Featured
NNPA Honors Maxine Waters and Other Leaders
“We are here to recognize our brothers and sisters who are truly national leaders and who stand for freedom, justice and equality not when its popular, but when it’s not so popular to be freedom fighters,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
[/media-credit] Awardees included: California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green, and South Carolina’s Jim Clyburn, National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes, Capstone Development Founder Norman K. Jenkins, E-Commerce Leader Arsha Jones, Dr. Wally Smith, Television Personality Kellee Edwards and legendary poll worker Laura Wooten.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) 2018 National Leadership Awards Reception provided what one might expect when California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green, and South Carolina’s Jim Clyburn make up one-third of the recipients.
“We are here to recognize our brothers and sisters who are truly national leaders and who stand for freedom, justice and equality not when its popular, but when it’s not so popular to be freedom fighters,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
In her typical fiery but still eloquent way, Waters spoke passionately about she and other Democrats’ mission to impeach President Donald Trump – though, like all of the recipients, she never mentioned the president by name only referring to him as “Number 45.”
“My friend Jesse Jackson said if you fight, you can win. If you don’t fight, you will never know if you can win,” said Waters, who also took time to heap praise upon NNPA National Chairman Dorothy R. Leavell, the publisher of the Crusader newspapers in Gary, Indiana and Chicago.
For those who insist that Vice President Mike Pence might turn out as a worse Commander in Chief than Trump, Waters scoffed, “…I say knock off the first, and go after the second,” she said, as the sold-out crowd inside the grand ballroom of the Marriot Marquis roared its approval of her fiery award acceptance speech.
Green, the veteran civil rights advocate who’s serving his seventh term in Congress, picked up where Waters left off. “I promise that I have not given up on impeachment,” Green said. “We have a president who is not only unfit for the presidency, but a man who is unfit for any office in the United States of America.”
Clyburn, who arrived in Congress in 1993 and is the third-ranking Democrat, followed his colleagues and helped to drive home their impeachment argument. “I learned early what it means to challenge the system. I learned from my dad what it means to have the power of the almighty vote,” Clyburn said. “If the [midterm] election goes the way it seems like it is, you will have the best years of your lives going forward.”
Waters, Green and Clyburn were among the nine national leaders and activists honored by the NNPA on Friday, Sept. 14. A trade organization representing America’s more than 220 African American-owned newspapers — with more than 22 million weekly subscribers, the NNPA began the Leadership Awards in 2014. The awards honor individuals who are national leaders in their specific fields and whose actions have helped to improve the quality of life for African Americans and others.
The producers of the NNPA Leadership Awards Reception decided that the best time to host such an awards reception would be during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, a weeklong event that’s held each September.
The CBC ALC week is the largest annual gathering of its kind in the United States, featuring 15,000 to 20,000 African American leaders and influencers.
The underlying combined objective of the CBC ALC and the NNPA National Leadership Awards Reception is to network, collaborate and strategize collectively for the advancement and empowerment of Black America.
Counted among the sponsors and supporters of the NNPA Leadership Awards Reception were General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Pfizer Rare Disease, RAI Reynolds, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AT&T, Southwest Airlines, Northrop Grumman, Volkswagen, Wells Fargo, AARP, American Petroleum Institute (API), AmeriHealth, Koch Industries, Comcast, Ascension Health, Comcast, and Compassion & Choices.
Awardees included National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes, Capstone Development Founder Norman K. Jenkins, E-Commerce Leader Arsha Jones, Dr. Wally Smith, Television Personality Kellee Edwards and legendary poll worker Laura Wooten.
At 97, Wooten is the longest continuously serving poll worker in America. Immediately upon graduating from Princeton High School in 1939, Wooten was recruited to work the polls by her great uncle, Anderson Mitnaul, who was running for Justice of the Peace. More than seven decades later, Wooten is still working the polls and her 79-year streak remains intact.
“Voting is important,” Wooten told the audience who saluted her with a prolong standing ovation. “We need to engage young people to get out to vote. I hope we can do better this year. On November 6, get out and vote,” she said.
Featured
Defender ONE-on-ONE: U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee
Rep. Christian Menefee shares insights on his first 250 days in Congress, key legislation, and the challenges of serving in the minority. Don’t miss this exclusive interview!
In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Texas Congressman Christian Menefee sits down to reflect on his first 250 days serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Congressman Menefee shares key insights into his legislative priorities, introducing new bills, and navigating the day-to-day challenges of serving in the house minority. He breaks down why every vote matters in shaping our communities and offers a preview of the urgent legislative issues he plans to tackle next.

In this video, you’ll hear about: • Reflections on his first 250 days in Congress • Key legislation introduced and priority bills • Navigating the realities and strategy of serving in the house minority • Why civic engagement and voter participation remain critical • What lies ahead on his legislative agenda

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Chapters
0:00 Introduction and the Importance of Voting
1:12 First 250 Days and Improving Constituent Services
2:40 Oversight Committee and Environmental Justice
4:05 Rebuilding an Empty Congressional Office
6:10 The SET Act: Ending Vacancies in Representation
8:25 Life in the Minority and Playing Defense
10:45 Foreign Policy, Inflation, and Gas Prices
12:50 Economic Goals: Child Care and Housing
14:20 Redistricting and Respecting Leadership
16:15 The Rotisserie Chicken Vote and SNAP Benefits
18:20 Congressional Black Caucus Highlights
19:45 Final Call to Action for Texas Voters
Make sure to check your voter registration status and head to the polls to make your voice heard in the upcoming election. If you found this update helpful, please like this video and subscribe to stay informed on the issues that matter most to your community. 📢
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Bakersfield News Observer
News Observer Weekly — October 7, 2026 | Top 5 Stories of the Week
Nolan Wells’ mysterious death remains unsolved, while Kern County ballots are now in voters’ hands. This week’s top 5 stories, up now on News Observer Weekly.
Nolan Wells was eighteen. A Mississippi grand jury says nobody is responsible for his death. The state medical examiner says she can’t tell you how he died. The district attorney’s message to the family was, we’ll never know. The family’s answer was, we’ll never stop.
This week on News Observer Weekly, Marcus and Nia break down the five stories that mattered most to our readers — from Observer Group Newspapers, publishers of the Bakersfield News Observer, the Los Angeles News Observer and Valley’s News Observer, serving Kern County, Los Angeles, and the San Fernando and Antelope valleys.
ONE THING THIS WEEK
Kern County ballots started going out Oct. 5. When yours arrives: fill it out,
SIGN AND DATE THE ENVELOPE (unsigned ballots cannot be processed), and return it
by mail (no stamp, postmarked by Nov. 3) or to a 24-hour drop box by 8 p.m. on
Nov. 3. Not registered? The regular deadline is Oct. 19; same-day registration
is available in person after that through Election Day. Track your ballot with
“Where’s My Ballot” at kernvote.com. Kern County Elections: 661-868-3590.
NOW LAW
AB 2599, the Truth in Disclosure Act, signed Sept. 30. California is the first
state to require companies with $100 million or more in worldwide receipts to
disclose, under penalty of perjury, whether they or their predecessors profited
from chattel slavery.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
0:37 Justice: Rulings Leave Questions Lingering in Nolan Wells Case
3:25 Sacramento: Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Requiring Large Corporations to Disclose Profits From Chattel Slavery
5:55 Inglewood: Inglewood Shifts $2.8 Million in HOME-ARP Funds to Sankofa Place Affordable Housing Project
8:34 Kern County: Your Ballot Is in the Mail: Here Is What Kern County Voters Need to Know
10:21 Los Angeles: Mayor Bass Hosts 3rd Annual Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Procurement Summit to Prepare Small Businesses for LA28 Contracts
12:22 What to do this week
THE FULL STORIES
Rulings Leave Questions Lingering in Nolan Wells Case
2. Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Requiring Large Corporations to Disclose Profits From Chattel Slavery
Gov. Newsom Signs Bill Requiring Large Corporations to Disclose Profits From Chattel Slavery
3. Inglewood Shifts $2.8 Million in HOME-ARP Funds to Sankofa Place Affordable Housing Project
Inglewood Shifts $2.8 Million in HOME-ARP Funds to Sankofa Place Affordable Housing Project
4. Your Ballot Is in the Mail: Here Is What Kern County Voters Need to Know
Your ballot is in the mail. Here is what Kern County voters need to know
5. Mayor Bass Hosts 3rd Annual Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Procurement Summit to Prepare Small Businesses for LA28 Contracts
If you are in crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free and available 24 hours a day, by call or text.
Read everything at ognsc.com
Subscribe for the top five, every week.
Featured
Antron Brown Takes His Impact Beyond the Racetrack
Antron Brown’s influence extends far beyond the racetrack. Discover how this racing legend is making a difference off the track.
Antron Brown’s impact reaches beyond the finish line. See how the racing star is taking his success beyond the track.
Read more: https://www.stlamerican.com/sports/antron-brown-takes-racing-success-beyond-the-track/
#stlamerican #AntronBrown #Motorsports
Featured
Headlines and Hot Topics with Rodney Perry
Get the scoop on today’s hottest stories with Rodney Perry on Black Press USA’s Morning Show. Don’t miss the conversation behind the headlines!
Today on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, we’re breaking down the stories driving the conversation.
Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.
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Headlines and Hot Topics with Rodney Perry 📱
Rodney Perry tackles today’s hot topics on Black Press USA’s Morning Show. Don’t miss the breakdown of the stories everyone’s talking about.
Today on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, we’re breaking down the stories driving the conversation.
Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.
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Art
Houston’s ‘call Me Mother’ Exhibit Opens Today, Spotlighting Black Maternal Health
AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWS AND ISSUES – DALLAS — The Health Museum in Houston today opens “The Call Me Mother Experience,” an exhibition spotlighting Black maternal health through art and personal storytelling. Curated by Houston’s first Black poet laureate, Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, the project originated from her own poem written during a miscarriage.
HOUSTON — A new exhibition opening Sunday, Oct. 4, at The Health Museum is bringing Black maternal health into public view through art and personal storytelling.
The Call Me Mother Experience will be on display through Feb. 28, 2027. The museum lists a preview reception today from 3 to 5 p.m. at 1515 Hermann Drive, with tickets priced at $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers.
A personal story becomes a community conversation
According to the museum, founder, curator and lead artist Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton developed the project from a poem she wrote during a miscarriage. The installation combines films, recorded interviews, visual artwork and contributions created with community members.
Mouton, Houston’s first Black poet laureate, discussed the exhibition and her connection to its subject in an Oct. 1 appearance on KPRC’s Houston Life. The station described the project as addressing the unequal burden of pregnancy-related illness and death faced by Black women in Harris County.
An announcement distributed by the Call Me Mother Experience says the initiative will also reach community locations and faith-based organizations across Greater Houston. Those additional settings are intended to extend the conversation beyond a museum visit.
What visitors can expect
The museum says reception guests can explore the exhibit, hear the curator and meet participating artists. Reception admission includes general museum entry; refreshments are available while supplies last.
The featured image accompanying this article is an original illustrative concept, not a photograph of the exhibition or its artwork.
Sources and visitor information:The Health Museum exhibition listing; preview reception details and tickets; KPRC Houston Life; organizer announcement.
The post Houston’s ‘Call Me Mother’ Exhibit Opens Today, Spotlighting Black Maternal Health appeared first on African American News and Issues.
Based on reporting by African-American News and Issues – Dallas.
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