New Report: Payday Lending Drains Nearly $1 Billion from Communities

The study found that if consumers collectively had an additional $3.3 billion in discretionary spending, it would have resulted in $6.34 billion in economic activity and created 79,000 jobs

2013-03-29

Charlene Crowell

Written by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, it also reveals other net negative impacts of these small-dollar, high cost loans on economic growth and personal bankruptcy filings. Read the complete article

Raising the Minimum Wage Will Help Businesses Succeed

Women business owners, who now own 30 percent of businesses nationwide, know that women are disproportionately affected by a low minimum wage

2013-03-28

Margot Dorfman

The migration of women from the workforce into business ownership is one of the great economic realizations of the American Dream. The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce has grown to more than 500,000 members. Most of our members are small business owners. And we aren’t opposing an increase in the minimum wage – we’re supporting it. Read the complete article

Federal Budget Battle Big on Drama, Short on Common Sense

We can’t get along if we go along with nonsense such as a voucher program for senior health

2013-03-25

Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist

Unlike proposals presented by the likes of Paul Ryan, who would eviscerate social programs, the Senate offers a budget that cuts social and other programs more carefully and thoughtfully. Now, the Senate and the House of Representatives have to find some common ground. Read the complete article

On 50th Anniversary, Can the March on Washington’s Unity be Duplicated?

King's family is trying to personally profit from a national monument that honors their father and the struggle he led

2013-03-25

George E. Curry NNPA Columnist

The foundation that raised more than $100 million to erect the MLK monument on the National Mall – and was forced by King’s children to drop the reference to Dr. King in its name – is still hoping it can participate in a joint celebration by all of the civil rights groups. Read the complete article

Beyond Chocolates and Roses:Community Love and Commitment After the Kimani Gray Shooting

People are being harassed and shot on the same streets where they are rioting so why not the protest?

2013-03-25

Dr. Toby Jenkins

People are being harassed and shot on the same streets where they are rioting. The injustice happens there so why not the protest? Read the complete article

Credit Check Can be a Barrier to a Job or Promotion

Consumers surveyed shared that much of the debt going to collections agencies was for unexpected medical costs rather than for retail credit card usage

2013-03-18

Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist

As Black America continues to struggle with high unemployment rates, a new report unveils how the use of credit history in employment decisions is often leaving people of color in the unemployment lines. Read the complete article

North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue: Another Southern Governor Breaks with the Past

In February she made the bold decision to pardon the Wilmington Ten just before completing her term

2013-03-18

George E. Curry NNPA Columnist

For all the talk of a New South, nothing symbolized a changed region more than Perdue sharing a stage with Ben Chavis, the leader of the Wilmington Ten, and Mary Alice Thatch, whose activist father preceded her as publisher of the Wilmington Journal. Read the complete article

U.S. and Europe, Not the Catholic Church, Blowing Smoke

Pope Francis, who brings a reputation of frugality and humility to the church, may well be able to deal with these proposals

2013-03-18

Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist

Hopefully, Cardinal Bergoglio, to be known as Pope Francis, will be able to stem the tide of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church as well as put the church on the path of more transparency and integrity. Read the complete article

Don't Know Why Climate Change Matters? Check Out This Infographic

2013-03-15

From Learnstuff.com

Infographic: How Climate Change is destroying the earth

Portland's Arts Tax and Communities of Color: Talk To Us, To America’s Stubbornest Dreamers

If non-payment goes into late-fees, we'll be imposing a world of hurt on specific classes of Portlanders

2013-03-14

Ronault LS Catalani

I’m bothered, and hoping enough of our salsa-dancing, yoga-sitting, Thai-dining, Tibetan-accoutrement-shopping neighbors are also bugged by how blatantly this new tax violates sensibilities shared by many Portlanders. Sensibilities on good governance and on fundamental fairness. Read the complete article