Alicia Garza believes that Black communities deserve what all communities deserve — to be powerful in every aspect of their lives. An innovator, strategist, organizer, and cheeseburger enthusiast, Alicia founded the Black Futures Lab to make Black communities powerful in politics. She is the co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the Strategy & Partnerships Director for the [...]
Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian and the director and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed four-part Showtime documentary, We Need To Talk About Cosby, which premiered at Sundance.He is the host and executive-producer of the Emmy-Award-winning CNN docu-series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell. Kamau’s work often highlights untold and occasionally controversial stories and centers marginalized voices on screen [...]
Emil Wilbekin is an American journalist, media executive, stylist, content creator, culture critic, and human rights activist. He is the former editor-in-chief of Vibe and Giant, editor-at-large at Essence and managing editor of its associated website Essence.com, and chief content officer of Afropunk. He is the founder of Native Son Now, an organization dedicated to empowering and lifting up Black gay [...]
At just 23 years old, Darius Tarver tragically lost his life at the hands of the police. Concerned neighbors had called for help, hoping to ensure his wellbeing. However, instead of providing the assistance he desperately needed, four Denton Police officers responded by using a taser and shooting him, leading to his untimely death. Darius was recovering at home from a [...]
Cephus Johnson, a.k.a Uncle Bobby, is a social justice activist at the forefront of ending police brutality in America. After his nephew, Oscar Grant, was murdered by a Bart police officer in 2009, Cephus founded two social justice organizations, the Oscar Grant Foundation and Love Not Blood Campaign. Since then, Cephus has received many prestigious awards for his activism, including The [...]
Tamika D. Mallory and Reverend Michael McBride, prominent activists, have written a letter to Panini America, a sports and entertainment collectibles company, criticizing its lack of black leadership and urging immediate reform in its hiring practices. Mallory and McBride highlight the disparity between the company's executive team and its diverse athlete base, with black and brown athletes contributing 75% of Panini's [...]
Oklahoma county leaders caught on audio talking about killing reporters, complaining they can no longer lynch Black people NBC News - Corky Siemaszko April 17, 2023 “I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said. The governor of Oklahoma has called for the resignations of the sheriff and [...]
Antioch mayor furious over officers' alleged racist texts: 'I'm not sweeping it under the rug' ABC 7 - Staff April 13, 2023 ANTIOCH, Calif. -- Tensions flared at a special city council meeting in Northern California after racist and homophobic text exchanges among police officers were revealed following a federal investigation. At least two people had to be escorted out of [...]
Shooting death of Sinzae Reed, Ohio teen killed by man claiming self-defense, now ruled a homicide ABC News - Abby Cruz January 18, 2023 Charges against the shooter were dropped in October. The fatal shooting of a Black teenager by a white man in Columbus, Ohio, who claimed self-defense was officially ruled a homicide in an autopsy report. According to [...]
For Immediate Release March 30, 2022 Contact: Jennifer R. Farmer, jenniferr@spotlightpr.org Faith Leaders: Anti-Lynching Measure Will Help Ensure ‘Equal Protection’ for Black People WASHINGTON - In response to President Joe Biden signing into law ‘The Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act of 2022,’ two leading faith leaders, who were present for the signing, offered reactions. The Rev. Michael McBride, founder and managing director [...]
