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What’s Going On

SUMMERTIME IN AMERICA
IT’S OFFICIAL! On August 11, a text message read “Joe Biden here. Big news: I’ve chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. Together with you, we’re going to beat Trump.” Thanks, Joe. The Biden text provided the answer to America’s second most important question. The first is when will some grown up in the nation’s capitol provide a national COVID19 containment solution so that the American economic recovery can legitimately begin. The fourth stimulus package has stalled because of US Senate Republicans and an errant president akin to Emperor Nero, who fiddled as Rome burned. Neither is interested in COVID19 and crisis resolution.

Sorry, Elizabeth Warren, Gretchen Whitmer; Susan Rice; Karen Bass; Val Demings; Tammy Duckworth; Michelle Lujan Grisham; and Tammy Baldwin. You are all super achievers. Congratulations to Californian Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants, her mom was born in India and her dad was born in Jamaica. Kamala made history today as the first Black woman to run as VEEP on a major party’s ticket. A Howard University alum, she was San Francisco DA and California Attorney General before becoming a US Senator. When she becomes US VEEP, she will be the first Jamerican and the first Indo-American to bear that title. She embodies American diversity and “the dream” — as the descendant of Africans and Asians, ready for her role on the world stage. She is a 21st-century American success story. Trump has been messaging that if Biden becomes President, Americans will need to speak Chinese. Wrong again, Mr. President, we will be speaking Hindi and Jamaican patois and will roll out the welcome mat to all immigrants. She debates VP Mike Pence on October 7.

SCHOOL DAYS: Some American school systems are open and students and with more than minor COVID19 problems, according to mayors, teachers, and students. Many HS students are not using masks and social distancing, fuhgeddaboudit! Los Angeles and Chicago schools systems announced that fall classes will be remote. The NYC school system has been approved by the governor. Now for the hard decisions. In a system with 1+ million students, about 25% of the student’s parents have elected remote learning. The remainder will attend classes a few days and remote learn on other days, known as the hybrid option. We learned about short comings in the remote system during the spring shutdown. Some of the NYCHA buildings don’t have technology suitable for remote learning. Then the UFT is not totally supportive of hybrid learning. It seems cruel for first graders, testing the waters in phonics and reading to do so remotely.

COVID19 UPDATES: Russia’s Vladimir Putin announced that it has an efficacious coronavirus vaccine and it has been administered to one of his daughters. The global scientific community is suspicious because there has not been enough time for completion of three clinical drug trials and hey what about peer review. Russia lied about its infection rate, considered high for a country full to the brim with scientists and engineers. Dr. Anthony Fauci doubts the Russia claim. Wonder if this is a ruse for Trump to order vaccines and transfer billions of dollars to Russia.


Another week goes by and the Republicans are not serious about the fourth stimulus program. No, Trump’s executive orders and economic rehab are deceitful. The power of the purse is congressional jurisdiction. He and the GOP favor reducing the $600 weekly federal cushion to $400 stipulating that the deficit-ridden states assume 25% of the outlay. The Democrats want a deal and reduced their original $3 trillion coronavirus package to $2 trillion. Trump and the GOP will not budge from its $1 trillion package,
Meanwhile COVID19 continues its surges throughout the US. Moreover, natural forces are working against us like hurricanes, tornadoes, and last weekend a derecho, which are high gusting winds up to 90 miles. A derecho is not a hurricane, or maybe, it is an inland hurricane, which has terrorized states like Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois adding to extant financial woes.

Michael Pugh

BUSINESS MATTERS: Morgan Stanley announced a $14.6 million grant to support Carver Bancorp, parent company of Carver Federal Savings, one of the nation’s top six Black-owned banks, which opened in 1948 in Harlem to serve African Americans. The grant will enable Carver to buy back shares and bolster its capital position to help weather the economic impact of COVID19 in the wake of the Pandemic. Grant will enable Carver to assist small businesses and customers affected by COVID19, especially the group who did not receive federal relief loans. Michael Pugh is Carver President CEO.
Black Enterprise story reports that The Dream Exchange, the first Black-owned Stock Exchange in US history, opens for business next summer. It’s co-founded by Joe Cecala, former lawyer, and capital market expert, and by William H. Ellison of Cadiz Capital Holdings, LLC, a minority owned private equity firm. Based in Chicago, The Dream Exchange will focus on small business capital formation and diversity using the power of the American investing public.

NEWSMAKERS: Love and Marriage: Congratulations to A-List New York lovebirds, Frances Savage and fine-artist John Dowell, who tied the knot last month.

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RIP: Altomese Tee Alston died of natural causes last weekend weekend at the age of 82. The manager of Ashford & Simpson’s famous Sugar Bar Club on West 72 Street, Manhattan, Tee, the third side of the Ashford/Simpson isosceles triangle empire, was engaged for more than 50 years in most Nik/Val businesses.

AUGUST CALENDAR: August 15 is NATIONAL REPARATIONS DAY. Join the December 12th Movement’s Reparations event at Trump International Hotel at Columbus Avenue and 59th Street, Manhattan, 2 pm. Visit D12th.com
The Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People (CEMOTAP), hosts
“Police Violence, Can Anybody Stop It?” webinar forum with the Black Solidarity Day Organizing Committee on August 22 at 2 pm. Panelists include NYS Assemblyman Charles Barron, NYC Council member Inez Barron, Professor Milton Allimadi, Blackstarnews.com Publisher; James McIntosh, MD. Psychiatrist, CEMOTAP. The Meeting ID 870 81933862 . The Passcode: 529823.
Organized in 1987, CEMOTAP has fought for control of Black Peoples informational lives. Doing battle with racist media, supporting Black media/personalities, and culture preservation, CEMOTAP produces accurate info for African People via forums, articles, books, radio, TV and video. Support its mission. Visit GOFUNDME.COM/CEMOTAP-PROPERTY-INSURANCE.

A Harlem-based media/branding specialist, Victoria is reachable at Victoria.horsford@gmail.com

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