Newark Mayor Ras Baraka To Test Out Universal Basic Income Program

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has created a wave of devastation across the U.S. and around the world. The number of cases continues to rise at alarming rates with many governors issuing mandatory stay-at-home orders and closing down all non-essential businesses to stop the rapid spread of the virus.

The fallout has caused seismic changes to our economy, leaving millions to file for unemployment. This has led many political leaders and commentators to suggest that universal basic income could help get the country through this difficult time. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced his decision last week to create a task force and pilot program to study whether the program is possible.

Baraka plans to use Newark to test a new program to see if a universal basic income is feasible as a way to help residents stay afloat while in quarantine.

“We believe in Universal Basic Income, especially in a time where studies have shown that families that have a crisis of just $400 a month may experience a setback that may be difficult, even impossible to recover from,” Baraka reportedly said, according to Fox 5 New York, adding that one-third of the city still lives in poverty. He did not release any further details of the plan, like how it would be funded or when a final decision is expected.

Last month, Stockton, California, became the first city in the nation to actually press ahead with its program, offering $500 prepaid debit cards to a group of 130 adults who live in the city’s lower-income neighborhoods.

The concept isn’t completely new, as other countries have issued universal incomes for their citizens. In 2017, Finland tested the program, giving 560 Euros ($584) to 2,000 unemployed Finnish citizens per month, however, they scrapped the program entirely in 2019. Last summer, Ontario, Canada, also announced it would end a similar program after the government found it was “not sustainable” and “expensive.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2UWj8CZ

In Coronavirus Economy, Somehow Trump's Friends Keep Getting Richer

As the deadly coronavirus crept its way across America unimpeded by the Trump administration, on February 13, 24 days after the first case hit the U.S., Vice President Mike Pence attended a “Trump Victory” campaign fundraiser at the sparkling new high-tech facilities of Nephron Pharmaceuticals in Cayce, S.C. Lou…

Read more...

from The Root https://ift.tt/3e80I9w

‘The Memo’ is Minda Harts’ Love Letter to Black Women in the Workplace

Minda Harts, founder and CEO of The Memo, is regarded as one of the top voices when it comes to advocating for black women in the workplace. Her company, The Memo L.L.C., is a career development company providing tools, access, and a robust community for women of color and for the companies where they work. She also leads the Women of Color Equity Initiative, which focuses on increasing the number of women of color in management and C-suite roles in corporate and not-for-profit organizations through the Women of Color Equity Initiative.

Harts is on a mission to equip women with the tools they need to build their own seats to bring to the table. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Memo, and she says that it is a love letter to black women in the workplace.

Related: Black Women in the Workplace Are Still Finding Their Footing on the Corporate Ladder

As black women find their footing on the corporate ladder, Harts works around the clock with leaders facilitating tough conversations about equity and inclusion. To date, Harts has lead conversations and hosted workshops at Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Intel, SXSW, TIME INC, Campaign For Black Male Achievement, General Assembly, Ellevate Network, We Work, THE WING, and more.

In March, Harts joined BLACK ENTERPRISE at the 15th Annual Women of Power Summit to lend her expertise on the “Working While Black” and “Winning against Microaggression on the Job” session.

During the Summit, we sat down with Harts to recap her experience at the Summit as a speaker after once being an attendee, her agency for advocating for others, and actionable steps women can take in the workplace to stand in their greatness.

Minda Harts on Shaking the Table

Tune in as Harts shares her experience and the importance of black women being heard and seen in the workplace.

 

To learn more about the work that Harts is doing, click here.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2xbpYLu

Baltimore cop appears to purposely cough at Black residents in video

A Baltimore police sergeant is captured on video intentionally coughing in the direction of a woman as he walks past her outside of a southeast public housing complex.

READ MORE: Baltimore State’s attorney to drop charges for certain crimes due to coronavirus

The Instagram video taken outside of a Perkins Homes housing complex shows a woman calls out to the policeman by saying “Hey Officer Friendly with the cherry cheeks,” but as the sergeant walks near her and others on the sidewalk, he jokingly starts coughing in their direction. The woman curses at him, initially saying she’s not worried because Black people “don’t get that sh*t” talking about the novel coronavirus. The woman can later be heard on the video saying she ought to call the CDC.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

😷 #Baltimore

A post shared by Baller Alert (@balleralert) on Apr 7, 2020 at 8:37am PDT

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison was not amused. In a statement Tuesday, Harrison called the video “incomprehensible” and “alarming.”

“After watching the full video, in its entirety, it is not only disturbing, but incomprehensible, especially considering the high-level of strong and clear guidance that we have provided from the beginning, regarding COVID-19,” Harrison wrote in the statement, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Police Commissioner Michael Harrison was sworn in as the Baltimore Police Department’s 41st Commissioner on March 12, 2019. (Courtesy of the Baltimore POlice website)

“Members are always expected to be sensitive and professional to the community, but what we saw in the video is alarming because this pandemic is affecting lives not only nationally, worldwide, but right here in our own police department,” Harrison added.

The Baltimore Police Department also released a statement and announced its Public Integrity Bureau would be investigating the incident.

“The Baltimore Police Department became aware of a video posted online this morning which depicted a Baltimore Police sergeant repeatedly coughing near citizens in Southeast Baltimore. The Department takes COVID-19 very seriously and we do not condone any action by our members which may be perceived as making light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement reads. “The Department’s Public Integrity Bureau immediately opened up an internal investigation and reviewed the online video, as well as the sergeant’s body-worn camera footage. A complete investigation will be conducted and the Department hopes that all of its members and the public will continue to work together with respect as we maneuver forward during this challenging time.”

Police declined to name the police sergeant.

READ MORE: Texas police searching for woman ‘willfully spreading’ COVID-19

Also commenting on the Tuesday incident was Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott who called the officer’s actions “beyond unacceptable.”

“COVID-19 is not a joke and this behavior is beyond unacceptable. When you are in public service, it is your duty to treat everyone with respect, especially when we are dealing with both a public health pandemic and a gun violence epidemic. This is not behavior that we want our police officers or any of our public servants to model to our residents. Everyone can contract COVID-19 and all of Baltimore has to take this seriously and treat each other with respect. For public servants, this means carrying out duties with safety and compassion at the forefront of all actions. For citizens, this means adhering to the advice of public health professionals while following government guidelines issued to save lives. I will be following up with the Commissioner regarding this disturbing incident,” Scott said in a statement released to The Baltimore Sun.

The post Baltimore cop appears to purposely cough at Black residents in video appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/34jJCBc

‘The Memo’ is Minda Harts’ Love Letter to Black Women in the Workplace

Minda Harts, founder and CEO of The Memo, is regarded as one of the top voices when it comes to advocating for black women in the workplace. Her company, The Memo L.L.C., is a career development company providing tools, access, and a robust community for women of color and for the companies where they work. She also leads the Women of Color Equity Initiative, which focuses on increasing the number of women of color in management and C-suite roles in corporate and not-for-profit organizations through the Women of Color Equity Initiative.

Harts is on a mission to equip women with the tools they need to build their own seats to bring to the table. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Memo, and she says that it is a love letter to black women in the workplace.

Related: Black Women in the Workplace Are Still Finding Their Footing on the Corporate Ladder

As black women find their footing on the corporate ladder, Harts works around the clock with leaders facilitating tough conversations about equity and inclusion. To date, Harts has lead conversations and hosted workshops at Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Intel, SXSW, TIME INC, Campaign For Black Male Achievement, General Assembly, Ellevate Network, We Work, THE WING, and more.

In March, Harts joined BLACK ENTERPRISE at the 15th Annual Women of Power Summit to lend her expertise on the “Working While Black” and “Winning against Microaggression on the Job” session.

During the Summit, we sat down with Harts to recap her experience at the Summit as a speaker after once being an attendee, her agency for advocating for others, and actionable steps women can take in the workplace to stand in their greatness.

Minda Harts on Shaking the Table

Tune in as Harts shares her experience and the importance of black women being heard and seen in the workplace.

 

To learn more about the work that Harts is doing, click here.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2xbpYLu