By Nelson A. King
The Congressional Black Caucus
(CBC) on Tuesday launched a new
taskforce that will focus on the
upcoming 2020 Census and the
legacy of under counting the African
American community.
CBC said its members will meet with
stakeholders and leading professionals
to discuss “the current state of play.”
“The caucus will also discuss the
tools required for effective outreach
to hard-to-count communities across
the United States,” said CBC in a
statement.
The taskforce will be led by
Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV).
“This time around, we are facing a
big question regarding how the census
is going to be administered in 2020
under the Trump Administration,”
said Congresswoman Karen Bass, CBC
chair. “With the census becoming
digital, can you imagine working
families receiving a postcard telling
them to go online to fill out their
census form? Many Americans might
not have access to a computer or
broadband services. That is why the
Black Caucus is taking the lead to
begin the work now.”
Through this taskforce, and under
Horsford’s leadership, Bass said the
Black Caucus will meet with African
American leaders from around
the country “to discuss the current
state of play and the tools needed for
effective outreach to hard-to-count
communities.”
“Our community must be counted,”
Bass said.
Horsford said the US Constitution
declares that “we must count all
persons in this country.”
“The Trump administration has
taken coordinated action specifically
to discourage and frighten people away
from participating in the 2020 census;
and now, we are fighting back,” he said.
“I am taking part in this taskforce for
my constituents in Nevada.
“Undercounting urban communities
like mine can result in an unfair
distribution of congressional seats
and deny communities of color,
specifically Black communities, access
to representation in Congress,” he said.
“We only get one chance every 10 years
to get this right. Let’s make it count.”
Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
(NY-09) said vital services for each
community are directly tied to census
counts.
“I must act as a leader to ensure
every person is counted on the 2020
Census, which is why I am proud to
join the CBC’s Census Task Force,”
she said.
Public Advocate, Jumaane D. Williams condemns dousing of police offi cers. Offi ce of Public Advocate
Williams, police organizations
condemn actions against NYPD
Subway stations may soon honor Medgar Evers College
Caribbean Life, J BQ uly 26–Aug. 1, 2019 3
By Nelson A. King
Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams
on Wednesday joined representatives
from fraternal police organizations
in condemning incidents depicted in
two videos taken over the weekend
showing the dousing of New York
Police Department (NYPD) officers
with buckets of water.
Williams also spoke out against
people using these incidents to blame
and denigrate police reformers or to
use what he described as “hyperbolized
falsehoods to suggest that they are
indicative of a larger ‘lawlessness.’”
“What I saw was shameful. What
I saw was dangerous. There’s no way
around that; it has to be called out,”
said Williams at the press conference.
“I’m deeply concerned, and thankful
for the restraint which these officers
showed under the circumstances.
“These acts are harmful not only
to the officers targeted but also to
the larger community and the
conversation around better policing,”
he added. “Officers are trained to show
discipline, but that doesn’t mean they
should be absurdly tested.
“It’s also unacceptable to use these
incidents to try to deny or destroy
steps of progress made in policing
or to suggest ‘lawlessness,’” the
public advocate continued. “We have
a responsibility to do better, and as
public advocate, it’s my responsibility
to make that message clear. Those
actions were unacceptable, and they
put everyone in danger.”
Williams underscored the need
for community and police to come
together, condemn these actions, and
continue to work toward better policing
and community engagement.
Those who joined Williams during
the press conference to condemn the
actions included retired NYPD Chief,
Gerald Nelson and NYPD Deputy
Chief, Judith R. Harrison of the
National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives, as well as
retired NYPD Lieutenant, Anthony
Miranda and NYPD Sergeant, Angel
Ramos of the National Latino Officers
Association.
The two videos, which were taken
this weekend and went viral on Monday,
depict individuals dumping buckets of
water onto officers in Harlem and in
Brownsville.
In the Harlem incident, Williams
said a bucket was also thrown at an
officer as he made an unrelated arrest.
Two arrests were made in connection
with these incidents on Wednesday
morning.
Census
2020
taskforce
By Nelson A. King
Two Brooklyn lawmakers are urging
Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign a bill renaming
two subway stations in Central Brooklyn
in honor of Medgar Evers College.
The measure has passed both houses
of the State Legislature and could become
law with the governor’s approval.
The bill would order the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) to
append the local college’s name to both
the Franklin Avenue and President
Street stops, making their new names
“Franklin Avenue - Medgar Evers College”
and “President Street - Medgar Evers
College.”
“Renaming the Franklin and President
subway stations to recognize Medgar Evers
College would literally put one of our
community’s most cherished institutions
on the map,” said Sen. Zellnor Y. Myrie
(D-20).
“This community has asked for these
‘renamings’, and their elected representatives
have heeded their call by passing S3439A/
A1512 in both houses of the Legislature,” he
added. “We now call on the governor to sign
this bill without delay.”
Assembly Member Diana C. Richardson,
who represents the 43rd Assembly District,
said: “Though it is one of the youngest
CUNY (City University of New York) schools,
Medgar Evers College represents a proud
tradition of academic excellence and
community activism derived from the great
civil rights leader Medgar Evers.