Attorney Ben Crump urged The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to be Black people’s “north star,” pointing out that “As we come upon this new year, now more than ever, we’re gonna need the leadership of the NNPA to lead our Black community” because the majority of African Americans are concerned regarding the US President Donald Trump serving in his upcoming tenure.
He called on NNPA members to take a position and be heard, stating, “History will ask the question, where were you when they tried to roll back our civil rights when they tried to destroy Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and when they try to say to our children that Black history doesn’t matter? Where were you?”
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Crump emphasized the need to confront those who disregard the Black community. He stated, “This time in history, we must challenge [the] souls of Black people every opportunity we get.” Crump is not alone in his concerns. Black media members have been using their platforms to keep the public informed about Trump’s executive orders impacting Black people.
Keith Boykin outlined the eight objectives of the federal DEI program that Trump terminated, which included opportunities for formerly imprisoned persons, wage equity, professional development, recruiting, paid internships, equitable treatment of those with disabilities, LGBT justice, and data collecting. “These are not radical, illegal, or immoral ideas,” Boykin said. With the declared objective that “all employees are treated with dignity and respect,” these are appeals to America’s finest ideals.
Porter, Jennifer Gore covered Trump’s executive orders that could increase the cost of prescription drugs for millions of Medicare and Medicaid users and undo the Affordable Care Act’s efforts to make it simpler for Americans to obtain insurance or enroll in Medicaid. For more than seven million Black Americans who Medicare covers, this action might be lethal.
Roland Martin talked on Trump’s decision to abolish birthright citizenship, which gave citizenship to Black people who had been enslaved in the past and their descendants. A white domestic terrorist group called the Proud Boys posted, “There are no more safe spaces,” in celebration of Trump’s inauguration.
Black people cannot rely on mainstream media to provide them with knowledge on important problems, Crump told NNPA members. He stated, “There’s a fourth branch of government. It is called the independent press. And I’m not counting on MSNBC. I’m not counting on CNN. I’m not counting on Fox News. Me and my house, we will count on the NNPA to be our fourth branch of government.” He continues by highlighting the NNPA’s ability to “well arm” Black kids with intelligence, diplomacy, and strategic thinking.to protest the prison industrial complex, voter suppression, denial of access to quality healthcare, and denial of access to capital.
