August 2022 Newsletter, Issue 5

In the previous months, we were supposed to celebrate, enjoy, and pay homage during Black Music Appreciation, Pride Month, and Juneteenth. But that was sadly overshadowed on June 24, 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed the constitutional right to abortion. At the very least, this decision is a wake-up call to anyone who believes in the fundamentals of civil rights. We cannot and should not take these rights for granted because too many brave women, people of color, members of the rainbow coalition (LGBTQIA+ community), and other marginalized groups risked their lives, freedom, and liberty for the advancements we enjoy today.

Now, more than ever, we must band together and support change-making organizations, civic leaders, and politicians whose mission and vision is to make this a more equitable, just, and better world for all communities. We cannot and should not give up the fight for what is right. As the pioneer, Reverend Jesse Jackson (@RevJJackson) reminds us, “If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against all odds.

Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter / Dr. Blackness