NFL star Colin Kaepernick is using his platform to give back to those in need. According to reports, the 49ers quarterback donated his sneaker collection to orphanages and homeless shelters in the San Francisco Bay area. Kaepernick also provided local charities with clothes and hats. In October 2016, he made a pledge to donate $1 million to communities in need over a 10-month span. “I will donate one million dollars plus all the proceeds of my jersey sales from the 2016 season to organizations working in oppressed communities, 100k a month for 10 months,” read a statement by Kaepernick on his website. According to his site, where individuals can track the progress he has made on his pledge, some of the organizations he donated to include Mothers Against Police Brutality, the Black Youth Project, Communities United for Police Reform and Urban Underground. Read more.
President Obama Pens Harvard Review Article On Criminal Justice Reform
After President Obama leaves office, he hopes the fight to reform the criminal justice system will continue. He recently penned a piece for the Harvard Review that highlighted the actions the Obama administration has made to change the landscape of the criminal justice system. The article, titled The President’s Role in Advancing Criminal Justice Reform, mentioned his efforts to mentor Black youth and all of the pardons he has granted. “How we treat those who have made mistakes speaks to who we are as a society and is a statement about our values — about our dedication to fairness, equality, and justice, and about how to protect our families and communities from harm, heal after loss and trauma, and lift back up those among us who have earned a chance at redemption,” wrote President Obama. Read more.
North Carolina Governor Wants To Expand Medicaid
Although GOP representatives are looking to repeal Obamacare, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper says that he will expand Medicaid within the state before Donald Trump becomes president. He recently issued a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services calling for an expansion. Under the proposed expansion, North Carolina residents with earnings below the federal poverty level will be eligible to enroll. Gov. Cooper believes the move is crucial because North Carolina hospitals shell out nearly $1 billion per year to cover the cost of medical bills for those who can’t afford them. “That will create jobs, bolster our hospitals, could save some rural hospitals and work toward more stable private insurance premiums,” he said in a statement. If the plan is brought to fruition, more than half a million North Carolina residents would be insured. Read more.
‘Divided States Of America’ To Explore Post-Election Racial Divide
A new PBS docuseries will delve into how politics has had an influence on the racial divide in America. The two-night series, titled Divided States of America, will specifically focus on how the 2016 presidential election heightened racial tensions within our country. “When America elected its first black president eight years ago, many thought we were entering a new and hopeful era,” said the film’s creator Michael Kirk. “But now, from race to guns to the economy, we’re living in a deeply polarized moment — in American politics and American life. This film explores why we’ve reached this point, how Washington has reacted to the upheaval that is fast defining our times and what it means as we look to the tenure of the next president.” Divided States of America is slated to air on PBS on January 17 and January 18 at 9 PM EST. Read more.
Mike Tyson Says He Will Train Chris Brown For Soulja Boy Fight
Music artists Soulja Boy and Chris Brown have pulled professional boxers into their beef. According to reports, heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has agreed to train Chris Brown for an upcoming fight between the two. “It’s official. I’m going to train @chrisbrownofficial. Gonna teach him every dirty trick in the book to knockout @souljaboy. #showup #desertbeatdown #norunning #noexcuses @fredfrenchy,” Tyson wrote on Instagram. Rapper Soulja Boy has enlisted boxer Floyd Mayweather to help him prepare for the match. Brown and Soulja Boy exchanged insults on social media for weeks and decided to settle their problem in the boxing ring. Read more.
SEE ALSO:
10 Powerful Photos Of Colin Kaepernick Looking Like Black Excellence
13 Funny As Hell Twitter Reactions To The Chris Brown & Soulja Boy Feud
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