-
Kamala Harris and AOC Introduce Legislation That Protects Formerly Incarcerated People Against Federal Housing Discrimination
U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is introducing a bill Wednesday with freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) that aims to protect people with criminal records from discriminatory policies in federal housing. According to Sen. Harris’s office, the Fair Chance at Housing Act is designed to cut down on recidivism by helping ex-offenders secure…
-
Beto O'Rourke Says All Americans Must Understand History of Slavery Before Cash Reparations Can Be Pursued
Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke told The Root in an on-camera interview that all Americans need to understand the story of slavery before the government considers cash reparations for descendants of slaves. “I would support those steps that would allow us to repair the damage done and to stop visiting this kind of injustice on future…
-
Julián Castro Wants to Stop Police Brutality by Getting Rid of Qualified Immunity
“Qualified immunity” refers to one of the most powerful federal laws that protects police officers from personal liability in cases of deadly force. But if Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro has his way, the doctrine will be scrapped if he becomes president. Last week, Castro introduced his “People First Policing Plan” which outlines how he…
-
The Memphis Theater That's Performing Blackness Unapologetically
MEMPHIS—When Ekundayo Bandele invited a group of journalists to tour Hattiloo, his independent theater in Memphis, he spoke as much about the community surrounding it as he did the plays performed inside. For most people who want to visit Hattiloo Theatre, they’d just go online and buy tickets. But for kids who live in certain…
-
Cory Booker Secures 12 Co-Sponsors for Reparations Bill
Presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has secured 12 co-sponsors for his reparations bill, according to an announcement the senator’s office released exclusively to The Root. The bill, officially titled, “HR 40 Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act (pdf),” would establish a commission to study the impact of slavery…
-
Memphis Mayoral Candidate Tami Sawyer Says Black Women Can Reclaim the South
Tami Sawyer’s run for mayor of Memphis, Tn. almost didn’t happen. The issue? Self-doubt. “Am I capable of running this city?” she wondered. “No one will vote for me,” she often told herself. “I can’t win,” were words that often swirled around in her mind. She took a step back and reminded herself of her…
-
Kamala Harris to Corporate America: Give Women Their Fair Share of the Bag or Else
Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has a warning for corporations that continue to pay women less than men: Give women the bag they deserve or I’ll snatch coins out of yours. Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve seen all of the data highlighting how much less women are paid than men.…
-
Harlem EatUp Festival Celebrates Family Culinary Legacies, Uplifts the Community
I sat with Tonja and Tianna Ottley on Monday night at the opening dinner of this week’s Harlem EatUp, an annual event devoted to showcasing some of the neighborhood’s best chefs, as they both recalled how they influenced each other’s cooking. Tonja beamed with joy much of the night because her daughter is one of…
-
Sex Workers in New York Want the Cops to Stop Preying on Them; Proposed Legislation Could Make That a Reality
ALBANY, N.Y.—TS Candii stepped outside of her apartment complex in the Bronx last summer and was immediately stopped by an officer from the NYPD. First, he accused her of being a sex worker, a profession she has participated in, but not on that day, Barbii told The Root. Then he asked her to become a…
-
Yoga Is My Self-Care: More Black Men Need to Breathe
As soon as I walk into my yoga studio in Brooklyn, I leave every societal hang-up on how black men are supposed to act and feel at the door. I can be free. I can be me, at peace with my mind and body. I exist unjudged by the people practicing with me because they,…
