Alzheimer's drug trial shown to slow cognitive decline in long fight against dementia (msn.com)
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
News in the end of November 2022.
The breaking news is that Stewart Rhodes was found guilty of seditious conspiracy. This is a serious, felony charge. He is the leader of the Oath Keepers, a far right terrorist group involved in the treasonous January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Justice Department accurately stated (using videotape evidence and other documents) that the defendants used a conspiracy to forcibly stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from then President Donald Trump to Joe Biden (and plotted to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021). Five members of the Oath Keepers were convicted on charges of obstruction of an official conspiracy. Only 2 of the five traitors were convicted of seditious conspiracy, who are Stewart Rhodes and Kelly Meggs. This is a monumental victory for the Justice Department. Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, and Thomas Caldwell are disgraces to what democracy and freedom are all about. They decided to support a sexist, racist, and xenophobic fraud, Donald Trump. They wanted to overthrow the government, and they failed. The convicted people face years and possibly decades in prison.
In China, there are unprecedented protests being so large that we have seen this since 1989 (when Chinese people stood up for liberty). Many people are against the zero COVID policies that some view as too excessive. Many Chinese protesters have defied Chinese authorities. There are protests at universities, on the streets of major cities, etc. These human beings not only want to be free from lockdowns that they view as going too far. They want to end the strict censorship and violations of common civil liberties that the Chinese government has brought to them for decades. Some young people are using open dissent. Some crowds of people in many cities in the hundreds have said "Give me liberty or give me death!" This comes after at least 10 people died in a fire in Xinjiang that caused political rallies all over China. Some protesters have called and chanted for free speech, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and other political demands in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu (in the west). Universities have large protests too with people showing blank papers.
The Ukraine war is going on. Russia continues to cause war crimes by attacking maternal wards, apartment buildings, and other civilian locations. Putin apologists (from the far right and some in the so-called left) omit this reality because it totally goes against their big lie that Putin is an innocent actor. The reality is that Putin is a far-right extremist who doesn't care about his own Russian people. He only cares about power and maintaining it. Elon Musk lied and called Vindman a puppet and puppeteer. Vindman criticized Musk over his inordinate control of Twitter. Elon Musk wants to use Twitter to promote his propaganda under the guise of "free speech." Promoting free speech comes with basic responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to promote the truth of being pro-democracy.
Most Republicans are silent on Trump meeting with the racist white nationalist Nick Fuentes and the anti-Semite Kanye West. Nick Fuentes believes in Holocaust denial and wants a theocratic state in America. Trump claimed that he didn't know Nick Fuentes. It is obvious that Donald Trump is a racist and anti-Semite. The reason is that Trump called Mitch McConnell's wife a racist slur, he said that a Mexican American judge can't judge a case fairly because of his Mexican heritage, and he said that Jewish people are disloyal if they are Democrats. This silence from many Republicans shows me that many of them approve of Trump's evil actions. Mike Pence, Mitt Romney, and other Republicans have criticized Trump for the meeting. We have a turning point in American history. These events document how we must be steadfast in opposition to racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and bigotry in general. Trump once said that he didn't know who David Duke was. When I was a child, I knew David Duke was a racist, far-right extremist. Trump gives aid and comfort to racists and extremists because he is one of them.
Recently, Clarence Gilyard passed away at the age of 66 years old. For decades, he has been a professional actor and a teacher of acting in Las Vegas, Nevada. When he was on the screen, he represented a segment of human beings who desired excellence and a unique flair for creativity. He was born in the Pacific Northwest in Moses Lake, Washington. He earned his way by his own merit in education, in the military, and being a university professor. We know him for his characters in Matlock, Die Hard, and Walker Texas Ranger (which broke down barriers and promoted a diversity representation of black human life). When I was a young child, I watched episodes of Matlock. I watched episodes of Walker Texas Ranger too. He earned a BA from California State University, Dominguez Hill, and a MFA in Southern Methodist University. He played Pastor Bruce Barnes in the Left Behind movie trilogy (which is about the Antichrist, the Book of Revelations, and the Rapture). He loved his six children and his wife. I send condolences to his family and friends.
Rest in Power Brother Clarence Gilyard.
By Timothy
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Monday, November 28, 2022
Cultural Information in Late November 2022.
With the first three-peat, there is no question that Michael Jordan has proved the naysayers wrong. Even as early as 1992 (according to his 1998 autobiography For the Love of the Game. In the book, Michael Jordan wrote that he was exhausted due to the Dream Team run in the 1992 Summer Olympics), Michael Jordan expressed his goal to leave basketball to go and play baseball. Jordan faced massive stardom and scrutiny that the average person never experienced. One tragic event would change his life forever. That was when his father, James R. Jordan Sr., was murdered on July 23, 1993, at a highway rest area in Lumberton, North Carolina. He was murdered by 2 teenagers (Daniel Green and Larry Martin Demery). The murderers carjacked his Lexus bearing the license plate "UNC 0023." His body was placed in a South Carolina swamp. It wasn't discovered until August 3, 1993. Green and Demery were found after they made calls on James Jordan's cell phone. They were both convicted at a trial and sentenced to life in prison. Michael Jordan was very close to his father and stuck his tongue out like his father did when he was absorbed in work. In 1996, Michael Jordan founded a Chicago area Boys and Girls Club and dedicated it to his father. On October 6, 1993, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball sitting next to his first wife. This came about when I was in the 5th grade of elementary school. It sent shockwaves across the NBA, across America, and across the world. The news was on the front pages of newspapers around the world too.
Jordan further surprised the sports world by signing a Minor League Baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 7, 1994. He reported to spring training in Sarasota, Florida, and was assigned to the team's minor league system on March 31, 1994. Jordan said that this decision was made to pursue the dream of his late father, who always envisioned his son as a Major League Baseball player. The White Sox were owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who continued to honor Jordan's basketball contract during the years he played baseball.
In 1994, Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, batting .202 with three home runs, 51 runs batted in, 30 stolen bases, 114 strikeouts, 51 bases on balls, and 11 errors. His strikeout total led the team and his games played tied for the team lead. His 30 stolen bases were second on the team only to Doug Brady. He also appeared for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the 1994 Arizona Fall League, batting .252 against the top prospects in baseball. On November 1, 1994, his No. 23 was retired by the Bulls in a ceremony that included the erection of a permanent sculpture known as The Spirit outside the new United Center. Michael Jordan had a good baseball career, and he was getting better as time went on.
By the 1993-1994 season, Michael Jordan wasn't in the lineup. They lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. The 1994–95 Bulls were not the same championship team of just two years earlier. Struggling at mid-season to ensure a spot in the playoffs, Chicago was 31–31 at one point in mid-March; the team received help when Jordan decided to return to the Bulls.
In March 1995, Jordan decided to quit baseball because he feared he might become a replacement player during the Major League Baseball strike. On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a two-word press release: "I'm back." The next day, Jordan took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points. The game had the highest Nielsen rating of any regular season NBA game since 1975. Although he could have worn his original number even though the Bulls retired it, Jordan wore No. 45, his baseball number.
Despite his eighteen-month hiatus from the NBA, Jordan played well, making a game-winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back. He scored 55 points in his next game, against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 1995. Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls went 13–4 to make the playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic. At the end of Game 1, Orlando's Nick Anderson stripped Jordan from behind, leading to the game-winning basket for the Magic; he later commented that Jordan "didn't look like the old Michael Jordan", and said that "No. 45 doesn't explode like No. 23 used to."
Jordan responded by scoring 38 points in the next game, which Chicago won. Before the game, Jordan decided that he would immediately resume wearing his former No. 23. The Bulls were fined $25,000 for failing to report the impromptu number change to the NBA. Jordan was fined an additional $5,000 for opting to wear white sneakers when the rest of the Bulls wore black. He averaged 31 ppg in the playoffs, but Orlando won the series in six games.
Jordan was freshly motivated by the playoff defeat, and he trained aggressively for the 1995–96 season. The Bulls were strengthened by the addition of rebound specialist Dennis Rodman, and the team dominated the league, starting the season at 41–3. The Bulls eventually finished with the best regular season record in NBA history, 72–10, a mark broken two decades later by the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors. Jordan led the league in scoring with 30.4 ppg, and he won the league's regular season and All-Star Game MVP awards.
In the playoffs, the Bulls lost only three games in four series (Miami Heat 3–0, New York Knicks 4–1, and Orlando Magic 4–0), as they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4–2 in the NBA Finals to win their fourth championship. Jordan was named Finals MVP for a record fourth time, surpassing Magic Johnson's three Finals MVP awards; he also achieved only the second sweep of the MVP awards in the All-Star Game, regular season, and NBA Finals after Willis Reed in the 1969–70 season. Upon winning the championship, his first since his father's murder, Jordan reacted emotionally, clutching the game ball and crying on the locker room floor
Michael Jordan is the fourth of five children. He has two older brothers, Larry Jordan and James R. Jordan Jr., one older sister, Deloris, and one younger sister, Roslyn. James retired in 2006 as the command sergeant major of the 35th Signal Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps in the U.S. Army. Jordan's nephew through Larry, Justin Jordan, played NCAA Division I basketball for the UNC Greensboro Spartans and is a scout for the Charlotte Hornets. Michael Jordan married his first wife Juanita Vanoy on September 2, 1989, at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had two sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, and a daughter, Jasmine. The Jordans filed for divorce on January 4, 2002, citing irreconcilable differences, but reconciled shortly thereafter. They again filed for divorce and were granted a final decree of dissolution of marriage on December 29, 2006, commenting that the decision was made "mutually and amicably" It is reported that Juanita received a $168 million settlement (equivalent to $226 million in 2021), making it the largest celebrity divorce settlement on public record at the time. Michael Jordan wrote a love letter to actress and model Amy Hunter in 1989. Amy Hunter was on The Kingdom, Pacific Blue, The Scorpion King, and other shows and movies for over 30 decades. It is no secret that Michael Jordan had affairs which I don't agree with. Jordan proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto, on Christmas 2011, and they were married on April 27, 2013, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. It was announced on November 30, 2013, that the two were expecting their first child together. On February 11, 2014, Prieto gave birth to identical twin daughters named Victoria and Ysabel. In 2019, Jordan became a grandfather when his daughter Jasmine gave birth to a son, whose father is professional basketball player Rakeem Christmas.
Learning about health is always a blessing. The human brain is one of the most important organs in the human body. It has billions of nerves that communicate via connections called synapses. Some of the most serious research that comes about has dealt with the brain, mental health issues, and brain-related diseases (like dementia and Alzheimer's disease), and there is a growing industry of supplements geared to grow brain health (in improving cognition, memory, concentration, etc.). The skull and a layer of tissue called meninges help to protect the brain. Voluntary and involuntary activities of the human body are controlled by the brain. There are many examples of this like the brain controlling heartbeat, the actions of the lungs, sending information to muscles and bones to deal with movement, and controlling thoughts and emotions. The brain is one of the most important parts of the body consuming about 22 percent of the calories in the body. Adequate diets are required to maintain great brain health. That is why healthy meals are needed to boost long term and short-term functions of the human brain.
There are tons of foods that grow brain health. One is a fish oil with omega-3 fatty acids. Over 50 percent of the brain is made of up fats. Omega 3 fatty acids are half of these facts. These fatty acids help to grow the membranes that surround the brain cells. So, they promote the structure of the brain cells called neurons. Studies prove that people who consume high levels of Omega-3 have a better functioning brain to the increase of gray matter in their brains, the cognitive and thinking abilities of people who consumed omega-3s in high quantities are the following foods: salmon, trout, albacore tuna, mackerel, sardines, and herring. Omega-3s are also found in nuts, soybeans, flaxseed, and other seeds, so consumption of these foods increases the function of the brain. Inadequate omega-3s in the brain can lead to the inability to learn fast, anxiety and depression. Berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, mulberries, and blackberries will develop the mind. The reason is that these berries have flavonoid antioxidants. Antioxidants help to decrease inflammation and stress from oxidative activities. Antioxidants found in berries are anthocyanin, catechin, quercetin, and caffeic acid. A scientist did a study in 2014, and it showed that the antioxidants in berries had the following positive influence on the brain; enhanced communication between brain cells, decreased inflammation in not only the brain cells but in other cells of the body, allows the brain cells create new connections between each other boosting memory and ability to acquire new knowledge by increasing the plasticity, decrease or delay neurodegenerative illnesses and cognitive impairment that are age-related. Coffee has caffeine and antioxidants. It increases alertness by hindering adenosine. It can lower the risk of neurological diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's too, because it has high levels of antioxidants. There is a debate on whether tumeric has health benefits or not.
Broccoli had plant compounds and antioxidants along with Vitamin K. Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin that helps to provide sphingolipids that are usually found in brain cells. Consumption of broccoli increases the cognitive ability of the brain and enhances the memory of the brain. Aside from vitamin K, other compounds are present in broccoli that makes it an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to protect the brain. It is a known fact that nuts and seeds help with brain function. They have omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that develop the functions of the mind. They have Vitamin E that shields the brain from stress resulting from free radicals. Vitamin E also enhances the brain's cognitive status and decreases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Examples of nuts and seeds that have elevated levels of vitamin E are; sunflowers, almonds, and hazelnuts. Peanuts have Vitamin E too and minerals like resveratrol as a natural antioxidant that improves communication between brain cells. Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant that is present in mulberries, peanuts, and rhubarb. Research has shown that resveratrol protects the body from neurological diseases. Eggs and Dark chocolate help with brain help too. Eggs have Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and folic acid to prevent the brain from shrinking and cognitive impairment. Dark chocolate consists of flavonoids, antioxidants, and caffeine that help enhance the brain’s functions. Flavonoids present in dark chocolate accumulate in regions of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Avocados contain unsaturated fats that help develop a healthy brain, and they help decrease blood pressure. High blood pressure contributes to cognitive impairment, so the consumption of avocados helps to increase cognitive ability. Sources of unsaturated fats that help enhance brain function include fish, walnut and brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and chia seeds. All these foods have recommended daily intake; therefore, Excess consumption of any of these foods has side effects on the brain. Nutritionists always advise sticking to the daily allowances of these foods.
Dr. Yahshia Dooley is a board-certified OB/GYN physician. She knows the complexities of medicine and helped the lives of women for over 20 years. She is also a businesswoman. Her podcast deals with entrepreneurship, medicine, and helping physicians to develop their talents to the next level. Dr. Dooley helps women to develop their lives as a life coach. At the end of the day, a great physician deals with research, communicating with people honestly and with compassion, and working hard to develop solutions to critical issues. Dr. Dooley has experience in the U.S. Air Force too, as many great workers have been in the military field for generations.
Angelique Miles is a health and fitness expert. She is a New Yorker who worked in the health industry for over 20 years. Later, she used workouts like Cross Fit to become a runner. She wants to inspire women of a certain age to live their best lives. She travels, she is active in her community, and she believes that fitness is the fountain of youth. She said that as she has gotten older, she cut off sugar in general and dairy products. She is over 50 years and advises people over 50 to work out when they can. Angelique Miles survived being stabbed when she was 16 years old, survived psoriasis, and overcame self-esteem issues. She is a Marvel comics fan too. Marvel showed a comic image of her as a hero, as she is a fan of Spiderman, Black Panther, and other likeminded stories.
Pam Grier changed society in many ways. To this very day, she is very humble about her experiences and contributions to movies and television shows. She has been through the storm in her life early on (she experienced sexual assault and later survived cervical cancer back in the 1980's). Yet, Pam Grier survived the storm to be an inspiration to human beings, especially to black women to see that they can achieve greatness through their own power. The independent power of Pam Grier developed into a huge legacy involving our society in general. She helped to shape cinema, feminism, and gave new insights into the lives of black women. She has shown the image of black women to be powerful, diverse, and willing to stand up against injustice. You will notice that the films like Coffy, Foxy Brown, Sheba Baby, and Friday Foster were about a woman (and other people) working together to confront evils in our community like drug addiction, the War on Drugs, police corruption, Mafia criminal actions, and abuse of fellow human beings. Pam Grier was one of the first modern black woman superhero in the movie industry. After the 1970's, all women action stars of every color owe a debt of gratitude to Pam Grier and her sacrifice to make complex images of black women grow. Pam Grier has an American story. She was born in the South in Winston Salem, North Carolina, many of her relatives lived in the Mountain West over in Wyoming, and she always worked hard to achieve her goals. To this day, she has her own ranch which is an homage to the work ethic of her ancestors. Her memoir from 2010 is entitled, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts. From Turner Movie Classics having a podcast about her inspirational life to tons of musicians, intellectuals, and everyday fans being influenced by her, Pam Grier made an undeniable mark in black culture and world culture as a whole. At the end of the day, everything comes down to the Golden Rule. Treating people with respect, standing up for yourself, fighting for what is right, promoting truth, and defending justice will cause blessings in all of our lives. It is what it is. Pam Grier is a gorgeous black woman who has been an icon in our lives indeed.
By 1969, rock music and pop music changed in fashion, culture, and songs forever. It was a sound lightyear different from the music of 1960. By the late 1960's, revolutionary movements grew, the anti-Vietnam War movement was even more potent, and everything evolved into a new eclectic style. By January of 1969, the Beatles performed live for the last time on the roof of their London record label Apple Records. Space Oddity was a hit by David Bowie. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones drowned. By January 1969, Led Zeppelin made their debut self-titled album. It would be one of the most influential rock albums of history with Jimmy Page being a guitarist of the band. They would grow their popularity even more by the 1970's. UK vocalist Dusty Springfield's song of Son of A Preacher Man was very powerful. Crimson and Clover from Tommy James and the Shondells would promote psychedelic rock. Kick Out the Jams by the MC5 in February 1969 would be proto-punk before punk was created. Their music was anti-establishment. Sly and the Family Stone was based in San Francisco, California. Their hit Everyday People outlined a new multicultural world developing in American Society. Sly Stone is a musical genius. The band was diverse, and they had more hits like I Want To Take You Higher with funk elements as well. The greatness of Sly and the Family Stone is that its music appeared to every one of every color (and every fan of many genres of music). Some music is just universally great or excellent. Dizzy was a pop record made by Tommy Roe in March 1969. Creedence Clearwater Revival had Proud Mary as a single. The reggae and ska singer Desmond Dekker released the popular song of Israelites. It was the first reggae song to chart in America. The Fifth Dimension released tons of music like the hit Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In. They had talented black singers in the group. Neil Young, the Who, and Simon and Garfunkel released many albums and songs. By April of 1969, Aretha Franklin released her album called "Soft and Beautiful." By May 1969, Crosby, Stills, and Nash released their debut album. John Lennon in June 1969 had the bed ins for peace in Amsterdam and Montreal. Lennon had the song Give Peace a Chance being supported by his wife Yoko Ono. The Easy Rider soundtrack had music from Steppenwolf, the Byrds, The Electric Prunes, and other artists.
One great concert was the Harlem Cultural Festival which took place in 1969. It was shown in the 2021 documentary called Summer of Soul. It lasted from June 29, 1969, to August 24, 1969. The Festival had Abbey Lincoln, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, George Kirby, Olatunji, Max Roach, The Staple Singers, Herman Stevens and The Voices of Faith, David Ruffin, Chuck Jackson, Gladys Knights and the Pips, Lou Parks Dancers, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Hugh Masekela, and other artists. The festival took place in Mount Morris Park in Harlem, NYC. On July 30, 1969, Columbia Records released In A Silent Way by Miles Davis. This was one of the first, jazz/rock fusion albums featuring John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea. In 1969, tons of classic songs existed like My Whole World Ended by David Ruffin, It's Your Thing by The Isley Brothers, Too Busy Thinking About My Baby by Marvin Gaye, Johnnie Taylor (I Wonna), Betty Everett's There'll Come a Time, The Impression Choice of Colors, Carla Thomas's "I Like What You're Doing (To Me), and Stevie Wonder's Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday. Clarence Carter and Gladys Knights and the Pips had classic music too. Marvin Gaye had many duets with Tammi Terrell during 1969 too. Tammi Terrell is an underrated artist from Philadelphia.
By August 1969, the Woodstock Music Festival existed. About 500,000 people were there to hear music from Jimi Hendrix to other people in upstate Bethel, NY. The event was released as a movie and triple album in 1970. The Youngbloods, The Archies, and Bob Dylan released music. In 1969, the Temptations embraced a more futuristic, funk, and psychedelic sound. Janis Joplin released music in September 11, 1969 in her album of "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" By September 23, 1969, the Supremes and The Temptations released an album together called ironically "Together.' It covered many songs like Can't Take My Eyes Off You, etc. The Temptations had the number one U.S. hit in October 1969 with the song I Can't Get Next to You. The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The Funk Brothers helped with the song too. By October of 1969, Whole Lott Love was released by Led Zeppelin. The song sounded hard and proto-metal. Fleetwood Mac, made music too. By November of 1969, Elvis Presley released his comeback singles like Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, and others music. He performed lived in Las Vegas to show his comeback to music. The Allman Brothers had their debut in November 1969. The Beatles released Abbey Road in November of 1969. The 1960's in music ended with the Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, Northern California. The Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Santa, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the Flying Burrito Brothers performed. Yet, an innocent young black man was murdered by cowards later on. Leaving on a Jet Plane was the December 1969 hit released by the New York City folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary. The Jackson Five music was involved with soul, pop, and R&B music. The song I Want Your Back by the Jackson Five was released in early October 1969. The group performed the song on Hollywood Palace and the Ed Sullivan Show (on December 14, 1969). On December 1969, the Jackson Five had their debut album called Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5. The rest is history. By the 1970's, with songs like ABC, the Jackson Five was highly influential and popular worldwide. Diana Ross deserves great credit for promoting the Jackson Five too. Michael Jackson, as the lead singer of the Jackson Five, showed unparalleled talent in singing and dancing. The Jackson family became a staple of American culture and world musical history indeed.
By Timothy
Friday, November 25, 2022
Being Thankful.
There are many things to be thankful for in this world from living life, to health, and other matters in our lives. It is always a blessing to wake up after each night to witness another day on this Earth. Our ancestors aren't here, and we cherish their legacies. Yet, we can't be naive in the world. We have social, economic, and political issues that should be addressed. The record number of mass shootings in America in 2022 alone should make us aware that the status quo is not enough to solve our problems. Guns are tools that can be utilized for good or evil. They should be regulated. It's a disgrace that owning a gun is easier than getting a driver's license. Getting a gun in America is much easier than getting a passport from the Post Office. Now, we have economic issues that must be addressed. Rising inflation has led to a 10 percent increase in annual food prices, contributing to increased malnourishment and hunger. Many of us are blessed to afford food, health care, life insurance, and other things.
Yet, millions of Americans struggle to pay for these things every single day. That is a shame. We know that in many cities, people have to pay nearly 2,000 dollars in rent per month to live in apartments (even one-bedroom apartments). Between December 2020 and December 2021, there have been over 107,000 drug overdose deaths in America according to the Centers for Disease Control. There is an increase in flu, RSV, and COVID among babies, kids, and adults alike. Certain segments of big business, far-right extremist politicians, and capitalist raiders promote hatred for immigrants, racism, anti-Semitism, tribalism, anti-science lies, and militarism in our time. We know that laissez-faire capitalism doesn't work to alleviate pain and suffering. Only revolutionary, progressive solutions will help millions of Americans.
Virginia's Republican Governor Jim Youngkin saying that now isn't the time to talk about gun violence is despicable by him and disgraceful. A murderer used gun violence against innocent people in Chesapeake, Virginia (that is in Hampton Roads, Virginia where I'm from). Subsequently, Youngkin said that now isn't the time to talk about it. Every day is the perfect time to talk about this issue. In 2022, you have more than 39,000 people dead as a product of gun violence. That's in one year more than any other industrialized nation in the world combined. Say what you want about Ralph Northam, but Ralph Northam was probably the most progressive Governor in Virginia's history. We need real leaders to advocate gun control legislation and investments in our communities. These GOP hypocrites claim that they love to address mental health issues, but House Republicans vote no on mental health care legislation.
Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Carmelita Jeter, and she is now 43 years old. For decades, she has been a legendary track and field athlete. She is one of the greatest sprinters of our generation and from 2009 to 2021, Carmelita Jeter was the fastest woman alive. Also, she is a very compassionate, hard-working black woman. She was born in Los Angeles, California. Jeter attended Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California. She played basketball at first, and then she decided to participate in track and field. Her younger brother played for the Sacramento Kings. Carmelita Jeter graduated from California States University, Dominguez Hills found in Carson, California (with a bachelor's degree in physical education). Carmelita Jeter set the record for most NCAA medals by a CSUDH track athlete and became the university's first U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier.
By 2007, she won a silver medal in the 60 meters at the U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships. In 2007, she won the gold medal in the World Championships in the 4 x 100 m relay (in Osaka). She won gold in the 2011 World Championships at Daegu in the 100m including the 4 x 100m relay race. She won gold in the 2012 Olympics in London in the 4 x 100m relay race (that team being the greatest relay race among women in human history. That team had Allyson Felix, Tianna Madison, and Bianca Knight). She won silver in the 100m in the 2012 London Summer Olympics too. She won bronze in the 2013 Moscow 100m (at its World's Track and Field Championship). Carmelita Jeter is now a coach of track and field assistant at USC or the University of Southern California. In May 2019, she earned an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the CSUDH and the California State University Board of Trustees. I wish Sister Carmelita Jeter more Blessings.
By Timothy
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Thanksgiving 2022 Part 4
Conclusion
Big oil, food giants, and restaurant chains have windfall profits at record levels as U.S. real wages plunge. These record profits gotten by oil and gas companies are unprecedented too. Corporate profit gouging is not new as these actions have existed for centuries and thousands of years. Oil magnates ignore Biden's call for holding them accountable for their actions. Mike Sommers, President of the American Petroleum Institute said that he wants the Biden administration to address the supply and demand imbalance. This means that he wants Biden to open up more to the fossil fuel industry to increase oil profits. The problem is that Exxon Mobil and Chevron (the largest U.S. oil companies) have a record or near-record profits for the July-September quarter of 2022. Many of these monopoly companies are not using their profits to reduce prices or increase production. They have raided dividends and carried out massive stock buybacks to enrich their big investors. Exxon Mobil raised its stock dividend of fund shareholders in return for excess cash. You can't make this stuff up. Central bank handouts to Wall Street, and other issues contributed to the inflation problem in American society. We know that the suspect involved in the assault of Paul Pelosi confessed to his actions. The suspect wanted to find Speaker Nancy Pelosi and hold her hostage. He posted memes and conspiracy theories on Facebook about the 2020 election and the January 6th attack. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins spoke at a press conference on Monday on the case. Some far right people are mocking the attack for political reasons. Elon Musk also promoted false information about the attack too. Many MAGA Republicans try to normalize political violence. The DOJ has charged the attacker with federal crimes too. This rhetoric and violence is not new, but it is still reprehensible.
Some promote the lie that voting doesn't matter, or this 2022 midterm election doesn't matter. It is obvious that the GOP promotes voter suppression laws, stopping student loan cancellation relief, banning gun control policies, and seeking economically regressive actions like tax cut increases for the super-wealthy. Some GOP people outright believe in the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. Some Republicans are bigots who hate anybody who isn't a white person. Therefore, we know what time it is. Voting matters, because voting helps to make changes to help the poor, the middle class, the oppressed, the homeless, and any human being. These far-right liars talk about crime, but they offer no solutions for crime that involve gun control, intervention programs, public investments in giving people jobs and economic power, and rehabilitation programs in prisons that will reduce crime. They talk about the issues in urban cities, but gentrification, tax cuts for the rich, lax investments, mass incarceration, austerity, and other evils (found in many urban communities) aren't progressive policies. These policies have been done by far-right people and neoliberal moderates for decades.
The Dominion Company is suing FOX News for defamation for promoting election fraud claims. The 1.6 billion dollar defamation suit from Dominion is very serious. Trump has lied that Dominion has used tactics to cheat the 2020 election. Trump falsely accused Dominion to flip votes in favor of Biden. Dominion CEO's said that people used paper to record elections, so recounts can be more efficient. Everyone knows that FOX News is a biased network in favor of Trump and the Republicans. We know that many FOX news hosts have so much bias that it is really overt that their mission is to blame liberals and progressives for everything wrong in the world. Dominion said that people's lives have been harmed by election-denying extremists. Also, Dominion said that FOX News knew that the election fraud claims were fraud, but FOX continued to promote the great lie in public among FOX News hosts and others for weeks. The common myth that many Republicans do is to blame Biden for inflation. That is false, because one man can't control every aspect of the economy. The Republicans are overt in wanting to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Many Republicans refused to believe in negotiating drug prices to make sure that prescription drugs are cheaper. Inflation is caused by the pandemic, supply chain disruption, corporate greed, and other reasons. Inflation is not caused by wage increases as wages are increasing slower. Corporations are raising prices too high causing inflation in American society. Wealthy corporations now have record profits. Federal assistance to those suffering from the pandemic-induced recession didn't overheat the economy. The assistance gave people and families the means to stay afloat. The Democrats passed policies to try to reduce inflation. Fighting inflation can be stopped by windfall taxes and using policies to decrease the power of economic monopolies.
In 2022, one of the most important popular culture movies is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Other issues will be mentioned here, but first, an overview of the movie must be shown first. The movie is based on the superhero film of the Marvel Comics character of Black Panther. The movie was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Being the sequel to Black Panther (2018), new storylines are in the film of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It's the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Ryan Coogler directed the movie and co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole. There are many starring actors and actresses in the film who are: Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett. The movie outlines the leaders of Wakanda fighting constantly to protect their nation in the wake of King T'Challa's death. It was first released in Hollywood on October 26, 2022, and released in the United States of America on November 11, 2022. The movie had an estimated $250 million budget with its box office being larger than its budget. The plot of the movie is very unique.
The movie starts with T'Challa or King of Wakanda dying from an illness. His sister, Shuri believes that he can be cured with the "heart shaped herb." Shuri tries to synthetically recreate the herb after it was destroyed by Kilmonger. Yet, she fails to do so, and T'Challa passed away. One year later, Wakanda experienced pressure from other nations to share their vibranium, with some parties wanting to steal it by force. Queen Ramonda implores Shuri to continue her research on the heart-shaped herb, hoping to create a new Black Panther that will defend Wakanda, but she refuses due to her belief that the Black Panther is a figure of the past. In the Atlantic Ocean, the CIA and U.S. Navy SEALs utilize a vibranium-detecting machine to locate a potential vibranium deposit underwater. The expedition is attacked and killed by a group of blue-skinned water-breathing superhumans led by Namor, with the CIA believing Wakanda to be responsible. Namor confronts Ramonda and Shuri, easily bypassing Wakanda's advanced security. Blaming Wakanda for the vibranium race, he gives them an ultimatum: deliver him the scientist responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine, or he will attack Wakanda.
Shuri and Okoye learn from CIA agent Everett K. Ross that the scientist in question is MIT student Riri Williams and arrive at the university to confront her. The group is pursued by the FBI and then by Namor's warriors, who defeat Okoye before taking Shuri and Williams underwater to meet Namor. Angered by Okoye's failure to protect Shuri, Ramonda strips her of her title as general of the Dora Milaje and seeks out Nakia, who has been living in Haiti since the Blip. Namor shows Shuri his vibranium-rich underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected for centuries from discovery by the world. Bitter at the surface world for enslaving the Maya, Namor proposes an alliance with Wakanda against the rest of the world but threatens to destroy Wakanda first if they refuse. Nakia helps Shuri and Williams escape, and Namor retaliates with an attack against Wakanda, during which Ramonda drowns saving Williams. Namor vows to return in a week with his full army, and the citizens of Wakanda relocate to the Jabari mountains for their safety. Meanwhile, Ross is arrested by his ex-wife and CIA director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, for secretly exchanging classified intelligence with the Wakandans.
After Ramonda's funeral, Shuri uses a remnant of the herb that gave Namor's people their superhuman abilities to reconstruct the heart-shaped herb. She ingests it, gaining superhuman abilities and meeting Killmonger in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. Shuri dons a new Black Panther suit and is accepted by the other Wakandan tribes as the Black Panther. Despite M'Baku's urges for peace, Shuri is determined to exact vengeance on Namor for Ramonda's death and orders an immediate counterattack on Talokan. Preparing for battle, with Ayo assuming the position of general of the Dora Milaje, Shuri bestows the Midnight Angel armor upon Okoye, who in turn recruits Dora Milaje member Aneka to join her. Williams creates an Iron Man-esque powered exoskeleton to aid the Wakandans.
Using a seafaring vessel, the Wakandans lure Namor and his warriors to the surface as a battle ensues. Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft, intending to dry him out and weaken him. The pair crashes on a desert beach and fight. Shuri gains the upper hand but realizes the similarities between their paths and implores Namor to yield, offering him a peaceful alliance. Namor accepts, and the battle ends. Namor's cousin, Namora, is upset at Namor's surrender, but Namor reassures her that their new alliance will allow them to conquer the surface world one day. Williams returns to MIT, leaving her suit behind, while Okoye rescues Ross from captivity. Shuri plants more heart-shaped herbs to ensure the future of the Black Panther mantle. In Shuri's absence, M'Baku steps forward to challenge the throne. Shuri visits Nakia in Haiti where she burns her funeral ceremonial robe in accordance with Ramonda's wishes, allowing herself to finally grieve T'Challa.
In a mid-credits scene, Shuri learns that Nakia and T'Challa had a son named Toussaint, who Nakia has been raising in secret far from the pressure of the throne. Toussaint reveals his Wakandan name is T'Challa. The new Black Panther and later Queen of Wakanda is Shuri (played by Letitia Wright). Nakia is played by Lupita Nyong'o. Danai Gurira played Okoye or the general of Dora Milaje. The Dora Milaje is the all-women special forces of Wakanda. Her husband, W'Kabi, was imprisoned after the events of the previous film. We know that Winston Duke plays M'Baku. Florence Kasumba played Ayo or second in command of the women warriors. Dominique Thorne played Riri Williams (or the genius MIT student). Michaela Coel played Aneka. Tenoch Heurta played Namor or the king of Talokan. He is called the feathered serpent god of K'uk'ulkan. Angela Bassett played Ramonda or the Sovereign Queen Mother of Wakanda. Martin Freeman played Everett K. Ross or the CIA agent, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the ex wife of Ross who is Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
Additionally, Michael B. Jordan reprises his MCU role as N'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens. Isaach de Bankolé, Dorothy Steel (in her final, posthumous role), and Danny Sapani reprise their roles as the Wakandan River Tribe, Merchant Tribe, and Border Tribe elders, respectively. Connie Chiume reprises her role as Zawavari, previously the Mining Tribe Elder, but now the Elder Statesman, taking over the role held by Zuri from the first film. Mabel Cadena portrays Namor's cousin Namora, while Alex Livinalli portrays the Talokanil warrior Attuma, and MarÃa Mercedes Coroy portrays Princess Fen, Namor's mother. Lake Bell and Robert John Burke appear as Dr. Graham and Smitty, respectively, a pair of CIA officials in charge of the vibranium mining operation. Richard Schiff appears as the U.S. Secretary of State, while Kamaru Usman appears as a naval officer. Comedian Trevor Noah reprises his role from the first film as Griot, an A.I. developed by Shuri. Archive footage from previous MCU films of Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther is used in the film's ending, with Divine Love Konadu-Sun appearing as Toussaint, T'Challa and Nakia's son. The film production started in Atlanta, Georgia on June 29, 2021 at Trilith Studios.
In September 2021, it was revealed that Ludwig Göransson was set to return as composer for the sequel. His score was released by Hollywood Records on November 11, 2022.
"I think you realize how much you need to have people that you love. It's not as much about them loving you - it's about you needing to love people."
-Chadwick Boseman.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Prologue, a soundtrack extended play, was released by Hollywood Records and Marvel Music on July 25, 2022, and includes Tems' cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", which was used in the film's teaser trailer, "A Body, a Coffin" by Amaarae, and "Soy" by Santa Fe Klan. Göransson produced all three songs, and co-wrote "A Body, a Coffin" with Amaarae, Kyu Steed, KZ, Cracker Mallo, and Maesu. In late October 2022, it was announced that the film's lead single would be "Lift Me Up" by Rihanna, written by Tems, Göransson, Rihanna, and Coogler, as a tribute to Boseman. It marks its first solo musical output from Rihanna since 2016 and was released on October 28, through Westbury Road, Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings, and Hollywood Records. Tems stated she wanted to write a song that "portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life." "Lift Me Up" was featured on the film's soundtrack, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music from and Inspired By, which was released on November 4, 2022, by Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings, and Hollywood Records.
As of November 18, 2022, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has grossed $238.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $187.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $425.8 million. The film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was emotional and showed a fitting tribute to one of the greatest actors of all time, being Chadwick Boseman. The film wanted to be a eulogy for Chadwick Boseman. Also, the film tackled the complex issues of foreign policy, health, healing, race, alliances, and the issue of negotiation. The movies showed the complex themes of how Western imperial powers wanted to control a major resource in Wakanda. Wakanda has tons of outstanding black people, but Wakanda is still a Kingdom (which is a monarchy) filled with hesitancy to cause a global revolution to help black people globally and other oppressed people with their super-advanced technology. For the most part, Wakanda exists in isolation. Angela Bassett and Huerta gave powerful performances in showing the importance plus emotion. The movie represented a transition from the older leaders of Wakanda to the younger leaders of Wakanda. Shuri has the power of Black Panther now, and she is going through controversies and growing pains like all new leaders experience from time to time.
There are 2 major critiques of the film that I will address. One form of critics are sexists, Hoteps, and chauvinists like Judge Joe Brown (who admitted that he is a male chauvinist and proud of it. Joe Brown didn't want Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill) claiming that the movie omits black men, give women too much power, and is an "agenda" filled film. We know this nonsense is sexist and bigoted, but we have to address it. The truth is that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is meant to be a tribute to the black man Chadwick Boseman (one of the greatest actors of all time). It doesn't get more pro-black man than that. Also, the movie showing black women warriors is hardly against black people when black men and black women warriors existed throughout human history for thousands of years. The plot of the film existed after Bozeman's passing, not as a way to bash the dignity of black men. Other criticism of the film comes from independent progressives like Dr. Jared Ball. Dr. Ball's argument is that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever lacks a real opportunity to form an alliance with Namor to take on Western imperialists. Dr. Ball see the battles of Wakanda and Namor's kingdom as an example of the oppressed fighting each other while the white racist pan-European elites laugh all the way to the bank. Dr. Ball writes that Wakanda seeks a reactionary isolationism (in league with the powers that be) not a revolutionary, radical internationalist solidarity movement. There goes one legitimate weakness of Wakanda Forever. The film doesn't show even Wakanda being part of a pan-African movement to liberate oppressed people from imperialism and racial global injustices, even in Africa.
Wakanda is for only Wakanda (with even an alliance with CIA agents) is the message, unfortunately. The strength of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is that it showed a real, excellent tribute to Chadwick Bozeman, outlined the beauty of black African culture, showed powerful performances from actors and actresses, and outlined the multifaceted nature of human existence. Dr. Ball's critique does have merit, because our black people have a known history to be involved in many solidarity movements like the Non-Aligned Movement, Fred Hampton's Rainbow Coalition, and other solidarity actions like the Bandung. Today, solidarity movements are common. Also, it is important to note that our Blackness should not be based on solidarity movements. In other words, our Blackness stands alone as we are the first humans on this Earth. We can use our black self-determination to form our institutions and our liberation on our own terms as black people. That is real talk. Wakanda Forever would have been better if the movie showed Wakanda having the alliance to confront Western imperialism indeed. Even in our generation, positive films about Pan-Africanism, socialism, black culture, real black history, and revolutionary politics are taboo. Likewise, our black voices matter. The lesson of this film is that we must be inspired to show our voices and not apologize for our pro-Pan-African progressive views. The movie should inspire us to study revolutionary scholars from DuBois, Malcolm X, Ella Baker, Queen Mother Moore, Dhourba bin-Wahad, and others who helped to change the world. As a free-thinking human being, do your own research. You can love the film or not. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been part of our history and culture despite its imperfections. This movie certainly will inspire future actors, actresses, directors, producers, and others (who are black people) to outline their own creativity. My view is that Black Panther Wakanda Forever has many great strengths and some weaknesses, but it is a movie that does hold dear the legacy of Chadwick Boseman and other black heroes who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Our Brothers and our Sisters deserve that respect in our lives. Likewise, we should gain lessons from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in order to make our life better and better for the people that we love.
RIP Chadwick Boseman.
The breaking news is that there is another tragic mass shooting in Chesapeake, Virginia. Chesapeake is near North Carolina in Southeastern Virginia. First responders saved many lives. Battlefield Blvd. is one of the busiest streets in Chesapeake. This is personal for me because this is my backyard. This is in the 757 or Hampton, Roads, Virginia region. Innocent people were just working in a local Walmart, and a cowardly murderer murdered 6 people. The injured are fighting for their lives at Norfolk Sentara Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Gun violence doesn't discriminate. It harms people in every background, in cities, in rural areas, and in all places in between. The murderer committed suicide. This mass shooting comes years after another mass shooting took place in the 757 at Virginia Beach, Virginia. The murderer was a person who once worked as an employee at Walmart. He killed people in a break room and harmed other employees. We express empathy and sympathy to the victims' families and friends of this tragedy. This is the 3rd mass shooting in America in the past week alone (at Colorado Springs, at Charlottesville, and at Chesapeake). Two of the three of these tragedies took place in my home state of Virginia. We know what the solutions are to address mass gun violence in America (like gun regulations, federal background checks, waiting periods, addressing mental health issues, gun education, community intervention, investments in communities, etc.), but we have some unyielding, reluctant Congressional people who care more for guns than human lives. A gun is not God, and it is not infallible. It's a man-made tool. Progressive action is a necessity to save and enhance human lives. enhance
By Timothy
Thanksgiving 2022 Part 3
The Jackson, Mississippi Water Crisis
The Jackson, Mississippi water crisis is one of the worst environmental disasters in American history. It shows the callousness of racism and economic exploitation. When the GOP leaders of the Mississippi government disrespected the residents of Jackson by acting with kid gloves on this issue for years, then we see that laissez-faire capitalism is evil and wrong. Laissez-faire capitalism is an overt enemy of the human race and of democratic rights. First, it is important to give support and solidarity to the people of Jackson, Mississippi. They are suffering unspeakable horrors that we can't fathom in lacking clean drinking water. This new water crisis started by later in August 2022. This came after the Pearl River flooded as a result of severe storms in the state. The flooding caused the O. B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, the city's largest water treatment facility, which was already running on backup pumps due to failures the month prior, to stop the treatment of drinking water indefinitely. This resulted in approximately 150,000 residents of the city being left without access to safe drinking water. United States President Joe Biden declared a federal disaster to trigger federal aid. The crisis triggered a political debate regarding racial discrimination, infrastructure neglect, and shifting local demographics. Fundamentally, this is why President Biden passed that infrastructure bill in order to help people. The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi is doing all that he can to help the situation.
First, we have to look at things chronologically. Jackson, Mississippi is the largest city in the state of Mississippi, and Mississippi is probably the poorest state in the United States of America. Its water system has more than 71,000 water connections. For years, Jackson's drinking water treatment systems have had real problems. Back in 2010, a winter storm caused several water main breaks and a widespread outage. City hospitals increased privately owned well capacity as a response to that emergency, and as a result, in the August 2022 crisis, core medical services were able to continue operating with running water. In 2012, Jackson failed a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspection enforcing Safe Drinking Water Act standards, resulting in a November 2012 settlement requiring that the city improve maintenance. In February 2021, a winter storm shut down the O. B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, leaving residents without water for a month. The freezing water lines caused water mains to burst knocking out water service to the entire city and surrounding suburbs. City leaders asked the state for $47 million for sewer repairs but received only $3 million. The city and the EPA agreed on a repair plan in July 2021, but the city's water infrastructure continued to deteriorate. Residents complained of low water pressure and sewage floating in the streets. The city issued many boil water orders after the February storm, including one in July 2022 when plant damage forced a move to backup pumps; that order was still in effect when the August 2022 flooding arrived. A private contractor failed to send water bills to thousands of residents, and the governor vetoed an amnesty plan in 2020, but not in 2021. This action allowed the city to recover partial payments from some customers.
By the late summer of 2022, heavy rain fell over parts of Mississippi during the week prior to the new crisis. Walnut Grove had 12 inches (300 millimeters) of precipitation. These storms made flash flooding in the areas, including Jackson. That is why Jackson mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba declared a local emergency on August 24, 2022. The immediate flash flooding receded that week, but water moving through streams and rivers caused the Pearl River to flood cresting at 35.37 feet (10.78 meters) on August 29 and not falling below the flood stage of 28 feet (8.5 m) until September 1. One home in Jackson was flooded and a few neighborhoods were evacuated as a precaution. Mississippi governor Tate Reeves deployed 600 members of the Mississippi National Guard on August 31 to help distribute bottled water and hand sanitizer. At Reeves' request, President Joe Biden declared Jackson to be a disaster area, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send resources to the city and to help pay for the response. Local schools and universities moved to virtual learning due to the lack of water. Other Mississippi communities organized drives to donate water and other supplies to the city's residents and offered accommodations for some people displaced by the crisis.
A well dug at the Mississippi Fairgrounds after the 2021 crisis was used to source emergency water locally. Rented pumps were used to increase water pressure, and the city considered using a contractor or retired operators to deal with a chronic staffing shortage. In December 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency announced an allocation of $74.9 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to Mississippi for water infrastructure improvements. Mayor Lumumba estimated the cost of fully repairing the water system at $2 billion. On September 5, Governor Reeves said that conditions at the water treatment plant had improved with the pumped-out water being much cleaner. For long-term solutions, Reeves stated that the state was considering a range of solutions, including privatization of the system and forming a commission to oversee failed water systems. We don't need some privatization but real solutions. Republican Congressman Michael Guest blames political gridlock on city leadership for the crisis, not racism. Reeves has tried to blame city officials for the latest chapter of the yearslong crisis, though the state has historically refused to help pay for repairs that have been impossible for the city to afford as decades of white flight have left it with less tax revenue. Obviously, there is more to the whole story. For decades, Jackson and other places in America have been victims of environmental racism with the state for a long time refusing to adequately support infrastructure in its own capital city of Jackson, Mississippi. The crisis has also spurred discussion about how climate change is expected to strain existing infrastructure in the United States. Writing for the American socialist publication Jacobin, Ryan Zickgraf states that the water crisis in Jackson can be attributed to decades of austerity and capital disinvestment. Arielle King, a lawyer, and environmental justice advocate said that Jackson has been a victim of redlining and racism by many black communities being concentrated in polluting industries like landfills, oil refineries, and wastewater treatment plants.
About 150,000 residents of Jackson, Mississippi lacking clean drinking water is totally wrong. Now, people have to rely on bottled water or use buckets to collect water from wells in the wealthiest country in the world. That is very contradictory. We have blackouts in California, power outages in Metro Detroit, and the water poisoning in Flint, Michigan. We have the money to rebuild Jackson's water infrastructure too. If the Biden administration can send billions of dollars to help Ukraine fight Russian invaders and trillions of dollars have been spent to fund the military in over 20 years, then billions of dollars can be spent to rebuild American infrastructure. Back in 2012, there was a $90 million deal by the outgoing mayor with the global conglomerate Siemens. The plan was to upgrade the city's water and sewage system to have an automated billing system. The new billing and water meter system failed to send bills to residents, resulting in more than $43 million in unpaid water bills and throwing the city’s water fund into crisis. A legal settlement in 2020 saw the city recover the $90 million from the company, but by this point, the antiquated water system had degraded further. In 2016 it was announced that elevated levels of lead had been discovered in the water. The state continues to advise that children under five and pregnant women not drink unfiltered tap water. Lead in water is especially harmful to children as it can cause serious developmental problems.
An Environmental Protection Agency assessment in 2015 found that the state required $4.8 billion over 20 years to guarantee safe drinking water, with much of the infrastructure reaching or well beyond its designed life span. Underfunding and racism contributed to this crisis. Governor Reeves wants the whole public water system to be privatized allowing select corporations to loot resources that have been done years ago. We don't omit the deindustrialization and impoverishment of mostly African American city of Jackson over four decades that contributed to this crisis too along with climate change. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also mocked the citizens of Jackson, Mississippi recently. “I’ve got to tell you it is a great day to be in Hattiesburg. It's also, as always, a great day to not be in Jackson,” Reeves said, as he spoke at a groundbreaking event in the southern Mississippi city on Friday. “I feel like I should take off my emergency management director hat and leave it in the car and take off my public works director hat and leave it in the car.” His words show how GOP far-right extremists feel about people who look like us. His words are callous and disrespectful. “In the most disgraceful Governor sweepstakes, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is a winner,” Sherrilyn Ifill, a civil rights attorney and former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, tweeted. The Republican government of Mississippi has refused to adequately finance a response to handle this crisis in the billions of dollars. There are many groups in Jackson like Cooperation Jackson who are fighting for Jackson to have clean drinking water to this very day.
The Student Loan Crisis
With the recent news, the student loan crisis has been one of the most important issues of our time. Decades ago, college tuition was either free or it only cost a small amount of money per year. Now, times are different. The majority of recent borrowers and defaulters attend for-profit and non-selective schools. Many people have difficulty in financial stability because of high student loan debt. There are many stories of people and organizations paying off student loan debt of people from across America, but the crisis remains because of many factors. The federal student loan debt is about $1.7 trillion, which is a huge amount of money. Student tuition has radically grown up over the course of four decades. Back when the GI Bill, the National Defense Education Act, and the Higher Education Act of 1965 were passed, many people had greater access to college. Enrollment grew and the costs were very low decades ago. What happened? Deep cuts in state funding for higher education inspired higher tuition rates. These costs of the colleges were pushed onto students. That is why now, tuition is about half of all public college revenue. State and local governments provide the other half. Back then, tuition was only a quarter of revenue, and state and local government took over the rest. Household income is stagnant while average tuition prices are up. That is why more students have to rely on jobs, scholarships, grants, and other programs to help pay for higher tuition rates. Graduate courses have high tuition too. Some use the repayment plan with the lowest monthly payment, but it takes a long time to pay it back. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it takes a person 17 years on average to pay off their educational debt. Without revolutionary solutions, student loan debt could reach $3 trillion.
Cicely Tyson
There is one human being who changed the face of acting at a great level over many decades. She worked so hard, and she earned her awards for her merit. She never compromised her dignity, and she always worked for the cause of our freedom. She is the late Sister Cicely Tyson. For more than seven decades, Cicely Tyson has worked to show an accurate, non-stereotypical image of black women in film and theater. No one can deny what she has done. From Sounder to the film of Moses, Cicely Tyson always was an icon of acting. When Cicely Tyson speaks on an important, all of us stand in attention to listen to her sage wisdom and advice. She was born in New York City of Afro-Caribbean descent. Having faith in God and in our people, she was always on the move to display some of the best work involving the field of acting in human history. She wore cornrows back in the early 1960's which was revolutionary during that time. She constantly refuted the evil of colorism to make sure that all shades of black people ought to be represented in TV, movie, and theater roles. At the end of the day. black people of every hue should be treated with dignity and respect. Cicely Tyson gave great hope and motivation for us all to live out our dreams. Her memoir of Just as I Am was published on January 26, 2021. She promoted the book during the late weeks of her life. She certainly did her best to outline excellence, to fulfill her own dreams, and to give great support to black people (especially black women) who sought her counsel and advice.
Her Early Life
The journey of Cicely Tyson started on December 19, 1924, when she was born in the Bronx, New York City. Later, her family relocated to East Harlem, NYC. Tyson was one of three children born to Fredericka (Huggins) Tyson, a domestic worker. Her father was William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter and painter. Her parents were immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies. Her father arrived in New York City at the age of 21 and was processed at Ellis Island on August 4, 1919. When I was in high school (during the 1990's), I did a history project on Ellis Island and knew that Afro-Caribbeans were in Ellis Island in order to live in the United States of America. Cicely Tyson was raised in a religious household as she sang in the choir and attended prayer meetings at an Episcopal church in East Harlem. Tyson's mother supported her being an actress after she saw Cicely appear on stage. Cicely Tyson said the following words about her childhood: "...Well, it happened because I learned that I could speak through other people. I was a very shy child. I was an observer. I would sit and observe and listen and watch people's actions in order to understand what they were. I wanted to know what promoted them to say and do the things that they did. I sucked my fingers for 12 years. I never spoke...but I was a great observer."
By the time she was 18, Cicely Tyson married Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942. They had a daughter two months later (named Joan Tyson), in February 1943. According to her divorce decree, her husband abandoned her after less than 18 months of marriage. The marriage was formally dissolved by 1956. In 1958, Cicely Tyson was discovered by a photographer for Ebony magazine, and she became a successful fashion model. Her first acting role was part in the 1956 film Carib Gold. She was onstage in Vinnette Carrol's production of Dark of the Moon at the Harlem YMCA in 1958. She had small roles in the 1959 films Odds Against Tomorrow and The Last Angry Man. She was in the 1960 comedy Who Was That Lady? By 1961, she made her television debut in the NBC series Frontiers of Faith.
A Revolutionary Start of Her Career
By the early 1960's, Tyson appeared in the original cast of French playwright Jean Genet's The Blacks. She played the role of Stephanie Virtue Secret-Rose Diop. Other cast members were Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones, Godfrey Cambridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Charles Gordone. The show was the longest-running off-Broadway non-musical of the decade, running for 1,408 performances. Tyson worked in many theater productions too. She earned the Vernon Rice Award in 1962 for her Off-Broadway performance in Moon on a Rainbow Shawl. In 1963, she was a student at New York's New School for Social Research. In that year, she was on the network television game show To Tell the Truth as an "imposter" for Australian singer Shirly Abicair, receiving 2 of the four possible votes. Cicely Tyson once worked for a social services agency. Producer David Susskind discovered her and was cast for the role in the CBS TV series East Side/West Side (1963-1964), playing the secretary of a social worker played by George C. Scott. She was at the time the only African American regular member of a TV cast including showing cornrows too. The show talked about social issues. One episode showed an African American couple in Harlem (played by James Earl Jones and Diana Sands) was blacked out in Atlanta and Shreveport, Louisiana. By the 1960's, she dated the jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. This was when Davis was in the process of divorcing dancer Frances Davis. Miles Davis used a photo of Cicely Tyson in his 1967 album of Sorcerer. Davis told the press in 1967 that he wanted to marry Tyson in March 1968 after his divorce was finalized. Yet, he married Berry Davis that September. By the mid-1960's, Cicely Tyson has a recurring role in the soap opera of The Guiding Light. She was in the 1966 film A Man Called Adam featuring Sammy Davis Jr. (who played a jazz musician who led a destructive life). Cicely Tyson was in the 1968 film The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. She had a small role in the film version of The Comedians back in 1967) based on the Graham Greene novel.
"I've never really worked for money. It's so important for me to have peace of mind, body, and soul than to have all the riches."
-Cicely Tyson
By the 1970's, Cicely Tyson experienced superstardom. In 1972, Cicely Tyson played the role of Rebecca Morgan in the film Sounder. Sounder was a film about African Americans in the rural South during the early 20th century trying to survive literally from racism and economic oppression. She was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work on Sounder. She won the NSFC Best Actress and NBR Best Actress Awards. In 1974, she played the title role in the television film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Tyson's portrayal of a centenarian black woman's life from slavery until her death before the Civil rights movement won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie and an Emmy Award for Actress of the Year – Special. Tyson was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her work in this television film. In 1977, Tyson was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. In 1980, she received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. In 1982, Tyson was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. The award is given to outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. In 1988, Tyson received a Candace Award for Distinguished Service from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. In 1997, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cicely Tyson and Miles Davis rekindled their relationship in 1978, and they married on November 26, 1981. The ceremony was conducted by Atlanta mayor Andrew Young at the home of actor and comedian Bill Cosby. The marriage ended in 1988. Miles Davis had drug addiction issues, had a volatile temper, and Davis committed adultery. The couple lived in Malibu, California, and New York City until the divorce was finalized in 1989. Davis died in 1991.
The Modern Works of Cicely Tyson
In 1989, Tyson appeared in the television miniseries The Women of Brewster Place. In 1991, Tyson appeared in Fried Green Tomatoes as Sipsey. In the 1994–95 television series Sweet Justice, Tyson portrayed a civil rights activist and attorney named Carrie Grace Battle, a character she modeled after Washington, D.C. civil rights and criminal defense lawyer Dovey Johnson Roundtree. Her other notable film roles include the dramas Hoodlum (1997) and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), and the television films Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994) (for which she received her third Emmy Award) and A Lesson Before Dying (1999). In 2005, Tyson co-starred in Because of Winn-Dixie.
In 2005, Tyson was honored at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball. She was also honored by the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Council of Negro Women. Tyson received honorary degrees from Clark Atlanta University, Columbia University; Howard University; and Morehouse College, an all-male historically black college. The Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, a magnet school in East Orange, New Jersey, was named after her in 2009.
Tyson was awarded the NAACP's 2010 Spingarn Medal for her contribution to the entertainment industry, her modeling career, and her support of civil rights. In 2010, Tyson appeared in Why Did I Get Married Too? and narrated the Paul Robeson Award-winning documentary Up from the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream. In 2011, Tyson appeared in her first music video in Willow Smith's 21st Century Girl. That same year, she played Constantine Jefferson, a maid in Jackson, Mississippi, in the critically acclaimed period drama The Help. Set in the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, the film won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2013, Tyson played a supporting role in the horror film The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. Beginning in 2014, Tyson guest-starred in How to Get Away with Murder as Ophelia Harkness, the mother of main character Annalise Keating (Viola Davis); for this role, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. At the 67th Tony Awards, on June 9, 2013, Tyson won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Miss Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful. Upon winning, the then 79-year-old actress became the oldest recipient of the Best Actress Tony Award. Cicely Tyson said the following words when she earned her 2013 Tony Awards: "...I'm the sole surviving member of my immediate family. I've asked over and over again why...I now know why..." and "Please wrap it up...which is exactly what you did to me. You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years, and now I can go home with a Tony..." She also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for the role.
The Time of Her Transition
Tyson was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015. She was awarded the United States' highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Barack Obama in November 2016. In September 2018, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Tyson would receive an Academy Honorary Award. On November 18, 2018, Tyson became the first African American woman to receive an honorary Oscar. In 2018, Tyson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. One of 12 soundstages was named after Tyson in her honor at Tyler Perry Studios. She was chosen to be inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2020, she starred in the popular movie A Fall From Grace which was featured on Netflix. Cicely Tyson passed away on January 28, 2021, at the age of 96. Her funeral was held on February 16 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and was attended by Tyler Perry, her godson Lenny Kravitz, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. In 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Cicely Tyson's Legacy
Cicely Tyson was the quintessential excellent, professional actress. She was born and raised in New York City (with Afro-Caribbean heritage), and she inspired black women including all people globally. Her grace, beauty, presence, and charisma shined in the world for decades. Working hard with earnest determination characterizes her life. That is why she lived to be almost 100 years old, and she still did roles well into her 90's. That takes dedication, power, and a true love for the art of acting. She acted in movies, TV shows, and theater. Her accomplishments in acting are well known as earning 3 Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, an Honorary Academy Award, and a Peabody award. For portraying black women in a fair, complex, and non-stereotypical fashion in movies, Cicely Tyson always deserves our respect and honor. She guided a real path, so other actresses could shine along with others in this modern world of the 21st century. Sounder in 1972 was one of her greatest roles along with Moses. Both films, it outlined not only black pain, but it showed the resilient spirit of black humanity to overcome debilitating challenges forthrightly. Tons of people know her for playing Binta in the acclaimed series Roots in 1977. Roots changed the game in terms of genealogical research, especially among black Americans. Cicely Tyson also loved to be involved in theater. She was involved in plays like The Trip to Bountiful and Moon on a Rainbow Shawl. Also, one large part of Cicely Tyson's legacy is that it inspired tons of more black women to pursue their aspirations in film, directing, STEM, and other spheres of human living. Phylicia Rashad, Diana Ross, Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Viola Davis, Janet Jackson, Michelle Obama, and other Sisters are inspired by her too. Her righteousness and her contributions to society inspire us all.
Sidney Poitier
For decades, he lived a life of breaking down barriers, being excellent in acting, and standing up for dignity among black actors and black actresses. Also, he became a director and diplomat. He was the late Sidney Poitier. There were predecessors before him. Paul Robeson and Canada Lee participated in dignified, pro-black roles and fought for more fair, progressive representation among black people. Historically, black men and black women have been fighting for our liberation for the eons of our time. Sidney Poitier was born in Miami, Florida and he lived to be 94 years old. He is one of the longest-living old-school Hollywood legends of all time. His story is a Bahamian story (as he is of Afro-Caribbean descent. Caribbeans have great cultures) and an American story (as he worked in America constantly to combat racism and negative stereotypes against black people). The greatness of Sidney Poitier is that he has been part of some of the ahead of their times' great films of all time like In the Heat of the Night, To Sir with Love, A Raisin in the Sun, Blackboard Jungle, etc. Poitier won many awards, and he always possessed a humble spirit. From giving advice to Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx to helping the Bahamas for decades, Sidney Poitier was an icon of the human race. His story should be shown without compromise and with a great sense of inspiration for present and future generations to achieve their goals.
Sidney Poitier's Early Life
Sidney Poitier was born on February 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida. His parents are Afro-Bahamian farmers. His parents are Evelyn (nee Outten) and Reginal James Poitier. The family-owned a farm on Cat Island. The family would go to Miami to sell tomatoes and other produce to wholesalers. Some believe that Poitier's ancestors came from Haiti, among the runaway slaves who formed maroon communities all over the Bahamas (like in Cat Island). Poitier is a French name. There is a planter named Charles Leonard Poitier who immigrated from Jamaica during the early 1800's. Poitier is a name that has been introduced to the UK since the Norman Conquest in the eleventh century. Sidney Poitier was the youngest of seven children. His father worked as a cab driver in Nassau, Bahamas. Sidney Poitier grew up in the Bahamas, which was a British colony back then. He was born in America, so he has United States citizenship. By the time, he was 15 years old, Sidney Poitier was sent to Maimi to live with his brother's large family. Poitier experienced firsthand the Jim Crow racism in Florida. By the time when he was 16 years old, he moved to New York City. He wanted to be an actor. At first, he worked as a dishwasher. Sidney Poitier worked hard. He failed his first audition with the American Negro Theater due to his inability to fluently read the script. Later, an elderly Jewish waiter sat with him every night for several weeks, helping him to improve his reading by using the newspaper. Sidney Poitier enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II in November of 1943. He didn't admit his real age when he joined the Army. He was assigned to a Veteran's Administration hospital in Northport, New York, and was trained to work with psychiatric patients. Poitier became upset with how the hospital treated its patients and feigned mental illness to obtain a discharge. Poitier confessed to a psychiatrist that he was faking his condition, but the doctor was sympathetic and granted his discharge under Section VIII of Army regulation 615–360 in December 1944.
In 1947, Poitier was a founding member of the Committee for the Negro in the Arts (CNA), an organization whose participants were committed to a left-wing analysis of class and racial exploitation. Among his other CNA-related activities, in the early 1950s he was a Vice Chair of the organization. In 1952, he was one of several narrators in a pageant written by Alice Childress and Lorraine Hansberry for the Negro History Festival put on by the leftist Harlem monthly newspaper Freedom. Poitier was first married to Juanita Hardy from April 29, 1950, until 1965. Though Poitier became a resident of Mount Vernon in Westchester County, New York in 1956, they raised their family in Stuyvesant, New York, in a house on the Hudson River.
History Making Early Films
By late 1949, Poitier had to choose between leading roles on stage and an offer to work for Darryl F. Zanuck in the film No Way Out (1950). His performance in No Way Out, as a doctor treating a Caucasian bigot (played by Richard Widmark, who became a friend), was noticed and led to more roles, each considerably more interesting and more prominent than those most African-American actors of the time were offered. In 1951, he traveled to South Africa with the African-American actor Canada Lee to star in the film version of Cry, the Beloved Country. That movie was an overt anti-apartheid film. Poitier's distinction continued in his role as Gregory W. Miller, a member of an incorrigible high-school class in Blackboard Jungle (1955). But it was his performance in Martin Ritt's 1957 Edge of the City that the industry could not ignore. It was a pitch towards stardom granted him. Edge of the City exposed the corruption among some capitalist leaders, multiracial communities, and the urban environment of New York City in general. In 1958 he starred alongside Tony Curtis in director Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones (it showed the ups and downs of black and white escaped prisoners). The film was a critical and commercial success with the performances of both Poitier and Curtis being praised. The film landed eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor nominations for both stars, making Poitier the first Black male actor to be nominated for a competitive Academy Award as best actor. Poitier did win the British Academy Film Award for Best Foreign Actor.
Poitier acted in the first production of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Ruby Dee on the Broadway stage at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1959. The play was directed by Lloyd Richards. The play introduced details of Black life to the overwhelmingly white Broadway audiences, while director Richards observed that it was the first play to which large numbers of Black people were drawn. The play was created by the legendary writer Lorraine Hansberry (who supported black African revolutionary movements and fought for civil rights throughout her life). The play was a groundbreaking piece of American theater with Frank Rich, critic from The New York Times writing in 1983, that A Raisin in the Sun "changed American theater forever." For his performance, he earned a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. That same year Poitier would star in the film adaptation of Porgy and Bess (1959) alongside Dorothy Dandridge. For his performance, Poitier received a 1960 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
-Sidney Poitier
More Groundbreaking Films
In 1961, Poitier starred in the film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun for which he received another Golden Globe Award nomination. Also in 1961, Poitier starred in Paris Blues alongside Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Louis Armstrong, and Diahann Carroll. The film dealt with the American racism of the time by contrasting it with Paris's supposed "open acceptance" of Black people. In 1963, he starred in Lilies of the Field. For this role, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor and became the first Black male to win the award. His satisfaction at this honor was undermined by his concerns that this award was more of the industry congratulating itself for having him as a token and it would inhibit him from asking for more substantive considerations afterward. Poitier worked relatively little over the following year; he remained of the few actors of African descent whose roles offered were not predominantly typecast as a soft-spoken appeaser.
In 1964, Poitier recorded an album with the composer Fred Katz called Poitier Meets Plato, in which Poitier recites passages from Plato's writings. He also performed in the Cold War drama The Bedford Incident (1965) alongside the film's producer Richard Widmark, the Biblical epic film The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) alongside Charlton Heston and Max von Sydow (which is about the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ), and A Patch of Blue (1965) co-starring Elizabeth Hartman and Shelley Winters.
Poitier was aware of this pattern himself but was conflicted on the matter (of the perception of being too typecast). He wanted more varied roles; but he also felt obliged to set an example with his characters, by challenging old stereotypes, as he was one the only major actors of African descent being cast in leading roles in the American film industry at the time. For instance, in 1966, he turned down an opportunity to play the lead in an NBC television production of Othello with that spirit in mind. Despite this, many of the films in which Poitier starred during the 1960s would later be cited as social thrillers by both filmmakers and critics.
In 1967, he was the most successful draw at the box office, the commercial peak of his career, with three popular films, To Sir, with Love, and In the Heat of the Night, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Although these three films seemingly shared little similarity, they all, albeit not overtly, dealt with racial and social issues. In the Heat of the Night described Poitier's character playing a Northern Philadelphia police detective who comes to Mississippi to help out a reluctant at first Southern sheriff to solve a case. The film had Sidney's character slap a racist white man in self-defense, which was historic. Sidney Poitier was in the film For the Love of Ivy showing Black Love with the actress Abbey Lincoln (who was an iconic singer).
In 1959, Poitier began a nine-year affair with actress Diahann Carroll. He married Joanna Shimkus, a Canadian actress who starred with Poitier in The Lost Man in 1969, on January 23, 1976, and they remained married until his death. He had four daughters with his first wife Juanita Poitier (Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, and Gina) and two with his second wife Joanna Shimkus (Anika and Sydney Tamia).
The Age of Directing and Other Projects
In 1972, Sidney Poitier made his feature film directorial debut, the Western Buck and the Preacher, in which Poitier also starred, alongside Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee. Poitier replaced the original director, Joseph Sargent. The following year he directed his second feature, the romantic drama A Warm December. Poitier also starred in the film alongside Esther Anderson. The film details diplomacy, love, and a love of truth. In 1995, he received the Kennedy Center Honor and in 2009, Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. He was also named an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. In 1986, he gave the Commencement Address to the University of Miami graduating class and was given the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Fine Arts.
In 1982, he received the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award. In 1988, he starred in Shoot to Kill with Tom Berenger. In 1992, he starred in Sneakers with Robert Redford and Dan Aykroyd. In 1997, he co-starred in The Jackal with Richard Gere and Bruce Willis. In the 1990s, he starred in several well-received television movies and miniseries such as Separate but Equal (1991), To Sir, with Love II (1996), Mandela and de Klerk (1997), and The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999). He received Emmy nominations for his work in Separate but Equal and Mandela and de Klerk, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for the former. He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2001.
In 1995, he received the Kennedy Center Honor. From 1997 to 2007, he was the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan. In 1999, he ranked 22nd among male actors on the "100 Years...100 Stars" list by the American Film Institute and received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2002, he was given an Honorary Academy Award, in recognition of his "remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being."
His Later Life
In 2002, Poitier received the 2001 Honorary Academy Award for his overall contribution to American cinema. Later in the ceremony, Denzel Washington won the award for Best Actor for his performance in Training Day, becoming the second Black actor to win the award. In his victory speech, Washington saluted Poitier by saying "I'll always be chasing you, Sidney. I'll always be following in your footsteps. There's nothing I would rather do, sir." In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama. In 2016, he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film.
In addition to his six daughters, Poitier had eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. When Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas in September 2019, Poitier's family had 23 missing relatives. With the death of Ernest Borgnine in 2012, Poitier became the oldest living recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor. On March 2, 2014, Poitier appeared with Angelina Jolie at the 86th Academy Awards to present the Best Director Award. He was given a standing ovation and Jolie thanked him for all his Hollywood contributions, stating: "We are in your debt." Poitier gave a brief speech, telling his peers to "keep up the wonderful work" to warm applause. In 2021, the academy dedicated the lobby of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles as the "Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby" in his honor.
His Transition
On January 6, 2022, Poitier passed away at his home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 94. His death was confirmed by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas. According to a copy of his death certificate obtained by sources, the cause of death was a cardiopulmonary failure, with Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer listed as underlying causes. Many in the entertainment industry also paid tribute to Poitier, including Martin Scorsese who wrote, "For years, the spotlight was on Sidney Poitier. He had a vocal precision and physical power and grace that at moments seemed almost supernatural." Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Lupita Nyong'o, Halle Berry, Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, Octavia Spencer, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Esposito, Quincy Jones, Michael Eisner, Ron Howard and others also paid tribute to the great man Sidney Poitier. Broadway paid tribute when its theaters dimmed their lights on January 19, 2022, at 7:45 pm ET. Sidney, a documentary film about Poitier's life and legacy by Reginald Hudlin, was released on September 23, 2022.
Conclusion (Sidney Poitier)
He lived a life filled with the promotion of prominent acting excellence. Later, he became a diplomat and film director. As one of the greatest actors in human history, Sidney Poitier could perform in thrillers, dramas, comedies, and autobiographies too. Poitier can eloquently describe his life and the legacy of the film industry in stark terms. Also, he gave inspiration to future black actors and actresses to achieve their dreams from Denzel Washington to Oprah Winfrey. From the location of the Bahamas to New York City, Sidney Poitier was active in civil rights activism, developing his communities, and being a voice for the oppressed. He earned two Golden Globe Awards, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award (BAFTA), and a Grammy Award for Best Spoken World Album. He was the first black actor to earn the Academy Award for Best Actor too in 1964. He loves his family including his six daughters (who are Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, Gina, Sydney Tamiia, and Anika), his 8 grandchildren, and his 3 great-grandchildren. Also, it is important to acknowledge his predecessors before his acting career. Canada Lee and Paul Robeson acted in non-stereotypical black roles even before Sidney Poitier (he was in his first major film of No Way Out in 1950). Canada Lee and Paul Robeson laid a huge foundation which Sidney Poitier walked upon. Subsequently, Poitier laid a foundation where modern-day actors and actresses walk on like Morgan Freeman, Viola Davis, Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson, Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut, Regina King, and other human beings with excellent acting experiences in their own rights. Sidney Poitier's strength was that he not only showed the powerful roles of black people. He helped to give other human beings opportunities, changed minds, and showed the truth that you can be strong, courageous, and dignified at the same time. That has nothing to do with respectability politics. It has to do with showing the diverse power of Blackness in everyday life.
By Timothy