreement between NFL owners and players limits teams to 14 padded practices over the course of a season, 11 of which much be held in the first 11 weeks. Friday’s forum at the Rayburn House Office Building was aimed at examining the long-term effects of head injuries in football and featured researchers from Boston University, which is responsible for much of the groundbreaking research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). No NFL representative attended. More here.
Kaepernick Files Grievance Against NFL Owners
Colin Kaepernick has filed a grievance against the National Football League, accusing owners of colluding to keep him from playing. His lawyer, Mark Geragos, released a statement on Sunday. “If the NFL ... is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest — which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago — should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government,” Geragos’ statement said. FiveThirtyEight analyzed the length of free-agency periods for quarterbacks in March and again in August in the last five years, showing that Kaepernick’s situation was an outlier. Meanwhile, six active members of the San Francisco 49ers and one inactive player took a knee during the anthem in the team’s away game against the Washington football team. The 49ers have consistently had one of the largest contingents of players who kneel during the anthem. More here.
Congressman Jimmy Gómez (D-CA) with participants of a peace march in LA on Friday.
Don Bell from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies speaking on Friday at the Black44 Annual Retreat and Professional Development Weekend.
Haley May Succeed Tillerson
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is reportedly the administration’s most vocal public proponent of decertifying the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama. In DC circles, she is also seen as a potential successor to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has recently been slapped around by 45’s Twitter fingers. Making her rounds on the Sunday shows, Haley acknowledged that she and Tillerson do have different perspectives on foreign policy. On ABC’s This Week, referencing a report by Politico, Haley said, "Sometimes Secretary Tillerson and I have different opinions, but when we come to the [National Security Council], everybody has different opinions." She added, “My relationship with Secretary Tillerson or [Defense Secretary] Mattis or anyone else, it's all a great relationship because we are all looking out for the best interests of America." More here.
Susan Rice Responds to AIPAC
After the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) praised Donald Trump's remarks following a speech on Iran, which they said 'accurately outlined the history and continued dangers of Iran's aggression,' former National Security Advisor Susan Rice made her feelings known on Twitter with just two letters: “BS.” The short, stinging response to one of the most powerful pro-Israel lobbying groups in the nation came after Trump said that Barack Obama's signature foreign policy agreement was no longer in the national security interest of the United States. More here.
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley chillaxing on Saturday with her son Nalin.
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) visiting with first responders battling the state's wildfires.
Hispanic Heritage Foundation Teams Up With Groups for Hack Against Racism
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, along with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, and the Islamic Society of North America, and several other groups, are sponsoring the first-ever “Hacking Racism, Bias & Bigotry” (HRBB) initiative at Brown University in Providence, RI on Friday, October 20th. The HRBB will be an open forum focused on the students’ ideas that will be collected, analyzed, and published as a set of policy recommendations. “It’s time we turn to youth to lead us out from the dark cloud hanging over America,” said HHF President and CEO José Antonio Tijerino (pictured). “That cloud got even more ominous this couple of years. HRBB is more critical than ever (sic) we move forward addressing the issues of racism, bias and bigotry not just among ourselves, but getting a broad spectrum of perspectives in order to have a better understanding of each other and moving forward more United.” HHF plans to hold similar sessions in other universities and in high schools across the nation. More here.
Malia Obama Attends Black Student Convocation at Harvard
A video surfaced of Harvard freshman Malia Obama attending the university’s Black Convocation to welcome Black students last month. The event, hosted by the Black Students Association, was attended by freshmen, upperclassmen, graduate students, and faculty alike. Following a performance by the Kuumba Singers, Black upperclassmen and Lawrence D. Bobo -- chair of the African and African American Studies department delivered remarks. Speakers discussed challenges that come with being Black at Harvard and welcomed freshmen from similar backgrounds to campus. Footage from the event shows the former First Daughter clad in the all-white dress code for the event. More here.
FOMO
Wednesday, October 18th, 6P: We Act for Environmental Justice 2017 Awards & Gala honors changemakers New York City Councilmember Costa Constantinides, Native American activist Dallas Goodtooth, The Raben Group's Robert Raben, Hip Hop Caucus Senior Vice President Mustafa Santiago Ali, NYC Council legislative attorney Samara Swanston, and 1199 SEIU Executive Vice President Estela VázquezClick here for more information and to purchase tickets.
October 19th - 21st: The Brooklyn Conference: Inspiring Social Change. Featured speakers and performers include Charles BlowLinda Sarsour, Neera Tanden, Touré, and more. Brooklyn. Click here for the full schedule and for ticket information.
Friday, October 20th: The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, and the Islamic Society of North America, among other groups, sponsor a “Hacking Racism, Bias & Bigotry” at Brown University in Providence, RI. Click here for more information.
Friday, October 20th, 8P: Celebrate Howard University's 150th anniversary with the 20th Annual Howard on the Harbor. Music by DJ D-Nice, with a performance by Doug E Fresh. Tony & Joe's Georgetown Waterfront.
Friday, October 20th - October 23rd: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s 17th Annual Leadership Institute. Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road, N.W. Click here for more information. Members of the media who wish to cover the event must obtain press credentials by contacting Paris Dennard at: paris.dennard@tmcf.org
Sunday, October 22nd - 25th: The National Minority Supplier Development Council annual conference in Detroit, MI. Click here for more information and to register.
Monday, October 23rd, 5:30P: Join Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC) for a reception in support of One Fair Wage, an initiative to raise the wages of tipped workers. Special guests include DC Councilmember Elissa Silverman and actress Jane Fonda. Click here to RSVP and purchase tickets. Location revealed with RSVP.
Wednesday, October 25th, 11A: A presentation ceremony in the U.S. Capitol to honor Filipino World War II veterans. The event will be livestreamed on speaker.gov/live. More here.
Wednesday, October 25th, 6P: An evening reception in support of Stacey Abrams, candidate for Governor of Georgia. Skadden, Arps, 4 Times Square. NYC. Click here to RSVP or contact zach@gstrategiesllc.com with any questions.
Thursday, October 26th, 4P: Lobbyists and Friends Happy Hour, one last outdoor get together before the cold sets in. Dirty Habit, 555 8th Street, N.W. 
Thursday, October 26th, 5:30p: A happy hour to benefit the DCCC. 777 6th Street, N.W. RSVP to: Teresa Skala at 202.741.1851 or email: skala@dccc.org
Thursday, October 26th, 5:30p: Artist Amy Sherald will give a free talk at Room 101 of the F. Ross Jones Building, Mattin Center, on the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University.
Thursday, October 26th, 6P: The Women's Media Awards 2017 honors María HinojosaApril RyanMaría Elena Salinas, and Gail Tifford, and also recognizes the film Hidden Figures. Capitale, 130 Bowery St., NYC. Click here to purchase tickets.
Friday, October 27th - 29th: The Women's Convention, Reclaiming Our Time. Cobo Center, Detroit. Click here for more information and to register.
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, 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.
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.
Thursday, November 9th: Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund's Los Angeles Awards Gala. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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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