by Pamela Ferdinand U.S. Right To Know

E-cigarettes can quickly lodge toxic metals deep into the lungs, where they may damage tissue, according to new research that provides detailed evidence about risks of vaping. Even short-term exposure produces a measurable buildup of toxic metals in lung tissue, potentially increasing the risk of chronic lung problems, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions. 

The study, published last month [April 2026] in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, is the first to use a specialized method to break apart e-cigarette vapor, separate its components, and precisely measure toxic metals.

The researchers detected for the first time chemical evidence that certain metal-based compounds (organometallics) that are easily absorbed by the lungs travel in e-cigarette aerosols. 

The findings come as the FDA yesterday (May 5) announced its authorization of fruit-flavored vapes, including mango and blueberry, for adult smokers. The shift in policy follows months of appeals to President Donald Trump from the vaping industry.

“Collectively, these findings provide novel evidence that vaping delivers toxic elements to the lung, disrupts iron homeostasis [normal balance], and poses risks for pulmonary and systemic health,” the authors wrote.

Exposures to toxic metals can come not only from the liquid, but also from the metals in the heating devices, Dr. Pamela Ling notes. That suggests that regulation of e-cigarettes needs to include the whole device, similar to the definition of “e-cigarette” in California, she says.

“Research like this is important because the tobacco companies are aggressively promoting vaping as ‘harm reduction’ to distract from the fact that the majority of their profits are still from cigarettes and they are not, in fact, transforming but instead growing a new nicotine market,”

Said Ling, a professor of medicine and director of UCSF’s Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. “This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that e-cigarettes carry their own significant health risks.”

Dr. Laura Crotty Alexander, a professor of medicine and associate division chief at the University of California, San Diego, agrees: “These findings will help us understand exactly why vaping causes lung damage and raises cancer risk. Identifying accumulation of inhaled metals in lung tissue is an important clue—helping to explain the ‘how’ behind vaping-related diseases.”

E-cigarette surge sparks public health concerns

In the U.S., young adults and adolescents use e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco product. Industry product design, aggressive marketing, widespread access targeting vulnerable populations, and limited regulatory oversight worldwide have led to more than 100 million people, including at least 15 million children, using e-cigarettes.

Though industry promotes vaping as a safe alternative to traditional smoking, research shows children, adolescents, and young adults who vape are about three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes than non-users. A review last year in Carcinogenesis concluded that nicotine e-cigarettes are likely carcinogenic and may increase oral and lung cancer risk. More recent findings show that widely promoted sweet, minty, and fruity flavors can increase nicotine use and addiction risk. 

The new study builds on emerging research showing vapers are exposed to toxic and carcinogenic metals. A 2020 study found that levels of metals and metalloids (elements like arsenic) in e-cigarette users were similar to or higher than those in cigarette users, and higher than in cigar users.

In another study from Johns Hopkins University, researchers found that nickel, chromium, and lead appeared across multiple device types. Toxic metals were detected in every sample.

A complex aerosol, not just nicotine

E-cigarettes, most of which contain nicotine, heat liquid into an aerosol that users inhale. Both the liquid and aerosol, however, are chemically complex mixtures. They contain many substances beyond nicotine, which itself is harmful and highly addictive.

These include toxic metals, air pollutants, flavoring chemicals, and cancer-linked compounds from device hardware or e-liquid ingredients. High temperatures in the heating element (device coil), combined with chemicals in the liquid, may also create new metal-containing compounds, the researchers say.

Breathing in toxic metals and other pollutants can cause inflammation, disrupt lung and immune system development, and lead to long-term breathing problems and disease. Some metals, like zinc and copper, are essential in small amounts but harmful at higher levels. 

“The question remains as to whether these metals detected in the lungs remain confined to the respiratory system or enter the circulation to accumulate in distant organs, which requires further investigation,” the researchers wrote. “This possibility of redistribution extends the potential health implications of vaping beyond local lung injury.”

Metals deposit quickly and unevenly

The researchers analyzed e-liquids, aerosols, and lung tissue from mice exposed to nicotine vapor twice daily for 30 minutes over four days. They chose a lab mouse strain that responds strongly to cigarette smoke, developing lung inflammation and airway changes similar to human smokers.

The team then combined chemical testing with spatial imaging to trace how and where metals moved from device to lung. They detected multiple metals in both liquid and aerosol, including nickel, lead, copper, aluminum, tin, arsenic, and traces of mercury.

Metal buildup increased with more exposure, and different metals collected in different areas. For example, lead, nickel, and tin concentrated in the lung’s upper regions, while zinc was more common in lower lung areas.

Even brief exposure led to measurable metal accumulation, the study shows. Metals clustered in patchy, localized deposits rather than spreading evenly. This buildup may increase the risk of lung damage, chronic disease, and impaired healing over time.

“Of concern is that measurable changes in [lung] tissue metal concentrations were observed after only a small number of puffs, indicating that even brief exposure was sufficient to alter metal levels,” the researchers wrote.

More puffs, more toxic metals in lungs

The exposure patterns suggest inhaled metals can persist in lung tissue rather than clearing quickly, the researchers say. Nickel levels increased significantly, while copper, lead, and tin also rose:

• Nickel rose from about 77 nanograms per gram (ng/g) in unexposed lung tissue to 368 after 8 puffs) and 242 after 32 puffs.
• Copper and lead spiked at high levels, with peak amounts increasing more than 3 times for copper and 25 times for lead, compared to controls.
• Tin also rose sharply, reaching levels about 15 times higher than controls at the highest exposure.

Because there are no specific regulatory limits for metals in e-cigarettes, the researchers could compare results only to safety standards for inhalation from other fields, like workplace air and pharmaceutical products. This gap exists due to limited inhalation data, not because the metals are safe, the researchers say.

Compared to pharmaceutical limits (namely, USP 232) for inhaled medicines, several metals were far higher than what is considered safe. Copper and tin also exceeded recommended limits, while:

• Arsenic was about 480 times higher
• Nickel about 250 times higher
• Chromium about 60 times higher
• Mercury about 180 times higher
• Lead about 17 times higher

“Although USP 232 limits were developed for pharmaceutical inhalation products rather than e-cigarettes, they represent a conservative, health-based benchmark for inhalation exposure,” the authors wrote.

“The magnitude by which several metals herein exceed these limits reinforces the concern of metal contamination in the tested e-cigarette liquid and the absence of equivalent product-specific standards for e-cigarette emissions.”

Iron levels fall as toxic metals rise

At the same time, vaping exposure significantly lowered iron levels in the lung to the extent that the researchers called it concerning. Iron supports oxygen transport, immune function, and energy production for cells. Iron deficiency has been linked to serious lung diseases like chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Researchers suggest the drop may reflect a subtle shift or redistribution of iron within the body. Or it may be due to changes in how iron is processed, rather than simple loss.

Taken together, the combination of lower iron, localized lead buildup, and increases in other metals and metalloids (like nickel, copper, tin, and arsenic) are “particularly concerning,” the researchers say.  “These risks are compounded by the high prevalence of e-cigarette use in adolescents, who may be more vulnerable to toxicant effects during critical developmental periods,” they wrote.

Study limits and next steps

Researchers experimented with a mouse model over four days, so the study does not measure long-term disease outcomes in humans. Exposure patterns also may differ across devices, liquids and user behavior, the researchers note.

Still, the study likely underestimates real-world exposure and risk, Crotty Alexander suggests.

“First, it was conducted in mice, which breathe exclusively through their nose, meaning many metal particles got filtered out before ever reaching the lungs,” she said. “Second, the mice were only exposed once, whereas most people who vape do so repeatedly throughout the day, every day.”

Rising use and regulatory gaps

Unlike cigarettes, e-cigarette devices and liquids vary widely and often lack quality control, using materials with unknown health risks and limited oversight.

No specific limits exist for metals in e-cigarette liquids or vapor, meaning users may be exposed to unsafe levels without knowing it. Agencies like the FDA and World Health Organization (WHO) focus on nicotine and labeling.

The researchers call for stricter standards for device materials, mandatory testing for metal emissions, and human studies, especially among adolescents who may be more vulnerable to toxic effects during critical developmental periods. They also urge studies comparing devices, long-term exposure, diverse e-liquids, and whether metals spread beyond the lungs.

“Given the widespread use of disposable e-cigarettes among adolescents, regulatory oversight of device materials and mandatory metals testing are urgently needed,” the authors wrote.

The post Vaping drives toxic metals into lungs within days appeared first on Final Call News.

[Editor’s note: The following is the continuation of this article from U.S. Right To Know, the first part of which was republished in Vol. 45, No. 42 of The Final Call.]

Sen. Sanders’ letter to FDA about tough warning labels for ultra-processed foods

Sen. Bernie Sanders, in a call for strong warning labels on ultra-processed foods to combat the obesity and diabetes epidemics in the United States, wrote in a letter to the FDA in February 2024,

“For far too long, the food and beverage industry has been allowed to use deceptive and misleading tactics to entice children to eat foods and consume beverages loaded up with sugar, salt and saturated fats that are purposely designed to be overeaten.” 

Addicting consumers leads to poor public health 

Tying together concerns around food addiction and its harmful effects, Ashley Gearhardt, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan and a leading expert in food addiction, wrote in 2023 testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions titled, What is Fueling the Diabetes Epidemic?:

A “scientific body of evidence suggests that addictive processes play an important role in contributing to patterns of ultra-processed food intake implicated in poor health, obesity, and diabetes.

If addictive mechanisms are being triggered by ultra-processed foods, this may be an overlooked reason why it can be challenging to reduce intake of ultra-processed foods even in the face of health conditions like diabetes.”

What is the evidence ultra-processed foods are addictive? 

A 2026 review in Milbank Quarterly “synthesizes findings from addiction science, nutrition, and public health history to identify structural and sensory features that increase the reinforcing potential of both cigarettes and UPFs.” The review finds:

“Cigarettes and UPFs are not simply natural products but highly engineered delivery systems designed specifically to maximize biological and psychological reinforcement and habitual overuse.

Both industries have used similar strategies to increase product appeal, evade regulation, and shape public perception, including adding sensory additives, accelerating reward delivery, expanding contextual access, and deploying health-washing claims.

These design features collectively hijack human biology, undermine individual agency, and contribute heavily to disease and health care costs.”

The researchers conclude that “UPFs should be evaluated not only through a nutritional lens but also as addictive, industrially engineered substances. Lessons from tobacco regulation, including litigation, marketing restrictions, and structural interventions, offer a roadmap for reducing UPF-related harm.”

A 2023 review of 281 studies in 36 countries found that “the combination of refined carbohydrates and fats often found in UPFs seems to have a supra-additive effect on brain reward systems, above either macronutrient alone, which may increase the addictive potential of these foods.” Overall.

The researchers found that 14% of adults and 12% of children were addicted to ultra-processed foods, which is “similar to the levels of addiction seen for other legal substances in adults (eg, 14% for alcohol and 18% for tobacco),” the authors added.

The research, published in BMJ, noted: “the speed at which UPFs deliver carbohydrates and fats to the gut may also be important to their addictive potential. Drugs and routes of administration that affect the brain more quickly have a higher addictive potential.”

The authors also noted the social justice implications with UPF addiction. They wrote: “People facing food insecurity are more reliant on UPFs to meet their daily energy needs and are more likely to exhibit higher levels of UPF addiction.”

In a study published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2011, researchers examined neural activity in 48 women with high “food addiction” scores using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They found that, while “there were limited differences in reward circuitry activation between participants with high FA and low FA during food intake,

The high food addiction group exhibited patterns of neural activation associated with reduced inhibitory control.” This suggests “that consumption of a palatable food may override desires to limit caloric food consumption in participants with high FA, resulting in disinhibited food consumption.”

The study authors concluded: “Similar patterns of neural activation are implicated in addictive-like eating behavior and substance dependence: elevated activation in reward circuitry in response to food cues and reduced activation of inhibitory regions in response to food intake.”

Withdrawal is a key component of addiction. With this in mind, researchers conducted a review to determine whether highly processed (HP) foods are linked to withdrawal symptoms in animals and humans. The research, published in the journal Obesity Reviews in 2022, found: “Evidence suggests that HP food withdrawal occurs in animals.

Well-controlled experimental animal studies have demonstrated behavioral and biological indicators of HP food withdrawal, which follow a similar time course to other addictive substances. Anecdotal and self-report evidence also suggests that humans experience withdrawal-like symptoms when they attempt to reduce their intake of HP foods.”

In an editorial published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, study authors wrote that the increase in UPF consumption in the U.S. notably increased in the 1980s, when tobacco corporations bought major food companies, including General Foods and Kraft in the 1980s.

The corporations soon became the largest manufacturers of ultra-processed foods. In the commentary, which was published in 2022, they wrote that the same strategies used to market cigarettes were then used to advertise highly processed foods, particularly to children, by “reinforcing UPFs with optimal combinations of rewarding ingredients (e.g., fat, sugar) to maximize palatability and profitability.”

It’s also important to note “that food addiction is prevalent across weight classes (e.g., 12–17% of youths and adults with normal weight) and exhibits similar associations, regardless of BMI, with addiction risk factors (e.g., impulsivity), poorer quality of life, compulsive eating behaviors, and increased physical and psychological comorbidities.”

They concluded: “The lessons learned from past addiction epidemics are relevant for the negative public health consequences of food addiction and UPFs, particularly the need for policies that reduce the accessibility of UPFs in the modern food environment, reformulate UPFs to reduce their addictive potentials, and minimize risks for children and adolescents to develop food addiction.”

“Ultraprocessed foods … were consistently more associated with [the Yale Food Addiction Scale] indicators than were naturally occurring, minimally processed foods,” according to the study authors of a review titled, Is Food Addictive, republished in 2021 in the Annual Review of Nutrition.

“Notably, ultraprocessed foods were significantly more problematic for individuals who endorsed experiencing elevated YFAS symptoms of addictive-like eating, providing further support for the role of ultraprocessed foods in food addiction.” They concluded:

“As with addictive drugs, some (but not all) individuals exhibit an addictive pattern of consumption marked by diminished control over intake, intense cravings, and an inability to cut down despite negative consequences … higher YFAS scores are associated with mechanisms implicated in addictive disorders and poorer clinical outcomes.”

In a study published in 2022 in the journal Appetite, researchers compared the consumption of ultra-processed food in 735 young Australian adults who had and did not have food addiction. Researchers assessed foods as addictive according to the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS).

They found that young adults who were food addicted ate more of their energy percentage (%E) from ultra-processed foods. Those who did not identify as food addicted ate a lower energy percent from UPFs. The study authors added: “For each additional food addiction symptom reported, the %E from ultra-processed foods was higher and %E from unprocessed foods was lower.” 

A 2022 national poll conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation found that 1 in 8, or about 13%, of adults over the age of 50 displays signs of addiction to highly processed foods. This was determined if the person had “two or more symptoms out of 11 plus significant impairment or distress.”

The authors noted that 44% of the adults indicated at least 1 symptom of food addiction, the most common being intense cravings to processed foods. Notably, “older adults who rated their mental health as fair or poor were at least three times more likely to meet food addiction criteria compared with those reporting excellent, very good, or good mental health.”

The researchers added: “Many people report eating highly processed foods not only for the calories they provide, but also to experience pleasure and cope with negative emotions. Cravings for highly processed foods can also be intense and challenging to resist, and people may experience withdrawal-like symptoms when they try to reduce the amount they consume.”

A Brazilian-based cross-sectional study that included around 6,000 people examined whether consuming ultra-processed food was associated with food addiction. (The Yale Food Addiction Scale was used to determine food addiction in participants.)

The results, which were based on self-reported questionnaires and published in the journal Appetite in 2023, found that “individuals with food addiction had lower consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, and beans. They also had higher consumption of UPF: hamburgers/sausages, instant noodles, packaged snacks, and/or salty cookies, and sandwich cookies, sweets, and/or treats.” 

In an article published in 2020 in Nutrients, Dr. Robert H. Lustig wrote that the global pandemic of non-communicable diseases stems from markers of obesity and poor diet, and argued that ultra-processed foods should be regulated in the same way other addictive substances are regulated.

This is because they fall under the same four criteria (abuse, toxicity, ubiquity, and externalities) that are considered by the public health community as “necessary and sufficient” for regulation. Of the addictive nature of UPFs, Lustig wrote:

“Added sugar (and specifically the fructose moiety) is unique in activating reward circuitry; fructose works both directly and indirectly to increase consumption; and that both obesity and chronic fructose exposure down-regulate dopamine receptors, requiring greater and greater stimuli to enact a reward-signaling effect (tolerance), a primary component of addiction.”

A systematic review published titled What Is the Evidence for Food Addiction?, scientists assessed 52 studies and 32 articles on processed food and addiction. Their research, which was published in the journal Nutrients in 2018, found that, “Overall, the majority of the studies in the present systematic review evaluated foods with added sweeteners (e.g., sugar, saccharine).

And many experiments combined sweeteners with fats such as hydrogenated oils or lard. The current review found that the most common foods associated with addictive symptoms were those high in added fats and/or refined carbohydrates such as sugar.”

When given the choice between saccharin-sweetened water and cocaine, rats are more likely to choose the sweeteners, according to a 2018 study published in PLoS One. In the study, researchers tested rats that had never been fed refined sugars or sweeteners before; no prior experience with refined sugar or artificial sweetener.

“Rats were allowed to choose mutually—exclusively between water sweetened with saccharin–an intense calorie-free sweetener—and intravenous cocaine–a highly addictive and harmful substance–the large majority of animals (94%) preferred the sweet taste of saccharin. … Importantly.

Each day before making their choices, rats were allowed to alternatively sample [the other option] learn their respective reward value.” The researchers concluded: “Our findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals.”

How big tobacco acquired big food

In the late 1980s, major tobacco corporations like R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris (now Altria) acquired and owned several Big Food brands, including Kraft, Nabisco and General Mills. At this time, Big Tobacco began to change and reformulate these food products.

Using the same tactics in targeted marketing and formulation of their tobacco products, with an increase in colors, flavors and additives, to create more appealing and addictive processed foods. This also included food specifically marketed to children. 

Though these tobacco companies have severed ties with food corporations, many of these processed food formulations remain. In fact, a 2023 research report published in the journal Addiction found that “tobacco-owned foods were 29% more likely to be classified as fat and sodium hyper-palatable food (HPF) and 80% more likely to be classified as carbohydrate and sodium HPF than foods that were not tobacco-owned between 1988 and 2001.

The availability of fat and sodium HPF and carbohydrate and sodium HPF was high in 2018 regardless of prior tobacco-ownership status, suggesting widespread saturation into the food system.”

Using criteria for tobacco addiction to measure food addiction

In 1988, the Surgeon General concluded that cigarettes and other tobacco products are addictive by using three criteria: “(1) they trigger compulsive use, (2) they have psychoactive effects and (3) they are reinforcing, ” writes Gearhardt in a 2022 analysis published in Addiction.

And since then, a fourth criteria was also added to addictive identification—the product’s ability to “trigger strong urges or craving”. Using this same standard of criteria for tobacco products, Gearhardt argues that ultra-processed foods can be considered addictive.

And, “to identify the key addictive components in [highly processed foods], the same care and control employed in understanding the addictive potential of drugs needs to be applied to studies of [highly processed foods].”

The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS)

Because food addiction has been controversial to define, Gearhardt, then a doctoral student at Yale University, created The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) in 2009 as a standardized tool to measure the signs of addictive eating behaviors.

The self-reported questionnaire uses questions based on criteria used for substance disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

It is meant to evaluate behavior with questions similar to those that would ask about other substance abuse issues, including drugs and alcohol,  regarding cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and failed efforts to stop. The scale has become a staple for food research around the world, and has been translated into many languages.

Gearhardt explained to the Guardian, “I took the standard diagnostic criteria for alcohol, nicotine, cocaine and heroin, and translated them to food.”

The YFAS is the basis for much of the research conducted on food addiction in the past 15 years.

The post Some ultra-processed foods are as addictive as cigarettes and cocaine, continued appeared first on Final Call News.

While mainstream America’s 50 state 250th anniversary celebration was in full effect, some Black Americans were asking “250 years of what?”

At an Independence Day celebration, on July 5, 1852, in New York, abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered his famous keynote address “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

He declared, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”

There was mass commercial celebration by some folks, others were conflicted, and then there were those who reject the commemoration as an inaccurate telling of the U.S. origin story.

“In 1976 as the USA prepared for bicentennial celebrations of the signing of their Declaration of Independence, members of Brooklyn’s EAST organization employed a different strategy,” Basir Mchawi, radio host of Education at the Crossroads on WBAI, told The Final Call. “Under the leadership of Baba Jitu Weusi, we raised a question, ‘200 years of what?’”

They sponsored a series of historical lectures, and dedicated an issue of their Black News magazine, to the theme. Fifty years later, for many Black people, the question remains the same. The crimes of the United States are far too numerous to mention, extending back beyond the year 1776. Those crimes continue.

The attempts to enhance the mythological beginnings of the nation-state that currently occupies most of North America have accelerated in recent years. A deep fear of confronting reality and being held accountable for unspeakable acts both historical and contemporary motivates the efforts to censor and rewrite.

It is “White fragility” at the base of all of this. To quote Mr. Douglass; “There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.”

Again, the question is, “250 years of what?”

As she helped organize the Spirit of Mandela Coalition two day event in Atlanta’s West End, beginning on July 5, activist Dequi kioni-Sadiki explained, “As America hypes up 250 years of independence from British rule, generations of Black, Brown and Indigenous folk continue to live through and with land/deed theft.

The violence of poverty, homelessness, mass/political imprisonment, environmental racism, lack of access to quality health, education and racial police terror, violence and murder. All of this amounts to the ‘slow’ genocide that persistently takes our lives on a daily basis … .

A glaring contradiction is the hypocrisy of America boasting and celebrating independence, while millions continue to endure the legacy of genocide and enslavement that this country is founded on.”

Circa 1990 educator activist Dr. Jack Felder coined the phrase “Happy Fourth of You Lie Day.” His son activist educator Nova Felder explained, “This isn’t a celebration for the Black community. We have endured and thrived at times, in spite of what the good ol’ USA has thrown at us.

We can have whatever level of cognitive dissonance to be able to stomach the medicine aka Americanism throws at us, but nonetheless, it doesn’t change that this is a racist, enslavement of African people.”

Mr. Felder pointed out that Frederick Douglass’ 1852 “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” was penned 13 years before the end of the American Civil War.

“This speech makes it clear that African people in this country then were not participants in American society or civics at that time, and in many ways are still not full participants.”

He added that today, “The executive branch is ignoring legal precedents, laws and established norms for its own agenda that Black folks are not favored by. Today, we look at the reality of Black immigrants being stripped of TPS (Haiti) and Black men still being railroaded by the justice system.

“This time of year, recrystallizes our resolve to continue fighting for self-determination, restorative justice and reparations,” Mr. Felder added.

While America’s 4th of July celebrates the Americans “victory” over the British, meanwhile in July in England, Caribbean people commemorated the injustices suffered by those of the Windrush Generation.

At the behest of the British government in 1948 the HMT Empire Windrush brought hundreds of much needed essential workers from countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad, Grenada, and Barbados, to help rebuild a devastated post-World War II England.

The 1948 British Nationality Act granted the requested migrants the right to stay and work in Britain. This “ad hoc” recruitment drive lasted until 1971. But in April 2018, it was announced that the UK Home Office had kept inadequate Windrush migrant records, and had destroyed landing cards.

National UK activist Lorna Downer of the Windrush Defenders Legal CIC told The Final Call, “The then Prime Minister Theresa May sanctioned the ‘hostile environment,’ which led to those who came from British colonies to save and rebuild Britain to be subjected to deportation, loss of jobs, loss of housing, refusal of healthcare and drivers licenses.”

The outcry was immediate. The subsequent ‘Windrush Scandal’ revealed that many people were illegally deported. A commission was appointed, reviews were conducted, and a compensation fund established.

“Our seniors gathering together is beautiful. However, holding celebrations on Windrush Day (June 22), is a concept that has been hijacked by the government, to shove our people into a false sense that all is celebratory; whilst they seek to hide the serious harm that has been done to Caribbean and African people, who came and rebuilt Britain.”

Ms. Downer said that while the national Windrush Day celebrations “are beginning to drown us out, we are relentless. However, we are also under-resourced, and the Home Office directs the funds we require from them to get our people dancing. We have had to shame them into action because of the Windrush Compensation Scheme not being fit for purpose.”

Paul Obinna, a Manchester, UK-based teacher said that Black Britons have long felt aligned to Black Americans, because of different but relatable struggles.

For him with mixed Igbo-English heritage from his in part, “Black Music was the lifeline in the midst of my cultural isolation.”

He cited as influences, songs like, “Spirit” by Earth, Wind & Fire, “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder’s album, “Songs in the Key of Life” which contained the bi-centennial celebration “Black Man” penned by him and Imhotep Gary Byrd. That song called out the names of Black, Red, Brown, White and Yellow people who had contributed to the formation of the U.S.

Decades later, said Mr. Obinna, “‘Black Man’ is still a key teaching tool, [which could illustrate] the current U.S. administration’s mission to eradicate embarrassing White histories.”

Milton Allimadi, publisher of The Black Star News explained to The Final Call that the most essential problems faced by Blacks in the U.S. and Black people around the world “because of the global power of the United States, can be traced to the White male supremacy that was the foundation of the creation of this country.”

Mr. Allimadi who is also an Adjunct Professor of African History at New York’s John Jay College, continued, “Europeans who occupied this country and wiped out the indigenous populations built tremendous wealth through the labor of enslaved Africans.

Then they quarreled with fellow Europeans back in Europe, the British monarchy, on how to divide the profits from the wealth created by the enslaved-Africans. They fought wars and the Europeans who occupied this country defeated the monarchy. They created the United States.”

Since then, he continued, Blacks “in the United States and globally have been demanding for and fighting for their just share of the tremendous wealth created by their ancestors.”

Nayaba Arinde is a freelance Editor-at-Large and award-winning reporter and activist. Follow her on Instagram @NayabaArinde1

The post Blacks in the U.S., UK and recognizing a shared struggle appeared first on Final Call News.

NEW YORK—After 54 years of providing the New York Tri-state area with cultural, educational, artistic, and socio-economic presentations from all over the country and the Black diaspora, Brooklyn has resisted efforts of the NYC Parks Department to close the gates on the popular International African Arts Festival (IAFF).

With renewed vigor, New York has got itself another win, as organizers defied all attempts to shut down what became the 55th International African Arts Festival in Brooklyn over the July 4th weekend.

“The International African Arts Festival (IAAF) celebrates ourselves, and our African-descendant culture,” Dr. Segun Shabaka, IAAF co-founder and board director told The Final Call.

“For over 50 years, people have flown into Brooklyn from all around the world, setting their calendars by the oldest multi-day PAN-African celebration in the nation that must be protected and promoted at all costs,” he added.

After over 23 years at the Fort Greene (near Downtown Brooklyn) Commodore Barry Park location, Dr. Shabaka said that last year, “the city commissioner of the parks department said that the park was being renovated. So, we could no longer use the venue. They told us there is no park in Brooklyn that is big enough to hold the festival.”

But Brooklyn has many big parks including Shirley Chisholm State Park, and Linden “Sonny Carson” Park..

Festival organizers, activists, vendors, and patrons anxiously sought a solution. Dr. Shabaka said, “The community was asking to stay in Central Brooklyn. We did not want to be relocated to the outskirts or outside of Brooklyn, where they did not know, or support our festival.”

The activism seemed to encourage a change of heart, and the festival was then relocated to Lincoln Terrace Park in Crown Heights. In the heart of a large Black community notwithstanding, Dr. Shabaka, explained that in terms of how long they will be at this location, “We’ve been told that it’s indefinite.

The question is what kind of support are we going to get, and what are the restrictions that we are under right now in terms of this small area? It’s about one-third of what we had before.

So, I am not even sure that the board wants to stay here because of these challenges, and the revenue that we’re able to generate against the budget that we are confronted with every year.”

“The parks department, and every city, state, and federal agency has to understand that their sole purpose is to serve the people,” area Assembly Representative Stefani Zinerman told The Final Call, adding, “and if there is a collective response from the people that asks for something—their immediate answer should be, ‘How can we work together to make it happen?’ as opposed to saying, ‘No.’”

“We are the third largest city in America, yes, but Brooklyn deserves to have a festival that focuses on our culture. But we know that there are forces who are really trying to erase our culture. To them we are not a priority, and we have to make ourselves a priority. That is why we have these festivals to keep people hopeful that it can happen.”

The parks department did not respond to a request for a response by presstime.

Long time supporters may recall how the original African Street Festival was hosted at Bed Stuy’s Claver Place, the street of The East—the renowned Pan-African grassroots organization and Kawaida institution co-founded in 1969 by educator Jitu Weusi.

The next location was at the late Principal Frank Mickens’ Bed Stuy Boys and Girls High School. The laying down of a multimillion-dollar running track on the school field, eventually led to the relocation to Commodore Barry Park.

Tyi McCray, RABA World founder and designer specializing in accentuating footwear and furniture, with rich African handwoven textiles, said, “I’m excited about the festival and I’m actually optimistic that the new location is more convenient for people to get to.

I’m actually optimistic that the smaller size will bring people together. It really showcases the richness of the Black community in Brooklyn. It allows people to connect more directly with the Continent while in Brooklyn. I’ve been going to the festival since I was a child.

It’s a big part of my life, I don’t think I’ve missed a year. This time I am participating for the first time as a vendor. I hope that more young people will make it a part of their own tradition, and that it gets passed on gracefully to the next generation.”

Assemblywoman Zinerman added that as she continues to “do my part by giving them funding every year,” the IAAF need to be afforded the space they require, and authorities need to look into the “tourism, and economic development,” that they bring in.

On another note, “Fifty plus years, and there’s never any violence there. They’ve got the prescription. Those who talk about the police—fund the festival, because the festival is what brings people together in peace and harmony, and community development and building,” she added.

“It is great news. The 55th annual festival. We are bringing it home. The Namabian theme is ‘Hanganeni … Let’s unite,’” said Dr. Shadidi Beatrice Kinsey, vice chair of the New York chapter of NAKO (the National Association of Kawaida Organizations). “It is in the heart of the community. It is ideal.”

Dr. Shabaka said the festival has been a part of Brooklyn cultural landscape since 1971, with “a committed team of board members, part-time seasonal staff and volunteers, working together to transform a city park into an outdoor African cultural oasis that celebrates traditional and contemporary expressions of various African cultures.”

Previous performers have included Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Lauryn Hill, KRS-1, Yasiin Bey, Norman Connors, Tito Puente Jr., D’Angelo, and The Mighty Sparrow. This year’s three-day weekend event included Bambara African Dance & Drum Ensemble and Entre Almas Rachiim Ausar-Sahu, featuring Joyce Brandon. For more information, visit IAAFESTIVAL.org.

—Nayaba Arinde

Nayaba Arinde is a freelance Editor-at-Large and award-winning reporter and activist. Follow her on Instagram @NayabaArinde1

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by Childrens Health Defense
Originally published by Center for Biological Diversity

This article was published by The Defender—Childrens Health Defense News & Views Website on March 26, 2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has routinely failed to put cancer warnings on pesticide products even when its own assessments have found a high risk of those products causing cancer, according to two new analyses released today by the Center for Food Safety and the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Center for Food Safety analyzed the level of risk the EPA permitted for both currently approved and legacy pesticide active ingredients.

The analysis found that pesticides have been allowed on the market with a cancer risk as high as 1 in every 100 people exposed, a far greater level than the EPA’s benchmark of a 1 in a million chance of developing cancer.

Over the last 40 years, the EPA has approved 200 active ingredients that are “likely” or “possible” carcinogens.

The Center for Biological Diversity analysis examined pesticide product labels for all currently approved pesticide products. The EPA has instituted cancer warnings on only 69 of 4,919 pesticide labels (1.4%) containing an active ingredient that the agency has designated a “likely” human carcinogen.

And the agency has instituted cancer warnings on just 242 of the 22,147 pesticide labels (1.1%) that contain an ingredient the agency has designated as a “possible” human carcinogen.

“It’s bad enough that the EPA approves cancer-causing pesticides,” said Bill Freese, science director at the Center for Food Safety.

“But if the agency is going to allow such chemicals to be freely sold at Home Depot, Wal-Mart and farm-supply stores, the very least the EPA must do is require a clear cancer warning on the label. Warnings save lives by incentivizing users to wear protective equipment that reduces risk.”

“It’s dumbfounding that the EPA has failed to require any cancer warning on thousands of pesticide products sold to the public that the agency itself has linked to cancer,” said Lori Ann Burd, environmental health program director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“Why should anyone have confidence in the EPA’s ability to keep tabs on the pesticide industry and protect us all from harmful poisons when it won’t even compel companies to put long-term health warnings on pesticides it knows are really dangerous?”

These new analyses come before the April 27 oral arguments in the Supreme Court case Monsanto Company v. John L. Durnell.

Monsanto, since acquired by Bayer, is seeking substantial immunity from future lawsuits brought by Americans who used glyphosate-based products like Roundup and contracted rare cancers that numerous studies have linked to the pesticide.

The case hinges on whether the EPA has sole authority to implement pesticide label warnings.

Both analyses found that the vast majority of cancer warnings on pesticides come from obligations under Proposition 65 in California, which requires warnings on products, including pesticides, that contain hazardous levels of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm.

However, most Americans are not adequately warned about products’ known cancer risks.

For instance, pesticide products containing mancozeb, diuron and chlorothalonil—three EPA-designated “likely” human carcinogens—are only required to include a cancer warning in the state of California.

The pesticides are applied to a wide range of vegetable, fruit and grain crops grown in many other states, according to U.S. Geological Survey reports.

Full summary of analyses

The Center for Food Safety analysis focused on the active ingredients contained in currently approved and legacy pesticide products.

It found that of the 570 unique pesticide chemicals that the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs has analyzed for carcinogenic potential since 1985, more than a third (35%) are either “likely” human carcinogens (73) or “possible” human carcinogens (127).

For many of these pesticide ingredients, the EPA has identified substantial cancer risks far exceeding its policy threshold of preventing a cancer risk of greater than one in 1 million people exposed.

For example, the EPA predicts drinking water contaminated with the pesticide thiophanate-methyl can cause cancer in up to four in 10,000 people exposed.

Residential and occupational uses of other registered pesticides can cause cancer in as many as seven in 1,000 people exposed, a 7,000-fold higher risk than the EPA’s threshold for unacceptable cancer risk.

The Center for Biological Diversity analysis focused on the pesticide labels of individual pesticide products and reviewed more than 93,000 historic and currently approved pesticide labels for all products now available to pesticide users.

It found that the EPA has instituted cancer warnings on only 69 of 4,919 pesticide labels (1.4%) containing an ingredient that the agency has designated a “likely” human carcinogen and 242 of the 22,147 pesticide labels (1.1%) that contain an ingredient the agency has designated as a “possible” human carcinogen.

In the few instances when the EPA has instituted a cancer warning on pesticide labels, implementation can be haphazard and confusing. For instance, the agency has implemented cancer warnings on some products containing triphenyltin hydroxide.

However, other products with the same amount of active ingredient and approved for the same uses contain no cancer warning at all.

Originally published by the Center for Biological Diversity. This article was published by The Defender—Childrens Health Defense News & Views Website under Creative

Commons license CC BYNCND 4.0

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Prince George’s County leaders and advocates are urging lawmakers and developers to prioritize the needs and safeguard the well-being of the community and the environment when considering the construction of data centers in the area, as more proposals appear in Maryland. 

With the possibility of a hyperscale data center being built at the former Landover Mall site, the recent zoning approval in Frederick County that would allow for the construction of data centers across a 2,600-acre plot of land.

And the suggestion to use the former Six Flags property in Bowie for these kinds of facilities, many hope that any approved proposals proceed responsibly and sustainably. 

“This isn’t an anti-technology fight,” Staci Hartwell, founding member of the South County Environmental Justice Coalition (SCEJC) and member of Prince George’s County’s Qualified Data Center Task Force, told The Informer. “It’s a pro-people, pro-ratepayer, pro-public health fight.” 

Many residents, activists, and leaders were displeased with the proposed hyperscale data center at the former Landover Mall site, and the development was paused after an eruption of public objection to the development in September 2025.

Two months later, the Qualified Data Center Task Force published the findings of the research it had conducted since April, exploring community input and how these structures would impact energy demand, the environment and residents’ quality of life.

Lawmakers also voted in favor of increased research on the matter in December 2025, as they overturned Gov. Wes Moore’s veto on Maryland House Bill (HB) 0270, the Data Center Impact and Analysis Report.

The bill requires the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration and the University of Maryland School of Business to analyze data centers’ environmental, energy and economic implications in the state and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by Sept. 1, 2026. 

“I think it is so important for communities to keep letting their legislators … know that this is something that they care about,” Angie McCarthy, the Maryland Conservation Advocate for environmental organization Nature Forward, told The Informer.

“We’re going to continue pushing for statewide legislation, and we hope that community members continue to stay involved because there’s a big conversation that’s happening at the state level that we need people to pay attention to.”

Safeguarding a fragile energy grid

One of Prince George’s Councilmember Wala Blegay’s (D-At-large) biggest concerns about proposed data centers in the region–—especially those that are hyperscale—is their high energy demand. 

These structures, which are usually 10,000 square feet or larger, require a power draw of more than 100 megawatts. One megawatt is equal to one million watts, which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission states is the amount of electricity annually consumed by 400 to 900 homes.

On a greatly strained energy grid, which has caused utility bills to surge, such a tremendous energy requirement can pose a serious problem for consumers in the area.

“We can’t have them get in on our power. They’ve got to bring their own generation,” Blegay, who is a Qualified Data Center Task Force member, told The Informer. “We want to make sure there’s a use of clean energy with data centers … [and] that any location is not close to people’s homes.”

As a possible solution to the high power draw these facilities require, the Task Force’s November report suggests that the county could convince the Public Service Commission to implement a surcharge on data centers that encourages the use of energy-efficient building guidelines and cooling technologies.

This proposed solution would go hand in hand with HB 1035/Senate Bill (SB) 937, the Next Generation Energy Act, which promotes the increase of power generation and battery energy storage within the state, while also protecting consumers by reducing costs through the limitation of how utilities can spend ratepayers’ money.

The Task Force also suggests the country encourage an expansion of the bill to include that customers with consumption exceeding 100 megawatts pay their own transmission and distribution costs.

“We just really have to end the practice of treating Black and Brown communities as acceptable sacrifice zones,” Hartwell told The Informer. “There are smarter ways to move forward—ways that people can be proud of.”

Alternative options for economic growth

Prince George’s County is currently in the midst of a budget deficit of $130 to $170 million for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), which is why many in favor of expanded data center development say these structures are needed to bring in economic opportunity to the region.

With projects that are so demanding of resources and are drivers of air, noise and light pollution, advocates wonder if this is the smartest path to go down.

Northern Virginia holds the highest concentration of data centers in the world, as its lack of taxation on the structures is attractive to developers. In the Commonwealth’s 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), it was revealed that the amount of abated taxes in the state amounted to $1.6 billion.

“Without transparency and without the data points, we don’t actually know how Maryland is going to economically benefit from data centers,” McCarthy told The Informer. “Every community is really different, so it’s hard to brush all data center concerns over with one simple clause of … [making] so much money in taxes.”

People like Tolson Banner, executive director of the Prince George’s County Community Development Corporation (PGCCDC), believe that ideas like the proposed Medical Innovation Campus in the southern part of the county are more beneficial and sustainable ways to fuel economic growth.

The campus, which would be located in Clinton, would be centered around the MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital. It would feature an expanded hospital and create a mixed-use area that includes access to retail, healthy food options, recreation, green spaces and housing opportunities. Such a campus could potentially create a multitude of jobs for residents while efficiently addressing their needs.

“Everyone started believing that data centers would be the cure-all for their fiscal ills, when, in fact, … . It’s turning out not to be that,” Banner told The Informer. “Let’s take a step back and see how we can simultaneously deal with these ills and not just focus on … increasing the commercial tax base.” 

Since the Landover site was once a shopping center bustling with customers and offering job opportunities, many, including Blegay, believe that the plot of land has the potential to truly benefit the community. The council member, other Task Force members, advocates and residents alike, do not want to see a data center built there. 

“It’s a whole campus. We can do mixed development there,” Blegay told The Informer. “Instead of putting a data center there, I think there are other things we can do.”

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On December 19, 2025, the Snowshoe Resort Community District (SRCD) board in West Virginia voted unanimously to terminate the employment of Timothy Loehmann. Loehmann is the former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014.

The decision was reached during an emergency meeting. It marks the fourth known time in seven years that Loehmann has been forced out of a law enforcement-related position following public outcry.

A pattern of secret hirings

Loehmann had been serving as an armed ranger for the SRCD since June 2024. His employment only came to light recently after an investigative report by Dragline, a publication of the ACLU of West Virginia.

The report revealed that Loehmann had been hired at the recommendation of SRCD Police Chief Bryan Grimm. He had previously worked with Loehmann at another West Virginia department.

The revelation of Loehmann’s presence in the resort community sparked immediate backlash from residents and civil rights activists. In response to the termination, the SRCD board also pledged to overhaul its hiring policies and procedures. This will prevent similar situations in the future from occurring.

The legacy of the Tamir Rice shooting

The controversy surrounding Loehmann dates back to November 22, 2014. That was the date he shot and killed Tamir Rice within seconds of arriving at a Cleveland recreation center. Tamir Rice was, at the time, playing with a toy pellet gun. A grand jury declined to indict Loehmann, a decision that fueled nationwide protests regarding police accountability and systemic racism.

While Loehmann was never charged with a crime, he was fired from the Cleveland Division of Police in 2017—not for the shooting itself, but for lying on his initial job application.

He had failed to disclose that a previous employer, the Independence Police Department, had deemed him “unfit for duty” due to emotional instability and a “dangerous loss of composure” during weapons training.

Ongoing advocacy and ‘pathological’ persistence

Since his 2017 firing, Loehmann has repeatedly sought employment in smaller jurisdictions:

• 2018: Withdrew his application in Bellaire, Ohio, after public backlash.

• 2022: Resigned from a position in Tioga, Pennsylvania, just days after being sworn in as the town’s only officer.

• 2024: Resigned from the White Sulphur Springs Police Department in West Virginia following community protests.

Subodh Chandra, the attorney for Tamir Rice’s mother, Samaria Rice, described Loehmann’s continued attempts to remain in law enforcement as “pathological.” Samaria Rice has remained a steadfast advocate, vowing to ensure Loehmann never wears a badge again. “I still don’t understand how anyone can ever possibly hire Timothy Loehmann,” she stated following the West Virginia firing. “I am happy that the community stood up once again.”

Reports indicate Loehmann may have also been recently employed by the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office in West Virginia, though the status of that position remains under investigation as community leaders and the NAACP plan further protests.

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NEW YORK—“Fight we must! Fight we will!” Viola Plummer said in a video played at the recent 38th anniversary celebration of the December 12th Movement, held on Dec. 12. This year’s gathering commemorated the longtime human rights activist and the December 12th Movement organization she led until her death in January 2024.

The tribute also honored the “Matriarch of the Movement,” noted activist and clergyman Rev. Herbert Daughtry.

“In recognition of the late Viola Plummer’s special leadership ability in guiding the oppressed masses of Black people and diverse exploited workers to resist, the December 12th Movement presented the first Inaugural Viola Plummer Serve The People Award,” December 12th Movement member Colette Pean said.

The first two recipients were community advocates: Philadelphia’s Pam Africa, the head of International Concerned Friends and Family of Mumia Abu-Jamal, and New Jersey’s Zayid Muhammad, founding press officer for the Malcolm X Commemoration Committee.

Rev. Daughtry’s House of the Lord Church hosted the evening. “It’s hard to think of an issue when December 12th (D12) was not involved in a leadership role, or part of a collective,” he said. “They kept racism on the front burner with the Durban Conference in 2001, and they have been consistent in the fight for reparations. From police brutality to gentrification, for 38 years they have been there in the critically important times, like when we were reviving the African/Black Liberation Movement and Afro-Centricism, and African Consciousness. They supported President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe,” Rev. Daughtry, who is 94, added.

“When they boycotted the fruit market, they then went into business with a fruit store. It’s important to protest, but also show the people that ownership is vital. Music is a great part of our culture, and they have jazz nights at Sista’s Place. They wanted the people to understand the importance of politics, and they were part of the movement to get Charles Baron elected to the City Council. So from protest, to politics, to business, to the liberation movement, they were there,” he said of D12.

Speakers and attendees of the gathering included former elected city officials and activists Charles and Inez Barron; Dr. James McIntosh of The Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People; Professor James Small; Student Protocol Director Paul Muhammad from Mosque No. 7C of the Nation of Islam; Newark activist Fredrica Bey of Women in Support of the Million Man March, Raymond Duguy from the UNIA, and Cinque Brath, son of global activist Elombe Brath.

Former New York State Assemblywoman and former New York City Councilwoman Inez Barron remembered Viola Plummer as a “cornerstone” for projects like the real affordable Alafia Village. “She did so much. She gave so much. She headed the organization that we’re recognizing today, and was so involved in protests against injustices here in our city.”

Ms. Plummer was the chief of staff for both Inez and Charles Barron. “We give her that honor, and give her that recognition, and pick up the torch and carry on. So, all of the members of the December 12th Movement, led by Omowale Clay, we love you, we appreciate the work that you do, and let us continue to support you as we go straight ahead,” said Ms. Barron.

Citing a Somalian saying as he spoke on legacy, young activist Aidaruss Shirwa, said, “‘It’s not what you lose, it’s what you carry.’… so incredible, so principled, and disciplined to lead this great organization for that long, we understand that we don’t just equate Viola Plummer just to the December Movement—we link her to the Black liberation movement.”

D12’s Jahid Johnson began with the reparations mantra, “‘They stole us. They sold us. They owe us.’ Reparations now!” He mentioned the formerly enslaved African Belinda Sutton’s historic petition filed to the Massachusetts General Court in February 1783 as an example of the first of the many campaigns for recompense for the human rights crime of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

Since 1989, D12 has worked to have it declared “an international crime against humanity with no statute of limitations.” Their work led to 400 participants traveling with them to the Durban, South Africa, World Conference against Racism in August 2001.

“Every step of the way, D12 out-organized the most powerful country in the world,” Johnson said. The work exposed that the “bones at the bottom of the ocean are the foundation of Western capitalism,” he continued.

“The very idea that you had to account for what you did to African people had White supremacy and imperialism in a chokehold.”

Moved and emotional, Pam Africa was gracious in her acceptance of her Viola Plummer award. She and Ms. Plummer had worked for years in many community-centered battles for social and political justice. “I am just so thankful,” said Ms. Africa.

She reiterated her decades-long fight to make the government “back the hell up off Mumia Abu Jamal,” the incarcerated journalist, former Black Panther, and author, as he struggles through health challenges. Institutions are only moved by the masses, she said. It was the people who made the uncertain understand the importance of historic gatherings such as the 1995 Million Man March, called by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the 1997 Million Woman March. “The power is in the people,” said Ms. Africa.

Zayid Muhammad praised Viola Plummer, Pam Africa, Ella Baker, Assata Shakur, Safiya Bukhari and her “Black liberation politics,” and Erica Ford and her LifeCamp, “embracing the politics of revolution.”

He mentioned his own “Little Safiya, who just happens to be the great niece of Ella Baker—five generations and a day … . I hope one day she climbs up on her ancestors’ shoulders and finds her voice, and her way, and spreads her wings so she can join us in finding her place in the struggle.”

D12 Chair Omowale Clay closed out the evening, calling the name of the late great Coltrane Chimurenga, who said that “We have to recapture our youth. Looking around this room, I see the spirit of Pam and Zayid. Viola is an expression of our people … . There are people in here who can get the Viola Plummer Award. But it’s not a contest. It’s a mission,” he said.

Nayaba Arinde is a freelance Editor-at-Large and award-winning reporter and activist. Follow her on Instagram @NayabaArinde1

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by Ezekiel J. Walker – The Black Wall Street Times

The word “budget” often conjures images of restrictive spreadsheets and difficult conversations. While it’s true that budgeting requires discipline, when embraced as a family activity, it transforms from a chore into a powerful tool for financial security, shared goals, and invaluable life lessons.

Family budgeting isn’t just about managing money; it’s about building a stronger financial culture together. At its core, a family budget is simply a spending plan that ensures your income covers your expenses while helping you achieve your long-term objectives.

But the most significant benefit comes from the transparency and communication that this process fosters. When all family members—parents and children alike—understand the household’s financial situation, it eliminates secrecy, reduces stress, and creates a sense of shared responsibility.

The benefits for children: financial literacy in action

Involving children in the budgeting process is perhaps the most crucial element. It moves financial education out of a textbook and into the real world. By participating, kids learn fundamental concepts they will carry for life:

Understanding trade-offs: When presented with limited resources, children quickly grasp the concept of opportunity cost. They realize that choosing a new video game might mean delaying a planned family trip, sparking conversations about needs versus wants.

Goal Setting: Whether saving for a new bike or contributing a small amount to a large family vacation fund, setting and tracking financial goals teaches patience, delayed gratification, and the rewarding feeling of accomplishment.

The value of money: Assigning age-appropriate “jobs” within the budget—like tracking a specific expense category (e.g., groceries or entertainment)—gives them a tangible understanding of how much things actually cost; and where the family’s money goes.

Strengthening the family unit

For couples, budgeting together necessitates aligning on financial priorities. It requires sitting down regularly to discuss dreams, fears, and spending habits. This practice is a cornerstone of a healthy relationship, as financial discord is often cited as a major source of marital stress.

By creating a unified financial vision, couples move past “my money” and “your money” to focus on “our money” and “our future.”

Furthermore, a family budget acts as a shield against emergencies. When everyone is aware of the emergency savings fund and the goals it protects, there is collective motivation to maintain it. This shared commitment provides an immense psychological relief, knowing that the family can weather unexpected financial storms together.

Tips for making a successful budget

Making family budgeting effective and fun requires a thoughtful approach:

Make it a regular ritual: Schedule a weekly or monthly “money meeting.” Keep it light, perhaps with snacks or dessert, to make it something to look forward to rather than dread.

Use visual tools: Use whiteboards, colorful charts, or digital apps that are easy for everyone to see and understand. Seeing a goal fund grow visually is incredibly motivating.

Be age-appropriate: Give younger children simple tasks, like counting coins for a goal jar. Give teenagers more responsibility, like managing their own allowance or researching the best price for a family purchase.

Focus on progress, not perfection: There will be overspending months. Use these as learning opportunities, not reasons to assign blame. The goal is consistent effort and open discussion.

Budgeting together is a powerful investment—not just in your family’s financial stability, but in its future happiness and cohesion. It teaches responsibility, encourages teamwork, and cultivates a generation that is financially literate and confident. It’s an act of love, planning, and preparation for the journey ahead.

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In 1984, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan said, “Now that nation called Israel has never had any peace in 40 years and she will never have any peace because there can be no peace structured on injustice, thievery, lying and deceit and using the name of God to shield your dirty religion under His holy and righteous name.” 

Minister Farrakhan was universally criticized and labeled an anti-Semite, a racist and more, a designation that has unfairly lingered on him for over four decades. Now, 41 years later, every word the Minister spoke is truer today than it has ever been.  And the world is witnessing his words come to life. 

If we closely examine the State of Israel today, no honest historian, credible religious scholar, or casual observer of world affairs can conclude anything other than what Minister Farrakhan summarized more than 40 years ago is the actual truth. 

Though not a prophet, his words were prescient. As Minister Farrakhan predicted, Israel has become an international pariah. The leader of the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and he can be incarcerated if he were to travel to certain world capitals for the acts of genocide Israel has committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza. 

Many people around the world have come to realize the truth of Minister Farrakhan’s proclamation and are now in agreement with him. The United Nations has roundly condemned Israel for its inhuman and aberrant behavior, and the only nation that is unwilling to condemn and criticize the racist apartheid State of Israel is the United States of America, its chief benefactor. 

Minister Farrakhan was among the first to announce that Israel knew, in advance, that Hamas—a creation of Netanyahu and the government of Israel—that Israel was going to be attacked by Hamas and did nothing to stop the attack.

Minister Farrakhan was a significant contrarian on this issue. His insight alerted his global audience to Israel’s complicity in the October 7, 2023, attack. His Saviours’ Day 2024 message (“What Does Allah The Great Mahdi And The Great Messiah Have To Say About The War In The Middle East?” available to view on media.noi.org) is illustrative of this point. 

The New York Times, the BBC, Al Jazeera, Candace Owens, The Young Turks and a plethora of other media, public figures and government outlets have exposed Israel’s complicity in the October 7 attack that led to 1,200 of its own citizens being slaughtered.  

Minister Farrakhan reasoned that Netanyahu willfully permitted the attack to take place to justify his desire to invade Gaza and obliterate the entire area. History has shown that this is exactly what Netanyahu has done.

Gaza has become a wasteland (See the YouTube video, “IDF Extends Onslaught as West Bank Burns”). Israel had been warned a year in advance that an attack had been planned. In addition, Egypt had forewarned the Israelis about an upcoming attack. 

Their intelligence reports were ignored (see also the YouTube video “IDF Soldier Suggests Israel let October 7 Happen”). According to Drop Site News, “Israel’s Channel 7 News identified the IDF whistleblower as Sholomo Jeremy Scahill.”  

Israel is disintegrating internally. The Times of Israel reported that 500,000 Israelis have fled the country during the first six months of the war with Gaza. That represents a 285% spike in Israelis fleeing the country. Not only does that signal a tax burden on the country, but it also represents a brain drain.

Add to that the growing tension between the ultra-orthodox and the Reform Jewish communities. According to the Pew Research Center, 62% of Reform Jews are atheist or agnostic. The conflict between the two divisions is growing ever wider.  

Israeli settlers are confiscating land that has been cultivated by Palestinians for thousands of years and are forcing them to become homeless nomads in their land of origin, while Ashkenazi usurpers from Eastern Europe enrich themselves from the sweat equity of the Palestinians.

All the while, respected Jewish historians like Shlomo Sand (“The Invention of the Jewish People”) and Arthur Koestler (“The Thirteenth Tribe”) dig into the Eastern European past of those who call themselves Jews but are instead, pagan converts to Judaism.

Their own historians, scientists, and anthropologists are denying their claim to the religion of Abraham and are documenting that they are not even Semites. 

Israel has never been more unstable. Plagued by a government in chaos, political leaders that are not trusted by those they claim to govern, racial, religious, and ethnic unrest, a pariah nation status, and fighting wars on several borders, a dwindling Jewish population, and an expansion of the Arab population speak to the inner turmoil Minister Farrakhan was addressing in 1984. 

The statements Minister Farrakhan made concerning Israel’s future are now ominously coming true. The predictions made by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1984 have come to fruition.

Add to that the fact that these European interlopers are sitting on a time bomb; they may want to study the words of Minister Farrakhan more carefully. With a $37 trillion budget deficit and an inability to pay its own bills, the U.S. may have to tell Israel it can no longer afford to send them their annual $20 billion welfare check, and it will have to pay for its own weapons of mass destruction.

It’s not as if they can’t afford it. Tel Aviv is the second-richest city in the Middle East, second only to Dubai. According to Forbes Magazine, Israel has one of the highest rates of millionaires and billionaires in the world. 

Minister Farrakhan was the first to expose Israel like no one else. Many around the world are seeing Israel as the racist settler state that it is. These issues factor into what Minister Farrakhan said to Israel as a warning in 1984 concerning Israel’s pending demise, further vindicating him and acknowledging his vision and prescience. 

Commentators and observers have predicted that Israel may have 10 years to survive as a nation. Do they see Jerusalem about to be surrounded, as the Bible states in Luke 21:20, which states: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.”  

What do these people see that the central governing body of the Catholic Church and others may be blind to?  

However, it is the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad who may have the last word on this matter. In the September 12, 1969, issue of the Muhammad Speaks newspaper, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “The Jews in Palestine will finally be the great losers even with the backing of her friends, because it is DIVINELY Appointed that the Jews must come out of Asia or be destroyed in war.”

Meanwhile, Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam are emerging from their prison. Once described as the country’s leading anti-Semite, the walls that once confined Minister Farrakhan are now crumbling.

On December 1, 2001, Minister Farrakhan wrote to President George W. Bush the following: “I write you from my prison. A prison without bars that has been made for me because of the passion for truth and justice out of which I speak, and, the propaganda that makes me appear to many as anti-White, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and anti-Gay.

None of these names accurately describe who I am. I hope that you will open your heart to what I am writing not withstanding the prison from which I am writing.”

The truth that Minister Farrakhan has been speaking is continuing to resonate around the world. In Africa, our people are repeating his words. Throughout the Muslim world, our brothers and sisters are reiterating his bold positions.

A growing community of White Christians is awaking to his position. And yes, even Jews recognize the value of his sage wisdom. The walls that attempted to confine and restrict Minister Farrakhan are now falling down.

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