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Kamala Harris Delivers Powerful DNC Acceptance Speech, Proving She’s More Than Just a Historic Prime Minister — She’s a Leader Ready to Lead – Essence

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Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

CHICAGO, Illinois — Vice President Kamala Harris made history Thursday night by formally accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for president of the United States. The moment was monumental because Harris is the primary Black and South Asian woman to head a major party ticket.

Speaking with the burden of that legacy, Harris forged the upcoming election as a rare and pivotal opportunity for the nation to “forge a new path forward,” urging voters to seize the moment to write “the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told” — a story that now includes her own groundbreaking candidacy.

Harris’ formal acceptance of her party’s nomination for president of the United States was a highly anticipated highlight of the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Entering the convention in a close race — perhaps with a narrow lead — Harris faces some challenges. Many undecided voters remain undecided about her, fearing she is perhaps too liberal. Her speech addressed those concerns and solidified her position as a unifying and pragmatic leader.

“Throughout my career, I have had only one client: the people. And so, on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or what language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own incredible journey, on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work hard and chase their dreams and take care of each other, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest country on earth, I accept your nomination for president of the United States of America,” she said.

Harris began by crafting a personal narrative that will resonate with voters across the political spectrum, describing her upbringing because the daughter of immigrant parents, an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, growing up in a working-class neighborhood in California, a story that many discover with and that provided a strong foundation for her.

The purpose of this biographical sketch wasn’t just to connect with voters on a personal level; it was also a strategic move to present himself as someone who understood the struggles of average Americans and had the strength to fight for them.

She then recounted the moment that inspired her to turn into a prosecutor — her best friend confiding in her about sexual harassment at home. Harris said she told her friend to move in along with her family, an experience that was key in shaping her profession and motivating her to protect the vulnerable. She then described her profession as a prosecutor, highlighting her battles with big banks and cartels that traffic drugs, weapons and folks — narratives designed to dispel perceptions of her as too liberal by emphasizing her tough crime-fighting credentials.

“With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move beyond the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past, a chance to forge a new path forward, not as members of a single party or faction, but as Americans,” she said. The vice chairman said the upcoming election is “not only the most important of our lifetimes, it is one of the most important of our nation’s life.”

Much of her speech was devoted to the promise of unity. Harris made clear her commitment to representing all of America, contrasting sharply with former President Donald Trump’s often divisive and partisan approach. “I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country before party and self, to uphold America’s sacred founding principles, from the rule of law to free and fair elections to the peaceful transition of power,” Harris told convention attendees. “I might be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations.

A president who leads and listens, who’s realistic, practical and has common sense, and at all times fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, this has been my life’s work.”

Though Harris has served as vice chairman for the past three years and was previously a senator from California, she used her speech to reintroduce herself to the American people.

She laid out her economic agenda, which was based on collaboration. “I will bring together workers and employees, small business owners and entrepreneurs, and American companies to create jobs, grow our economy, and lower the costs of everyday necessities like health care, housing, and groceries,” she said.

Harris also pledged to sign laws that will restore federal abortion protections that were struck down by the Supreme Court when it overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

Her attacks on Trump were measured but effective, taking aim at a few of his most outrageous proposals, comparable to raising taxes through tariffs and eliminating the Education Department. These criticisms weren’t nearly political differences; they were intended to portray Trump as out of touch with the needs and desires of the American people.

“In many ways, Donald Trump is a frivolous man,” Harris said. “But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are incredibly serious,” she said.

Harris also cited the recent Supreme Court decision that granted former presidents immunity from prosecution for official actions intended to further Trump’s position. Trump faces federal charges in Washington, D.C., for allegedly attempting to undermine the transfer of presidential power after 2020.

“Imagine Donald Trump without any safeguards and how he would use the enormous power of the presidency of the United States — not to improve your lives, not to strengthen our national security — but to serve the only customer he has ever had: himself,” she said.

Harris has proven her foreign policy credentials as a potential commander in chief, a critical task given the lingering skepticism some voters could have about a woman within the role. Previous segments featuring veterans and national security experts like Leon Panetta have bolstered her image as a capable leader on the world stage.

“I recognize how important security is, especially at our border,” she said, noting that the White House had been negotiating with senators, Republicans and Democrats, on a bipartisan immigration deal that Trump torpedoed by announcing his opposition to it earlier this yr.

“I refuse to play politics with our security,” she said, calling for the plan’s revival. “I know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants and reform our broken immigration system. We can create a legitimate path to citizenship and secure our border.”

Her message was direct, measured and assured, a clear evolution from the more uncertain 2019 candidate who struggled to find her footing and ultimately withdrew from the race. Her speech sent a clear signal that she was ready to tackle the challenges ahead with a tenacious and determined attitude.

Harris’ acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination was a moment steeped in historical significance, strategic calculation, and a keen awareness of the political and cultural landscapes she must navigate. She delivered a thoughtful, finely tuned message to a diverse electorate, making clear that she was in it to win.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Matt Gaetz withdraws from Trump’s nomination for attorney general

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Former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz is withdrawing from President-elect Donald Trump’s presidency nomination for attorney general after backlash.

In an announcement released Nov. 21 via X, Gaetz withdrew from the nomination, saying his confirmation was a “distraction.” “I had excellent meetings with senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful opinions and the incredible support from so many people. While momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation unfairly distracted from the critical work of the Trump-Vance transition,” he wrote.

“There isn’t any time to waste on an unnecessarily prolonged fight in Washington. “I am therefore withdrawing my name from consideration for the position of Attorney General.”

Knowing that the appointed attorney general should be able to serve on the primary day of the brand new Trump-Vance administration, waiting for legal proceedings would make it harder for Gaetz to meet that commitment. A former lawmaker is under federal investigation for allegedly paying two women to have sex and watch him appear on Fox News. Both women claim that in 2019, Gaetz also paid them to accompany him to a Broadway show. During testimony before the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, the ladies alleged that Gaetz paid them to travel across state lines to have sex almost twice.

The women were between 19 and 21 years old on the time of the alleged encounters. They testified that the disgraced congressman paid them to travel to the Bahamas with other young women – including one who alleged that she had had sex. with Gaetz when she was a minor.

After Trump announced his nomination to move the Department of Justice (DOJ), attention focused on outdated allegations, prompting the discharge of an Ethics Committee investigation report.

As committee members failed to determine whether to release the report’s findings, Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) characterised Gaetz’s potential confirmation as “Kavanaugh on steroids” in reference to the 2018 racial and sexual misconduct hearings. – Judge Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “He’s a smart guy, I’m sure he realizes that,” Cornyn said, in line with .

A senior member of the Judiciary Committee warned that each one details of the FBI’s investigation and committee report – each good and bad – will eventually develop into public. “It will reach us a technique or one other. There are not any secrets here,” Cornyn said.

Before withdrawing, Gaetz met with Cornynand in addition Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) .). Vice President-elect J.D. VAnka also took part within the meetings. He encouraged lawmakers to present their former colleague a likelihood to present his vision for reforming the Justice Department and to carry off on making judgments about his fitness to serve.

At the time of Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump had not yet issued an announcement.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Missouri police officer fatally shot 2-month-old baby and her mother after relative called police for help, family says

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A Missouri family and community are mourning the tragic death of a 34-year-old woman and her infant daughter who were killed in an officer-involved shooting earlier this month.

Family members say Maria Pike and her 2-month-old daughter, Destinii Hope, were shot to death on November 7 after police were called to an apartment in Independence, Missouri, in response to a domestic disturbance.

Two-month-old Destinii Hope died together with her mother in an officer-involved shooting in Independence, Missouri on November 7, 2024. (Photo: Facebook/Talisa Coombs)

In the weeks for the reason that shooting, local law enforcement has released few details, but eyewitnesses have provided local media with their accounts of what happened.

said Talisa Coombs, the baby’s grandmother Kansas City Star that she was the one who called the police after a physical altercation with the kid’s mother. Family members say Maria Pike has had mental health issues, anger issues and most recently suffered from postpartum depression.

Coombs said that when she called the police, she thought authorities would arrive, arrest Pike and get her the assistance she needed. She told her son and Destinia’s father, Mitchell Holder, that she desired to press charges against Pike for assault.

When police arrived, Holder initially refused to allow them to inside, however the apartment constructing’s assistant manager persuaded him to let two officers inside.

Assistant manager Gavin Delaney told The Star that when police entered the apartment, Pike was sitting within the bedroom closet, holding Destinia, not doing or saying anything.

Destinia’s father, who witnessed the shooting, recounted the moments leading as much as the shooting to his sister, Ashley Greenfield.

Greenfield told The Star that when officers entered the apartment, she and Holder tried to take the baby from Pike as she moved from the closet to the bed. Greenfield stated that when Pike reached for an object on the nightstand, the officer shot the baby in the top while he was still in his mother’s arms.

Holder later recalled his horrified response to the shooting of “The Kansas City Defender.”

“They shot my baby,” Holder said outlet. “It looked like her head had exploded. Her blood splattered throughout my glasses and throughout me. All I could do was scream. I just kept repeating three words – the identical three words – “You killed her!” I screamed it. Time and time again.”

He added that Pike jumped after the primary shot and the officer opened fire on her.

Accounts vary as as to if Pike had a gun when officers entered the apartment.

Local news outlets reported that among the many few details police have released up to now concerning the shooting is that Pike was armed with a knife.

“When we arrived, officers encountered a woman who was ultimately armed with a knife,” said Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman. “As a result of this encounter, two people died, one was an armed woman and the other was a child.”

However, family members say otherwise. Before calling the police, Destinia’s grandmother stated that there have been no weapons in the home. Holder also said he never saw Pike holding a knife in the course of the encounter with police.

“Yes, I was in the room when it all happened,” Holder he said. “From what I saw, I never once saw Maria armed with anything. Honestly, I do not even know where that got here from. I heard crazy things like she held a baby hostage in a closet, that she had a knife, and all this crazy stuff that is not true. I mean, all I can say is that it’s possible she had a knife and I didn’t see it, but all I do know is that I never saw her holding anything – and I used to be there within the room.

Independence police said the investigation has been turned over to the Jackson County Police Involvement Investigative Team (PIIT), a team of detectives that investigates police shootings and use of force incidents.

Chief Dustman said just one officer, a “long-time law enforcement veteran,” fired in the course of the incident. The officer and two other people on the scene were placed on administrative leave.

Capt. Kyle Flowers, who heads the PIIT team investigating the shooting, said last week that investigators had reviewed body camera footage and planned to interview witnesses. According to KMBCthe team will turn over the findings of the investigation to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, but Flowers didn’t specify exactly when that will occur.

Family members have called on authorities to release the body camera footage, which is able to hopefully reveal once and for all whether Pike was armed with a knife on the time of the shooting. They also call for punishment of the officers involved within the shooting.

“Why hasn’t the body camera footage been released?” Amber Travis, cousin of the victims, he said at a community vigil for Pike and her daughter. “Give my family a break.”

“It means a lot that the community feels the same way we do,” Holder he said. “It means the world. It won’t bring her back, but no less than we all know now we have loads of support here.

AND GoFundMe page was created to assist pay for Destinia’s funeral. As of Wednesday afternoon, greater than $3,000 had been raised.

On November 22, Destinii would have turned 3 months old.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Jasmine Crockett blasts Republicans for so-called white “oppression” over anti-DEI bill

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Jasmine Crockett, theGrio.com

On Wednesday, during a passionate speech before the committee, Sen. Jasmine Crockett, R-Texas, chided her Republican colleagues for the content of an anti-DEI bill that calls for eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion programs and offices within the federal government.

Crockett, a 43-year-old congressional student who has change into a star within the Democratic Party because of her quite a few viral committee appearances, condemned the Dismantle DEI Act of 2024. The bill, H.R. 8706 – first introduced by Republican Vice President-elect J.D. Vance – essentially prohibit all DEI-related activities within the federal government, including all related positions, offices, training, and funding. Strikingly, the bill also prohibits federal employees working in DEI positions from transferring to a different federal position.

During a House Oversight Committee hearing wherein she responded to Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., who repeatedly called DEI policies “oppression” — seemingly aimed toward white people, as many Republicans suggested — Crockett used the committee’s speaking time to criticize the suggestion that white individuals are oppressed in consequence of efforts to shut racial disparities in sectors resembling business, education, and health.

“You don’t understand the definition of oppression… I would ask you to just Google it,” said Crockett, who moments later read the dictionary definition of the word, adding: “Oppression is long-term cruel or unfair treatment or control, that’s the definition of oppression.” The congresswoman emphasized: “There was no oppression of the white man in this country.”

Referring to the history of chattel slavery and racial segregation within the US, the Texas lawmaker said: “Tell me which white men were dragged from their homes. Tell me which one was dragged across the ocean and that you will go to work. We will steal your wives. We will rape your wives. It didn’t happen. This is oppression.”

Attempting to further explain the importance of DEI, Crockett noted that she is barely the fifty fifth Black woman elected to Congress in its 235-year history, unlike the 1000’s of white men who’ve served on Capitol Hill.

“So if you want to talk about history and pretend it was that long ago, it wasn’t,” Crockett said, citing data showing that corporations perform higher and are more profitable after they are more diversified.

The anti-DEI movement, championed exclusively by Republicans, has led to several lawsuits invalidating federal programs, including debt forgiveness for Black farmers and business loans to Black and other disadvantaged businesses. Many states led by Republican governors have indicated that DEI – especially teaching about slavery and racism – is harmful to students, namely white students. In response, they banned such topics from public classrooms.

Jamarr Brown, executive director of Color of Change PAC, the political arm of the civil rights organization, said Congresswoman Crockett’s statements on DEI were “poignant and necessary.”

Jordan Brand amplifies Black storytelling with StoryCorps'

While the Dismantling DEI Act actually won’t be passed while Democrats control the Senate and President Joe Biden stays in office, it signals what may very well be a priority for Republicans next yr, as outlined within the pro-Trump “Project 2025” political manifesto “.

“According to Project 2025, diversity, equity and inclusion is synonymous with ‘White lives don’t matter,’” Brown noted. “Now more than ever, we at Color Of Change PAC, as well as advocates and activists across the country, must work to protect Black people and other people of color from harm resulting from anti-DEI attacks.”

Brown continued, “Civil rights protections have helped reduce mortgage discrimination, increase the number of Black physicians to counter problems such as Black maternal mortality, and provide financing for Black-owned businesses.”

He added: “Our country thrives and everyone benefits when diversity, equality and inclusion are valued rather than stifled.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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