October 4, 2017

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Maria swept across the United States owned Islands of Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands were citizens of the United States live, work, and contribute to American culture. However, these victims of a hurricane, have not been treated like any other victims. Especially the residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) consist of 4 larger islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island, and some 50 smaller islets and cays. The total area of the USVI is 133 square miles. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are made up of 4 larger islands; Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, and 32 smaller islands. The British Virgin Islands are owned by Great Britain and were not directly impacted by Hurricane Maria.

US Virgin Islands residents can vote fully in all elections if they become a resident of one of the 50 U.S. states. If residents of one of the 50 states become residents of the Virgin Islands, they can no longer vote for President or for voting members of Congress.

Simply put, nobody living in the islands can vote for anything happening in the United States, although they pay taxes and are impacted by it. (Another Constitutional violation by the US of its own Constitution-no taxation without representation). Many believe this to account for the delayed response and lack of importance from the current administration under Donald Trump, to get aide to the Island residents.

USVI Demographics:

*Note charts in counts and percentages, the way transparent data should be reported.

http://www.vimovingcenter.com/statistics/

Right now, our people need us! All of the mainstream media attention has been focused on Puerto Rico, a White Hispanic majority area. And very little attention of efforts has been given to USVI, leaving them feeling helpless, forgotten and alone.

Their cries for PR did not go unnoticed. Not only did the mainstream media and social networks respond with attention and cries for help, celebrities came to the rescue as well.

Fat Joe- Collected five planes worth of goods to Puerto Rico

Mark Cuban- Gave his plane to send goods to Puerto Rico

Pitbull- Sending goods to Puerto Rico

Let us demand the same cries for help and attention for USVI. Newsflash: USVI and PR are not the same place and because one gets something, that does not necessarily mean the other gets it.

The USVI is asking donations to be made as follows:

Follow U.S. Virgin Islands @usvirginislands via Twitter and on Facebook.

Raise awareness please, let us circulate this SOS far and wide. Please donate on their Amazon registry via the link above. (https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1LSXZSKOPHEX0/) And through the American Black Cross, operated by S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) via this link. https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1NN6LRHJZ0CC5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_REb0zbBQ2MPYR

Attorney Merit firmly states, “All items purchased will be placed directly in the hands of those in the most overlooked communities, affected by natural disaster.”

His organization has been back by Shaun King and Sophia Nelson of NBC. When contacted by me about his efforts, he provided the response below:

Ase’

Tiffany Tubman

Twitter: @montswife16

Email: TubmanFights@gmail.com

August 23, 2017

When Donald Trump took office in January 2017, he had a robust agenda. One of the recurring themes in his agenda was to cut cost and waste throughout the government. Although most people took his approach as an authoritarian leadership style, Trump moved forward placing uneducated and unprepared candidates to support his cabinet. As Trump operates with the smoke and mirrors approach, we continue to focus on what lies beneath his host of distractions.

Trump knew very early on that one department he wanted to re-shape was the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. Trump recently made a pick to lead the EPA, Michael Dourson of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. However, Trump did not let that stop him from making important decisions regarding the budget for the EPA to go before Congress with his temporary appointed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt using executive order.

In the budget, Pruitt prepared despite any advice from his staff, some major cuts have been proposed. The cuts relate to cutting programs that help minorities and the poor for water protection and lead paint. The water protection regulation is what lead to the exposure of the Flint Water Crisis that has resulted in city officials being arrested and facing criminal and civil charges. Since this event, Trump has recently signed an executive order to begin budgetary cuts that are aimed to monitor lead in the water and paint immediately. As of now, and once approved, the American public will not have visibility on water contaminants and safety. This is believed by experts to target the most vulnerable communities.

A 2015 HuffPost analysis found a strong correlation between high black populations and high lead poisoning rates. This lead poisoning is believed to be coming from the water and paint, which is why the CDC in conjunction with funding from the EPA monitored and corrected for both.

Baltimore and Detroit ― which are nearly 64 and 83 percent black, respectively ― have a two-pronged issue of older, dilapidated housing and extreme poverty. And, in 2015, Baltimore had over 16,700 blighted properties, while Detroit had at least 80,000. As of 2013, eight percent of kids in Detroit had elevated blood-lead levels, which is 16 times the national average, and nearly two percent of kids in Baltimore had high levels as well.

This would not help to improve education and reduce crime in black communities. Children with lead exposure that live into adulthood often suffer from lower IQ scores, behavioral disorders, hyperactivity and a lack of impulse control ― all of which can lead to high crime rates, inability to establish/maintain employment, and a high number of criminal offenders with high recidivism rates.

In the Arkwright and Forest Park communities in Spartanburg, South Carolina, residents were living near contaminated industrial sites and a landfill—and dying of respiratory illnesses and cancer at extraordinary rates. They used a $20,000 environmental justice grant from the EPA as seed money to form partnerships with local businesses and government agencies. Those alliances, in turn, helped bring more than $250 million in infrastructure, community health centers, affordable housing, environmental clean-ups, and job training to the area.

Trump’s budget proposal would effectively eliminate the office and the $2 million it takes to operate it. An EPA spokesperson suggested in a statement that the agency doesn’t need a special arm devoted to environmental justice to continue this work.

Additionally, Trump is allowing once banned temporarily (pending permanent band), pesticides to be used on fruits and vegetables. Despite scientific evidence against the use of chlorpyrifos, the Administration will support the use. This pesticide is brain damaging.

Annual testing reports by USDA show chlorpyrifos residues in nectarines, peaches, cucumbers and other crops. Even low-dose exposure to organophosphates, particularly in the womb, has been found to harm brain development in children, leading to higher risk of disorders like autism.

For years, environmental groups and medical professionals have pushed for an all-out ban on the chemical. In a January letter to EPA, dozens of doctors, nurses and professors urged the agency to revoke all tolerances of chlorpyrifos in food.

Children especially experience greater exposure to organophosphate pesticides, [like chlorpyrifos], due to their increased hand-to-mouth action, and relative to adults they eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more, and breathe more,” the letter states. “With each year of delay in cancelling food tolerances and agricultural and other uses of chlorpyrifos, more children are unnecessarily at elevated risk for problems in learning, social skills, motor function, and other developmental domains.

In Michigan, Trump gave a speech directed to Black voters and bellowed, “You’re living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs. Fifty-eight percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?”. Apparently, there was much to lose. Our response should have been, “what do we have to gain?”.

The focus must be on replacing the system of white supremacy with a system of justice. We must demand racism stop and hold those with the most power, the most accountable.

As of 2015, the median income for Black families was 19-20K per year, whereas families of comparable size were significantly higher income. Asian families had a median income of 55K per year, white families 53-54K per year, and Hispanic families 32-33K per year. This significant difference is said to be due to business ownership. For Asians (1 in 10 are business owners), where as whites (1 in 34 are business owners), Hispanics (1 in 54 are business owners) and Blacks (1 in 104 are business owners). Business ownerships are said to generate 8 times wealth rate than any other method.

Justice means guaranteeing that no person is mistreated, all persons abide by the same expectations, and guaranteeing that those persons who need the most help, get the most constructive help in all areas of activity. Racism is the currency of white supremacy. Racism is the competitive relationship between groups of people that are competing for ownership of control of wealth, resources, and power.

Racism is the scientific proactive of unjust subjugation, misuse, mistreatment and/or abuse of persons classified as non-white, by persons classified as white, based on color or non-color, or on basis of factors associated with color or non-color; and/or the system of white supremacy.

Racism is a group phenomenon and a team sport. That said, like basketball and football, if you do not play as a team, you lose. Right now, we are losing because we are not focused and united.

We must end this system of white supremacy and replace it with a system of justice. That is the only way to truly get justice for low income, elderly, and unknowing victims of this race war. The only way to have a system of justice is to re-distribute the wealth and resources of this county among Black people. The common term for that is reparations. Reparations are due!

Right now, for every $1.00 a White family acquires in wealth, the comparable Black family with the same demographics, acquires $0.02. The average White family has 3500 times more wealth than the average Black family. Please keep in mind, wealth is not income. Income is your weekly pay and living wages, what you need to pay bills. Wealth is the surplus of your labor, or stored money. Wealth is generational, which is why black people are so far behind. You cannot be equal and just with any person having that kind of income disparity.

Family, we need to make sure we are all communicating the need for justice and reparations as a part of that solution. We will be starting grass roots but we all must be educated, informed, on code, and speaking the same language.

As always, stay safe. Know what is in your water and food supply. Buy bottled water, boil all water before use, and make sure we grow our own food. If you are not growing your own food, buy organic pesticide free food. Wash all fruits and vegetables before use.

If you are buying fresh produce, and there is no mention of pesticide treatment, assume the worst and treat your foods as if they might be exposed. Make it a habit to always wash your fresh fruits and vegetables.

In our next articles, we will be discussing the Black dollar and Black health. With the Trump Administration causing so many distractions, it can be difficult to stay up on new policies/policy changes but we will keep you updated at Melanoid Nation.

Practice your Second Amendment right.

Ase’

Tiffany Tubman

Twitter: @montswife16

Email: tubmanfights@gmail.com

For those who may be wondering, this app is named Reachfolk, it’s about to make Black Society’s life a little easier–one city at a time. Created by podcaster and author Daniel FreeMan (who wrote the Bestselling book titled: How To Make A Dollar Out Of Fifteen Cents!), the platform is currently in its beta stages, and a campaign to raise the funds to complete the development of the app has been launched which can found by following this link.

Whether you’re looking for a Black Owned hookah lounge or a mechanic, Reachfolk is a surefire way to stay connected–no matter where you are.

B. Clark

Had she remained in the Deep South, Mary Ellen Pleasant could have possibly received as much–if not more–recognition for her contributions as Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and Rosa Parks…to name a few. Ms. Pleasant’s story was unique in comparison with many Blacks who were enslaved in the Antebellum South: Born in Augusta, GA in the early 1800s, she was born as the illegitimate daughter of the son of then-Virginia governor and a Haitian voodoo priestess, who was enslaved  as well.

As a child, Pleasant was taken out of slavery by an unknown family. As a young woman, Pleasant married a wealthy Mulatto abolitionist by James Smith sometime in the 1840’s. After her husband’s untimely death, Pleasant inherited his substantial fortune.

Moving to New Orleans shortly after this turn of events, she connected with a woman named Queen Marie Laveau–also known as one of the greatest voodoo priestesses to reside in the “Crescent City”. It was said that Pleasant studied under Laveau to learn the science of voodoo as a means of empowering her people. In spite of her selfless acts of service to her fellow Melanoid people in New Orleans, it was a short matter of time before she would be on the move again — this time to San Francisco.

In April of 1852, Mary Ellen Pleasant arrived in the Bay Area’s largest city. Once she got there, she had to take on two identities, due to California’s Fugitive Slave Act of 1852 –in order to avoid being captured by slave hunters. Under her two identities, she lived a double life — One as “Mrs. Ellen Smith” (her married name), and the other as “Mrs. Pleasants”, who operated as a businesswoman and abolitionist. Under the “Ellen Smith” moniker, she worked as a white boardinghouse steward and cook. With a job in the service sector, she was often in the midst of a sizable number of wealthy white businessmen in ‘Frisco, who she served as she worked. She was well-liked by many of the men, but she used their admiration for her as leverage to have them hire Black people, and give them benefits they were previously denied access to. It was because of her personal brand of power brokering that many people in her circle nicknamed her “The Black City Hall”.

With a secret business partner, Pleasant eventually amassed a fortune worth over $30 million. She used much of that fortune to challenge the white supremacist status quo that’s always plagued this country, with her most notable deed being that she financially backed the storied abolitionist, John Brown.

For more on the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant, follow this link.

B. Clark

]]> https://www.melanoidnation.org/mary-ellen-pleasant-the-30-million-dollar-mother-of-civil-rights-in-california/feed/ 121 https://www.melanoidnation.org/bernie-sanders-said-reparations-for-blacks-is-divisive-yet-he-supported-reparations-for-jews/ https://www.melanoidnation.org/bernie-sanders-said-reparations-for-blacks-is-divisive-yet-he-supported-reparations-for-jews/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:24:01 +0000 http://melanoidnation.org/?p=3270 2016 Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has gained much traction with white “liberals” (and Blacks alike) because of his unconventional political views, and his alleged connections with Civil Rights activists of the 1960s.

Sanders has also been well-received because of the notion that he would be a “better alternative” to Donald Trump– and in many ways Hillary Clinton as well– because in the minds of many Melanoid people here in the States, voting Sanders in would ensure that the two aforementioned candidates would be excluded, thus creating a “lesser of three evils” situation in the process.

While it is no secret that Melanoid people have been systematically mistreated and oppressed at every possible turn, common sense would lead people to realize that compensation for our 400-plus years of pain and suffering would suffice. However, virtually every other group has received some form of government assistance and/or tangible resources that would bolster those respective groups’ socioeconomic (and in most cases, political) standing in this country.

For much of the past century and-a-half, the concept of compensating African slaves–and their descendants–for their involvement in the inhumane institution of chattel slavery (and post-slavery discriminatory practices such as Melanoid people’s involvement in cruel eugenics experiments, the Jim Crow laws, the prison industrial complex, etc) under the U.S. government’s promise of “forty acres and a mule” to Blacks has been an issue.

 However, it hasn’t been until the past couple of decades that the reparations talk has been revisited–and gained more momentum. Even Prestigious Black attorneys such as Johnnie Cochran pushed for reparations for Melanoid people in this country until his untimely death in 2005.

Fast forward to slightly more than a decade, and no progress has been made in regards to Melanoid people receiving what has been owed to them. In the past decade since the last serious reparations push alone, many politicians have seduced Black Society with their cult of personality, only to offer them no viable solutions to countering the system of white supremacy with a system of justice; and filibustering when confronted/asked about the economic empowerment of Black Society.

Today in 2016, Bernie Sanders has to be placed in this same category of other politicians who play on the emotional heartstrings of Black Society with no real intentions of addressing its most pressing issues.

As of late, it has been shown that Sanders has gone on record to take his stance on his opposition of reparations for Melanoid people, even referring to the idea as “divisive”.

If that wasn’t alarming enough, then the following information will possibly shed more light on Sanders’ political agenda, and Black Society’s role in it–or lack thereof. It has been reported by Fusion  that in 2012, Sanders supported a bill that would pay Holocaust survivors reparations…a stark contrast to Sanders’ staunch opposition to Black people receiving payments for being victims of our own heinous, yet longer-lasting regime than the Holocaust–the African slave trade, and the centuries-long Black experience in America in general.

Unless he changes his tune on reparations for Black people (which is highly unlikely), Bernie Sanders is yet another charismatic political figure from the dominant society who has not given Melanoid People a concrete reason as to why we should continue to back him on his run for the presidency.

B. Clark

1. iZania.com

Founded by former IBM employee named Roger Nelson, this site was created by him to be a “virtual Black community” that embraces  strong African principles, and aims to unite the global Black Family via group economics.

2. HBCU Money’s 2015 Black-Owned Directory of Banks

Perhaps one of the most sought after Black-owned businesses when it comes to Black Society, this directory will serve as a guide for your future Black banking needs. Let the dollar circulate…this time in the hands of Black bankers.

3. We Buy Black

This site is prime location for practical products (and cool miscellaneous items alike) that can be utilized by Black consumers on an everyday basis.

4. Melanoid Nation

To some, this entry might come off as being a shameless plug, but to those in the know, our organization has promoted Black economic empowerment since our inception in 2014. From featured stories on up-and-coming businesses, to young aspiring entrepreneurs, we will continue championing the resurgence of Black businesses (as well as Black entrepreneurs).

As listed above, these are just a few more ways that you as the Black customer can keep your money in Black hands as much as possible by supporting Black owned businesses. Stay tuned for future stories that will continue to show you who and what to support so long as it leads to the uplifting of Black businesses.

B. Clark

In fact, the lion’s share of Black people’s ability to combat the systemic evils of racism/white supremacy are deeply rooted in building a thriving and respectable economic base. In doing so, we in Black Society are not only enabling ourselves to experience individual financial  success, but we also position ourselves to do business with other like-minded and thorough Black business owners, thus building a thriving Black Community in the process..reminiscent of the grandiose vision of Black economic empowerment originally spearheaded by Black leaders such as the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

One man lives by the economic-centered principles of Garvey–a man by the name of Delxino Wilson de Briano. In August of 1994, Delxino and his wife Debbie Wilson de Briano founded TAG TEAM Marketing in Atlanta, GA. Even though the company’s title includes the word “Marketing”, there is no need for alarm–which is justifiable based on consumers’ long-held suspicions with companies that operate with such a moniker.

According to TAG TEAM Marketing’s website,TAG TEAM Marketing is a “Black-owned and operated marketing company that specializes in marketing the products and services of Black-owned businesses to Black consumers.” In a nutshell, this means that if you are a Black entrepreneur with a quality product or service to offer prospective customers, the the platform that TAG TEAM Marketing has provided is the perfect place for you to “set up shop” online.

As you can see by following this link, TAG TEAM Marketing’s online store offers a plethora of products that are Black owned, operated, and manufactured. From cleaning supplies to financial services, this virtual store for all things Black appears to be well on its way to becoming a one-stop shop for Blacks who possess the good intentions of spending their hard earned Black dollars with other Melanoid people.

For more on the founders of TAG TEAM Marketing, follow this link.

B. Clark

Although the concept of the “Not One Dime” movement appears to be both a noble and revolutionary act in itself, we’d be remiss to acknowledge that boycotting non-Black businesses alone doesn’t necessarily equate to Black Empowerment at its full potential. As a matter of fact, many concerned Melanoid citizens have made it their responsibility to not only refuse the patronizing of non-Black establishments during this time period, but they’ve also made a conscious decision to “Buy Black” at a higher rate during this same time period–more so than they usually would at any other time.

While the “Buy Black” concept has been in discussions for many years, perhaps it is because of Internet’s far-reaching power that it has become a more commonplace activity. Last year, we featured a story which profiled several ways to locate Black-Owned businesses throughout the country, and this year we will be taking a slightly different approach to giving your Black-Owned business the shine that it deserves. If you are a Black business owner, please list your business info (and link to the business’s site) in the comments section of this story.

Let’s not limit buying Black to a short weekend alone. Remember to buy Black, and sell to the world as much as possible. Much success to the hardworking and entrepreneurial minded Melanoid people who exude top-flight professionalism and have provided goods and/or services of excellent quality.

B. Clark

Follow this link to read item #2 of this story which further explains the notary business.

This is just one of the purposes of becoming a notary public professional, and in Black Society–like the rest of society–there is a big demand for these professionals to serve on many levels of government, business, law, etc. Andre Hatchett has built a notary service from the ground up which has proven to be a huge asset to countless people. Mr. Hatchett, a longtime Black entrepreneur and philanthropist from New York, has decided to share the knowledge that he gained in his 10+ years of notary experience to form an online notary school that will give you that jumpstart to launch a successful notary career of your own.

With economic volatility, a shaky job market, and the public’s ever-increasing need for legal/documentation services and representation, a career in the notary business would be a good choice as it would be an alternative to the 9-to-5 grind.

To register in Hatchett’s notary school, follow this link.

For more about Andre Hatchett’s notary service, please view this short video clip.

B. Clark

In light of the half-hearted apologies given to the Melanoid women thrown off of the Napa Valley Wine Train this past weekend for “laughing too loud”, now would be the time for Melanoid people to seriously consider patronizing wineries that will accommodate them with no concerns of unnecessary–and ridiculous–repercussions from suspected white supremacists who own and operate the wineries of Napa Valley. As a matter of fact, those same accommodations can be met without the Sisters having to worry about traveling too far. Here is a list of Black-Owned wineries in the state of California that could very well provide a much better experience for the Melanoid Sisters who were singled out by the suspected white supremacists on the train that day.

1. Rideau Vineyard

Founded by Iris Rideau, the 16-acre winery produces an award-winning wine named Pinot Noir. The winery is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, which is in the Santa Barbara area.

2. Brown Estate

This Melanoid family-owned winery was founded in 1980 on what was known as a “ghost estate” in Napa Valley, CA.  Perhaps the most impressive thing about the winery thus far is its extended invitation to the female Melanoid book club members who were deprived of the same experience on the Napa Valley Wine Train as their non-Melanoid counterparts. The Brown Estate is offering the women a private visit to their premises as a result of their unjust treatment on the Wine Train.

3. Esterlina Vineyards

This particular winery is owned by the Sterling Brothers, a family of Melanoid men who have over 30 years of experience in the industry.

4. L’objet Noir

With a place with a title that actually translates to “the black object”, it is only fitting that the establishment be owned by someone of Melanoid persuasion. Dan Glover is the owner and captain of the ship that is smooth sailing at L’objet Noir.

5. Everett Ridge Winery

Also owned by the Sterling Brothers (the Melanoid men who own Esterlina Vineyards), the Sterling family has to be beaming with pride because of their semmingly lucrative opportunities in this particular industry (wine and spirits). This is a winery that goes back many years in time…137 years, to be exact.

B. Clark