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Exclusive: ACLU Threatens Legal Action if North Carolina Doesn't Transfer Trans Inmate to Women's Prison
Despite numerous requests to be transferred, North Carolina continues to hold Kanautica Zayre-Brown, a trans woman, behind bars at a men’s correctional facility, a choice that imperils Zayre-Brown’s safety daily, she and her advocates say. On Monday night, the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter (pdf) to North Carolina’s Department of Public Safety, demanding…
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Amid Some Economic Gains, Black Homeownership Continues to Fall: Report
Despite record low unemployment and higher wages than in the past, substantial barriers to homeownership continue to keep black Americans from amassing wealth. A new Washington Post report collects recent studies and data on black homeownership that offers a stark view of the racial gap in housing—one that only seems to be getting worse. Citing…
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Two Black Women Candidates Head to Runoff in Chicago Mayoral Race
Chicago is poised to elect its first black woman mayor as two candidates, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle, will square off in a run-off election in April after they took the top two spots in Tuesday’s race. According to the Chicago Tribune, it’s only the second time the city has ever had a runoff campaign…
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Shirley, You Must Be Playing: Green Book Writer Says He Didn't Know Musician's Family 'Existed' While Making Film
In a disappointing but not altogether surprising left-turn that soured one of the most inclusive, entertaining Oscar ceremonies in memory, Green Book, a racial reconciliation fantasy written for white people, by white people secured the Academy Award for Best Picture. Green Book also won awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor in Supporting Role,…
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Amid Calls to Resign, Justin Fairfax Calls Himself Victim of a Political 'Lynching'
Justin Fairfax, Virginia’s embattled Lieutenant Governor—though, let’s be real, ‘embattled’ applies to damn near half the state’s politicians at the moment—had some choice parting words for the state Senate as the 2019 legislative session drew to a close. In a six minute speech on Sunday, Fairfax, who has been accused by two women of sexual…
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R. Kelly Indicted on 10 Counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse, No-Bail Arrest Warrant Issued [Updated]
There were decades of allegations. There was a criminal trial on charges of child pornography. There were hashtag campaigns and open letters. There was a high-profile series documenting the stories of his alleged victims. Now, there is a no-bail warrant out for Robert “R.” Kelly on 10 counts of aggravated child sexual abuse, approved by…
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Kanautica Zayre-Brown and the Cold, Routine Cruelty of How the Criminal Justice System Treats Trans Women
Kanautica Zayre-Brown is a woman. Kanautica Zayre-Brown was convicted of a crime. Kanautica Zayre-Brown ought to be in a women’s prison. But since 2017, she has served the beginning of a 9-year, 11-month sentence in Harnett Correctional, a men’s prison in Lillington, N.C., despite her repeated pleas to be transferred. The state has yet to…
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Does a New Supreme Court Ruling Mean Police Can No Longer Use Asset Forfeiture to Enrich Their Departments?
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution limits the ability of state and local police to seize and keep cash, property, and other assets that may have been used to commit crimes, particularly when it’s used to enrich police departments. Written by Ruth Bader Ginsburg on her first day back at…
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White Supremacist Coast Guard Lieutenant Accused of Plotting Terrorist Attack to 'Establish a White Homeland'
A U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant and self-identified white nationalist is expected to appear before a judge Thursday afternoon on weapons and drugs charges related to a terrorist attack he was plotting. Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, of Silver Spring, Md., is accused of stockpiling weapons and ammunition to attack journalists and politicians. Hasson’s ultimate goal, according…
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The Year Black Lives Matter in Brazil: Death of Young Black Man in Rio Prompts Protests, Comparisons to Eric Garner
Black Lives Matter protests broke out in at least five different cities in Brazil last weekend following the death of a young black man who was restrained by supermarket security in an upscale suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Pedro Gonzaga, a 19-year-old student and father, died of a heart attack last Thursday after being immobilized…
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