opinion

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, arguably the greatest and most under-appreciated Black leader in history, said, “The greatest weapon used against the Negro is disorganization.”

The data is clear: Since 2005, the U.S. has lost over one-fourth of its newspapers, and on average two and a half newspapers are closing every week.

Several advocacy groups — E2, Alliance to Save Energy, American Association of Blacks in Energy, Energy Efficiency for All, and Black Owners of Solar Services — released a report in 2021 noting disparities in the presence of Black workers in the clean energy market.

In Waukegan, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago, Dulce Ortiz is celebrating with her children. Ortiz is a cofounder of the local environmental justice organization Clean Power Lake County. She has been organizing for years to get coal ash waste cleaned up from the site of the retired coal power plant in her town.

Trump and others of his ilk are constantly railing against diversity, equity, and inclusion. In my opinion, it’s the new N-word.

In my kitchen, I have an art print by Lori Roberts of Little Truths Art Studio. Under the word “food,” there are six simple guidelines: “Buy it with thought. Cook it with care. Use less wheat and meat. Buy local foods. Serve just enough. Use What’s left.”

No matter how much the right derides the word, the Black community needs to stay woke. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a disturbing trend that threatens the foundations of our democratic society: the rise of book bans, curriculum censorship and attacks on historical narratives in our educational institutions.

On Earth Day 1993, I delivered the first major speech of my life. It was in New York City’s Bryant Park, kicking off a nationwide tour to rally opposition to the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

When we see a 75-year-old white man out in the woods with a group of Black and brown kids from low-income neighborhoods, teaching them about nature, few of us assume he is there because that is where he feels most comfortable.

Black individuals and families often face barriers to equal justice in court due to limited access, racial bias, and difficulties representing themselves when legal representation is unavailable or unaffordable.

Black scholars and activists have a long history of calling capitalism to the carpet for its purposeful mistreatment of Black people, and really all people who aren’t hyper-wealthy.

As a volunteer restoring six-story walk-ups in Harlem in the early 90s, I saw how lead paint chips and dust were wreaking havoc on the kids in those low-income buildings.