‘Mayor of NE Portland’ Honored With Affordable Housing Building
The Paul & Geneva Knauls Building will provide wraparound services for military veterans.
On Steps of US Supreme Court, AG Rosenblum Rallies Abortion Rights Supporters
Speaking at an ACLU-organized rally on the steps of the United States Supreme Court this morning, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum made an impassioned defense of abortion as essential healthcare, and of medication abortion as a key part of those healthcare rights. The rally coincided with arguments being presented inside the Supreme Court in the AHM (Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine) v. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) case.
Should College Essays Touch on Race? Some Feel the Affirmative Action Ruling Leaves Them No Choice
When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. Yet the added weight of the college essay has fallen unevenly on students of color, who often feel pressure to exploit their hardships as they compete for a spot on campus.
Bird Flu, Weather and Inflation Conspire to Keep Egg Prices Near Historic Highs for Easter
The cost of filling a basket or completing a Seder plate reflect a market scrambled by disease, high demand and growing costs for farmers. While global prices are lower than they were at this time last year, they remain elevated.
The Portland Art Museum presents Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks
Exhibition on view March 30 - August 11, 2024. Programs to include sneaker-focused Summer Camps and in-gallery activities ...
Portland Street Response Hosts Town Hall
PCCEP is seeking community input to help shape their recommendation in support of Portland Street Response. ...
Joint Center Responds to the U.S. House Office of Diversity and Inclusion Disbandment
This decision jeopardizes the establishment of policies to support diverse communities and threatens the pursuit of inclusivity for...
Bonamici, Kaine Praise Billion Dollar Increase for Child Care, Early Childhood Learning
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) —members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce and the...
Portland Rose Festival 2024 Court Member from Benson Polytechnic High School Announced
The Rose Festival Princess from Benson Polytechnic High School, Laedyn Romero, was selected March 22. ...
California's commercial Dungeness crab season will end April 8 to protect whales
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The commercial Dungeness crab season in California will be curtailed to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in trap and buoy lines, officials announced Thursday. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said commercial crabbing will end April 8 for...
Oregon city can't limit church's homeless meal services, federal judge rules
BROOKINGS, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that a southern Oregon city can't limit a local church's homeless meal services. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke found that an ordinance passed by the small city of Brookings, on the southern Oregon coast, violated the religious...
Georgia ends game on 12-0 run to beat Missouri 64-59 in first round of SEC tourney
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Blue Cain had 19 points, Justin Hill scored 17 off the bench and 11th-seeded Georgia finished the game on a 12-0 run to beat No. 14 seed Missouri 64-59 on Wednesday night in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Cain hit 6 of 12 shots,...
Georgia faces Missouri in SEC Tournament
Missouri Tigers (8-23, 0-18 SEC) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (16-15, 6-12 SEC) Nashville, Tennessee; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bulldogs -3; over/under is 147 BOTTOM LINE: Georgia plays in the SEC Tournament against Missouri. ...
COMMENTARY: Is a Cultural Shift on the Horizon?
As with all traditions in all cultures, it is up to the elders to pass down the rituals, food, language, and customs that identify a group. So, if your auntie, uncle, mom, and so on didn’t teach you how to play Spades, well, that’s a recipe lost. But...
A Full Court Press to Get the Lead Out
With a “goal of identifying and remediating lead hazards in at least 2,800 Lancaster County homes,” LG Health is setting an example for the private sector. And the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on environmental justice and access to clean and safe...
OP-ED: Congress Is Right: Federal Reserve’s Reg II Will Hurt Minority Communities in America
The Fed is taking every effort to promote income equality and workplace diversity and inclusion, but Regulation II would undercut its great work in this respect and cause potential harm to millions of minority families. Now that a congressional coalition has...
OP-ED: A Silent Killer No More
Data from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City shows that more than 13 percent of African American men between the ages 45 and 79 will develop prostate cancer in their lifetimes. And Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing...
Takeaways: AP investigation reveals Black people bear disproportionate impact of police force
PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — Black people accounted for a disproportionate number of people who died after being restrained, beaten or shocked with stun guns by police officers in the United States, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. The investigation, led by AP with...
He didn’t trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — Jameek Lowery entered the dimly lit lobby of the city’s police headquarters in a panic. He was having a mental breakdown — and needed help. Barefoot and wearing only pajama pants and a sweatshirt in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 5, 2019, Lowery pulled out his...
What to stream this weekend: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and 'Madu'
Beyoncé's country album and a documentary about a Nigerian boy who dreams of being a professional ballet dancer are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated...
Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 31-April 6
Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 31-April 6: March 31: Actor William Daniels (“St. Elsewhere,” ″Boy Meets World”) is 97. Actor Richard Chamberlain is 90. Actor Shirley Jones is 90. Musician Herb Alpert is 89. Actor Christopher Walken is 81. Comedian Gabe Kaplan...
How to make an Easter ham last all week
The beauty of making a baked ham for Easter (or any holiday or large gathering) is that there's bound to be leftovers. Leftover ham, which will last for up to five days in the fridge, can be a springboard for other meals during the week. Of course you’ll want a sandwich or two, but...
Book Review: 'Glorious Exploits' turns classical history into an endearing comedy about tragedy
Best friends Lampo and Gelon are potters by trade, but their souls are filled with poetry. It’s 412 B.C. and the city of Syracuse doesn’t know what hit it when these two hatch up the best worst idea: They’ll put on a play using the Athenian prisoners of war who are starving to death down in...
Obama, Clinton and big-name entertainers help Biden raise a record million for his reelection
NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and some big names from the entertainment world teamed up Thursday...
Trump attends wake of slain New York officer, calls for 'law and order,' to show contrast with Biden
MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Donald Trump attended Thursday's wake of a New York City police officer gunned down...
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
NEW YORK (AP) — Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive...
Six Russian journalists have been detained by authorities. They include one who covered Navalny
Authorities in Russia have detained six journalists across the country this month, including a journalist who...
Israeli court halts subsidies for ultra-Orthodox, deepening turmoil over mandatory military service
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered an end to government subsidies for many...
UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings for aid into Gaza
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top United Nations court on Thursday ordered Israel to take measures to...
Kam Williams: Why did you find it necessary to create the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)?
Gil Robertson: AAFCA was started to address the need to advance diversity and inclusion in cinema, both in front and behind the camera. At the time the group was formed, I was a part of a very small community of black journalists who had relative good access to film properties and the talent starring in them. It was an extremely hard network to crack, but the access proved valuable in offering us a platform as entertainment journalists. It was a very small network and those of us who were part of this network each had our grievances about the studio system. First, there was a double standard at play with regards to black talent, unless they were A-list stars, who were seldom, if ever, invited to participate in promotional activities except for “black-themed” movies. Secondly, next-generation black journalists were given a nearly impossible challenge to gain access to the elite ranks of film journalists. There was a need for advocacy on both sides of the table, and so the creation of AAFCA was essential to address these issues.
KW: How has the organization expanded over the years?
GR: It’s been a long walk, but we’ve been steady in building relationships and infrastructure. We’ve established alliances with the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild and the African-American Steering Committee at DGA. Over the years, AAFCA has been instrumental in getting our members placed on influential Voting Blocs for the NAACP Image Awards and the BET Awards. We’ve also expanded our network of partners on the film festival circuit through the creation of partnerships with film events in Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Seattle and Los Angeles.
KW: How did the AAFCA Awards come about?
GR: One of the most visible activities executed by film critics groups is announcing their annual year-end lists of their Top 10 films and other awards in high profile categories. From day one, AAFCA’s leadership wanted to formally present our annual awards list via a live event. In 2009, that idea came to fruition with an event held at the Ebony Theatre in LA. Since then, we’ve established the show, which now includes a full dinner, as an activity with a growing presence on the Hollywood Awards Calendar. The AAFCA Awards regularly attracts key A-list talent like Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, John Singleton, Paula Patton, Forrest Whitaker and other notable in front and through the executive ranks in Hollywood. It’s been enormously hard work, but we’re getting it done.
KW: What can we expect at this year’s show?
GR: The AAFCA Awards is a really great event. We call it “A Special Evening in Cinema,” because it actually is. It’s a dressy, red carpet ceremony that attracts the upper leadership ranks in Black Hollywood and also leading celebrity talent. The program for our 6th annual live event will include special honors given to icons in the film community like producer Stephanie Allain [Hustle and Flow, Something New and Dear White People] who is also the director of the LA Film Festival; producer Debra Martin Chase who is responsible for a long list of films that includes The Cheetah Diaries, Sparkle and The Preacher’s Wife. Our other honorees are Franklin Leonard who is responsible for The Black List – a key indicator for which scripts will get the greenlit to go into production; Donna Langley, the Chair of Universal Pictures; and LA Times reporter Susan King.
KW: What else is going with the organization?
GR: We are always looking for new opportunities to expand AAFCA’s footprint in the marketplace. The AAFCA Screening Series was recently launched, conducting film screenings across America. More and more studios have also begun to license the AAFCA Seal of Approval, which is a quality indicator for black consumers. Probably the thing the organization is most proud is the AAFCA Student Internship Program that recently completed its 2nd year at Clark Atlanta University and will launch fall 2015 at Howard University, Northwestern and a still undetermined college in Southern California. We have a few more projects expected to start in 2015 that will be finalized in the coming months.
KW: What are your plans for AAFCA in the future?
GR: Television definitely. We are very close to finalize a partnership with a producing partner to televise the AAFCA Awards. We are also very interested in creating other special programs for TV audiences. The sky is literally the limit as far as opportunity and we plan to take it all the way.
For more information about the African American Film Critics Association, visit www.aafca.com