Tag Archives: New York City

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Black is Beautiful …The Black Institute


tumblr_liqfpfNxmE1qezdspo1_400.jpegThe historic 1940’s doll experiment showed that Black children overwhelmingly preferred white dolls to black dolls, and that this preference sprung from a feeling that the white dolls were good and pretty, while the black dolls were bad and ugly.

In 2005, 17-year-old film student, Kiri Davis, of Manhattan’s Urban Academy duplicated the doll experiment to see how much, if anything had changed regarding children’s perceptions when it comes to skin color and value.

Read our latest blog entry to find out how the Black image has changed and tell us what you think?

The Black Institute
http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

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The Black Institute  · 39 Broadway, Suite 1540, New York , NY 10006
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Occupy Wall Street …Gregg Ross, Democracy for America

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The Occupy Wall Street protest is a watershed moment.

For weeks, protesters have been camped out in Liberty Square near Wall Street.

They are marching during the day and sleeping on the street at night, facing arrest and police violence. They are gaining media attention, inspiring thousands more to join them every day in New York and in cities across the country — and they are giving a voice to the American working class that has been attacked by big corporations and their allies in Congress.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters are standing up for us — because of that, thousands of people across the country have joined together to send them food to keep them going.

These donations have worked. They’ve kept the occupation strong. But it’s October in New York City and getting colder each day.

Protesters are now in immediate need of 200 sleeping bags to keep warm and keep the occupation going.

Donate $20 here to buy a sleeping bag to keep the occupation going in the cold.      http://nycga.cc/donate/

Working together, we can build a movement to take back our country from corporate greed.

In solidarity,

– Gregg

Gregg Ross, Political Campaign Manager
Democracy for America

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Stopped and Frisked : NYC Councilman on NYPD


In May of 2010 New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams spoke out against the NYPD‘s”Stop and Frisk” policy and highlighted the prejudices of the system.

“If you have more melanin in your skin you are more likely to be stopped…we should be allowed to walk freely.” Councilman Williams

At this year’s Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn Jumaane Williams was inappropriately profiled and detained by the NYPD. Councilman Williams has written a special guest blog for us here at The Black Institute about the situation.

Read it and tell us what you think about how we can move forward towards change!

The BlackInstitute
http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

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Marriage Equality Achieved? Not So Fast! …Michael Keegan, PFAW Foundation


Equality is THE LAW in NY State

This year the State of New York made the decision to recognize the right of same-sex couples to marry. It’s now the law, and public officials must abide by it regardless of their personal prejudices.

WWW.PFAW.ORG

This weekend we demanded that the Town Clerk of Ledyard, New York, Rose Marie Belforti, sign marriage licenses for same-sex couples looking to marry — as the law dictates she must do — or resign.

Belforti had previously stated that she would not sign licenses for same-sex couples and refused to do so for one couple on August 30. Even after numerous residents voiced their objections to the clerk’s position at a town meeting just last night, it was clear that Ms. Belforti is sticking to her refusal to issue licenses and has no intention of resigning.

PFAW Foundation is stepping up the pressure with a petition to Town Clerk Belforti that will help us focus more attention on this issue. Please add your name to it right now!       www.pfaw.org

Marriage equality is THE LAW in New York State, and couples like Katie Carmichael and Deirdre DiBiaggio, whom Belforti refused a marriage license, have the RIGHT to wed.

Public officials can’t pick and choose what laws they want to follow. And Ms. Belforti has no place putting her personal prejudices over the hard-won legal rights of New York’s same-sex couples. We’ll pursue all necessary legal action to make sure those rights are protected and are working with the global law firm Proskauer Rose, LLP to achieve a swift remedy. We’ve also brought the issue the attention of New York’s attorney general.

This year the State of New York made the decision to recognize the fundamental rights of gay and lesbian New Yorkers by finally allowing all couples to have equal access to the protections only marriage provides. We must be able to trust in our elected officials to uphold the people’s laws.

Please join us in this fight. Sign the petition to Ledyard Town Clerk Belforti now telling her to do her job, follow the law and sign ALL legal marriage licenses, or else resign.    www.pfaw.org

After you take action, it’s critical that you help spread the word. We can’t let elected officials at any level get away with illegally denying Americans’ their rights because of their own personal prejudices.

Thank you for standing for Equality — the American Way.

Sincerely,

Michael Keegan

P.S. Please notify us if you or someone you know has experienced the same problem in New York State. Email legal@pfaw.org.

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Democrats in NYC GOTV for David WePrin …NY09 … VOTE TUESDAY


Watch David Weprin’s latest ad >>

#1. WEPRIN ENDORSED BY NEW YORK TIMES

David Weprin Endorsed by New York Times. In August 2011, the New York Times endorsed David Weprin for Congress, noting that he “promises to work to protect Social Security and Medicare” and would not “cut programs that serve the working and middle classes.” The Times wrote that Weprin has “far more expertise… and fiscal rationality.” [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]

  • NYT: Bob Turner Economic Plan “Would Take a Magician.” The Times wrote that Republican Bob Turner’s economic plan “would take a magician” to work, which would mean reducing benefits for those on Medicare and Social Security. [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]
  • Turner Willing to Cut Medicare and Social Security, Raise Retirement age, Increase Co-pays. In an August 2011 interview with the New York Post editorial board, Turner pledged to rein in government even if that meant “cutting spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.” He said that “an increase in Medicare co-payments also has to be considered,” and that it would be “easy” to raise the eligibility age on entitlements for people currently under 55 years of age.  [NY Post, 8/26/11]
  • Turner Wanted to Cut the Budget by 35 percent.  In an op/ed published in National Review in June 2011, Bob Turner wrote: “My desire to go to Congress was to fix what’s broken and go home. End subsidies. End government dependencies. Dramatically cut the budget by 30 or 35 percent.”  [National Review, 6/08/11]

Republican Bob Turner on Tax Loopholes

Also see: NY-1 VIDEO: Rowdy Debate Shows Intensity In Special Congressional Race >>

#2. WEPRIN CLOSES LOOPHOLES, TURNER LOVES THEM.

David Weprin thinks it’s outrageous that New York City’s small businesses end up paying some of the highest business taxes in the world, while big corporations hire expensive lobbyists so they can get big tax breaks and evade taxes in offshore accounts.  Bob Turner is a corporate executive who says he never met a tax loophole he didn’t like

Weprin Supports Small Businesses by Closing Loopholes. In August 2011, Weprin released his small business plan, helping New Yorkers by “closing loopholes and lowering overall rates.” Weprin would also “fight to remove tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas and use those savings to reduce tax rates for small business.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

  • Weprin: An Advocate for Small Businesses. Launching his small business plan, Weprin said that New York’s small businesses pay some of the highest business taxes. “While big corporations are able to hire expensive lawyers and lobbyists to secure special tax breaks, I’ll be an advocate for small businesses in Washington.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

Turner: “Never Met a Loophole I Didn’t Like.” “As a Republican, I never met a loophole I didn’t like,” Turner said at a debate. “I really don’t know.” Weprin cited tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas as a corporate loophole he would like to close. [New York Times, 9/06/11]