Joint Center Updates
President Biden Doubles Down on Gun Control, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court & More: April 14 Roundup
Biden Administration
President Biden revisits gun control: President Biden announced a new slate of executive actions aimed at curtailing domestic gun violence. In his Rose Garden statement, he emphasized that although the executive actions are a great first step, more effective gun control interventions can only become reality with congressional action. This recommitment to gun safety occurs at a time when cities across the country are seeing an uptick in crime, violence, and shootings, including the recent mass shooting at a Brooklyn subway station in Sunset Park.
Biden administration launches rural playbook: The Biden administration released the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook, highlighting how rural communities can take advantage of government policies and benefits. According to the administration, “supporting Americans living in rural areas remains a top priority for the Biden Administration, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers on the President’s promises to provide high-speed internet, safe roads and bridges, modern wastewater systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs in every rural community.”
The Joint Center is committed to improving outcomes for Black Americans in the rural South. Read our report, “Affordability & Availability: Expanding Broadband in the Black Rural South,” here.
President Biden plans to name five judicial nominees: President Biden plans to name five more judicial nominees to serve on federal circuit courts and district courts across the country Monday. Of these nominees, Gregory B. Williams will be named as a district court judge nominee in Delaware. In light of this new wave of nominations, according to the White House, 30 percent of President Biden’s judicial nominees identify as Black.
The Hill
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court by a bipartisan 53-47 vote. She will be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
The Joint Center celebrated Judge Jackson’s confirmation alongside many civil rights groups including Black Voters Matter, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Advancement Project, the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
The Joint Center supported Judge Jackson throughout the nomination and confirmation process. A year ago, the Joint Center urged President Biden to prioritize nominating Black judges to the U.S. Court of Appeals due to impending retirements. Judge Jackson was among the president’s first nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Submit comments for United States Representative Racial Equity Engagement: The United States International Trade Commission seeks testimonies on trade policy from American workers. Comments will contribute to a research project highlighting diverse perspectives on trade policy and outcomes.
Movement Building
The Joint Center wants to hear from you! Our Workforce Policy Program seeks your input to identify areas of opportunity for the program to better support a more racially just recovery for Black workers and jobseekers and maximizing future work opportunities for Black workers. This survey will be used to inform research and policy priorities for the program going forward.
Color of Change (COC) is urging followers to send a letter to Dekalb County, GA CEO Michael Thurmond and demand Sergeant Devon Perry’s termination. COC states that Sgt. Perry violated Dekalb’s policies when he unjustly shot and killed Matthew Zadok Williams in his home and left him to die.
COC is asking followers to sign a petition urging Congress to pass the Algorithmic Accountability Act. According to the petition, “algorithmic accountability is the only proven method to prevent algorithmic bias, and that requires evaluating algorithms, deleting discriminatory datasets, and suspending the use of discriminatory algorithms.”
The National Urban League released their 2022 State of Black America report, “Under Siege: The Plot to Destroy Democracy.” This report outlines a wave of anti-democratic policies that restrict voting and suppress the political power of Black Americans.
The African American Mayors Association recognizes Black Maternal Health Week 2022. Houston (TX) Mayor Sylvester Turner, president of the African American Mayors Association, stated that “African American women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications than any other group of women in the United States … It can feel like no Black woman is safe from the dangers that come with getting pregnant and giving birth in America. We know a primary reason why this is happening: systemic racial inequities and implicit bias in our communities and healthcare system.”
Events
The National Organization of Black County Officials 36th Annual Economic Development Conference will be in (Shelby County) Memphis, TN, April 20.
The African American Mayors Association 2022 Annual Conference, “The Time for Transformation In Our Cities,” will be in Washington, DC, April 27-29.
The Joint Center welcomes Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) for our first Voices at the Table conversation in 2022. Rep. Horsford will join Joint Center President Spencer Overton May 4 at 1 p.m. E.T. in a robust, one-hour conversation on tax policy, budget priorities, appointments, and other public policy issues that affect Black communities.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation will host the 2022 Health Equity Summit, part of its Policy for the People Virtual Summit Series, May 12.
The National Urban League Annual Conference 2022 will be in Washington, DC, July 20-23.
