Op-Ed
Supreme Court Puts Reliable Government Jobs At-Risk

Wade Henderson says that the reality is that women and people of color still experience pernicious barriers in employment, including unequal pay, discriminatory treatment, and unpredictable schedules.
By Wade Henderson
NNPA News Wire Guest Columnist
Both of my parents worked in stable government jobs, so I had the privilege of growing up in a family that owned a home, a car, and set me on a path to college and even law school.
Among members of the African-American middle class, my story isn’t at all uncommon. If you asked any African American over the past century what the pathway to a stable career was, they’d probably say “a government job.” That’s because when people of color were subject to widespread discrimination, unionized public sector jobs such as teachers, postal workers, and administrators were often the only opportunities available.
But those jobs are under attack at the Supreme Court, and this should alarm anyone who cares about economic mobility.
The court is considering a case called Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, which could destroy the ability of government employees to receive the benefits that unions secure through collective bargaining like fair pay and safe workplaces.
The lead plaintiff is a lot like thousands of other teachers in California whose wages and benefits are a direct result of the California Teachers Association’s bargaining on her behalf. But Ms. Friedrichs sued because she doesn’t want to contribute to the union. If the California Teachers Association loses, the impact could be widespread, as any public sector worker anywhere in the country could decide not to pay their fair share of dues, effectively starving their union.
Ms. Friedrichs isn’t just acting on her own behalf. She is being represented by the Center for Individual Rights, the same organization that sued to gut the Voting Rights Act and to eliminate race-conscious admissions for colleges. This lawsuit is another part of a coordinated campaign to use the Supreme Court to roll back long-standing civil rights protections that people fought and died for in the streets.
Civil rights groups have filed a brief in the case because a ruling against the California Teachers Association would undermine the ability of the nurses, firefighters, postal workers, and teachers that built the Black middle class to thrive.
The reality is that women and people of color still experience pernicious barriers in employment, including unequal pay, discriminatory treatment, and unpredictable schedules. For these communities, unions have been vital to combatting discrimination and unfair treatment.
More than 30 percent of public sector union members are racial and ethnic minorities, and 55 percent are women. Wages for women union members are not only higher than their non-union counterparts, they are closer to those of male co-workers. Unsurprisingly, wages for African-American union members are also higher than their non-union counterparts. And unions improve the lot of all American workers by setting minimum workplace standards for all.
At a time of increasing inequality, the need for strong public sector jobs is especially critical. The Supreme Court should reject this rollback of collective bargaining.
Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
#NNPA BlackPress
IN MEMORIAM: Chadwick Boseman
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Boseman was no stranger to playing iconic characters, bursting onto the big screen in 2013’s 42 as baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in major league baseball. Boseman went on to star as Soul legend James Brown in 2014’s Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall in 2017. Boseman brought a quiet dignity and powerful presence to these characters, with performances reflective of the weight they hold in world culture.
By Nsenga Burton, Ph.D., NNPA Newswire Culture and Entertainment Editor
The world is reeling from the loss of iconic actor Chadwick Boseman, who died Friday, August 28, after losing a private battle to colon cancer. Boseman died at home surrounded by his family.
A statement released by his family said Boseman was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2016 and the disease progressed to stage 4. Boseman endured countless surgeries and treatments as he continued to make films from Marshall (directed by Reginald Hudlin), Da 5 Bloods (directed by Spike Lee) and August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Denzel Washington).
Washington and Boseman were first introduced when Washington paid for Boseman and several other Howard University students to continue their theater studies by taking a theater course in Oxford.
The Howard University-educated thespian was the star of Marvel’s Black Panther franchise, bringing to life one of the most important and revered superheroes in American film history.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther was the first superhero movie to be nominated for a best picture Oscar and one of the highest-grossing films of all time, bringing in over $1billion.
Black Panther became more than a movie, morphing into a celebration of Black culture, art, history, achievement and intellect in addition to highlighting the Black cultural presence and influence in comic book culture.
Boseman was no stranger to playing iconic characters, bursting onto the big screen in 2013’s 42 as baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in major league baseball. Boseman went on to star as Soul legend James Brown in 2014’s Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall in 2017. Boseman brought a quiet dignity and powerful presence to these characters, with performances reflective of the weight they hold in world culture.
Prior to breaking into film, Boseman lived in New York, teaching at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture while cutting his teeth on small roles on shows like Law & Order, Third Watch, ER and Lie to Me, eventually landing recurring roles on Lincoln Heights and Persons Unknown.
It was Boseman’s turn as Jackie Robinson that cemented his film star status and his performance as T’Challa in Marvel’s Black Panther, that catapulted him to superstardom. Black Panther grew beyond the big screen and became a cultural phenomenon. Boseman, who hails from Anderson South Carolina, gave moviegoers a king who was stoic, powerful and captivating as he led warriors with love, intellect and strategy as they fought to maintain control of their powerful, technologically superior nation, ripe for poaching by outsiders.
Much like the Gullah culture of his home state, Boseman was able to effortlessly blend African and American culture to help create a fantastical world on screen that was inspirational and recognizable. Boseman led an all-star cast including Angela Bassett, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Sterling Brown, Winston Duke and Academy award-winning actors Lupita Nyong’o and Forrest Whitaker, holding his own and fortifying his status as a Hollywood superstar.
Boseman, who also appeared as T’Challa/Black Panther in Avengers Infinity War and Avengers: End Game, starred in and produced the films 21 Bridges, Marshall and Message from the King, which he served as Executive Producer. At the time of his death, Boseman was in pre-production as producer on Yasuke, a film about the world’s first Black Samurai in which Boseman was slated to star.
In addition to acting and producing, Boseman was also an activist and philanthropist supporting social justice initiatives like Michelle Obama’s #WhenWeAllVote and celebrating fellow Bison Kamala Harris’ history making selection as the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee for the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, which was his last Twitter post before his death.
In 2018, the wonderkind performer delivered a powerful commencement speech at Howard University encouraging students to rise above traumatic experiences and applauding their campus activism. Boseman, who was mentored by fellow Howard University alum Phylicia Rashad and helped financially by Denzel Washington as a student donated $100,000 to #Change4Change, which supports HBCUs in November 2019.
The private public figure spent time visiting children suffering from cancer at St. Jude’s Research Center. In April 2020, the actor donated $4.2 million worth of PPE equipment to hospitals serving Black communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The youngest of four, Boseman is survived by his parents Leroy and Carolyn Boseman, siblings Kevin, Dionne and Derrick and wife Taylor Simone Ledward. Boseman was 43.
#NNPA BlackPress
OP-ED:Black Riders Matter
NNPA NEWSWIRE — A court in California just issued a temporary “stay” on restricting rideshare operations in the state over the independent contractor issue. The court ruling should be made permanent while civil rights and business leaders work together to undo the unjust and unfair rideshare regulations that may negatively impact millions of people throughout America.
By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) is the nation’s oldest and largest trade association of Black-owned newspapers and media companies. Our NNPA member publishers hire employees, but we also hire a large number of independent contractors across America to accomplish the work and success of the Black Press.
In the tradition of African American business development, many independent contractors in our communities subsequently become the proprietors of their own businesses.
The point here is that today, across the state of California (and for seemingly counterproductive reasons), public policies, laws and regulations are being passed to prevent companies such as Lyft and Uber from having independent contractors drive and conduct related business across the state.

This is another glaring example of good intentions causing bad consequences, specifically for Black Americans, Latinx Americans and other people of color who are trying to work as independent contractors on a legitimate path to becoming sustainable and profitable entrepreneurs.
Systemic racism in America today has many varied and debilitating manifestations that keep a knee on the necks of people of color striving to achieve success, empowerment and lift themselves out of poverty. In my view, the proposed California law, Assembly Bill 5, is unconstitutional and racist. Other states should become aware and alarmed by these non-progressive and regressive regulations.
We have a fundamental right to participate in the emerging gig-economy. Black independent contractors who drive as a means of entrepreneurship do matter.

In fact, all Black Riders Matter. There are hundreds of thousands of people of color riders who depend daily on Lyft, Uber and other ride share companies to provide transportation and other vital services in particular during the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
A court in California just issued a temporary “stay” on restricting rideshare operations in the state over the independent contractor issue. The court ruling should be made permanent while civil rights and business leaders work together to undo the unjust and unfair rideshare regulations that may negatively impact millions of people throughout America.
The quality of life needs and aspirations of Black Americans and others should not be relegated to the political or exclusive whims of those who do not really care about the empowerment of our families and communities in California and across the nation. This is a growing national issue and I cannot and will not remain silent.
#BlackLivesMatter, #BlackVotersMatter, and #BlackRidersMatter.
Dr, Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org
#NNPA BlackPress
Federal Appeals Court Hearing Concludes in Challenge to Florida Law Obstructing Voting Rights Restoration
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Campaign Legal Center, and the Southern Poverty Law Center immediately sued. In May 2020, the district court struck down the law, but the ruling was put on hold pending the appeal by DeSantis.
The court’s ultimate ruling may enable hundreds of thousands of Floridians to vote in November’s general election
ATLANTA – A federal appeals court hearing in a case that may enable hundreds of thousands of Floridians to register to vote in time for the November election concluded today after two hours of oral argument.
The case concerns Senate Bill 7066, signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019. Senate Bill 7066 made voting rights for hundreds of thousands of returning citizens contingent on payment of all legal financial obligations before being able to vote. This law directly undermines Florida voters’ overwhelming passage of the Amendment 4 in 2018, which restored voting rights to over a million people with past felony convictions.
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Campaign Legal Center, and the Southern Poverty Law Center immediately sued. In May 2020, the district court struck down the law, but the ruling was put on hold pending the appeal by DeSantis.
The appeal was heard today by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. If the appeals court affirms the district court’s ruling, it may enable hundreds of thousands of returning citizens to register to vote in time for the November election.
The following comments are from:
Nancy Abudu, deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center: “On the day we commemorate the centennial anniversary of the suffrage movement’s ultimate victory — the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — we must remain vigilant in challenging election laws that place a serious burden on women when it comes to exercising their fundamental right to vote. Today’s hearing demonstrated once again that Florida’s pay-to-vote scheme denies people like our clients the right to vote simply because they cannot afford to pay off their financial obligations. Florida’s law is unconstitutional and undermines the very heart of our democracy.”
Julie Ebenstein, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project: “The courts have repeatedly ruled that Florida’s modern-day poll tax is unconstitutional. People from all across the political spectrum recognize it is wrong to force Americans to pay to vote. We are hopeful the appeals court will affirm the trial court’s decision and strike down this law once and for all.”
Daniel Tilley, ACLU of Florida legal director: “We have proudly fought for our clients against Florida’s unconstitutional attempt to affix a price on a person’s right to vote. It is a fight we will continue to fight until all returning citizens in Florida who regained their right to vote through Amendment 4 are able to participate in our democracy.”
Sean Morales-Doyle, senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law: “In putting a price tag on voting, Florida’s law violates the Constitution and cheapens our democracy. We are hopeful the Eleventh Circuit will strike down this law, enabling hundreds of thousands of Floridians with past convictions to exercise their fundamental right to cast a ballot, in November and beyond.”
Danielle Lang, co-director of voting rights and redistricting at Campaign Legal Center (CLC): “Hundreds of thousands of otherwise eligible voters have their constitutional rights depending on the outcome of this case. Florida’s voters have spoken loud and clear when nearly two-thirds of them supported rights restoration at the ballot box. It’s time for the appeals court to hear their voices and reject Florida’s pay-to-vote scheme.”
Leah C. Aden, deputy director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund: “Florida’s pay-to-vote law unjustly denies hundreds of thousands of people their right to vote, and is especially harmful to Black Floridians, who are already otherwise disproportionately impacted by voter suppression tactics. The fact that Florida has the gall to attempt to enforce a pay-to-vote system when it knew that it has no credible record-keeping system in place for returning citizens or state officials to track their LFOs is completely unacceptable. Under no circumstance should the state be allowed to enforce a law that does not allow people to receive notice of what they owe upfront — and to determine whether they can register, remain on the voter polls, and vote. This law is unconstitutional — and the trial court’s decisions must stand.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit http://www.splcenter.org.
#NNPA BlackPress
OP-ED: No Bridge too Far — Remembering Congressman John Lewis and the Fight Still Ahead
NNPA NEWSWIRE — It comes to this: Americans are being cut out of the process by other Americans. A great victory, fought for on bloody streets and across bloody bridges, a score settled and signed into law all those years ago has been compromised in the courts. Time to despair? Nope. It sounds to me like it’s time again for some good trouble.
“The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.” — Congressman John Lewis
This month marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), one of the most powerful pieces of civil rights legislation in our history. The passage of the VRA into law was the result of decades of struggle and sacrifice and was truly a shining moment in our history.
Unfortunately, the struggle to ensure that all Americans have the right and opportunity to vote not only continues today, we have actually suffered significant losses on this front over the past decade. Some of the most critical protections of the VRA, designed to remove legal barriers at state and local levels that prevented African Americans from voting, were essentially gutted by a devastating 2013 Supreme Court decision. With one stroke of the pen, the Court set us back decades and created an environment where we’ve seen numerous court challenges to voting rights and other legal measures designed to further weaken the protections of the VRA. All resulting in suppression of African American and minorities participating in the process.
Add to this this the fact that many states are imposing strict voter ID laws, cutting voting times, restricting registration, and purging voter rolls. These efforts have kept significant numbers of eligible voters from the polls in recent elections, hitting all Americans, but placing special burdens on racial minorities, poor people and young and old voters.
Adding to these now restored obstacles are new impediments — polling places consolidated in urban areas to make lines longer (and scarier given the poorly contained reach of the deadly coronavirus) and attempts to throw shade on mail-in ballots. Despite the fact that the evidence shows us that absentee voting is safe and secure.
Time for Good Trouble
It comes to this: Americans are being cut out of the process by other Americans. A great victory, fought for on bloody streets and across bloody bridges, a score settled and signed into law all those years ago has been compromised in the courts. Time to despair? Nope. It sounds to me like it’s time again for some good trouble.
Good trouble was what American hero and Congressman John Lewis called the struggle for this all-important right of every American. Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia, served in the House of Representatives from 1987 until his death last month, spent decades working as an organizer and activist, was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and original freedom rider. He helped organize the March on Washington in lockstep with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and A. Phillip Randolph. He walked into a beating from Alabama state troopers who cracked his head bloody and gassed him along with hundreds of marchers in the cause of voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965.
He witnessed and rejoiced in the passage of the VRA alongside his fellow freedom marchers and years later, would have to see the Supreme Court decimate the act. Lewis knew that the court’s decision would reopen the door to voter suppression, but he refused to give in to defeat.
Here is what he had to say about our struggle: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
Now, It’s Up to Us
So, I say we cannot afford to let go of making good trouble. When U.S. Senator Doug Jones of Alabama said at Lewis’ memorial service, “It is the young among us in Alabama and across this nation who can heal what we have failed to heal in our lifetimes, no matter how hard John tried,” Senator Jones made note that Lewis had been heartened by today’s young activists.
“He confidently looked around and said, ‘All is well,’” said Jones. “‘It is time for the torch to be passed. It is time for me to let go.’”
That torch, brothers and sisters, is for us.
And I would say we have taken hold of it. Today you are seeing it in our protests against police brutality and racism. People standing up for their inherent civil rights. For the right to live, to move about, to vote. You see the numbers and the strength and the outrage.
Today you are seeing it in the House of Representatives, which most recently passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a bill intended to restore the vote to Americans — mostly Black, Latino, and Native Americans — who were disenfranchised by the 2013 decision.
The Voting Rights Advancement Act restores the full protections of the original, bipartisan Voting Rights Act of 1965. It also creates a new coverage formula that applies to all states and addresses measures that have historically been used to discriminate against voters.
A time for action, not despair
Predictably, full passage has been stalled in the Senate, but “our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year,” right? We are fighting the long fight and making good trouble. And we need to see the numbers and the strength and the outrage at the polls.
In a few months, we will be voting in one of the most important elections of our time. You need to make your voice count. Make it count in spite of those who would stop you. Voting is necessary to make the real change we need in this country. We must unite and come together to elect leaders who are committed to reform and to working people. The only way to do that is to vote.
More than 30 states have approved ballot initiatives to allow absentee voting without an excuse. Check out your situation in your state and however you choose to vote, please make your voice heard this November.
Those who read my column know that I am a union man. I can say unequivocally as far as the UAW is concerned, we are not new to John Lewis’ fight. For decades, the UAW has fought alongside freedom marching men and women to ensure that individual rights are honored.
At a time when far too many eligible voters are wrongly turned away from the polls – or simply don’t have access to them – we must rededicate ourselves to increasing participation among eligible voters.
John Lewis said at the 1963 March on Washington in front of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and UAW President Walter Reuther, “I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation. Get in and stay in the streets of every city, every village and hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes, until the revolution of 1776 is complete.”
In that idea, Congressman Lewis is still right here standing before more bridges that need crossing. Only by voting, can we get to the other side.
#NNPA BlackPress
OP-ED: Our Battle to Protect Democracy’s Greatest Tool: It’s on us to honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis.
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Even in the darkest of times, we can hear our friend and mentor John Lewis: “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”
By Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Chairwoman, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee & Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07)
When a young John Lewis led hundreds of foot soldiers in a march over Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, he and hundreds of non-violent protesters would be attacked with billy clubs and tear gas by Alabama state troopers and their dogs. Lewis later recalled he believed he might die there in a battle to protect the right to vote; others did give their lives in the fight for an America that lives up to the ideals upon which it was founded.
Lewis would go on to honorably serve the people of his beloved Georgia in Congress for 33 years and continue making good trouble, which led to his being arrested over 40 times in the name of equality and justice before his passing last month at 80 years old.
It’s now been 55 years since that march and the subsequent passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by President Johnson just months after Bloody Sunday. There’s no doubt that hard-fought victory made our democracy stronger.
Despite its passage and the significant expansion of voting rights that followed, the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision gutted key protections of the Voting Rights Act. Without federal protections against discrimination, states across the country have enacted new restrictive and discriminatory laws that target communities of color.
No longer do Black and Brown Americans have to count how many jellybeans are in a jar to register to vote, but old battles have become new again. Now, we have a president who openly rails against mail in voting in the midst of a pandemic that has claimed more than 150,000 American lives; state legislatures that are working hard to make it more difficult for Americans to vote by reducing polling places and polling hours; and secretaries of state actively purging voter rolls. Unsurprisingly, those impacted are often Black, Brown, Indigenous and young people.
Even in the darkest of times, we can hear our friend and mentor John Lewis: “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.”
That’s why Democrats are urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020 and restore the full protections of the VRA. For more than 240 days, McConnell has refused to act on this bill to strengthen our voting laws. We urge him to match the platitudes he expressed following Congressman Lewis’ passing with action.
Democrats will not stand by. We will continue the fight for equal access to the ballot. Our efforts are even more important as people of goodwill unite and protest the injustices committed toward Black Americans.
This election cycle, Democrats have made more than a $10 million commitment to fight Republican voter suppression efforts across the country. Our aggressive voting rights litigation strategy builds on generations of civil rights work that led to many of the protections we are fighting to defend today. Our battle continues in courtrooms across America to remove roadblocks to voter registration, increase access to polling places, and to end partisan gerrymandering. We’re just getting started, but together we have won or settled suits in California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
As our country faces all too familiar attempts to infringe on the voting rights of the American people, Democrats are uniquely positioned — with the moral track record and broad support of the American people — to take on Republican voter suppression efforts that hurt everyday people.
Your vote is your voice. We need you to use it this November to achieve real change. We need you to use it to create the beloved community John Lewis dreamed of. We need you to use it to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And we need you to use it to achieve equality and justice for all.
#NNPA BlackPress
Comfort Food Consumption On the Rise
INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER — In addition to the comforting flavor, this trend provides valuable nutritional benefits. As a part of many healthy eating plans, bread and pasta are nutritionist approved and provide nutrients needed for healthy aging such as B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, iron, folate and fiber.
(Family Features) As families spend more time at home, Americans are finding comfort in a surprising source: bread. In fact, a 20-year trend of declining grain food consumption has been reversed.
A national study by the Grain Food Foundation suggests that the turnaround is more than a one-time sales blip due to pantry loading. In reality, consumers count bread among their top comfort foods. The study revealed one-third of Americans named pasta and bread as foods that are comforting during a stressful time.
In addition to the comforting flavor, this trend provides valuable nutritional benefits. As a part of many healthy eating plans, bread and pasta are nutritionist approved and provide nutrients needed for healthy aging such as B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, iron, folate and fiber.
“For years, we’ve been telling consumers that grain foods are the foods we love that love us back,” said Christine Cochran, executive director of the Grain Foods Foundation. “The stress has given us permission to enjoy bread and pasta again, but unlike most comfort foods, consumers recognize that grains have nutritional value.”
The highest-ranking comfort foods were ice cream; baked goods like cakes, cookies and pastries; salty snacks; candy; and fast food. However, when asked to identify comfort foods with nutritional advantages, consumers identified bread and pasta as the top two.
“We can all rest assured that there is enough supply of grain food products in this country,” Cochran said. “Shoppers may be experiencing some sporadic unavailability of certain high-demand items. However, manufacturers are working closely with retailers to make sure that out-of-stocks are short lived. Consumers will be able to buy their favorite grain-food products and eat them, too.”
To learn more about the role of grain foods in a healthful diet, visit GrainFoodsFoundation.org.
Rotini with Sausage and Mushrooms
Recipe courtesy of Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, MS, RD, on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 18 minutes
Servings: 8
- 1 box (13 1/4 ounces) whole-grain rotini
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1 pound chicken sausage, sliced
- 1 cup leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 6 leaves from tarragon sprigs, chopped
- 1 cup Romano cheese grated
- Parmesan-Romano cheese (optional)
- Prepare rotini according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large bowl.
- In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook sausage 2-3 minutes, or until well browned. Add leeks, onions and mushrooms; cook until tender. Add chicken stock and simmer 3-5 minutes, or until hot. Fold sausage mixture into warm pasta. Add parsley, tarragon and Romano cheese; toss again. Top with Parmesan-Romano cheese, if desired.

Cheesy Black Bean Toast with Pico de Gallo
Recipe courtesy of Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, MS, RD, on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
- 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1⁄2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 serrano or jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juice only
- 1⁄8 teaspoon oregano, finely crushed
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
- 1⁄2 Hass avocado, diced
- 4 bolillos (6 inches) or large Kaiser rolls, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 can (16 ounces) seasoned low-fat refried black beans
- 2 cups shredded Chihuahua or mozzarella cheese
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- In medium mixing bowl, combine tomatoes; onion; garlic; peppers; cilantro; lime juice; oregano; salt, if desired; pepper; and avocado; set aside.
- On medium platter, split rolls. With medium spatula, spread refried beans onto each bread half; sprinkle cheese among bread.
- Bake 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and hot.
This article originally appeared in The Indianapolis Recorder.
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