Jamala Rogers

The common denominator in the meaning of defunding the police is that there will be no more increases in police budgets, and that funds diverted from the sacred, bloated budgets will be invested in meeting human needs. The divested dollars would be pumped into community mental health services, housing programs, youth recreation, training and employment, childcare, parks, and education.

If we don’t put these racists in check, not only will they be successful at using the situation to advance their agenda, they will put a chill on people coming out to show their solidarity and get engaged in policy and legislative changes long after the tear gas fades from the atmosphere.

This virus has coughed up a set of new challenges for those packed and stacked inside an inhumane system mired in brutality and racism.

We know that students are not showing up for the online classes. From the U.S. Census and other sources, we also know that most of them do not have internet services or computers at home. How is this situation--well-known before the pandemic—being addressed in our struggling communities?

How we learn from this ugly time will depend on our collective scrutiny on where the cracks in the system lie, and not just the health care system. It is a fight for democracy because the whole damn system is guilty as hell.

If one is of sound mind, you know there’s nothing radical or revolutionary about the Democratic Party. Calling it a progressive party is being generous. I know all of this, but I was still hopping mad when I saw the invisible hand of the party manipulate the process to ensure a clear path to the White House for Uncle Joe.

Race and money are guiding forces in prevention and intervention

There’s only one thing worse than a fat-ass empowered black woman. That’s a fat-ass empowered black woman who’s got public reins in her hands.

Voting is one tool we use to participate in this so-called democracy but it’s an important one. We have seen persistent attacks on voting rights from unnecessary identification laws to illegal purging of voter rolls to trickery at the polling sites.