The Legal Maven Speaks

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, my cancer tale

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:13:00 +0000

As October is breast cancer awareness month, I am compelled to tell my own
story of cancer and how it has effected my life. This story has been a
difficult one to tell, partly because I'm still coming to the realization
that I am a cancer survivor, a member of the club that no one wants to be a
member of, and also because I feel some sort of shame attached to having had
cancer. As if the cancer was an outer indication of some type of inner
defect or negative pattern of thinking or a curse even. That I am too young
to have experienced this. That I don't want my closest friends and family
to know how much mental turmoil this has caused for me. That any admission
of frailty would break my facade of self confidence and positive mental
thinking. And guilt that my circumstances weren't as dire as many who have
had to endure chemotherapy, the loss of their hair and the loss of one or
both breasts to rid themselves of this disease.

During a regular doctor's visit this past December, my doctor informed me
that she had felt a lump in my right breast. I rolled my eyes at her and
thought this was typical of her overzealousness and thought that she'd
relate this lump to me being overweight as she does most other symptoms that
I make her aware of. I took what she said with a grain of salt also because
she had felt a lump ten years previously that just turned out to be lumpy
breasts. My doctor tests for E-VERY-THING, but in hidsight I am ever
thankful for her dilligence in this instance because she helped to save my
breast and my life.

I few weeks later, after having a mammogram and an ultrasound, I had the lump biopsied. For some reason, I didn't think that a biopsy would entail so much. My mental image of a biopsy was having
a tiny bit of tissue snipped off for examination. Nothing to it, right? I
guess I had never thought about how a biopsy occurs on tissue that is
internal. There was a doctor and a few nurses in the room and I watched as
tissue was sucked from my breast. Looking at what came out, I imagined that
that was what a liposuction must look like and figured if there had been
anything cancerous in my breast it had to have been contained in whatever
was just sucked out. After it was finished, a clip was placed in my breast
to mark the location of the tumor. Then, I had to wait. I called the
doctor who performed the biopsy a few days after and she still didn't have
any results. I called a few days later and was told that the tests were
inconclusive. Huh? Inconclusive? All of this was going on during the
inaugural festivities for President Barack Obama, so while I was hosting
friends from out of town and partying like everyone else, I felt like
screaming at the top of my lungs, "DON'T TAKE MY BREAST!"

On the morning of January 16, 2009 while I was driving to work, I finally
got the news that I had been dreading. As I stopped at the traffic light at
the intersection of New York Avenue and 7th Street, I received a call from
the doctor that performed the biopsy. She informed me that I had been
diagnosed with stage one cancer of the breast, ductal carcinoma in situ and assured me
that this was the best cancer to have. Thanks, but no thanks, lady. What
do you mean "the best cancer to have?" That's like saying your house has
been flooded with sewage, but it's the best sewage. I didn't really know
what to do at that moment. I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come. I
wanted to shout, but I couldn't. I was in shock and my ears began to ring.
I was numb. I wondered if I should pull over to the side of the road to
collect myself, or if I should turn around and go back home and call in sick
for the day. But I soon resolved that if this cancer thing was a burden I'd
have to endure, then I'd better toughen up right now. I proceded as I would
have on any other day.

Soon after my diagnosis, it was a bit challenging telling my loved ones. I
told my mother and a few close friends right away, but I didn't really want
my grandparents to know. I figured they're old and didn't need anything
worrying about me. I confided in my aunt who assured me that they wouldn't
want me to have to endure this without their support, so I finally told
them. Many of my friends were just as shocked and saddened as I while
others were proactive in getting me the holistic and medical resources that
I needed. I received books on natural cures for breast cancer, nutritional
supplements and teas. I also got support from friends who were going
through or had gone through cancer treatment by way of sharing the names of
great doctors and support services that had been beneficial to them. On the
flip side, I had some friends who immediately began to talk about
debilitating chemotherapy treatments, job loss, medical expenses and
mastectomies, everthing I didn't want to hear about. At first I was angry,
but know now that that was just an expression of their own fears and really
couldn't do much to help me in my treatment and recovery.

I visited a surgeon at the Georgetown Hospital Center that I immediately
liked. She was firm but caring and let me know that she would give me the
best care possible. She also urged me to have surgery and soon. Something
else that I didn't want to hear. I had convinced myself that the test
results were a mistake. That if I waited or if I went to another doctor one
would have to discover the misdiagnosis. I visited another oncologist, a
soft spoken man who had a tendency to focus on my breasts while speaking to
me -- weird, I know -- in hopes that he'd tell me this was all a terrible
mistake. He too urged me to have surgery and soon. Along with worrying
about losing my breast, I was worried that the cancer treatments would
affect my fertility. One bright spot in all of this is that when I visited
the fertility doctor who told me that my treatment shouldn't affect my
reproductive organs and that any medication that I would take that would
affect it could be halted in the event that I was ready to have a baby.

On the morning of my pre-surgical MRI, I had arranged for a friend to
accompany me so that I wouldn't have to worry about my nerves taking over on
my way to and from the hospital. He never showed up so I ended up having to
drive myself. On the way there I got a speeding ticket and dreaded that
this was an omen of even worse things to come. When I got to the hospital I
couldn't figure out where I was supposed to be. Being that I had arrived at
the hospital a little before 5:00am, there weren't many people to be found.
I finally ran into a doctor who told me where I needed to be and quickly
walked over to that building. Once I finally got to the right place, my
procedure was delayed for over an hour because someone had arrived as an
emergency room patient after a major automobile accident. At that moment, I
counted my blessings because although I had cancer, I could still walk and
think and function as normal as long as I kept the thoughts of doom and
gloom at bay.

My best friend had travelled in to be with me and I really appreciated her
being there with me. We had decided to make the weekend prior to the
surgery a party weekend and we had a great time having pre-surgery drinks
and seeing some of the city's sites. The Sunday before the surgery, we
decided to try out a new restaurant I had heard about. Soon after leaving
my apartment, I noticed my car making a horrible noise. After driving a
bit, I pulled over to discover that my car had a flat tire. Now, I know how
to change a flat tire, but since neither of us could get the lugs off of the
tire, we had to wait for nearly an hour in a cold car on the tow truck to
come. We then had to hunt for a place that we could purchase a tire from on
a Sunday evening. We finally made it to dinner and got a good laugh out of the whole thing. I am so grateful that the flat tire happened on the day
before the surgery instead of the day of the surgery.

Finally, surgery day came on March 16th. I remember most of the day of the
surgery, except for the surgery of course. I remember having to have a wire
placed in my breast to locate the clip, I remember the nice fuzzy robe and I
remember counting down once the anesthesia was delivered. I ate Popeye's
chicken after the surgery, enjoyed and rested for the next couple of days
with the frozen peas on my breast. In my post surgery drug stupor I wondered
to myself if this is what people who've undergone cosmetic surgery feel
like?

I went back to work a few days later and tried to resume life as normal.
Work was work, life was regular but my spirit was still a bit low. Six
weeks later, I started radiation treatments, which entailed me having to go
to the hospital five days a week. I tried to control my thoughts about it,
thinking that things could be worse; I could have to endure chemotherapy and
could have lost both breasts, so the inconvenience of going to the hospital
daily was a small one. I soon became acclimated to the time I'd have to
leave work in order to catch the bus that would take me to the hospital as
well as how to disperse my work throughout the day so my productivity
wouldn't be affected by my time out of the office. But I guess in the way
that life has a tendency to flip topsy turvy at a moments notice, a few
weeks into my treatments, I was laid off. I was given two days notice and
no severance pay. Thankfully my insurance lasted into the end of the month
and my best friend paid my first COBRA payment so none of my medical
expenses would have to be out of pocket. Over the next four weeks I became
thankful for my daily appointment. It gave me a reason to get dressed and
leave the house instead of sulking over not having a job or any income. I
began to observe more the patients who came in for radiation treatments,
children wheeled in in wagons, women on stretchers, men in wheelchairs and
young adults who looked just as healthy as I imagined I did.

By the end of my treatments, I had secured a temp job and was looking
forward to being done with the hospital visits. On my last day of
treatments, one of the technicians said that she'd miss me and I quickly
responded that I wouldn't miss her. Not to denote a dislike of her because
she as well as the other technicians made the visits fairly pleasant, but
simply to state that I was done and wished that x-ray machine good riddance.

Over the six weeks of the radiation treatments, I watched how my breast
changed. How it blackened and became tender and how the skin sloughed off to display skin that was red and shiny. I had always thought that my
breasts were part of what made me beautiful and feared that my discolored
and scarred right breast would turn any man off.

Six weeks after the radiation treatments were over, I was to begin drug
therapy.

After going through all of this, I still felt rather voiceless and wanted to
know what I could do to not feel like I couldn't tell my story. I reached
out to support groups and saw a therapist. I began to let friends and
family know how I was feeling and made myself vulnerable in a way that would
normally leave me feeling uncomfortable. I began to take control of my
health, by eating better and exercising more. I was determined not to
continue letting this cancer thing drag me down.

Now as I sit here seven month survivor, I feel proud. Proud that I didn't
give up on myself and proud that I could ask for help when I needed it.
Proud that I can reclaim my voice and share my story for the possible
benefit of a woman who is enduring the same thing. Proud that I am making
an effort to live a more balanced life and to take charge of my health. And
proud that I am still here.

Compelling Documentary Shines a Light on Child Prostitution

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:04:00 +0000

I first learned about the Girls Education and Mentoring Skills (G.E.M.S.) organization when I viewed a short film about G.E.M.S. at the Black Lilly Music and Film Festival a few years back. I remember being deeply disturbed by the images of young teens parading down city blocks tempting potential johns. The brief trailer ended with a 'contact us' message from G.E.M.S. leaving me feeling eager to find out more about the organization and the girls that it serves.

A few years passed and I had forgotten about the movie and the organization until I heard about 'Very Young Girls', an inspiring and at times heartbreaking documentary that followed several young prostitutes as they transitioned out of 'the life' of prostitution with the help of G.E.M.S. The most resounding theme of the movie was that most of the teens had been looking for an escape from tumultuous home lives and believed that the lives that the pimps who recruited them could provide the family that they so desperately wanted.

The images of physical abuse and the retelling of instances of mental abuse that these girls endured was hard to stomach with stories of gang rapes and severe beatings being a common occurrence. It was hard to imagine why these girls couldn't resolve to stay out of prostitution forever.

One of the main reasons that these girls had entered a life of prostitution was because they had been sexually abused as children, as are many children who become involved in prostitution. In their quest for love and acceptance, many of these children become prostitutes because they believe this is what the pimp that’s preying on them wants. Because of the sexual abuse, they also have a twisted ideal of what their sexuality means and have resorted to selling themselves and seeing themselves as worth little else than a sexual commodity.

The film emphasized just how socially vulnerable these girls are. Many of them have little education, haven't finished high school and have no other employable skills. Many are also substance abusers, homeless and need the help of organizations like G.E.M.S. to provide them with housing along with assistance in helping them to return to mainstream society.

Another disturbing fact that 'Very Young Girls' highlighted was the criminalization of girls who were forced into prostitution. One girl had been kidnapped and forced into prostitution and faced criminal prosecution. Many states defend their efforts to criminalize these young girls by claiming that it is easier to provide these girls with the social services that they need if they are a part of the legal system. They also claim that the threat of criminal prosecution will also force these girls to testify against their pimps. The other side of this criminalization argument is diverting these girls into social programs instead of into the criminal system. Such laws as New York’s Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act divert children under the age of 18 who have been arrested for prostitution into social treatment programs if they agree to aid in the prosecution of their pimps.

The triviality with which the prosecution of the crime of buying the services of a prostitute is handled is all the more troubling when the prostitute in question is a young girl. Prostitutes, who are under the fist of a pimp, are in effect victims of human trafficking because they are being harbored by these pimps for forced servitude. The pimps in this film were caught because they taped the mental anguish they put these girls through in an effort to get a reality TV show, a clear example of their callousness and disregard for these young prostitutes. Another scene in the film showed a class filled with men who had been caught with prostitutes. Many of them joked about being in the class and seemed to miss what should be the punitive effect of being in such a class.

The sexuality of a child is something easy to exploit, particularly if the child has an unstable home life and is in search of a family or a source of stability. It is important that we realize that human trafficking is not something that is foreign to the United States and much should be done to protect the populations that are vulnerable to it. G.E.M.S. is a New York based organization that does just that by providing former child prostitutes with means of receiving and education, employment and by providing them with shelter and any other needed social service. We must be active in our own communities to advocate for harsher punishment for the trafficking and prostituting of these young girls as well as doing our part to volunteer with youth who may be susceptible to the allure of prostitution.

To Protect and Serve?

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:40:00 +0000

News of the death of Oscar Grant, a 22 year old father, at the hands of a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officer is disheartening on so many levels. I was saddened that this man lost his life at the hands of an overzealous police officer, saddened that his 4 year old daughter would have to grow up without a father and I was saddened by how jaded I have become to the notion of the police shooting an innocent victim.

Deciding to take the train as a means of safely returning home after an evening of celebrating the New Year, Grant was gunned down by a BART officer. He was unarmed, and some reports say, handcuffed. Grant was being questioned by the officers in relation to a fight that had occurred on the train. He had tried to break the fight up.

Coming of age in the post-Rodney King era, I have become weirdly accustomed to video images of black men being openly victimized by police with little to no repercussions to the officers committing the crimes. Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Robert Tolan Jr., there always seems to be a reason to "mistakenly" shoot or kill black men.

On Wednesday, people joined in protest of Grant's murder, calling for police accountability, just as people took to the streets in past incidents of police murder, but what good does that do? I agree that we all should protest any injustice, but if these injustices continue to happen there must be something done that will lead to a systemic change.

From watching the video, I can say that the detention of Grant and the other men from the train was racially motivated, but the severity of treatment of these men may indeed have been. I can't see a reason for pulling a gun on men who seem to be nonagressive towards the officers.

I won't ever be a police officer nor understand what it feels like to put my life on the line by simply fulfilling the duties of my job. I will never have a job at which I can end a person's life by being overzealous or having a lapse in judgement. But it troubles me that people who do have these jobs, such as Officer Mehserle, the officer that took Oscar Grant's life are not held accountable nor are they trained in such a way to address whatever racial prejudices (this applies to minority officers as well) they may have that will impact the way they interact with the public.

When the next black man is killed at the hands of a police officer, will people continue to take it to the streets for their protests to fall on deaf ears or will there be real effort made to make these officers more accountable?

NPR's News and Notes Has Been Cancelled

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:18:00 +0000

After reading a recent post on Jack and Jill Politics, I was dismayed to hear that my favorite NPR show and the only black issues program, News and Notes has been cancelled. News and Notes is a show that I truly enjoy. Hosted by Farai Chideya, who is a new media maven for sure, News and Notes provided a space for a range of stories and view points from the "black perspective." A place where you could hear serious news about the genocide going on in Darfur or something as comical as the recent antics of your favorite celebrity.

If NPR's goal is to give a voice to a younger and more diverse demographic, then this strategy of "last hired, first fired" is not working. I'm still upset that another of the my favorite NPR shows, The Bryant Park Project was cancelled earlier this year, citing budget shortfalls and low ratings, just as in the case of News and Notes.

I consider myself a young-ish person, and I don't know anyone who listens to News and Notes or NPR in general on a regular basis, so I question why NPR would cancel News and Notes because of its low audience when they didn't do much to promote the show to the people who that elusive audience would have consisted of.

Tsk, tsk NPR. What next? Will you be cancelling This American Life?

Death of the HBCU?

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:01:00 +0000

As a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, I was a bit troubled when I heard the news of the possible closing of another historically black college/university (HBCU). The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported earlier this week that the Georgia Senate Higher Education Committee proposed that colleges in Savannah and Albany be merged in order to make cuts to the state's budget. In Savannah, historically black Savannah State University and historically white-majority Armstrong Atlantic State University would become one institution as would historically black college, Albany State, and white-majority Darton College would in Albany.

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland), suggested the closing of the schools would not only help to cut costs for the state, but would also help end a legacy of segragation. While most HBCUs were founded in the late 1800s to provide opportunities for education that majority white institutions did not, the purpose for such institutions has transformed over the years. HBCUs now serve the purpose of continuing a legacy of academic excellence as well as providing an education for students who may have never considered attending college at all. Furthermore, HBCUs have a better record of actually seeing black students through to complete matriculation.

The idea of merging these institutions would have a bit more bite to it if the solution was to close schools that had low enrollment or poor performance. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Read AJC article here:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/12/01/historical_black_colleges.html

Michael Lomax, President of the United Negro College Fund responds to the proposed school merger:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97802439

Make Sure Your Vote Counts!

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:38:00 +0000

The Today Show featured a segment this morning on steps to take to insure that your vote is counted (you can link to the clip here http://tinyurl.com/692wok). The segment featured Barbara Arnwine of the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law (one of my heroes) and their initiative to protect the vote, Election Protection. Below I've listed Election Day tips for DC, Maryland and Virginia and I strongly urge any voter who encounters an issue at the polls to contact Election Protection at 1-866-OUR-VOTE. Attorneys will be manning the phone lines and will be able to quickly provide you with the information that you seek. Also, if you happen to be an attorney who wants to protect the vote, consider volunteering at a polling place through Election Protection. You'll be there to help voters who have problems with voting, voting machine errors, accessibility problems and to report any voter intimidation going on at the polling place.

For the DC Voters

1. Determine where your precinct is: if you have a voter registration card, your voting precinct should be printed on the card. If you do not know where your voting precinct is, please contact the Board of Elections.

2. Bring ID: If you have voted in previous elections, you will not need to provide identification, but if you are a new voter who didn't provide ID when you registered to vote, you will need to provide a form of ID. Acceptable forms of ID are (1)Valid photo identification, (2)current utility bill, (3)bank statement, (4)government check, (5)paycheck or (6)any other government document showing name and address.

3. If you area voter with special needs, you should be provided with a designated parking space and the accessible entrance should be clearly indicated. There are also audio ballots and magnified ballots for voters with vision problems, as well as special voting booths for those voters in wheelchairs. If assistance is required, the voter has the right to determine who provides assitance.

4. Please don't wear any t-shirts showing support for your candidate: DC prohibits any political activity within 50 feet of the entrance of a building used for voting. So, if a voter wears any paraphernalia supporting a candidate, the voter will be asked to remove or cover the t-shirt, sticker, cap, pin, etc. before entering the polling place.

For more information, contaction the Board of Elections and Ethics http://www.dcboee.org/

For the Maryland Voters

1. Determine where your precinct is: In Maryland, you are required to vote at the precinct aligned with your address. If you are unsure of where your precinct is, please access http://www.elections.state.md.us/voting/where.html.

2.Bring ID: If you have voted in recent elections, you will most likely not be asked for your identification. If you are a first time voter, you most likely will be asked to produce a form of ID. Acceptable forms of ID include (1)a Maryland driver's license, (2)MVA-issued ID card, (3)student, employee, or military ID card, (4)U.S. passport, or (5)any other State or federal government-issued ID card. A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address will also be accepted as ID.

3. If you are a voter with special needs, most Maryland voting machines accomodate person's in wheelchairs and those who have difficulty standing. Audio and magnified ballots are also available to voters with impaired vision.

For more information, contact the State Board of Elections http://www.elections.state.md.us/

For the Virginia Voters

1. Determine where your precinct is: you must vote in your appropriate precinct. Be sure to check with the state board of elections prior to election day to determine where you are supposed to be placing your vote.

2. Bring ID: Voters must provide identification at the polls or sign an Affirmation of Identification. Acceptable forms of identification include: (1)Virginia voter identification card, (2)Valid Virginia driver's license, (3)Military ID, (4)Any Federal, state or local government-issued ID, (5)Employer issued photo ID card or (6)Social Security card.

3. If you are a voter with special needs, there is curbside voting available, although you should be able to access the precinct. For the visually impaired, there should be large print voting material available.

For more information, contact the State Board of Elections http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/

She Writes Right -- 3rd Edition

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:46:00 +0000

Below you'll find a link to the third article I've contributed to emPower magazine, whose mission is to promote discussion of current issues affecting the African American community, and also to find ways to affect change surrounding these issues.

The idea for this article came from a conversation that I had with a young woman who works for an organization that pairs people who want to volunteer with volunteer opportunities. During that conversation we discussed the lack of minority, particularly African American, professionals who wanted to volunteer and the lack of volunteer opportunities to serve minority communities.

In the article, I discuss reasons and solutions for both. Read it and let me know what you think(http://www.empowernewsmag.com/listings.php?article=247)

The Supremes To Hear Retaliation Claim

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:00:00 +0000

From LegalMomentum.org

SUPREME COURT CONSIDERS EMPLOYEE'S RETALIATION CLAIM

Woman Fired After Supporting Co-worker’s Harassment Charge Gets Her Day in Court
By Gillian Thomas

This is the story of Vicky Crawford, a payroll administrator whose case will be argued today before the Supreme Court: At a meeting with representatives of her human resources department, she learned that her boss had been accused of sexual harassment. The investigators asked Ms. Crawford what she knew. Reluctantly, she disclosed that the same supervisor had harassed her, too. She explained that she had not come forward previously because, under office policy, he was the person to whom she was supposed to complain. Within weeks, Ms. Crawford learned that her boss was reprimanded for “inappropriate behavior.” But she also found out that her employer was investigating her job performance, and not long after, she was fired as were the other two women who spoke to the investigators. (The case is Crawford v. Metropolitan Gov’t of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee.)

Federal law makes it just as illegal for an employer to retaliate against someone who complains of discrimination as it is for an employer to discriminate in the first place. But what about employees like Ms. Crawford, who are reluctant to file their own complaints, but are willing to corroborate a co-worker’s? Does the law protect them from retaliation, too?
Ms. Crawford says it does. Her former employer, which claims that Ms. Crawford was fired for no other reason than job performance, says it does not. The ban on retaliation, it argues, does not extend to witnesses like Ms. Crawford who merely give information instead of filing their own charge. The employer also says that participating in the investigation of an internal discrimination complaint, rather than a complaint filed with an outside agency, is not enough to trigger the law’s protection.

Ms. Crawford is right. Research tells us that fear of retaliation is a main reason that employees keep quiet even in the face of severe harassment. (Indeed, Ms. Crawford says that her supervisor asked to see her breasts, pressed his crotch against her office window, pulled her head into his lap, and responded to a casual “what’s up?” by grabbing his crotch and saying “you know what’s up.”) But don’t take the social scientists’ word for it: Ask any woman you know whether she’s ever been harassed on the job. Chances are she has, and chances are she was too afraid to rock the boat by complaining.

A ruling against Ms. Crawford will send the message that unless an employee is prepared to file a formal complaint, she is better off keeping mum about discrimination. Even an employee who might feel brave enough to file her own complaint will think twice if she knows that her colleagues will be too afraid to corroborate her allegations.

The anti-discrimination laws succeed only when employees are willing to speak up about misconduct, whether directed against themselves or their colleagues. Unless employers can get answers about what really goes on in their offices or stores or factories, it is harder to root out and fix problem situations--not to mention prevent lawsuits. That’s why Vicky Crawford and people like her need assurance that they won’t be punished for disclosing what they know. Without that protection, employees have little incentive to report on-the-job discrimination, and every reason to keep silent.

Gwen Ifill's Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:18:00 +0000

Yesterday, news outlets were frothing over the a headline at a conservative website declaring that Gwen Ifill has a conflict of interest because she is writing a book on this era's black leaders entitled, "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama."

The book, to be released on Inauguration day, is described as being a survey of "the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power."

While this story has served to be a distraction from tonight's Vice Presidential debate, it is clear that Ifill was not keeping her work on this book a secret because she discussed in a Washington Post article in September, even prior to Sarah Palin being selected as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate.

This "controversy" appears to be more about Ifill's ability to be impartial and her level of professionalism due to her race and less about her political leanings.

Women Voters, Let Your Voices Be Heard

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:59:00 +0000

From the Women's Media Center

The Women’s Media Center invites you to submit your questions for the Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, hosted by Bob Schieffer. This third and final debate takes place October 15th and focuses on domestic issues. As the result of the WMC’s “Show Me The Women,” an e-initiative challenging the Commission on Presidential Debates in its selection of three men to moderate the upcoming Presidential debates, the WMC has been invited to submit questions for the debate on October 15th. We, in turn, invite you. To see what questions other people have submitted, check out our blog, Majority Post. We are particularly interested in getting your questions on domestic issues.

The deadline to submit questions will be 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, October 1st. Check http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ for updates on which questions are submitted and which ones get asked on air.

In the News: Obama Hung in Effigy

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:30:00 +0000

I am just hearing of this story today and am deeply disturbed that younger generations are still using such tools of hate and intimidation.

From ABC News.com

"Obama Effigy Hung From Ore. Campus Tree"

Administrators at an Oregon college are trying to get to the bottom of who hung a cardboard effigy of Barack Obama from a campus tree Tuesday. The incident at George Fox University appeared to be in protest of a scholarship program geared toward minorities.

A George Fox University employee discovered the life-size cutout of the Democratic presidential candidate hanging from a campus tree with a fishing line around its neck. Posted on the cardboard effigy was a sign that read "Act Six Reject." Act Six is a program that promotes campus diversity and urban leadership. It annually awards full scholarships to up to 10 students most of whom -- but not all -- are minorities.

Robin Baker, the school's president, said he was "shocked, dismayed and disturbed" by the incident.

"I'm upset because it's an assault to kids I love, and I'm upset because it's an attack on the very commitment I have, to try to build a place that will truly educate students in a way that will help them see the world differently," he said.

She Writes Right -- 2nd Edition

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:14:00 +0000

Below you'll find a link to the second article I've contributed to emPower magazine, whose mission is to promote discussion of current issues affecting the African American community, and also to find ways to affect change surrounding these issues.

I'm increasingly troubled by the amount of personal information that the government believes it has a right to. Not only can our phone lines be tapped and travel be tracked, the government now wants to keep your genetic information on file anytime you are taken into custody. I know many argue that if you're not participating in criminal behavior, then you should have no worries, but the bill that Congress has already signed off on will permit police to take the DNA found at a crime scene and complete a search comparing it to millions of DNA samples in a government database. If there is a partial match, which would mean that the matching DNA comes from a relative, the police could then question that relative in an effort to find the criminal.

My article discusses how this bill could further infringe on civil rights and result in racial profiling. Read it and let me know what you think(http://www.empowernewsmag.com/listings.php?article=143)

Race Matters: CNN's Black in America Fails to Enlighten

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:50:00 +0000

I thought long and hard about writing a blog post on CNN's recent Black in America series, because when I first considered the idea of such a program, I didn't have any real desire to see it and knew that if I did see it I'd probably come away from it with some harsh criticisms. Now, I know I tend to racialize things and I guess depending on the context that can be a good or bad thing, but my primary critique of the series was that there was no real effort at exploration. I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know about being Black in America. But, was this series really made for me? I mean, yes, I am Black in America, but maybe CNN was attempting to inform other cultures of what the Black experience in America is like.

The first part of the series on The Black Woman and Family started by focusing on a family as it journeyed to a family reunion in Atlanta. Admittedly, I did not sit still to watch both episodes in their entirety, but I watched it so I could have somewhat of an informed opinion before I started to write and there were some parts that really rubbed me the wrong way. I was intrigued by how one of the elder members of the family traced the roots of their family back to a white ancestor and how one of his white descendants came to visit the black side of the family, perhaps because it had a hint of scandal, and I also loved the success story of the Smiths, who run a successful construction company and seemed to have produced well rounded and educated children, but I wanted to throw a shoe at the TV during the majority of the rest of the show. I was truly disheartened to hear the scary statistics that are always hurled at us in these formats, poor health care, poor quality of food and astronomically high rates of HIV infections. My heart went out to the elderly woman who cried in her hospital bed and to the young woman who was infected with HIV at the age of 19. But the part that got to me the most was the segment focusing on black women and our marriage rates. Instead of focusing on women desiring to get married and not having a suitable selection of partners, it focused on women who choose not to get married. Either way it made me sick. It seemed to say that either you choose not to marry because there are few black men who are equally as educated or financially secure as black women, or you have to marry a white man (not that anything is wrong with that). Why is that presented as an alternative? There was little to no discussion of the "whys" and that was the most frustrating part of trying to watch this program with the intent to garner some type of enlightenment.

The second part of the series, focused on Black Men in America starting from the specific context of Little Rock, Arkansas and how things have changed since the integration of Little Rock Central High fifty years ago. CNN spotlighted Butch Warren, a school superintendent who worked hard to move his family to a better neighborhood and to provide a better life for his children. The story of the Warren family was one that I thought was particularly interesting because although Warren worked to provide for his three sons, one of whom is an attorney, another of whom is a college student and another who was convicted of a violent crime. This struck a chord with me because contrary to most of the stereotypes we're pummeled with, the majority of black families are law abiding and hard working, but may have a few in the family who get "caught up." The main shoe throwing moment was during the segment on absentee fathers. I'll admit that I have a real issue with absentee fathers. I believe that men and women should bear equal responsibility for the creation and care of a child. Now, I know that some people are dishonest and any man can fill your head with lies regarding how he won't leave a woman and how he will be a terrific provider, but I also believe that with the multiple forms of birth control on the market along with practicing self control, we ought to have more control over the children that we bring into the world. There was a young man featured who was raised without his father and who wasn't playing much of a role in his young daughter's life. That had me seriously peeved, but what had me even more peeved is when he finally went to visit his daughter at the mother's home, she was pregnant with twins from another man!! I truly believe that black men have problems obtaining and keeping jobs that would allow them to provide for their families, but I think this is yet another thing we need to think about when we choose to have sex with someone and we ought to be more perceptive to the signs that the person you're having sex with will likely be a deadbeat. Lastly, was the segment featuring a young black man who was rather lettered and successful in his career, but had a problem identifying with being black. This is another issue that aggravates me to no end, and may have little to nothing to do with CNN's presentation of the issue. This issue of blackness. Being black consists of several cultural factors and I don't think there is any one factor that allows a person to have a lock on blackness. Why is that even an issue that needs to be discussed?

My overall critique of CNN's series was that it didn't do any real investigation of the "whys" nor did it address any solutions to issues plaguing those who are Black in America. What are we to do about providing healthy food to our neighborhoods, or why didn't they highlight any efforts to bring healthy foods to our neighborhoods? Why was the solution presented to the issue of absentee fathers Marry My Baby Daddy day, which may very well be a valiant effort to solve this problem, but why not focus on issues to prevent unwed pregnancies? Sadly, CNN did just what I expected them to do, highlight what I already know and serve up some scary statistics without any real solutions. I think that if there is a subsequent series done, the emphasis ought to be on organization that are doing the work to make significant positive changes to our communities.

Virginia Voter Disenfranchisement

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:37:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to work with this organization while I was in law school and it was a truly enlightening experience. The organization does work to expand the electorate, decrease barriers to educational opportunities for minorities, and fights for the rights of immigrants and those persons suffering from the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina.

The Advancement Project is urging Governer Warner of Virginia to restore the rights of felons who have completed the conditions of their sentence. See their announcement below and get involved!
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From the Advencement Project (http://www.advancementproject.org/)

IT’S TIME TO RESTORE VOTER RIGHTS…
AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING!
DON’T LET THE MOMENT PASS.
CALL GOVERNOR MARK WARNER TODAY.
• There are 243,000 Virginia citizens who are unfairly denied the right to vote.
• The overwhelming majority of Americans – more than 80%! – believe that people who
have completed their sentences should be allowed to vote.
• Virginia is one of only four states – all former slave states – that still permanently
disenfranchise individuals with felony convictions.
• Virginia disenfranchises 1 in every 6 African Americans in the Commonwealth.
It doesn’t have to be that way! The time for change is now.
Call Governor Warner today at 804-786-2211 or email him via his website:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact/email_form.html
Urge him to issue an executive order to restore voting rights to Americans
in Virginia who have completed the conditions of their criminal sentences.
• Governor Warner’s term ends January 14, 2006. Before he leaves office, let’s make a
bold, historic move for democracy. Let’s trounce a history of felony disenfranchisement
laws that were intended to exclude African Americans, and still do.
• Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack restored voting rights for disenfranchised voters this past
summer. Ask Governor Warner to join Governor Vilsack in leading the way for a just
democracy.
• Governor Warner has already restored the voting rights of over 3,000 individuals – a
number greater than his 4 predecessors combined – but this is only an estimated 2%
of the eligible population. Now we need him to take the next step to strengthen
voter justice and democracy in Virginia. It’s the right thing to do. And the time is
now!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Governor Mark R. Warner,
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor, 1111 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
Email correspondence: Follow link at:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact/email_form.html
For more information go to www.AdvancementProject.org or email
ap@advancementproject.org

She Writes Right -- 1st edition

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:40:00 +0000

My life's mission is to create, serve and enlighten others to work towards justice, creative expression, and economic self sufficiency through community activism. You know, to be the change that I want to see. As a way of sharing what I think works, or what I think we need to do to make things work, I write.

Below you'll find a link to my first entry on a dynamic online magazine, emPower Magazine, which has as it's mission to promote discussion of current issues affecting the African American community, and also finding ways to affect change surrounding these issues.

My article discusses voter identification laws and how stricter identification requirements may lead to fewer citizens being able to vote.

Read it and let me know what you think
(http://www.empowernewsmag.com/listings.php?article=43)

My Foray Into the Blogosphere

noreply@blogger.com (The Legal Maven) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:11:00 +0000

This is my first step to creating my web presence. I will commit to posting on a regular basis and will be sure to make each post enlightening in some way, be it for myself or for my readers. My purpose is to share my opinions and to create a dialogue surrounding social, political and pop culture topics that will empower, educate and maybe even entertain.