Under pressure from the administration, many federal agencies have canceled their Black History Month celebrations this year.
As Tracey L. Rogers writes this week in OtherWords, this fits right in with a years-long pattern now of banning books by Black authors, censoring classroom discussions of race, and attacking diversity initiatives in both the public and private sectors. “Trump and his allies seem to have a difficult time acknowledging the diversity that actually makes this country great,” Tracey writes.
But “having overcome enslavement, Jim Crow, and more, our striving to thrive in a country with so-called leaders who would prefer to keep us living on the margins only exemplifies the America we aspire to. And it’s a fight that’s made this country better for struggling people of all races. Like it or not, Black history is every day,” she concludes.
Dedrick Asante-Muhammad adds that despite these attacks, Black political representation is actually at a record high. The challenge now, he says, is to translate that representation into real material gains that close the country’s still yawning racial wealth divide. “The African American tradition of struggle advances the entire nation,” he writes.
Also this week, Alex Jacquez and Elizabeth Pancotti have a must-read piece on the accelerating emergency in the federal government as Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire bureaucrat, stages an unprecedented purge of federal officials and agencies. “This isn’t a government efficiency program — it’s a hostile corporate takeover of American democracy,” they argue.
Finally, I try to link all these themes together with my explainer on why politicians keep blaming DEI for disasters, even when that’s laughably, plainly untrue.
New This Week…
Black History Is Every Day, With or Without the White House | Tracey L. Rogers
From local school boards to the White House, the right is doubling down on its efforts to erase Black history. They’ll fail.
Black History Month: Celebrating Progress While Confronting Inequality | Dedrick Asante-Muhammad
Despite attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Black political representation has never been greater. Progress is still possible.
A Hostile Corporate Takeover of Our Democracy | Alex Jacquez and Elizabeth Pancotti
Never before has one billionaire so thoroughly infiltrated our government and bent it to their will for personal gain.
Why Politicians Keep Blaming DEI for Disasters, Even When It’s Laughably Untrue | Peter Certo
At best, these false claims help politicians cover for corporate misdeeds. At worst, they foster division for its own sake. Neither makes us safer.
In Case You Missed It…
A Coup Attempt Against American Taxpayers | Karen Dolan
Trump’s attempt to freeze federal funds for government services was an effort to steal our tax dollars to enrich billionaires. And he’ll try again.
Let’s Embrace our Instinct for Collective Action — In Bad Times and Good | Sonali Kolhatkar
The Los Angeles fires brought out the compassion we need all the time, not just during “natural” disasters.
Teachers Have the Power to Open Students’ Eyes — If We Let Them | Randy Fair
As a teacher who grew up in a small Southern town, I know the risks of giving parents veto power of kids’ education.
Health Insurers Profit from Suffering, Not Care | Chris Mills Rodrigo
The country’s largest insurer just posted record revenues. That money comes from denying care and gouging patients — who are now sharing their stories.
