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Funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) could be underway through a new bill proposed by President Joe Biden. NBC News reports that HBCUs are currently awaiting the final passing of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, which includes record funding for HBCUs. The money could finally give the institutions the push that they need to compete against top-tier universities when it comes to the fields of science and technology. “The significance here is that there’s an opportunity for an HBCU to move into the top echelon,” said Harry Williams, the head of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in an interview with NBC News. “And it requires this type of federal investment for that to happen.” With a safety net package that would provide $3 billion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for schools serving minorities, this level of funding will be a “game-changer.” Currently, about a dozen HBCUs are classified as second-tier research...
Justice for Black farmers! Following the $4 billion debt relief for Black farmers, The New York Times reports that banks are fighting back noting that quick repayments will cut into profits. The institutions are complaining that the government’s initiative to pay off the loans of those Black farmers who have faced decades of financial discrimination will not only hurt investors but cut into the bank’s profits. In March, Congress passed a $1.9 trillion stimulus package which includes the debt relief for the Black farmers and is intended to make things right for years of discrimination faced by all nonwhite farmers. Today, no money still has been received by those farmers. Aside from the drama with the banks, white farmers sued the U.S.D.A over the initiative claiming that they are victims of reverse discrimination. Now, three of the largest banking groups involved in the settlement have formed their own fight against the money that is rightfully owed to Black farmers. The American...
Startup nonprofit TechCongress is on a mission to bring more of the industry’s brightest technologists to Capitol Hill in 2021. The organization — which launched back in 2016 — was created to offer more tech expertise in politics as it has become an increasingly popular talking point in recent years. To further combat this issue, TechCongress has opened up applications for its 2021 Congressional Innovation Scholars Program, which will place individuals among the top tech decision-makers in the U.S. government to help reshape our society — starting with members of Congress. 📢 The application for the 2021 Congressional Innovation Scholars Program is now open! We are looking for passionate technologists who want to shape technology policy. Learn more about our program and apply here: https://t.co/ocLH1QJ07J — TechCongress (@congressfellows) December 11, 2020 According to its website , the purpose of the program is to bridge the divide of tech knowledge and experience between Silicon...
Saving lives and practicing politics seems to be Dr. Cameron Webb’s specialty. After winning two-thirds of the vote for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in Virginia this week, Webb is slated to go down in history as the first Black doctor to have a vote in Congress, Huffington Post reports . According to The New York Times , Webb won the primary election on Tuesday and is expected to face Republican Bob Good in the fall to represent the Republican-leaning district. If he wins, he will become a full-fledged voting member of Congress. “This is one of those moments where Virginia is standing up and speaking out, and we’re ready to go in a different direction — one focused on unity, inclusion and making sure everyone has opportunities to succeed,” Dr. Webb told The New York Times in a telephone interview. Webb defeated three other Democrats for the nomination, according to HuffPost , and stands to be a fresh face for the rural district. The 36-year-old doctor from...
At three-years-old, Rep. Lauren Underwood and her family relocated to Illinois from Ohio. When she was 8-years-old, Underwood was diagnosed with a pre-existing health condition. Now — at 33-year-old — her urge to fight for affordable healthcare for those with pre-existing health conditions has led her to become the youngest Black woman ever to serve in Congress. Here are five facts about the democratic congresswoman from Illinois. She is a Registered Nurse. Rep. Underwood holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Michigan where she graduated Magna cum Laude. She is licensed in three jurisdictions including Michigan, Washington D.C., and Illinois. As an RN, she specializes in public health nursing, where she puts her dual master’s degree in public health and nursing to use. She served on the Obama Administration. Underwood was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). While at...
Sometimes, you can easily spot a deepfake. They might have a weird delay in sound or something that’s just off about their facial movements. But, as deepfakes become more realistic and accessible, it opens up potential problems. Now, members of Congress want to step in before matters get worse. Representative Yvette Clarke (D-NY) has introduced the DEEPFAKES Accountability Act in the House, with the aim of combatting “the spread of disinformation through restrictions on deep-fake video alteration technology.” The bill comes with the rise of the new technology and as the proliferation of internet content impacts the thoughts of millions. Recently, a deepfake of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made rounds on Instagram. The video’s caption says, “Mark Zuckerberg reveals the truth about Facebook and who really owns the future.” The deepfake tested Facebook’s previous decision to keep up an altered video of Nancy Pelosi. Many were curious to see if Facebook would remove the Zuckerberg...
For low-income people, getting a decent return on your taxes can make a big difference. However, filing taxes is complicated, and tax services can charge upwards of a hundred dollars to file a simple return. A simple solution would look like the Internal Revenue Service providing its own free online resources, but Congress is about to stop them from doing so, according to a ProPublica report . Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee — led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. — passed the Taxpayer First Act . This bill makes a lot of changes to the IRS, including making it illegal for it to create an online tax filing system. This bill is a bipartisan effort with sponsorship from Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga. and Mike Kelly, R-PA. It highlights just about everything wrong with politics right now because this isn’t going to serve taxpayers. “This could be a disaster,” Mandi Matlock, a tax attorney who does work for the National Consumer Law Center, told ProPublica. “It could be the final...