By Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer
[email protected]

Members of the National Action Network (NAN) will gather civil rights and community leaders from across the nation in protest next year.

On Jan. 20, 2025, which will also be Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Sharpton will hold a rally to speak out against the second presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.

On Nov. 19, the organization released a statement with all the details of the event explaining that this rally is in honor of King’s legacy and in opposition to the incoming administration.

(Photo courtesy of the National Action Network)

“On Martin Luther King Day 2025, as Donald Trump is sworn in, we won’t stand still,” the statement reads. “We will rise up, honor and defend Dr. King’s dream by marching for justice, equality and change.”

Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of NAN, has been very vocal about his disapproval of Trump’s political agenda, especially in the weeks following his win of the 2024 presidential election. Most recently, Sharpton criticized the president-elect’s lack of Black cabinet level nominations.

“In the two weeks since Donald Trump was elected to a second term, he has put forth a dozen troubling nominees, yet the most alarming factor in his proposed cabinet is that not a single candidate is Black,” said Sharpton. “Trump spent this campaign selling himself to Black voters, especially men, by peddling sneakers and implying his criminal convictions would resonate with our community. Instead of meeting the demands of more Black voters who supported him, Donald Trump has proposed an Attorney General nominee wrapped up in an ethics probe over trafficking allegations and a Health Secretary whose views on vaccines and other safeguards could devastate our community.”

The Jan. 20, 2025 rally will kick off at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C. NAN is calling on the Black community and its allies to “take a stand” and “continue to turn Dr. King’s legacy into action.”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

As the 100th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm’s birth approaches on November 30, a growing effort to honor her legacy is taking shape. Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and a trailblazer for equality and justice, remains a powerful symbol of courage and leadership. The Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, is moving closer to passage with bipartisan support.

Butler, the bill’s primary sponsor, has garnered backing from key lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The legislation seeks to award Chisholm one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, cementing her place as one of the most transformative figures in American history.

Carlo Jerome Juntilla, Education and Labor Policy Advisor for Butler, acknowledged the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) for its critical role in advancing the bill.

The NNPA is the trade association of more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies, which comprise the 197-year-old Black Press of America.

“Thanks to your efforts, we have secured the necessary number of co-sponsors to move the bill forward, and we are now in a strong position to pass it,” Juntilla wrote in an email to the NNPA. “With the late Shirley Chisholm’s 100th birthday approaching on November 30, we are looking for ways to collaborate further in order to elevate her legacy.”

Juntilla also emphasized the importance of continuing to amplify Chisholm’s story through additional collaborations, including op-eds and media campaigns. Juntilla even noted the value of highlighting Butler and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who is leading the effort in the House.

NNPA President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and members of the NNPA’s main office had organized a meeting with Butler where they discussed the honor for Chisholm. “The legacy of the Honorable Shirley Chisholm lives radiantly today and for generations to come,” Chavis remarked.  “The NNPA stands resolutely in support of the leadership of The Honorable Laphonsa Butler to bestow to Chisholm with the Congressional honors that she deserves.”

Bobby Henry, Chairman of the NNPA, also expressed the organization’s unwavering support for the bill and its significance.

“As Chairman of the NNPA, I am honored to stand in support of the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, a vital recognition of one of the most transformative figures in American history,” said Henry, who also publishes the Westside Gazette Newspaper in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “Shirley Chisholm’s legacy as the first African American woman elected to Congress and a fearless advocate for equality and justice continues to inspire generations.

“We commend Senator Laphonza Butler and Representative Barbara Lee for championing this historic legislation and for their commitment to ensuring Chisholm’s contributions are celebrated and remembered. As we approach the centennial of her birth, the NNPA is proud to collaborate in elevating her enduring impact on our nation and the world.”

Chisholm’s groundbreaking career includes her historic 1972 presidential campaign, during which she became the first Black woman to seek the nomination of a major political party. Her slogan, “Unbought and Unbossed,” embodied her commitment to justice and refusal to conform to traditional political norms.

Butler, who made history herself as the first Black lesbian to serve in the U.S. Senate, has made the bill a top priority. With growing bipartisan support and co-sponsors from across the political spectrum, the legislation represents a unifying effort to honor Chisholm’s legacy.

“Shirley Chisholm’s legacy continues to inspire generations,” Henry said. “As we approach the centennial of her birth, we must ensure her enduring impact is celebrated, remembered, and elevated for the nation and the world to see.”

Katie Dukes, Director of Early Childhood Policy, EdNC

When babies are born, their brains contain billions of neurons. But how those neurons interact — and what they can do as babies grow through childhood into adulthood — is largely shaped by their experiences in the first 1,000 days of life. The architecture of the brain is built in those first three years, creating a foundation that enables thinking, learning, and adapting over time. More than 85% of adult brain volume is built during this critical period. Luckily, we know exactly what infants and toddlers need to develop healthy brains that will set them up for a lifetime of well-being.

How to support brain development

Decades of research have identified several building blocks that are essential to constructing strong foundations for the brain in the first 1,000 days. Researchers agree that the cornerstone of healthy brain development is the formation of secure attachments between babies and the trusted and caring adults in their lives. Whether these caregivers are parents, kin (including friends and neighbors), or trained early childhood professionals, they should be “knowledgeable about how to support (babies’) development and learning and responsive to their progress,” says a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Note the connection between caring and learning. Caring adults are crucial to developing the capacity for learning in the brains of infants and toddlers. In early childhood, care and learning were inseparable.

To strengthen the brain’s capacity for learning in the first 1,000 days, the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has identified two key strategies that trusted adults can use — engaging in “serve and return” interactions and minimizing exposure to toxic stress. As researchers at the center explain, serve and return interactions occur when an infant or toddler “babbles, gestures, or cries, and an adult responds appropriately with eye contact, words, or a hug.” Engaging in service and return with caregivers helps babies and very young children build and strengthen neural connections related to communication and social skills in their developing brains. The absence of consistent serve and return exchanges can release potentially harmful stress hormones into the brains of infants and toddlers. And prolonged exposure to such hormones can result in what is known as “toxic stress.” Minimizing exposure to toxic stress in the first 1,000 days is crucial for healthy brain development.

According to the Center on the Developing Child, typical causes of toxic stress during this period include “physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship.” However, the center also points out that trusting relationships with adult caregivers can act as a buffer against these hardships. That’s why childcare providers — whether they are friends, family, and neighbors, or licensed home-based or center-based caregivers and educators — can be so essential in the lives of families who may be experiencing economic hardships such as food or housing insecurity. As Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric specialist and expert in early childhood brain development, writes in her book Parent Nation, “Loving (adults) do not need a PhD or expensive gadgets to do an excellent job at supporting early brain development and building our future citizens. They need easily acquired, basic knowledge about how to best foster critical neural connections.”

To that end, The Basics is an initiative that uses a public health approach to educate and empower caregivers about their role in healthy brain development. In addition to a wide array of online resources (some available in multiple languages), The Basics offers a printable one-pager that can be posted in homes, classrooms, pediatrician offices, or anywhere else caregivers may find themselves. Adults — including policymakers — who embrace the basic building blocks of healthy brain development for infants and toddlers, are helping build a foundation that will yield benefits well beyond the first 1,000 days.

Why support brain development

Many people, especially educators who work with children in kindergarten through third grade, can point to early learning as crucial for “school readiness,” but that term can be easily misunderstood. In EdNC’s many conversations with elementary educators, the vast majority say school readiness means young children are being prepared to participate in group learning. This includes having skills such as developing relationships with trusted adults outside their homes, sitting in a circle or standing in a line with other children, communicating about their wants and needs, sharing objects with others, fine motor control and knowing a little bit about how to regulate emotions. While school readiness may also include some basic academic skills, elementary educators assure EdNC that teaching children how to count, write, and spell is only possible when young learners arrive at school with the social and emotional skills that make them ready to learn. And it’s the brain development that occurs in the first 1,000 days that makes this possible. In addition to helping young students be school-ready, numerous studies have shown that early learning leads to better performance in third-grade math and reading tests. But the benefits of early learning don’t stop there — they last a lifetime.

Decades of studies have consistently shown that children who receive high-quality early learning have better health, education, and earnings outcomes, and are less likely to be incarcerated or use government assistance programs throughout their lives. Nobel prize-winning economist James Heckman found that the highest rate of economic returns comes from the earliest investments in children. More specifically, investment in early care and learning yields a 13% annual return to society. As Suskind puts it, “What happens in the first three years of a child’s life has lifelong consequences, for better or for worse. Those years represent an opportunity that won’t come again.” Babies born today are expected to live for almost eight decades, meaning they’ll likely see the 22nd century. But it’s the care and learning they receive in the next 1,000 days that provide the foundation for what they’ll build for themselves and our society.

“Discover the Unexpected” interns “Charged Forward” with electrification through immersive experience

DETROIT – Chevrolet and the National Newspaper Publishers Association concluded their sixth year of “Discover the Unexpected,” a 10-week immersive internship and scholarship program for 11 HBCU students, five within marketing and six within journalism, to explore marketing roles focused on General Motors’ vision for an all-electric future and journalism with the NNPA.

“Chevrolet is honored to continue our partnership with the NNPA for DTU, providing HBCU students professional and personal growth opportunities,” said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “The fellows made an impact on our Chevy Marketing team as they navigated new experiences – including working with large corporations, virtual work environments and time management skills – and learned how to effectively convey the benefits of EVs to their local communities, all while exemplifying professionalism and passion.”

NNPA publishers across the country also hosted the six journalism fellows this summer. Students were exposed to print, broadcast, digital and photojournalism skills in addition to experiencing the Chevy Bolt EUV in person.

“The NNPA and Chevrolet partnership has been and continues to be extremely productive supporting aspiring journalists and amplifying their voices” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. “Students worked alongside our renowned publishers for an in-depth experience while understanding how to bridge the gap between traditional and new-age journalism, and we cannot wait to see how their stories change EV myths within their communities.”

During the program, students had the opportunity to create content and engaging stories about the Chevy Bolt EUV, electrification and EV adoption, allowing them to act as change agents within their local communities.

2022 DTU fellow Antonio Andrews applied to DTU because he wanted to work with EVs. “The automotive industry is undergoing its largest transition since inception,” he noted. “To be able to give insight and have access to new and innovative concepts is a dream come true.”

The 2022 DTU program was amplified by notable industry mentors and esteemed alumni. Program ambassador Terrence J, American actor, model and entertainer, accompanied the students in New Orleans as they participated in The Big Easy Bolt Race, a curated team ride-and-drive scavenger hunt to learn about electrification in addition to Black history and New Orleans culture.

“As a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a mass communication degree, I understand the passion and enthusiasm that HBCU students bring to the table,” said Jenkins. “I was elated to work alongside these students and provide an opportunity to connect and motivate each of them into their future careers.”

Justin Shaifer, TV host, producer and STEM advocate, returned to DTU as the fellows’ mentor for the second year, encouraging students to “take what you’re asked to do and go above and beyond to operate with excellence at every step” during the program’s closing ceremonies in Detroit. He continued, “This is a phenomenal program, and it was an honor to be a part of these incredible young professionals.”

Reflecting on how the DTU program prepared him for his career at GM, former DTU fellow and current DMAX group leader Emmanuel Dorvil explained, “My foot was on the gas pedal for my career. I had to ensure I was always prepared, whether it involved vehicle releases or increasing multicultural diversity with EV consumption. The exposure of this program sets you apart – the ability to connect with others is what we need as aspiring young professionals.”

Chevrolet awarded each fellow a $10,000 scholarship and a $5,000 stipend. To date, DTU has provided 49 HBCU students more than $600,000.

Learn more about the Discover the Unexpected fellowship at https://www.nnpa.org/chevydtu/. View the program content until Sept. 15, by visiting the DTU metaverse.

ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heartbeat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

ABOUT NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

NNPA is a trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned community newspapers from around the United States. Since its founding 79 years ago, NNPA has consistently been the voice of the black community and an incubator for news that makes history and impacts our country. As the largest and most influential Black-owned media resource in America, NNPA delivers news, information, and commentary to over 20 million people each week. 

By Derek “Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins, Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected Program Road Trip Advisor

My grandfather instilled in me the idea of the excellence of American automotive engineering. That was then passed down to my father, and I remember when he brought home the Pontiac 6000. He stressed how American-made cars were built to be stronger and more efficient. That impressed me and gave me an understanding of how spending my dollars on American-made products supported our economy.

My uncle is a retired GM engineer. My father-in-law was an engineer local to the Detroit area. GM has a rich history of automotive innovation. For 20 years, Innovating Connected Emergency Services has proven to be an asset to all automobiles. When GM debuted OnStar in 1996, it was the first in-vehicle technology in the industry that automatically connected to a live person when a vehicle’s airbags deployed. That advisor works with first responders to provide assistance.

Along with access to industry-leading technology, OnStar’s emergency advisors receive innovative training that allows them to be prepared for all situations — from vehicle crashes to mothers giving birth to helping during natural disasters. As a new father, knowing that OnStar advisors receive this training gives me another layer of comfort as I raise my family.

OnStar also has implemented Emergency Medical Dispatch, which uses set protocols to help advisors assess each situation and provide pre-arrival information to first responders. Together, OnStar’s technology and advisors give first responders the information they need even before they arrive on the scene.

Electronic Stability Control is one of my favorite innovations of this new generation. The system offers significant improvements in performance by sensing when a vehicle is about to lose control, then intervening to keep the vehicle stable.

When I get into the cockpit of the new Chevrolet Blazer, it’s steeped in technology that makes not only the driving experience more enjoyable, but also more efficient. From the ease of climate control to the mirror rearview camera and its impressive camera angles, and, of course, the vehicle’s sleek design and performance, American automotive engineering has continued to innovate and uphold the vision my grandfather and father imparted to me as a teenager.