Lots of things to cover, so let’s just get right to it!
Obama ruffled feathers during the National Prayer Breakfast, when he warned fellow Christians to get off their high horse because religion-based violence is not reserved for Islamist extremists. He reminded them that the Crusades, slavery and the Jim Crow era were all upheld in the name of Christ. This caused most critics to react badly (see possible reaction below).
Speaking of the White House, the proposed 2015 budget has increased the budget for immigrant detention, which is terrible.
For our Serial fans, we have news! Adnan Syed has been granted an appeal by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
Dior Vargas, a Latina feminist mental health activist, is working hard to combat the stigma that people of color with mental illnesses face in their communities and mostly white clinical setting, with her People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project. You can see the submissions to the project on Vargas’ website.
Meet Rene Sharanya Verma: A Desi student rapping to fight misogyny.
Police in Ferguson are going to test a nonlethal gun alternative that knocks down but doesn’t kill.
Girls of color are still disciplined more harshly than their white peers.
Author Tamora Pierce went on a hilariously misguided and defensive Tumblr tirade critiquing people for not watching Agent Carter (for the show’s lack of racial/ethnic diversity) and then goes on to ask “Which is more offensive to you: black help and blacks in service, or no blacks?” Tamora Pierce: historian and scholar.
Republicans in Texas want to stop Angela Davis from speaking at Texas Tech for Black History Month because she’s an angry black woman. As someone who has heard Angela Davis speak (humblebrag), everyone should have the chance to do the same.
Last week, middle school students in Washington, DC protested the firing of their social studies teachers. The teachers were apparently fired for adding black history to their curriculums.
The NAACP Image awards were last week. You can check out the winners here.
Fox’s Empire has broken a 23-year ratings record!
Celebrate Black History Month by checking out the archives on the MoCADA tumblr, which I am certainly not plugging because a friend is a curator there.
You can also celebrate by listening to this playlist of Black Girl Genius Week songs from Feministing.
The Chipotle twitter account was hacked last Sunday and there were tons of racist tweets sent out. The company has apologized.
In happier Chipotle news, Chipotle is finally adding three Latino authors to their “Cultivated Thoughts” series after some criticism last year that the marketing campaign didn’t include any. They will also be adding stories from Aziz Asnari and Amy Tam to their second “Cultivating Thoughts” series.
Speaking of Latino representation in writing, the 2015 Pura Belpré Award Winners have been announced. The award is “presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth”
Actor Edward James Olmos talks about the lack of Latino representation in Hollywood and says that’s why he prefers to support independent films.
David Oyelowo called out the Academy’s preference for black actors in “subservient” roles and Oscar history shows that he is pretty much correct.
Ava DuVernay and Oprah are reteaming for an OWN channel production of Queen Sugar based on the novel of the same name.
Awkward Black Girl creator and star Issa Rae finally snagged an HBO pilot deal for her new show Insecure.
This article in The Atlantic highlights why a show like Fresh Off The Boat is so important for Asian American visibility. In case you need more context, here’s a reminder about one of the most iconic stereotyped Asian characters on film, Long Duk Dong, among other Asian American characters on TV and film.
Buzzfeed also helps debunk some stereotypes with the help of comedian Jenny Yang.
The Walking Dead is back which means Steven Yeun is back on my screen. More importantly, he’s tearing down the “all Asians look alike” stereotype.
Rinko Kikuchi is back in Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter which looks amazing and heartbreaking.
While you might be still celebrating Beyoncé’s 20th Grammy and everything Kanye did…
I was still reveling in Missy Elliot’s Super Bowl performance, so let’s just recap the greatness just to get the week right.
Also, in case you needed a way to incorporate booze into Black History Month, here you go.
4 replies on “PoC News in America”
This is local, all three are tied to my university, and I’m heartbroken: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/here-are-the-three-victims-of-the-chapel-hill-shooting?s=mobile
We’re going to have a write up about that for next Monday’s. It’s so terrible and tragic as is the media coverage of it.
I’m glad that it will be covered. Their poor families. A classmate was good friends with one of the sisters, and he’s an Army veteran — and was on the edge of bawling through the entire class. (I let him know that our “staff advisor” was a social worker during her service and gave him her phone number, so hopefully that’ll help him a bit.)
Obama did what? Hahahahhaa!
I will have to come back later for the rest of the list, it’s huge.