Open Society Foundations commit $50M to women and youth groups’ work on democracy

NEW YORK (AP) - Open Society Foundations, the major philanthropy now led by Alex Soros, said Tuesday it will commit $50 million to increase civic engagement among women and young people over the next three years as part of its strategy to support democracy in the U.S. Alex Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations and son of its founder billionaire investor George Soros, said advocacy from women and younger

Cities must replace harmful lead pipes within 10 years under new Biden administration plan

WASHINGTON (AP) - Most U.S. cities would have to replace lead water pipes within 10 years under strict new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency as the Biden administration moves to reduce lead in drinking water and prevent public health crises like the ones in Flint, Michigan and Washington, D.C. Millions of people consume drinking water from lead pipes and the agency said tighter standards would improve IQ scores

Patients of color more often brace for unfair treatment in health care, survey finds

(AP NEWS) A trip to the doctor's office comes with a bit of preparation for most, maybe even an internal pep talk to prepare for being told to get more exercise or calm a simmering fear of needles. But dressing well in hopes of warding off unfair treatment - or even bracing for being insulted? A newly released poll by KFF, a health policy research group, found many patients of color

SAU Announces the Appointment of Dr. Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon to the Role of Acting President

RALEIGH, NC - Saint Augustine's University (SAU) is making a significant transition to continue its momentum of progress. The university's Board of Trustees announces Dr. Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon's appointment to Acting President effective immediately. "At this time, the SAU Board of Trustees has decided to go in a different direction by appointing Dr. Leslie Rodriguez-McClellon as Acting President of SAU," said The Honorable Chief Justice James C. Perry, Chairman of the

Barbie doll honoring Cherokee Nation leader Wilma Mankiller is met with mixed emotions

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - An iconic chief of the Cherokee Nation, Wilma Mankiller, inspired countless Native American children as a powerful but humble leader who expanded early education and rural healthcare. Her reach is now broadening with a quintessential American honor: a Barbie doll in the late Mankiller's likeness as part of toymaker Mattel's "Inspiring Women" series. A public ceremony honoring Mankiller's legacy is set for Tuesday in Tahlequah in

In the US, Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis

BALTIMORE (AP) - As Charles Richardson gradually lost his eyesight to complications from diabetes, certain childhood memories haunted him even more. The Catholic priest appeared vividly in his mind's eye - the one who promised him a spot on a travel basketball team, took him out for burgers and helped him with homework. The one, Richardson alleges, who sexually assaulted him for more than a year. "I've been seeing him

Maine offers free university tuition to Lewiston shooting victims, families

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Maine's public university system is offering free tuition to family members of those who died and to those who were injured in the deadliest mass shooting in state history, officials said Wednesday. The Lewiston Strong Tuition Waiver program covers more than 80 people. It also creates a fund that the public can donate to that will cover other post-secondary educational expenses. The Oct. 25 shootings left 18

Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit 2023 Scores High Marks For The Automotive Industry

By Lori Lee and Steven N. Larkin In Detroit in 1998, Rainbow PUSH launched its Automotive Project. The purpose today remains the same as over two decades ago: to work with automotive manufacturing companies to ensure African Americans and other people of color have access to opportunities at every level of the industry. It needs to be recognized that even while this year’s conference was taking place, the founder of

WHO asks China for more information about rise in illnesses and pneumonia clusters

GENEVA (AP) - Chinese officials say they did not detect any "unusual or novel diseases" in the country, the World Health Organization said Thursday, following an official request by the U.N. health agency for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. WHO cited unspecified media reports and a global infectious disease monitoring service as reporting clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in

Lawsuit seeks $5M for Black former delivery driver who says white men shot at him in Mississippi

BY EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS   JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Black former delivery driver in Mississippi who says two white men shot into his work van and then pursued him in a high-speed chase last year has filed a new lawsuit against the men and his former employer, FedEx. This is the second civil suit on behalf of D'Monterrio Gibson, and it seeks at least $5 million. The two men were