Black Lives Matter Art Show Organizer Wants To 'Wake People Up To Injustice'

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When it comes to her Black Lives Matter art show, artist and organizer Carla Cubit has one goal: “Get people to wake up.” 

For years, Cubit has orchestrated exhibitions and performances around social justice themes ― themes she believes are often overlooked by the mainstream art world. Her first undertaking, “Occupy Art,” took place in 2011 during Occupy Wall Street at the Lower East Side’s Theater for the New City. Cubit, who herself crafts mixed-media assemblage sculptures using found and discarded objects, invited poets and performers to participate in the pop-up political event. 

More recently, Cubit’s shows have revolved around Black Lives Matter, addressing issues related to police brutality and the private prison industry while providing a safe space for thoughtful discussion, expression and community. 

“The political climate has changed but I’m still interested in the same social justice themes,” Cubit told The Huffington Post. “Open the discussion, get people aware of what’s going on in the world around them. Wake people up to injustice.”

Much of Cubit’s programming for the pop-up exhibition is interactive, meaning the show won’t fully take shape until viewers show up and participate. In the past, the artist hung banners on the gallery walls with statements including, “Your Thoughts on Black Lives Matter,” inviting visitors to share their perspectives with their community. Responses included, “Focus on the progress ― not hate: otherwise, they win” and “Love your blackness,” with some comments sparking full conversations that blossomed on the gallery walls. 

Cubit’s upcoming show will feature a talk from Monica Octavia of the Museum of Impact, billed as the world’s first social justice museum, as well as a jam session featuring Welf Dorr of Underground Horns, Ras Moshe Burnett and Kenny Wollesen. Cubit will also open the stage to other poets and performers interested in participating in the evening’s events; all they need to do is show up. 

The event is free for all attendees, but the artist will be selling handmade jewelry with messages like “Black Lives Matter” and “Not My President” for $1 each. Posters from the Stop Mass Incarceration Network will also be available at no cost. 

For many, the time to support local organizations advocating for racial justice and artistic expression is now. As Cubit put it, the show offers a chance for viewers “to see things other than pretty flowers and trees in the contemporary art world. Something that makes a statement.”

“Black Lives Matter Art Show” will take place Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Living Gallery in Brooklyn.

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

LeBron James Gives Charles Barkley A Savage Verbal Beatdown

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In your face, Charles Barkley.

LeBron James ripped into the TNT analyst after enduring more criticism from him.

Reacting to Barkley’s recent comments that James was being “whiny” and lacking competitive fire for declaring the Cavaliers need to obtain more personnel to win a second title (watch above), the Cleveland superstar snapped Monday night. He called Barkley a “hater” and questioned his credibility.

I’m not going to let him disrespect my legacy like that,” James told ESPN on Monday after the defending NBA champs lost to the Dallas Mavericks, 104-97. “I’m not the one who threw somebody through a window. I never spit on a kid. I never had unpaid debt in Las Vegas. I never said, ‘I’m not a role model.’ I never showed up to All-Star Weekend on Sunday because I was in Vegas all weekend partying.”

“All I’ve done for my entire career is represent the NBA the right way. Fourteen years, never got in trouble. Respected the game. Print that,” he said.

Done, LeBron.

Barkley has criticized James before, calling his exit to Miami several years ago a “punk move.” He also said that James would never make his top five players of all-time, although he does call him the current “best player in the world.”

In another interview Monday, James gave a lower-key response about Barkley’s insults. “He has to do that,” James said. “It’s good for the ratings.”

Here’s that exchange posted by Cleveland.com:

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

Kerry Washington Is So Much More Than Just Olivia Pope

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Since 2012, Kerry Washington has been killin’ it as Olivia Pope on “Scandal.” 

But before the actress was handling political messes on primetime, Washington was climbing the Hollywood ladder. Over the years, she’s appeared in everything from “ABC Afterschool Special” to “NYPD Blue” and “Ray.”

And, of course, there was her role as Chenille in “Save the Last Dance.” We’ll never forget when she turned Julia Stiles’ homely ensemble into a “slammin’” outfit. 

Today, in honor of Washington’s 40th birthday, we’re looking back at some of her best roles (minus Olivia Pope). Check out our picks below: 

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

28 Reasons It Pays To Have A Feminist Marriage

We’re calling it: A feminist marriage, where both partners respect and treat each other as equals, is the very best kind of marriage. (Also, studies suggest the sex is better, so there’s that, too.)

Below, 28 solid reasons to fall in love with someone who recognizes that feminism benefits both women and men.

1. There’s parity in your relationship. You push each other to reach your goals and full potential, because ultimately, you know you’re stronger as a team.  

2. You’re not wedded to outdated gender expectations. Want to be a stay-at-home dad while your wife brings home the bacon? Go for it.

3. There’s no place for “locker room talk” or “boys will be boys” excuses in your relationship. You hold each other to a much higher standard than that.

4. When it’s time to clean the house or do the laundry, you divide up the chores according to preference and workload, not gender. Also worth noting? A 2015 study from the University of Alberta suggested that people in more egalitarian relationships have higher relationship satisfaction and more sex than couples who leave it to one spouse. 

5. Another reason feminist couples have better sex? Feminist men recognize that a woman’s pleasure is just as important as theirs. There’s no rolling over and falling asleep prematurely. (How rude.)

6. While we’re on the subject of sex, your partner would never slut-shame you for your sexual past. Your “sex number” is no big deal.

7. You have the luxury of not having to explain the importance of Planned Parenthood to your S.O. (And if your partner is worried about a weird bump some place down south, you know just where to direct him or her. Thanks, PP!)

8. Mansplaining is not an issue you have to deal with in your own home, thank goodness. 

9. You both know a woman’s place is anywhere she damn well pleases ― and that if you both choose to work, it just means more income.

10. Ideologically, your partner believes that the world is a better place when women are empowered. As noted feminist (and our favorite ginger) Prince Harry once put it, “When women are empowered, they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them — their families, their communities, and their countries.”

11. Your partner loves your body but recognizes that the decisions you make regarding it are yours and yours alone. Sexual and reproductive rights matter to both of you.

12. You don’t fret about maintaining relationships with friends of the opposite sex. Your partner knows you can and should have relationships with other men and other women. 

13. If you’re a man, you could get proposed to ― men don’t always to be the one to pop the question!

14. Your wedding can be as heteronormative and traditional or as modern and unconventional as you want. (So feel free to forgo the garter belt toss if you find that awkward as hell.)

15. If your partner’s guy friends start badmouthing feminism, you know he’ll correct them. (Bonus points if he has Chimamanda Ngozi’s definition of feminism memorized because you blast Beyonce’s “Flawless” nonstop.)

16. Your complaints and concerns are never delegitimized because of your sex, and your partner sure as heck would never say, “sounds like someone’s on their period.”

17. You don’t look at each other as a project or someone to “fix.” Men don’t need to be anyone’s knight in shining armor and women shouldn’t feel like they can “love away” a man’s problems. You each take ownership for your own issues and go into the relationship as whole and independent people.

18. If you decide to marry, you can do whatever you want with your last names. Take his surname, have him take yours, hyphenate, create a hybrid/combo last name ― it’s your call. 

19. Your partner is proud ― not resentful ― of your career accomplishments. He or she pushes you to accomplish everything you want in life, on your own timeline ― be it your career, passion projects or having a family (or all three of them).

20. Phrases like “man up” or “don’t be a pussy” are off limits. The beauty of feminism is that it benefits men, too; your partner can be as vulnerable or as emotional as he wants and it doesn’t make him less of a man. 

21. It feels so good to be with someone who appreciates your brain just as much as your beauty. 

21. If you have kids, you can give them the talk about consent and the birds and the bees as a team. (Phew, what a relief.)

23. You both recognize that paid parental leave is good for everyone. (Hopefully, your work places recognize that too and offer paternity leave.)

24. Through your relationship, you get to model what a marriage of equals really looks like to your kids. 

25. But if you were to divorce, you recognize that both parents deserve to be in your kids’ lives. 

26. If your husband is out with the kids and someone says “looks like mom has the day off!” you can both roll your eyes about it later on.

27. Your marriage and definition of monogamy can be as traditional or unconventional as you want it to be. 

28. Your partner understands why you felt compelled to go to the Women’s March. Hell, they probably joined you and wore a “this is what a feminist looks like” shirt. It doesn’t get any sexier than that. 

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

Southeast Asian Group Opposes Trump's Executive Order, Stands 'Proud As Refugees'

An organization that serves Southeast Asian refugee communities has made it clear that Friday’s executive order will not go unchallenged. 

Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), a D.C.-based nonprofit, recently called on people to support all refugees in defiance of Trump‘s order which not only bans visitors from several Muslim-majority countries, but also blocks Syrian refugees from entering the country.

SEARAC released a statement, challenging others to take part in visible social media campaigns, contact members of Congress, and sign a petition to oppose the executive action.

The nonprofit, which works with refugees from a variety of countries including Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, says they understand the importance of maintaining the U.S. as a place of refuge ― especially since Southeast Asians make up one of the largest communities of refugees ever resettled in the U.S.

And they’ll do what they can to make sure those fleeing persecution will have a country to turn to.   

“As Southeast Asian Americans, we stand proud as refugees, as children of refugees, and as Americans to denounce these Executive Orders that attack, not protect, the very best of our country’s values,” the group said in a press release, just before the action was even signed. 

Indeed, the current situation hits close to home for so many Southeast Asian-American families. In fact, the American public was even less accepting of resettling refugees fleeing communist governments in the 1970s, Quartz pointed out.  

When President Jimmy Carter doubled the number of Indochinese refugees the U.S. had agreed to accept in 1979, about 62 percent of Americans opposed the move. Now, about 51 percent oppose accepting Syrian refugees into the country, a Quinnipiac University poll released in December revealed. 

However back then, public opposition didn’t stop the U.S. from becoming home to those from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Between 1980 and 1990, the country took in about 590,000 Indochinese refugees, according to Pew Research Center. 

“Our families ran from terror, starvation, and incessant bombings of our homes,” Quyen Dinh, SEARAC’s executive director said in the release. “We were welcomed into America despite the opposition of a minority of Americans, and with resilience and grit we have made America our home.” 

So the nonprofit has no intention of staying silent as the nation continues to grapple with Trump’s restrictions. In addition to calling on people to sign a petition protesting the refugee restriction, SEARAC has joined in the #SolidaritySelfie movement, with its own staff sharing messages of support for refugees and their own stories of resettlement.

And by urging people to reach out to their members of Congress, the group hopes to spur more of those in government to release public statements opposing the executive order. 

“America is a great nation today because of our diverse immigrant and refugee communities, not despite our communities,” Dinh said. “A great America stands by its constitution, and an attack on one religious minority is an attack on the freedom of religion for all Americans.”

 

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

Gina Rodriguez Promises To Use New TV Deal To Spotlight ‘Faces Unseen’

Gina Rodriguez and her production company have signed a deal with CBS Television Studios, the studio that produces the CW’s “Jane the Virgin.”

The multi-year pact allows Rodriguez and I Can And I Will Productions to develop projects for networks, cable and streaming platforms, according to Variety.

After trade publications announced the news on Monday, the actress confirmed the partnership in an Instagram post later in the day. In the status she promised her followers that her projects would spotlight women’s talent, on-and-off screen. 

“We will INCLUDE stories unheard and faces unseen,” she wrote. “We will make it our top priority to put women in front of and behind the camera. Thank you @cbstvstudios for giving I can and I will Productions this opportunity. To my warriors, I am here because of you and we will make sure you feel represented and included in Hollywood. Period. The end.” 

Rodriguez’s first project under the new deal includes optioning the German format “Dr. Illegal,” a medial series, according to Deadline. 

The actress’ I Can And I Will Productions produced Rodriguez’s The Young Women Honors ceremony in December, which aired on the CW.  

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

The Real Work Of Being An Ally

By Tamara Winfrey Harris

Never in a generation have women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community more dearly needed active allies to counter inequality. Unfortunately, the contours of active allyship are elusive to most Americans — even progressive ones. It’s not simply that it is easier to disapprove of bigotry passively than it is to actually do something about it. (Though it is.) It’s also that many people lack experience resisting the prejudice baked into American society.

But there are plenty of men and women who have long been committed to living the values of anti-racism, -sexism, and -homophobia who can teach us how to do better. In the weeks leading up to Donald J. Trump’s inauguration, I spoke to everyday activists — writers, lecturers, Sunday School teachers, and mothers — about how to support marginalized people and fight discrimination. Conspiring with marginalized people to beat back bigotry requires five things of would-be allies, they told me: learning, listening, speaking up, taking action, and being brave.

Learn.

People of color know full well the effect systemic racism has on their lives. They know its history, its hiding places, and where it intersects with other issues like class and gender. White supporters of people of color need to understand this, too, and they can start by seeking out information about race with the same attention and vigor they pay to other issues they care about.

Ashley Ray was motivated by her family to learn more about race: She is white, her husband of 17 years is black, and her children are biracial. She began teaching herself about racism and white supremacy as a way to be a better wife and mother. She started online, where several organizations devoted to social justice and equality have robust resource pages, including the Human Rights Campaign, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Conspire for Change, and Showing Up for Racial Justice.

She also sought out the actual voices of people of color. This is crucial, because most Americans live in a bubble: Seventy-five percent of white people, for instance, do not have non-white friends. This is why, Ray says, it is so important to listen to firsthand accounts of what it is like to be Latinx or Native or African-American or Asian in America. Allies should expand their media consumption to include outlets — like Colorlines, Ms., Bitch, The Advocate, and Black Girl Dangerous — that feature voices and reporting often ignored by mainstream media.

Listen.

And, Ray stresses, allies must “learn to believe these voices and understand that you’ve been conditioned not to. You have to make the choice to believe them.” It is a sad fact that women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community are often suspected of bias when speaking about their lived experiences and the real impact of inequity. Advocates have to challenge themselves to listen to marginalized people and to trust them, even when that means confronting their own prejudices and inaction.

Deanna Zandt, author and founder of Lux Digital, currently runs a blog called Ask Deanna About Racism But Only If You’re White. Deanna has always been a progressive and an ardent feminist, but finding her race politics took some soul-searching — prompted when she was chastised for talking the talk without walking the walk.

“I am part of the Women, Action, and the Media (WAM!) community. We had a conference where during and afterward a bunch of women of color, and then queer women of color specifically, spoke up publicly about not feeling included or welcome,” she explains. Feelings hurt, she responded to the complaints with defensiveness.

“One of the things that happened during that process is I realized that everything that had ever been said to me by [men] about gender, I was in my head saying to these women of color about race,” she remembers.

That experience led Zandt to reflect on the ways she’d failed to intervene in black women’s erasure from feminist spaces, and how she had been denying her own race-related blind spots.

Ray also acknowledges that being called out for race bias still sometimes prompts feelings of defensiveness — a very human reaction. But, like Zandt, over time, she has learned the most helpful response as an ally is to be quiet, listen, and examine the charge. Ray says, “Most of the time if something is getting called out, it needs to be called out.”

Speak Up.

An ally’s ability to speak up for marginalized people to other privileged people is perhaps the most valuable thing they have to offer.

“It’s very effective for boys and men to hear other boys and men speak out against violence against women,” says Byron Hurt, an activist and filmmaker whose documentary Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes examines toxic masculinity. Hurt says that men who support women give other men permission to think about themselves and women in a different way. This proactive advocacy by men is imperative, because sexism is men’s problem to solve, he says: “[Men] can’t expect women to fight all of the battles around sexism.”

Likewise, says Terri Kempton, “racism is a white problem created by white people to benefit white people and it needs white people to change it,” she says. White Nonsense Roundup, the group she co-founded four months ago, is a collection of mostly white people trying to educate other white people about issues of race and privilege. The group serves as an “on-call service” for people of color who are experiencing harassment or are embroiled in tough racial discussions with white people online. “They can tag us or they can use our handle on Twitter and call us into a conversation and we will take over some of the education piece so the burden doesn’t perpetually fall on people of color.”

The other part of the group’s work is coaching white people in having conversations about race with friends and family — for instance, teaching them how to push back on offensive jokes. (Kempton says not to laugh, but to put the burden of proof on the joke teller to explain why they believe their comment is funny. She also suggests leveraging common ground and shared culture. For example, reminding a dedicated mom of her love for her kids may help her understand why immigrant parents also want the best for their children. And, she says, it’s okay to prepare snappy comebacks in advance or to circle back if you get tongue-tied when incidents occur.)

Take Action.

Most Americans are not activists. And not all people can take the same risks. But everyone can work within their sphere of influence to make change.

“There is a part of me that wanted to leave my job and go to Standing Rock,” says Dr. Liza Talusan, an educator, facilitator, activist and writer. “[I] wanted to block the highway or do a ‘die-in,’ at City Hall. [But] I totally admit that’s not me. My capacity is doing it through the systems of education.”

Talusan said that for her — a straight woman who’s motivated to support gay and trans equality because of her Catholic faith — that means, in part, being a resource for “religious institutions looking to be more inclusive of LGBT communities” and visiting Catholic schools to talk about gay and trans inclusion. While these actions align with her profession in diversity education, Talusan also acts on her values in everyday life: for instance, by “disrupting norms” when she teaches Sunday school, using inclusive language that acknowledges different family structures.

Be brave.

These things are not always comfortable. But Ray says that allyship means “committing to pushing past the point of comfort to take effective and impactful action to change things” — even if that action is messy or dangerous. A willingness to take risks is non-negotiable. Kempton says that to be an ally requires “bravery.”

Whatever their discomfort, good people must intercede, for instance, when they see a Muslim woman being harassed for wearing a hijab. Maeril, a French art director and filmmaker, created an illustrated guide to standing up to public Islamophobia and other harassment: Sit beside the person being harassed and engage them in conversation, ignoring the attacker. Maintain eye contact with the victim and continue the conversation until the attacker is starved of attention and leaves. Escort the victim to a neutral area where they can collect themselves. Respect their wishes if they say they are okay and just wish to leave.

Speaking out against bigotry and inequality can come with a personal sacrifice. Jackson Katz, an educator, filmmaker, author, and creator of Mentors in Violence Prevention (which works on gender violence prevention), says that people working in solidarity with marginalized groups “give up the ease of interaction with people in [their] own group.” Dr. Damon Berry, a professor of religious studies, says that in some cases he’s lost relationships with friends and family, “because there was just no space for us to develop any understanding of each other.” At the same time, he’s gained “deep friendships and real, profound connections” with people different from himself. “You learn things about them, they teach you things about yourself, and you support one another and you care for one another,” he said. “To me, that’s what a society should be.”

Looking ahead to a Trump presidency, the moral imperative to do what’s right has to override the costs. “People who want to perform allyship are really going to have to consider what they would risk,” Berry says. “There may come a time where one is called upon to sacrifice economic comforts, to sacrifice even physical safety. And if you are not willing to sacrifice those things, and more, perhaps — to stand for what you believe in and the commitment you made — then you don’t have the courage of your convictions. Perhaps you never believed it at all.”

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The ACLU Got $24 Million in Donations in One Weekend

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

This 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend' Song About Period Sex Was Too Dirty For TV

A period sex anthem exists ― and, of course, it’s sung by “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s” Rachel Bloom. 

The CW’s musical comedy TV show is known for tackling feminist issues and plotlines with wit and humor. But according to Vox, having sex while on your period crossed the line for CW, and the network opted not to air Bloom’s minute and a half ode to period sex.

On Friday, Bloom ― the writer, star and co-creator of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” ― uploaded the full “Period Sex” song and video to YouTube.

As usual, Bloom and the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” team’s ability to bring levity to a taboo (err… messy?) topic did not disappoint. 

The catchy anthem includes gems like, “Put down a towel and party ‘till it’s dry with some period sex,” and, “Think of it as Mother Nature’s juice cleanse.”

Watch the full video above to jive to some truly awesome “period sex” tunes. 

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14 Photos That Show The Original Asian-American Resistance

By the 1960s, Asian-Americans were already being portrayed as a U.S. “model minority” ― a group whose diligent work, personal responsibility and success proved that the American dream was attainable to all. It turns out, the label didn’t tell the full story. 

As a new exhibition at the Los Angeles Chinese American Museum argues, young Asian Americans of the time were busy writing their own narrative and protesting just like their Black and Chicano counterparts. Through protest and art, they denounced the Vietnam War and refused to be pigeonholed as model minorities who could easily overcome systemic barriers.

“Beginning in the late 1960s, Asian-Americans nationwide were building social service institutions and feminist collectives, marching against the war, critiquing and sometimes even trying to overthrow the U.S. government,” said Ryan Wong, one of the curators of the exhibition “Roots: Asian American Movements in Los Angeles 1968–80s.”

According to Wong, it’s no coincidence that the term “model minority” was being coined around the same time the Asian-American movement was radicalizing a generation of young people. Groups of Asians protesting for their rights wasn’t the story most media outlets or social theorists wanted to acknowledge.

“The ‘model minority’ idea was used as a weapon against the social movements of the civil rights era, suggesting that activism wasn’t necessary if a group could only ‘work harder,’” he said. 

The Asian-American movement chronicled in the exhibition shatters that myth, he added. 

Told through photographs, posters and oral histories, “Roots” shows how Asian-Americans formed civil rights organizations at colleges like UC Berkeley, fought against gentrification and ultimately banded together to form a new pan-Asian political identity.

“Until about 1968, you either identified with your country of origin ― mostly China, Japan, and the Philippines at that point ― or were lumped under the term ‘Oriental,’” Wong said. 

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Asian-Americans of different ancestral countries recognized their shared history of racial discrimination and realized they’d have a stronger voice together. 

“That idea spread like wildfire across campuses and organizing centers nationally, which is amazing in a time before social media,” Wong said. 

For many, the Vietnam War was an obvious entry point into activism. Unlike the mainstream anti-war movement, many Asian-American activists perceived the United States’ participation in the war as a form of imperialism.

Others saw parallels between the treatment of the Vietnamese abroad and the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II, according to Steve Wong, the chief curator at the museum.

War helped unify Asian Americans. It connected anti-imperialist movements in South East Asia to the oppression of Asians in the U.S.,” Steve explained. “A common slogan during this time was ‘No Vietnamese ever called me a Chink.’ Asians brought attention to the racialized component to the Vietnam War.”

Some pieces in the exhibition reveal a more radical side of the movement, like Leland Wong’s Black Panthers–inspired “Year of the People/Off the Pigs.”

Riffing on 1971 as the year of the pig in the Chinese zodiac, Leland’s illustration shows Asian-Americans attacking what they perceived as oppressive power structures in their community ― far from “model minority” behavior. 

It’s an illustration that can be shocking if you’ve never heard about early activism in Asian communities. Let’s face it: Asian-Americans might be the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, but their complicated history in American society tends to get the short shrift. 

“If you’re like me, you were never taught this history in school and never saw it depicted in TV shows, movies or newspapers,” said exhibition curator Ryan, who grew up in Los Angeles in 1990s. 

Few Asian-Americans today know about Gidra, a newspaper of the movement that featured wry political illustrations and commentary, Ryan noted  ― or the fight to free Chol Soo Lee, a Korean-American immigrant who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1973.

At the opening of the exhibition earlier this month, many young attendees were taken aback by the material. 

“Someone came up to me and said, ‘I’ve been organizing since 2004, and I thought that was a long time,” Ryan said. “It’s incredible to see how people our age ― in their 20s at the time― built a dynamic movement that reshaped their communities.” 

Ultimately, he hopes the exhibition creates a sense of continuity between today’s activists and older ones. 

“If these histories are erased and buried, each generation feels a little more alone, like we are starting from scratch,” Ryan said. “I hope people see how the past informs not only today’s movements, but our futures.” 

“Roots: Asian American Movements in Los Angeles 1968–80s” is free (donations are welcome) and will run until June 11. Check out the Chinese American Museum’s website for additional information. 

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices

African Union Leader Condemns U.S. For Taking Its People 'As Slaves’ But Blocking Refugees

The head of the African Union called out President Donald Trump on Monday for the ultimate American hypocrisy.

South African politician and chairperson of the AU commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma addressed representatives of the continental union’s 54 member states during a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday. In her comments, Dlamini-Zuma referenced Trump’s recent executive order halting the U.S. refugee resettlement program and blocking entry of individuals from seven Muslim-majority countries, three of which are AU members.

“The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries,” Dlamini-Zuma said, according to The Independent.

Trump’s order did not name the countries that would be affected, but reporters quickly confirmed that individuals from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia would be blocked from entering the country. The three African countries ― Libya, Somalia and Sudan ― are all members of the African Union.

“What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity,” said Dlamini-Zuma, who is stepping down from the AU this summer and is expected to run for South Africa’s presidency.

The U.S.’s role in the transatlantic slave trade constitutes one of the grossest abuses of human rights in the country’s history. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database estimates that more than 300,000 Africans were forcibly taken to the U.S. over the 360 years of the trade’s operation.

Today, the administration’s treatment of Muslims has elicited comparisons to the 1942 executive order President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans.

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Trump signed Friday’s executive order on live television, claiming the move would keep “radical Islamic terrorists” out of the country. There have been no fatal terror attacks on U.S. soil since 1975 by immigrants from the seven Muslim-majority countries. Nonetheless, the president asserted the order did not target Muslims.

Within hours of Trump signing the order, travelers from the implicated countries were being turned away at airports and even detained. The Department of Homeland Security told Reuters on Sunday that roughly 375 travelers had been affected by the order ― 109 who were denied entry to the U.S. while in transit, as well as another 173 who were stopped by airlines before boarding flights.

Thousands of religious leaders and organizations, as well as dozens of U.S. diplomats and world leaders criticized the order as protests erupted at airports around the country over the weekend.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed the AU summit on Monday and praised the African countries for their peacekeeping efforts. Without mentioning Trump or his executive order, Guterres said: “African nations are also among the world’s largest and most generous hosts of refugees. African borders remain open for those in need of protection, when so many borders are being closed, even in the most developed countries in the world.”

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Source: HuffPost Black Voices