Task force to investigate missing Black women slowly moves forward
CHICAGO—The end of the year is usually a time for family gatherings and cheer, but that will not be the case for Yohanna Clark and her family. Sadly, she will be burying her daughter after Chicago Police found her body at an apartment on December 14. According to local news, 15-year-old Amarise Parker was reported missing for the second time...
Breaking the public silence on Black women’s stories of police violence
#SayHerName campaign celebrates 9th anniversary by Yaminah Muhammad NEW YORK—Nearly a decade ago, video showing the gruesome death of Eric Garner, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of New York Police Department (NYPD) officers broke the internet. The video captured NYPD officer, Daniel Pantaleo, holding Mr. Garner in a prohibited lethal chokehold while multiple officers pinned him face down to...
Political discord continued the unraveling of a great nation in 2023
“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants…” —Bible (KJV), Revelation 11:18 “And every nation has a term. And when its term comes, they cannot remain behind the least while, nor can they precede it.” —Holy...
Racism, police violence, homelessness and hip-hop’s 50th among top stories for Blacks in 2023
A year plagued with racism, police violence, mass shootings and attacks on Black people in America, rounded out with high figures of homelessness, and threats to voting rights in 2023. The year 2024 may be more of the same, unless Blacks unite and do for self, according to political scientists, educators, activists, and spiritual leaders. “Oh, 2023 was heightened, of course,” emphasized...
Service, sacrifice and the spiritual armor of God
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” —Ephesians 6:11 For the believers of the Nation of Islam, 2023 was a year of service, sacrifice and equipping themselves with the spiritual armor needed to survive the darkness overshadowing the Earth. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s Saviours’ Day 2023...
Preventative Care Guidelines
Beyond preventing disease and cutting this country’s health-care bill, Black people in particular have even more reason to make a change and adopt healthful living as a priority. We already know we live in a racist society. But did you know that the very stress of racism cripples us in a way that leaves us susceptible to illnesses and...
Animal Contraceptive and Antibiotics in Popular Fast Foods, Testing Reveals
Kids may unknowingly be consuming an animal contraceptive when they eat a chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A. In a new report, Moms Across America found veterinary drugs and hormones in foods sold by the 10 most popular fast food restaurants in the U.S. by Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D., The Defender This article was originally published by the Defender—Children’s Health Defense News & Views...
Chicago City Council advances Gaza ceasefire resolution
CHICAGO—The Chicago City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations, voted to advance a ceasefire resolution in Gaza, due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war. Chaired by 33rd Ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, the committee’s resolution, passed Dec. 18, calls on the White House and U.S. Congress to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and will head to the full City...
Mayor Marcus Muhammad sworn in for third term in office
On December 18, Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad was sworn in for a third term in office. Mayor Muhammad was first elected in 2015 and officially took office in 2016. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2022 Benton Harbor, Michigan had a population of a little under 9,000 with Blacks making up 84 percent of the population. Benton...
The ongoing plight of political prisoners in the U.S.
In the United States, the fight for justice continues to be a pressing issue, as highlighted by the plight of political prisoners. In 2023 their stories continued to garner attention and shed light on the systemic injustices they face within the criminal justice system. From wrongful convictions to excessively long sentences, these individuals have become victims of a broken...