The United States is bound, by a 70-year-old treaty, not to deny access to those traveling on official business to the United Nations headquarters in New York. That hasn't stopped the Trump Administration from denying visas to dozens of women who were to attend the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women conference.Of those barred from entry into the United States, women from a number of African and Middle Eastern countries currently under Donald Trump's travel ban - including Sudan, Zimbabwe, Syria and Iran - were disproportionately affected. Women’s rights campaigners are petitioning the US Mission to the UN to streamline visa procedures for those traveling to the United States specifically to visit the UN."We have discovered that the U.S. State Department in some consulates and embassies have been requiring such documents as marriage certificates, proof of property ownership, letters stating employment status, proof of finances and even proof of birth certificates or proof showing that they have children as part of the requirements needed for a visa to be issued in order attend these U.N. Sessions," the petition states. However, a State Department official told The Hill that the U.S. was committed to upholding the requirements of the UN International Headquarters Agreement. The official added that the department could not discuss specific visa cases.Problems related to visa applications are not a new phenomenon for the Trump Administration. More than 50 visas were rejected for the conference in 2018, according to data from the International Service for Human Rights. "We can only assume there are more unreported cases of denial," said Madeleine Sinclair, director at the ISHR's New York office. At a  town hall meeting, Farirai Gumbonzvanda, a delegate from Zimbabwe, asked U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres why some of the very women  from rural areas who had been used by the U.N. “on banners, as footnotes, and as case studies” had been barred from coming to the conference to speak about their experiences. Among the 41 women denied entry for the conference were lawyers, activistis, reproductive health care practitioners and NGO workers.Now check these out:Beyoncé Is Collabing With UNICEF To Bring Clean Water To This East African NationWoman Sues Harvard For Possession Of Early Slave Photos She Says Are Of Her AncestorsTarana Burke Announces 'Me Too' HBCU Tour For Sexual Assault Awareness...

A new economic model has predicted a landslide victory for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.“If economic conditions then are the same as they are today – it is predicting that the Republican candidate will win,” the model’s author, Donal Luskin, says. “If the candidate is incumbent Donald J. Trump, he will win by a margin of 294 electoral college votes. If the candidate is someone else, say, Michael Pence, he would win by 214 electoral college votes.”The model is largely predicated on economic predictors.The President’s approval rating currently sits at 45 percent, but with low gas prices, rising wages and the typical advantages of an incumbent presidency, the model places Trump at a huge lead.“The economy is just so damn strong right now, and by all historical precedent, the incumbent should run away with it,” said Luskin. “I just don’t see how the Blue wall could resist all that.”Luskin's firm, TrendMacro, correctly predicted Trump’s 2016 presidential victory, when most polls did not. Generally, models designed by economists and market strategists like Luskin tend to ignore election polls and the personal characteristics of individual candidates. Instead, they take into account historical trends and factor in key economic data, including growth rates, wages, unemployment, inflation and gas prices, to predict voting behavior and election outcomes.However, Trump could see trouble if the economy slows markedly between now and next fall, as many analysts predict it will.“A GOP candidate could not survive even a mild recession,” Luskin said. “Because it would come on the heels of today’s very hot economy. Conventional ‘business cycle’ thinking says a recession is long overdue.”Additionally, legal bombshells could completely explode any predictions based on the current scenario. Trump has already managed to party lose the House in 2018, despite a strong economy. So Lumpkin’s model could wind up wrong this time around.Let’s hope.Now check these out:Andrew Gillum Has A New Plan To Turn Florida Blue Before 2020‘Are Y’all Gonna Vote?’: The Wrong Question Too Many Folks Ask Black PeopleHere's How Kamala Harris Is Paying Tribute To Shirley Chisholm In Her New Presidential...

New York City has dropped its two-year appeal that blocked Mohamad Bah's family from receiving his wrongful death settlement award.The New York Daily News reports the city agreed to pay Hawa Bah, Mohamad's mother, a settlement of $1.9 million.In 2017, a civil trial determined Bah should be awarded $2.2 million after a jury found New York Police Department (NYPD) officers Edwin Mateo and Michael Licitra liable for Mohamad's death. Mateo killed Bah, and Licitra was found to have been negligent in his supervision of  Mateo, the Amsterdam News reported.However, Hawa Bah never received the money as city attorneys successfully blocked her from obtaining the settlement on two separate occasions.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.The first time came immediately after the settlement was awarded. Attorneys for the city claimed the officers were protected by qualified immunity, a law that states government officials are immune from civil liability. In May 2018, a judge determined qualified immunity protected Licitra but not Mateo.The following month, the city attempted to stop the settlement again, appealing for Mateo's excessive use of force sentence to be overturned. The city also argued against the Bah family's request that it pay the $1 million in attorney fees they said they accrued throughout the ordeal.On Wednesday the city agreed to settle with the family for $1.9 million, plus legal fees. The city has decided to drop its appeal; however, a judge must still approve the deal.Mohamad was murdered in 2012 when NYPD officers shot and killed the 28-year-old in his home. The studying immigrant was reportedly distressed at the time. Hawa says she visited him the day before his death and found that he appeared unlike himself, emotionally distressed and depressed, in need of medical evaluation. Hawa says he refused to go to the hospital, so she called 911 for assistance from paramedics. Medical personnel did not appear, however. Instead, emergency service officers of the NYPD came. Bah's family maintains the police illegally entered their home without a warrant and broke down the door with their weapons drawn.Bah, who had a knife on his person at the time, was shot eight times and died from sustained injuries. No charges were filed by the state, the NYPD or the judicial system against the responding officers.After the Bah family filed suit, it was discovered the NYPD intentionally misplaced evidence. The department also faced allegations of purposely mishandling critical pieces of evidence, like Bah's knife, which was taken to a flood-prone NYPD warehouse just days before Hurricane Sandy.Although the presiding judge had harsh words once this came to light, the court ultimately cleared the NYPD of the destruction of evidence, as the judge found it to be an unprovable allegation.Randolph McLaughlin, a lawyer for the Bah family, said Hawa Bah is pleased the case has finally reached its conclusion.“She’s been suffering since the day her son was shot and killed in his apartment," McLaughlin said. "At long last she can finally go forward with the memory of her son not as a victim of police violence but a champion of civil rights.”Now, check these out:Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Blasts Fox News Guest Who Mocked Her For Doing 'The Latina Thing' When Saying Her NameA Trial Date Has Been Set For Ex-Cop Amber Guyger In The Killing Of Botham JeanMissouri Sisters And Barbecue Entrepreneurs Sold 11,000 Bottles Of Their BBQ Sauce After Appearing On ‘Queer...

Congressional members in Florida are considering a bill that would force county jails to honor ICE detention requests and hold “potentially deportable people” in custody for a period of 48 hours.Senator Jose Rodriguez, a Democrat from Miami, countered that requests for detainment should require warrants. “If we are going to be keeping people in state custody, there should be due process,” he said.The ACLU has urged Floridians to reject the legislation.“It essentially calls on law enforcement to provide literally unlimited compliance with detainers,” Amien Kacou, an attorney for the ACLU of Florida, told the Sentinel. “It amplifies the problems inherent in the detainer system and provides no safeguards to limit ICE’s mistakes.”And, it seems, ICE has been making a lot of mistakes. According to a report published by the ACLU, detainment mistakes happen at an alarming rate. Between February 2017 and February 2019, ICE issued detainers for 420 people in Miami-Dade County jail who records show are actually U.S. citizens. ICE rescinded its request in at least 83 of these cases. “U.S. citizens have been kept in jail away from their jobs and families,” the ACLU report says. “And they have faced the terror of being told they would soon be deported from their only home.”In Travis County, Texas, ICE issued 814 detainers for people listed as U.S. citizens between 2005 and 2017, an August Cato Institute report shows. The report also estimates that, in those years, ICE may have issued detainers for nearly 20,000 U.S. citizens nationwide.The bill, which is currently working its way through the Florida Senate, would not allow any “sanctuary city” policies throughout the state. Additionally, a similar bill in the state's house includes penalties for localities not adhering to the law, including a $1,000-a-day fine for "sanctuary policies" and the threat of suspension or removal from office for any authority that does not report citizenship violations.Now check these out:Supreme Court Rules Indefinite Detention Is Okay For Immigrants Who Have Committed A Crime21 Savage's Mom Thanked The Game For Checking Tomi Lahren Over Her Stupid Response To The Rapper's Previous ICE DetainmentMiami Beach Police Plan To Make Spring Break 'Less Fun' Using Hundreds Of Cops In Riot...

Photographer Antonio Johnson, 30, is on a mission to capture the essence of one of America's oldest African American cultural institutes — the barbershop.Johnson launched the "You Next" project, which serves a photogenic journey of Black barbershops across the country including cities such as New York, Philly, D.C., Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta and Chicago."When we hear those magic words 'you next' from the barber, it means we are about to be transformed," Johnson said in a video for the project.From a young age, Johnson understood the pivotal role that barbershops played in the Black community. His work reflects the generational impact that barbershops can have in the lives of Black men and women."The biggest inspiration for this project would be my [late] uncle," he told Blavity. "He was a barber when I was a kid. It was a very special relationship. He was my reference point for what I thought was cool, fashionable, dope and unique."For Johnson, whose dad owns a barbershop, the place was also experienced as a safe haven."I would go with him on the weekends," he said. "It's a very special place too, because I would get this unique perspective of who my dad was outside of just being my father. There was this huge community component that the shop had — it inspired me to think a lot about what community means and what it really looks like."Johnson explained the significances of barbershops, and noted that the history of barbershops goes back to slavery."There is no place like it," he said. "It's one of the oldest cultures institutes we have in this country besides HBCUs and the church. The barbershops are a site of uplift.""It was an underground railroad stop for some people," he went on to explain. "Having a barbershop and owning one gave freedom to people during slavery. For some, being trained as barbers allowed them to make money and buy their freedom."This project for Johnson has been a journey in his personal life, as well. After resigning from his corporate job in New York to pursue photography full time, he successfully exceeded a $10,000 goal on Kickstarter to help fund the project. He was able to fundraise $11,699 for the "You Next" project."This project came together through the help of my own community. This project is intimate, honest and timeless," he said.Johnson's passion for this project goes beyond capturing cool haircuts. One of his goals is to showcase all of the "infinite possibilities " that barbershops have. Barbershops are not only a place for grooming, but in most communities serve as a place where men can learn about health, wellness and participate in the democratic process."Barbershops are now helping guys detect early signs of high blood pressure and hypertension. There are also places where polling centers have closed, but the barbershop remains [open], so people can go to the barbershop to vote. That's a huge significance," he told Blavity.In addition, Johnson did not shy away from critiquing barbershops and was aware of the multiple experiences that Black men can have when navigating a barbershop."While the barbershop is great for all of those things, for some people, it can be scary," he said. "It can be a difficult place to navigate, because some people are homophobic. A lot of gay men may not have an opportunity to feel like their authentic selves at a barbershop. There is a lot of respectability politics.""We really have to find ways to combat that, and I hope that with this project that people can find that possibility," he said.Through traveling to the different barber shops, Johnson has had defining experiences. Such as meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's barber in Montgomery, Alabama, to sitting down with former president Barack Obama's barber in Chicago."We chatted about the importance of Black men investing in each other. It was a special moment," Johnson said.He also stressed that the project's focal point is telling the stories of Black men in America."I talked to fathers, husbands and brothers about what it means to be a Black man in America, and about what the barber shop did for them," he said. "The reaction has been great, because they've been really interested in sharing their stories."Johnson did a lot of research before the project, and said the barbershop community on Instagram is massive. He added that he would travel and explore towns and stumble upon barbershops. Additionally, he found many barbershops by word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends.Now on view via his online gallery, the “You Next” photo project is just the beginning. He plans to have pop up shows across America at the different barbershops he initially photographed. Furthermore, he plans of extending the project into a photo book that will feature Black writers covering topics that range from fatherhood to navigating America as a Black man.However, no matter where Johnson claimed that no matter where he goes, all of these barbershops have one thing in common. "They are all full of potential,” he said. “They all have the opportunity to impact lives."Like this content? Now check these out:Black Women's Safety At The Barbershop: Why Accountability Is Pro-BlackA Black Barber Shop Was Shook When A White Man Made A Mic Drop-Worthy Point About Kanye WestBarbershop Billionaires: How Three Guys Are Shaping Up An Old...

Dating as far back as 1770, Black women have not only flexed their literary prowess through published works, but have also expressed the complexities and nuance of their intersectionality. Through beautifully stitched words and compelling narratives, they’ve taught us that it ain’t never been easy being Black, female and unfree.Phyllis Wheatley, a young African girl who was snatched from West Africa and enslaved in America pre-Civil War, was the first Black woman to document her circumstances. Writing poetry under the guise of American patriotism, Wheatley conveyed the woes of being Black and oppressed. In 1861, Harriet Jacobs published Incidents In the Life of a Slave Girl, a slave narrative that chronicled the sexual harassment she endured, and her courageous escape to avoid sexual violation and ensure her daughter would not become sexual prey, as well. Wheatley and Jacobs were writing about women’s issues in the 18 and 19th centuries, respectively, as the United States was undergoing radical transformations for liberty, freedom and justice. Yet, it would be years before Black women’s pain and strife would become political and as dire.In the vein of all that is Black and woman, Black women writers continued to produce magical works that amplified Black women’s experiences and issues. Let’s get into these 11 books by Black women that center women's issues.1. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale HurstonWhat's The Tea?!I encourage all to read or re-read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston!! "From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything." I love reading this book slowly for the poetry 😊 Enjoy the tea! pic.twitter.com/41p9hFloKl— NaTasha's Tea (@tea_natasha) March 7, 2019In her progressive text highlighting issues of sexism and ageism, Hurston writes the tale of Janie, a woman who rediscovers herself after her controlling and abusive husbands passes away. Once her husband dies, Janie becomes determined to live life on her own terms, even assuming a young boyfriend under the scrutiny of a gossipy town.2. The Bluest Eye, by Toni MorrisonDay 3: THE BLUEST EYE by Toni Morrison pic.twitter.com/XZERtkofBQ— jennifer pooley (@jenniferpooley) March 6, 2019Muva Morrison addresses abuse, self-hatred and mental health, gutting readers' souls with her debut novel. The story revolves around Pecola Breedlove, an ignored, underloved Black girl, who craves the adoration and attention of little white girls. She longs for blonde hair and blue eyes, however, she receives anything but in this tragic tale.3. Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime, by J. California Cooper#Repost @awodeee / my personal account ・・・ J. California Cooper's short story collection - #SomeLoveSomePainSometime, was so gossipy, hilarious and uplifting. I wish I paid more attention to her work when she was alive. I gave this collection 3/5 stars two years ago and I look forward to reading her novel- ‘Family’ soon. ~ Are you a fan of Cooper’s work? (reviewed 2 years ago) •• #AfricanAmericanLiterature #BlackLiterature #BlackWomenWriters #JCaliforniaCooper #ShortStories #africanbookaddict! #Bookstagram #GoBookYourselfA post shared by African Book Addict!® (@africanbookaddict) on Oct 23, 2017 at 8:20am PDTCooper was prolific in telling the stories of common folk, particularly of everyday Black women. Her talent cannot be overstated, and the literary world does not sing her praises enough. Stories in this collection are true to its title; Cooper writes dynamic women experiencing it all.4. Gorilla, My Love, by Toni Cade BambaraToni Cade Bambara’s classic debut collection GORILLA, MY LOVE Adjective: BRILLIANT Go-To Story: PLAYIN WITH PUNJAB #tonicadebambara #shortstorycollectionA post shared by @ shortstorymagictricks on Jul 10, 2018 at 5:18pm PDTBambara's story centers saucy Black girls, dressing them up and giving them voice. She saw value in Black women and their stories at time when very few did. Notable short stories are included in this collection published in 1972, like The Lesson. Bambara's ability to write explicitly to Blackness and womanhood and liberation shows that she loves us for real.5. Sister Outsider, by Audre LordeWhat an incredible book. I had been meaning to read this for years, and @oursharedshelf picking it for their monthly read was exactly the kick in the butt I needed. Not only is the subject matter Audre Lorde addresses important and fascinating, but she states it so beautifully. The marriage of social science/theory and poetic emotion within these pages made my heart soar, while also causing me, as a white woman, to examine my own views and behaviors within societal standards. What struck me hardest is how much the book mirrors the conversations we’re having now as a society, and how similar the issues she addresses are to what I’ve read this year in “Eloquent Rage,” “Everything Is Trash, But It’s Ok,” and “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” - except that these essays are from the 70s!! Audre Lorde has been calling out white feminism for decades and only in the last five years has the term become part of our larger societal vernacular. I’m mad at myself for waiting this long to read it, and I’m mad that it (nor any other books addressing intersectional feminism) were never included in any sociology or women’s studies classes I took. It helped me recognize how much I still don’t know, how much there is to learn. I also loved the conversations Lorde has with the reader about how logic gets pitted against emotion, and how we gender both. And the way she talks about raising children (particularly how she discusses raising her son) is something I know will stick with me forever. If you haven’t read this yet, I implore you not to wait any longer. 💚 #getlitbookclub #sisteroutsider #audrelorde #belletristbabe #bookrecommendation #reading #bookish #bookworm #reading #book #read #feminism #feminist #feministbooks #intersectionalfeminismA post shared by GetLitBookclub (@getlitbookclub) on Dec 21, 2018 at 11:23am PSTLorde was a poet and master of big ideas and radical, transformative thought. When it came to advocacy, identity, inclusion and visibility, Lorde had the words many Black Women — cis, lesbian, queer and trans — couldn’t muster. Much of Lorde’s work focuses on feminism, race, class and bodily health. She taught us that owning ourselves and our bodies while and rejecting others projections was a must that could not be compromised.6. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enough, by Ntozake ShangeI've played Lady in Orange and Lady in Yellow. Each time I learned more about myself, my cultural identity and vulnerability. Thank you #NtozakeShange opening up my heart and my world. Rest in power. my love is too delicate to have thrown back on my face #ForColoredGirlsA post shared by Natasha Rothwell (@nfrothwell) on Oct 27, 2018 at 4:19pm PDTNtozake Shange gave us this work as both a performance piece and text. The dramatic prose/play was a seminal work in that it applied movement, music and lyric to spoken word — a collection of monologues from Black women. Each piece expressed misogyny, patriarchy, sexism, abuse and racism from the Black women’s gaze.7. The Color Purple, by Alice WalkerHappy Saturday! It’s discussion time!! What a phenomenonal classic to read with everyone. ⁣ ⁣ I would like to thank @diverseclassics for collaborating with us. Thank you all for reading along, tagging your photos and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. See the discussion questions in the comments below. You can also hop over to @diverseclassics to check out their discussion questions. ⁣ 🌎📚⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣💜 .⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ 📸: @afrominimalist .⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ .⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ #readmorewomenofcolor #diversespines #wocwriters #thecolorpurple #alicewalker #diversity #diversitymatters #bookstagram #bookclub #bookdiscussion⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣A post shared by @ diversespines on Mar 2, 2019 at 3:02pm PSTThis list would be a whole ass void without Walker’s award-winning story about Celie, Sophia, Shug, Squeak and Nettie. These women’s lives intersected and told generational truths about the physical, sexual, emotional and social abuse projected on to Black women from within and outside the Black community.8. One Day My Soul Just Opened Up, by Iyanla VanzantRecently began reading @IyanlaVanzant “one day my soul just opened up.” Wow. This came at just the right time in my life and consciousness. Thank You Thank You for your gift to the world. pic.twitter.com/2G93qYxU30— Jennifer R. Farmer (@PR_Whisperer) December 6, 2018Long before Iyanla was out here fixing lives on network TV, she introduced Black women to a plethora of affirmational, self-help and self-love books. She dives into burdens and issues that interfere with Black women, which holds them back from the reaching their greater potential. Vanzant is truly a contemporary OG in promoting self worth and excavating Black girl magic. 7. Waiting to Exhale, by Terry McMillanA post shared by Angel 💍💍💍❤📖📕🎮🏆💉💉💉 (@angel_silentdiva) on Jan 3, 2018 at 3:19pm PSTTerry McMillan’s literary works are nothing to sneeze at, especially Waiting to Exhale. The book told almost every Black woman’s f**kboy story, eons before the archetype was coined. McMillan served infidelity, heartbreak, loneliness, love, motherhood, sisterhood, redemption and recovery in one serving.8. The Prisoner’s Wife: A Memoir, by Asha BandeleBook Review: The Prisoner’s Wife by Asha Bandele https://t.co/wMJsc7tXrc pic.twitter.com/9gBAFXDBgs— Gabbie Miller (@gabsi77) October 5, 2016Asha Bandele gave a bird’s-eye perspective of a Black woman’s experience, dating and marrying an incarcerated man. In 1999, which is when the text was published, prison marriages were common, but were often considered taboo for Black women — unless of course, she was Winnie Mandela waiting for the honorable Nelson.9. Ain’t I a Woman, by bell hooks"Reading “Ain’t I A Woman” ...had opened the door, the windows, & raised the roof in my mind." "...through her theories, I was able to understand that my body contained historical multitudes and any analysis without such a measured consideration was limited and deeply flawed." pic.twitter.com/jgs5282DLQ— Grand Conspirator (@LordConspirator) March 7, 2019Ain't I a Woman, a text on Black women and feminism, set the stage for over 30 books on Black feminist theory. Also, it cleared pathways for much of the radical change from the '80s till the present.10.  Push, by SapphireBook 16 of 2018: Push by Sapphire pic.twitter.com/KVlNOmM0C2— Jeff Hill (@jeffhillwriter) April 21, 2018Sapphire’s Push is an experimental text, telling the story of the severely abused Precious, in her own illiterate tongue. The book unpacked extreme child abuse -- physical, psychological and sexual — literacy, poverty, health and other systems that often plague Black women.11. Salt, by Nayyirah WaheedSome coal, some rocks--and Salt by @nayyirah.waheed. Get. This. Work. #writingwhileblack #writerswrite #iwrite #mywords #culturalcritic #artcritic #babeezmakingseason #artsyfartsy #collector #artfolk #folkart #dopeart #urbanartist #parisart #ukart #londonart #artsyfartsy #artbasel #collectart #artlife #blackart #african #dolls #artlife #artdolls #africanamericanart #americana #blackart #blackdolls #african #dollart #outsiderartA post shared by IDA HARRIS (CULTURE WRITER) (@hotpeeznbutta) on Oct 25, 2017 at 9:32am PDTPoetry ain’t for the faint at heart, and that goes for this body of work. It is both simplistic and complex, and also speaks to woman’s place in the Black diaspora as individual beings, mothers, daughters, sisters and lovers. In this text, it is easy to glean that Black women are the salt of the Earth.Liking this content? Check these out:7 Iconic Black Women Artists From Around The World Who Deserve More RecognitionThis Black Art Caught Angela Bassett's Attention, And It Will Definitely Grab Yours Too10 Moments That Show The Black Woman Is Still The Most Unprotected,...

The timeline has been in shambles over this drama between Young M.A and Kodak Black.It all started when Kodak left a comment under a picture of Young M.A with Nicki Minaj expressing his attraction to the pair, according to Paper."Both Of Y'all a Get It,” he wrote in an Instagram comment.He also rapped about his attraction to the “OOOUUU” rapper in his single “Pimpin Ain’t Easy.”"I'm f**kin' Young M.A, long as she got a coochie,” he said.To make matters worse, Kodak also used a slur in the song. “I be pullin' out straps on these f**k n***as/ I go Young M.A on these dumb bitches/ Like a dyke, man, you n***as can't fuck with me,” he rapped.After months of harassment in her Instagram comments, Young M.A finally responded to the situation.“Y'all keep talking about this Kodak situation. Y'all n***as is weird, bro." she said via Instagram Live. "What's wrong with y'all? Is y'all n***s alright? Come on, bro. Like obviously the n***as weird."Sadly, instead of leaving her TF alone, Kodak doubled down on his creepiness."I'm talking 'bout, how you a girl but don't want your p***y penetrated?" he replied during his own Instagram Live session.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Young M.A isn’t the only prominent queer woman to experience this behavior. Growing Up Hip-Hop Atlanta star Ayanna Fite told Rolling Out straight men still slide in her DMs despite her publicly coming out.“Guys are always in my DM telling me about their muscles, their height and all their masculine characteristics and they have no idea that those things turn me off because I like women not men,” she said. “Those are characteristics that straight women like in men but they actually turn me off because I’m not straight.”As a queer woman myself, I’ve heard some variation of this comment several times. Many cishet men cannot fathom the idea of a woman not wanting to have sex with a man. For them, inserting a penis into a vagina is the main course while other acts are the appetizer. When we explain there are some queer women who enjoy penetration or our attraction to masculine women, they suggest we try men to get the “real thing.”The invalidation of our identities is a stressful inevitability for queer women. We’re treated as defective toys, who only need the right D battery to straighten us out. Many of us are open with our identities, but it doesn’t stop men from disrespecting our boundaries.When I was still pretending to be straight, telling guys I had a boyfriend usually made them back off. They’d apologize or make some slick comment and be on their way. I miss those days because telling some dudes I’m only interested in women doesn’t deter them. They ask me why I’m not in to men, or if there’s a small chance they can take me out. One guy even approached me while I was with a girl I was dating and proposed a threesome. I’ve also been approached by guys while I was at Atlanta Pride or some other queer event. While these occurrences have been quite intimidating, I’ve been lucky to avoid being violated physically. There are men in this world who believe they can rape a woman straight and attempted to do so.The invalidation of queerness extends beyond sex. Former woke bae Terry Crews was cancelled by many when he tweeted that children who grow up in lesbian two-parent households would be “malnourished” without the presence of a male figure. In reality, data shows children who grow up in same-sex households are just as emotionally stables as children of heterosexual parents, reports The Guardian.Although this information is just one Google search away, the invalidating views of queer women still persist.To be clear: We’re not defective. We’re not confused. We don’t need your dick to fix anything. We just want to live.Now, check these out:Janelle Monáe And Other 'Queer Eye' Fans Are Raising Money To Help A Lesbian Woman Outcast By Her Family Attend CollegeTarana Burke Announces 'Me Too' HBCU Tour For Sexual Assault Awareness MonthA 'Drunk As F**k' Daniel Caesar Defended A Reputed Culture Vulture While Asking Why Black People Are Being 'Mean' To White...

Therese Patricia Okoumou’s sentencing hearing occurred on Tuesday, over her attempt to scale the Statue of Liberty last July 4, to protest of the separation of families at the U.S.- Mexican border. After being on house arrest, the Lady Liberty climber has been sentenced to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service. The courts charged her with trespassing, disorderly conduct, and interfering with the government.With no jail time on the sentence, Okoumou is relieved. "I'm happy that I don't have to do jail time," Okoumou tells Blavity. "My concern with jail time was that I would have to go on hunger strike and there was a strong possibility that I was going to lose amounts of fiber and injure my organs. I'm so young and I want to fight not to that level." Okoumou came in the courtroom with clear tape over her eyes to make the statement that she wasn't going to be controlled. "I was ready to fight. You can see it when I put the tape covering my face. I came there making my statement. You will not take away my freedom of expression. You will not take away the rights given to me by the Constitution, to freely assemble." Okoumou has also climbed the Eiffel Tower and the Southwest Key Detention Center in an effort to raise awareness on family separation and immigration policies at the U.S.-Mexican border. In the aftermath of her protests, there have been some signs of progress, including the resignation of Southwest Key CEO Juan Sanchez, who allegedly profited greatly as a result of Trump’s immigration policies, including receiving millions of dollars from the government for detaining children. Although Okoumou’s protests have helped gain attention to unjust immigration policies, she says that nothing has really changed, as children are still in cages.“People think that just because Trump reversed his immigration policy, everything is fine now,” Okoumou said in an interview with Blavity. “He moved the beds and children to Homestead, Florida. Trump and the Department of Justice are not wearing shacks and monitors — I am.” After photos of children in cages at the border were released, the images reminded Okoumou of her own experience with familial separation. When she was 2 years old and living in the Republic of Congo, her parents divorced. Her father remarried another woman shortly after, then took Okoumou and her siblings away. Whenever she was left in the care of her stepmother, Okoumou claims she endured abuse, and after also being taken from her mother, this inevitably led to much resentment.“I had the eyes and the ears to crack — as a young girl — the wrong that was done to my family,” Okoumou said. “This woman, who had so much power and authority over my dad, myself and my siblings, was someone that I had to fight against.”Okoumou continued to fight against any injustices that came her way. However, she had never gone to such heights to make a statement as she did when she attempted to climb the Statue of Liberty. Guided by God, she used the strength she acquired as a personal trainer to scale Lady Liberty, while her fellow protestors were caught by authorities below. When she took a seat at the top of the statue’s base, Okoumou wasn’t thinking about the tourists who weren’t able to buy souvenirs or even her own personal safety. Rather, she was more concerned about the safety of the trained and harnessed police officers who tried to get her down.“That’s what you do as a true activist. When you are called upon the higher power to fulfill a mission — such as saving children in cages, being the voice for the voiceless — I had them in mind,” she told Blavity.She also remembers reminiscing about her father’s job as a personal aviator as she sat at the base of Lady Liberty. As a child trying to emulate her father, Okoumou used to climb to the roof of the house, but no one ever called for her to come down.After being physically brought down by the government, it seems like the U.S. court system is trying to bring Okoumou down again. She was found guilty of all three charges for her Statue of Liberty protest. In an emergency sentencing hearing, the judge ordered her to find a paying job that doesn’t involve activism. Okoumou thinks that the judge’s verified employment request was in response to the funds raised through her GoFundMe account for her survival. Instead of the government holding itself accountable for their participation in what essentially seems like concentration camps by a different name, Okoumou believes she is being seen as a dangerous threat whose protest put everyone at risk.“[The government] doesn’t know how to deal with me. […] They want to stop me from enjoying my freedom of speech and being an activist,"  she said. "The prosecutor wants to give me one-month imprisonment, three years probation because they want to control my life. We will not give it to them." When asked about how she will spend her time in probation and community service, she told Blavity that she's ready to speak to the youth about activism. "They're going to tell me where to direct my energy, I want to go to the schools, dedicate my time and attention to the young people who have been inspired by my act of bravery on the Fourth of July."Now, check this out:7 Ways You Can Help Black And Brown Immigrants Being Terrorized By The Trump AdministrationWhat You Need To Know About Trump's Latest Threat Against ImmigrantsDemocratic Lawmakers Introduce Three New Bills In The House As A Rebuke TO Trump's Immigration...

A petition on Change.org asks California Governor Gavin Newsom to grant Liyah Birru a pardon and stop her deportation back to Ethiopia.Birru was released from prison after serving the full term of her six-year sentence, only to be immediately picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and taken directly to Yuba County Jail, where she will be held indefinitely as she awaits deportation.That Birru is a legally documented immigrant here on a green card visa, coupled with the fact that she was defending herself against sustained sexual and physical abuse appears to have amounted to little in the eyes of the law.Make sure you're following Blavity:Politics on Instagram and join our daily newsletter to stay engaged and informed.According to the petition, Liyah Birru met her husband, a white American man, while he was stationed with the U.S. military in Ethiopia, where Birru is from. The two maintained their relationship long distance for two years before Birru was granted a green card visa that allowed her to travel legally to the U.S. and join her husband in rural Northern California.Soon after, things took a turn for the worse for Birru. Her husband allegedly became physically, verbally and sexually abusive. He took to calling Birru his “slave,” and would hurl racial epithets at her. According to the petition, “He began destroying her possessions, clothes and became physically abusive.” Birru’s husband would also tell her that if she ever tried to report him to the police, they would take the word of a white military man over that of an African immigrant and that he would have her deported, often holding his fully loaded gun while threatening her.As is often the case in domestic violence situations, Birru’s husband would then apologize after his attacks, writing her notes promising not to do so again, only to break his promise and maintain the barrage of abuse against her. To protect herself, Birru took to removing the bullets from her husbands gun whenever he left the house.“The abuse continued to escalate until one day when he slammed her head into a wall, pulled her hair, and hit her in the ribs. Her husband was twice her size. Terrified, Liyah went into the bedroom, unloaded his handgun, and took it. She hoped the sight of her with the gun would cause him to become less aggressive but he continued. Scared that she had no way out, Liyah fired the unloaded gun hoping it would scare him. Unknown to her, one bullet had been left in the chamber of the gun and hit her husband. Liyah called 911. Her husband successfully underwent surgery to remove the bullet,” the petition states.Despite that it was Birru herself who called 911 and that the police found Birru battered, bruised and bleeding upon their arrival, law enforcement chose not to investigate her claims of abuse. To add irony to insult and injury, Birru was charged with domestic violence and assault.The petition on Change.org also points out that “California law requires judges to consider if someone is a survivor of intimate partner violence.”Birru was able to provide multiple of the notes her husband had written to her apologizing for his abuse. Still, as he’d promised her he would, Birru’s husband denied ever having abused and assaulted her. The judge believed him, stating that Birru was, in fact, not a survivor of domestic violence, despite the notes and her cuts and bruises.All too often, poor, Black defendants find themselves unable to afford competent legal representation. Birru found herself in the same predicament. “Facing aggressive prosecution by the district attorney's office, Liyah accepted a plea deal with the promise of a lighter sentence,” the petition says.Birru was sentenced to six years in prison and an order of deportation upon completion of her sentence. California Attorney General at the time, Kamala Harris opposed Birru’s subsequent appeal, maintaining that Birru’s status as a survivor of domestic abuse was “unclear.”The details of Liyah Birru’s case are all too familiar. For instance, Marissa Alexander fired a single, nonfatal shot at her husband, who had been abusing her for years, only to find that the very laws that should have worked in her favor failed to protect her under a legal system that’s upheld by patriarchy and the denigration of Black life. Like so many other immigrants in the criminal justice system, Birru’s efforts to protect herself placed her squarely up against the tandem forces of the prison industrial complex and the immigration industrial complex.For many of these immigrants, deportation after time served amounts to compounding of punishments, a levying of additional penalty after they have already paid their “debt to society” in the form of their prison sentence.“Our laws treat immigrants who have been convicted of any crime very differently than others here, with an entirely different set of laws and a wholly different level of respect for rights. That distorts our notions of fairness and equal treatment. People certainly need to be held accountable for their actions, there’s no question about that. But having two sets of laws creates confusion, breeds unfairness, and isn’t in line with our values,” The Opportunity Agenda explains.Unfortunately, what many of us know all too well is, this country has always had a separate set of laws for Black bodies, women and immigrants. Finding yourself at the nexus of any of these — and so many other marginalized identity markers — can mean a narrowing of the likelihood the law will turn in your favor.Even recent advancements in criminal justice legislation fail to take the breath of the relationship between immigration and criminalization into account. According to writers from The Hill, “The irony of excluding immigrants from federal criminal justice reform is that migration-related cases make up more than half of all federal criminal prosecutions in the U.S.”It’s clear we have a long way to go before the most vulnerable in our society can come to expect equality and justice from our governmental apparatus. However, there are organizations leading the fight. The petition for Birru’s pardon was started by Survived & Punished, a coalition which fights to “de-criminalize efforts to survive domestic and sexual violence, support and free criminalized survivors, and abolish gender violence, policing, prisons, and deportations.”You can join Survive & Punished and “take action in three steps” to fight the criminalization of domestic abuse survivors. The Opportunity Agenda has also created a list of Immigration Policy Solutions. Consider including these, or any others you deem appropriate, in letters to your state and local politicians. Also, follow the Black Alliance for Just Immigration on Twitter @BAJI to stay up to date with their work fighting for justice across Black immigrant communities.Like this content? Well, check these out:Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Three New Bills In The House As A Rebuke To Trump's Immigration Policy 5 Black Women Who've Been Fighting For Criminal Justice Reform Long Before Kim Kardashian Black Woman Arrested In Stand Your Ground State For Shooting Her Abusive...

Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum has announced that he will not run for president in 2020, but will instead be registering voters to turn the state Democratic before the next presidential election.“It requires that we get out there, and that we organize, and that we activate and that we produce a voter who is going to show up, not just on Election Day, but the day after they’re going to be there to hold you accountable,” Gillum said Wednesday night at the historically Black Florida Memorial University.Last week, Gillum and his supporters launched the voter outreach organization Bring It Home Florida. The organization is named after his campaign slogan from his 2018 gubernatorial run.After the successful bid of Florida’s Amendment 4 in the last election, which sought to restore voting rights to ex-felons who complete their sentence, Gillum is optimistic about Democratic voter engagement moving forward. (Though Florida’s Republican lawmakers are now considering changing what that means and who would qualify under the law.)“Because we turned out and we voted like our lives depended on it, 1.4 million people now have the ability to register to vote here in the state of Florida,” Gillum said. “That is a big deal.”President Donald Trump narrowly won Florida in 2016, the biggest swing state in the country, with only 29 Electoral College votes. Trump’s 2020 campaign will have a large presence in Florida.Having lost by nearly 30,000 votes across the state, Gillum said that whoever becomes the Democratic nominee will have a huge chance at winning the presidency if they can turn Florida.“The road to the White House runs through Florida,” Gillum said Wednesday. “We can deny Donald Trump a second term right here in the state of Florida.”Similar efforts to register voters are underway in Georgia, with former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams using her platform to fight voter suppression after it proved to be a major issue in Georgia’s recent, highly contentious election.When asked why he and Abrams were not also running for president, like Beto O’Rourke (who is white and lost his race by a far larger margin than did Gillum and Abrams), Gillum responded:“There’s no doubt that O’Rourke enjoys a set of privileges in his decision making that other candidates don’t.” He added, “Listen, man, we’re used to working.” Now check these out:Florida Lawmakers Introduced Legislation Threatening Ex-Felons’ Right To Vote Again‘Are Y’all Gonna Vote?’: The Wrong Question Too Many Folks Ask Black PeopleFamily Of Latasha Walton, Florida Mom Gunned Down By Police, Asks...

Update (March 21, 2019): Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi are struggling with rescue efforts as the death toll continues to rise from the devastating Cyclone Idai.The BBC reports rescue efforts have been particularly difficult in Mozambique where the storm made landfall in the city of Beira last Thursday. The country's president said earlier this week that Idai destroyed 90 percent of the town. As rains and flooding continue to restrict rescue efforts, officials estimate more than 15,000 citizens of Beira are awaiting rescue."They are alive, we are communicating with them, delivering food, but we need to rescue them and take them out,” said Mozambique's land and environment minister Celso Correia.Blavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.Charity workers say the thousands of cyclone victims are stranded on rooftops and even in trees, attempting to hold out until rescuers can retrieve them. Aid workers say there are only two to three days worth of clean water left in the city, making matters direr.Al Jazeera reports that over 400 people have been confirmed dead throughout all three southeast African countries. That number is expected to rise by at least 600 as floodwaters recede.Officials in Beira fear what they will find once they reach areas currently inaccessible. Leaders also aren't sure what the damage is like under submerged areas; famine relief group Oxfam reports an area of approximately 1,864 square miles is still entirely under water.All of that standing water has the United Nations (UN) concerned about the outbreak of disease. Relief workers say the water could serve as a giant breeding ground for illnesses like cholera.Even once water issues are solved and reconstruction begins, the UN estimates 400,000 Mozambique residents will be displaced. In Malawi, it is estimated 82,000 citizens will be uprooted.Zimbabwe, which is struggling with mudslides as well as flooding, reports it has nearly 200,000 people in immediate need of food, water and shelter. The World Food Programme believes the country will need substantial assistance for three months at best.President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe has praised his people for banding together during a difficult time, saying some citizens have traveled hours to help those affected by the storm. Nevertheless, he and the leaders of the other affected nations have asked for more donations of food, water and clothes.A deadly cyclone hit the region in 2000, killing 1,000 people. The United Nations now believes Cyclone Idai to be worse and has said the storm could soon be recognized as the most horrific natural disaster ever to hit the southern hemisphere.Original: Following the landfall of a cyclone in Mozambique, officials are fearful that the death toll may rise to over a thousand.The BBC reports Cyclone Idai landed at 177 mph near the city of Beira on Thursday before continuing toward neighboring countries Malawi and Zimbabwe. Idai brought torrential floods and extreme winds that affected all devastated areas for nearly four days straight, only recently subsiding. People have found refuge in trees, shelters, schools and among neighbors. A large dam in Beira was breached on Sunday. Water from the breach blocked the last open road into the city. Currently, the only way in or out of the area is by air, making rescue and recovery efforts incredibly difficult. First responders trapped inside said they fear that the areas outside of the city may be even more devastated than the city itself.If those areas are, that would mean they have been wiped off the map. Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi toured Beira on Monday and said the city was 90 percent destroyed, Al Jazeera reports. Nyusi told the public he saw an immense human toll, as well, including bodies floating by him as he moved around the city."Everything indicates that we could register more than 1,000 deaths," Nyusi said.Mozambique's government believe at least 1,500 people have been injured by trees, debris, buildings and other infrastructure.Destruction can be seen 200 miles away from Beira. In Malawi, 42 persons have been declared dead. The government of Zimbabwe reported 98 deceased and nearly 217 missing persons to the east and south.President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe has declared a state of disaster. His citizens are grappling with mudslides, washed out roads, crumbled homes and a lack of power and phone service. Many rural areas in Zimbabwe, such as the small towns near Mutare, have yet to be reached due to raging waters cutting off land access.The New York Times reports similar flooding has endangered lives in Malawi where the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said people “are now facing a second threat of flash floods.”The region has not been hit with such a devastating disaster since 2000 when Cyclone Eline made landfall, leaving more than 1,000 people dead.The IFRC has issued a call for aid as has the United Nations, which estimates 5.3 million people will require substantial assistance with food, water, healthcare and sanitation.Now, check these out:Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile Joins Fox News As A Political ContributorA Texas Woman Gave Birth To Six Babies In Nine MinutesCourt Rules It's Fully Legal To Tell A Cop To F**k...

This video is part of Blavity's newest series "Life After Going Viral." In 2016, Cameron Henderson turned his Starrkeisha character into a cheer squad and blessed the world with the ultimate petty anthem. It’s hard to think it used to be a throwaway idea stuck to a piece of equipment.“I wrote it down on a sticky note, and I set it on top of the speaker,” Henderson told Blavity. “It was there for maybe a month.”Henderson remembered the note during a spark of creativity when he needed an idea. He ran to a costume store to find a cheerleading outfit — and the rest is history.YouTube | Random Structure TVWhen he released the video in March 2016, he had about 170,000 YouTube subscribers. After the video went viral, he ended up with one million views, and currently, he’s approaching two million subscribers.Like many YouTube creators and performers, Henderson does a number of skits. However, he's also sure to incorporate his love of music into his work."I’ve always been a music lover,” he said. “I actually consider music as the undertone of everything that I do. Typically with all my videos, you see some sort of musical element.”His music-driven sketches have included Christmas carolers, a church choir and he's even featured the same characters in a video that chronicled the evolution of Black dance crazes. YouTube | Random Structure TVBlavitize your inbox! Join our daily newsletter for fresh stories and breaking news.To keep his content fresh, Henderson incorporates facets of pop culture into his videos.“I really just wanted to create something that I knew people would like, so I use a lot of current songs — a lot of chants that I remember,” Henderson said. “Maybe it’s a subconscious rewrite from when I was a child, but just what I know people are familiar with.”Clearly, Henderson has more to offer than his raw knack for performance, as he’s also very strategic with his content.“I think more than anything, when it comes to going viral, it’s all about the timing," he shared with Blavity. "I think the main thing I did correct was put the video up at the right time."Life after going viral has been good for Henderson. He’s making good money and gets to do what he loves. Still, there are drawbacks. Being approached by overzealous admirers can be a lot for the admitted introvert.“Some people are cool; they’re really chill. They’re like, 'Hey, I love your videos!' That’s the perfect type of interaction for me. Some people start screaming, and then it gives me anxiety,” Henderson said.Still, his fans are a huge motivator, and Henderson feels honored when people say his content has helped them through hard times. He also enjoys the creative process.“I feel like whatever brings me joy at that moment is what I’m going to be involved in,” he said. “Right now, I just love the process of creating and turning nothing or just an idea into an actual tangible thing that can change the way people are feeling.”Now, check these out:Detroit Teen Awarded Over $300K In Scholarship Money Has Been Accepted To 41 CollegesA Group Of Kids Once Tried To Set Author Darnell Moore On Fire — Now He's Reminding Black Kids They Have The Right To LiveStudents Loans After Graduation: Some Helpful Information To Lessen The...