Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman
VOL 43 - THURSDAY, JUNE 3
Happy June 2nd, #NoteddTribe! We can’t believe we’re halfway through 2021, and it seems like there’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
As announced on our social, we’re focused on racial justice this month. Our content, events, and features will shed light on our history and the collective effort amongst leaders and organizations pushing for freedom and equality for all throughout the month.
Additionally, June is Pride Month, Black Music Month, and National Homeownership Month. Therefore, we will also have content centered around these important moments of the year as well.
Let’s get to what we notedd for you this week! As always, #staynotedd.
It’s been 34 years since one of the greatest television shows hit the network. Learn more about the history from the stars, writers, and producers of “A Different World.”
NYC lawmakers are making significant steps to help thousands of apartments affordable for people who are experiencing homelessness or facing eviction.
Robin Ransom recently became the first-ever Black woman appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court, while Karine Jean-Pierre became the first out LGBTQ person and first Black woman to host a daily White House press briefing.
This Texas bill is now one of the most restrictive voting bills in the country. Here’s what the bill included and how Texas Democrats blocked the vote last weekend.
Half of the population menstruates, but one in four people struggle to purchase period supplies due to income. Learn more about period poverty and how organizations, including the Bennett Sisters (see video below), are trying to solve it.
We Must Fight For What’s Right
Like us, you’ve probably been staying close to the unfortunate developments of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill board’s decision to not give Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones a tenured position at the university. A decision was instead made only to give her a five-contract.
Hannah-Jones received a master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2003. She was hired earlier this year to be a professor in its Hussman School of Journalism and Media as a Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism, which this professorship is traditionally a tenured position at the university.
UNC had more than 600 tenured professors in 2018, but only 10 were Black women, according to the 19th. Nationally, only 2 percent of full-time professors were Black women, whereas 53% were White men and 27% were White women in the same year.
Many connect Hannah-Jones’ 1619 project, which reexamines how slavery shaped the United States’ founding, is playing a role in not offering her a tenured position. But, as the Chairperson of the Faculty, Mimi Chapman, pointed out, the purpose of tenure is not based on whether the board agrees with the professor’s position they’ve taken. Instead, “the purpose is to say, this person’s ideas, approach and conclusions are worthy of continued support and the freedom to investigate ideas that might be controversial.”
The board was pressured to reconvene on their initial decision, which is scheduled to take place in July. We’ll continue to follow this story with the optimism that this will be the change needed to ensure that more Black women become tenured professors nationwide.
We Deserve to Do What’s Best For Us, Not the World
Last week, Naomi Osaka decided not to do any press for the French Open. Then, earlier this week, she chose not to participate in the tournament—her reason: to prioritize her mental health.
She shared in a heartfelt message how there is no regard for athlete’s mental health, where they are often asked questions that “bring doubt into our minds.” Osaka posted videos from fellow women’s tennis player Venus Williams and former NFL player Marshawn Lynch. They both shared their firsthand experiences and witnessed other players being “knocked down” by journalists after a lost match or game.
According to the Grand Slam rule book, players can be fined up to $20,000 for skipping a media conference. Osaka said she was willing to accept any sanction. However, many athletes cannot pay these high fines, shedding light on a significant issue within the organization.
Above all else, Osaka has always been an inspiration, and we stand with her to choose herself and bring mental health awareness to the forefront. Like she shared last year,
Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman. And as a Black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis.”
What Was Erased Will Never Be Forgotten
This year marks the centennial of the massacre of the homes, businesses, and Black lives of Tulsa’s Greenwood District or the Black Wall Street. As notedd, the history of Black Wall Street was covered up with hopes that it’ll be forgotten. We saw the opposition to the 1619 project and other critical race theories, where many are fighting to have these works silenced. However, Black women — both living and dead — are making sure that the Tulsa Race Massacre is not a part of that silence.
Last month, one of the survivors, Viola Fletcher, reminded Congress of her history of living and experiencing this deadly assault and how she is still seeking justice.
Black women writers Mary E. Jones Parrish and Eddie Faye Gates were pioneers, preserving history and capturing the firsthand accounts of multiple survivors.
Raven Majia Williams, the great-granddaughter of A.J. Smitherman, who documented the massacre, continues her great-grandfather’s legacy through her work on scripted and unscripted TV and Film projects on Black Wall Street.
Additionally, documentaries and storytelling in The New York Times, Fortune, and The History Channel are also taking part to ensure that the real history is shared. Check out these resources and share more with us as we continue to preserve this importance as well.
Our honorable mentions will feature products, brands, and organizations in honor of Pride, Black Music Month, and Juneteenth.
Writer and editor Sydney N. Sweeney spotlights darker complexion R&B artists in her playlist “Brown Butter.” She’s addressing colorism within the music genre and created the playlist “to create equity in the space” for brown skin artists. Check out her thoughts and learn more on how you can tune into this playlist now.
The Amendment Project connects with local activist groups and Black organizers in a target city to gauge the community’s needs and foster communication with the city council. They provide email templates and phone call scripts to lobby the city council for a reparations resolution. If you are interested and have just a few minutes to send an email or place a call, sign up for their newsletter below to receive more information and the latest updates on their upcoming campaigns!
Who needs a summer read? Me 🙋🏾♀️
Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut novel, “The Other Black Girl,” is receiving all of the buzz from Good Morning America, Time, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, and Goodreads.
Harris takes readers into the world of New York City book publishing. The book follows Nella Rogers, a hard-working, 26-year-old editorial assistant who is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books, where she frequently experiences isolation and microaggressions.
This all changes when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle next to hers. Rogers is delighted to know another Black woman in the office and starts looking forward to having a friend and ally, but the tables turn. Hazel quickly becomes the office darling, and Nella is left with threatening messages to quit her job or else bad things will happen.
Read an excerpt here, and make sure to grab your copy at your local independent store!
Stay Informed, Stay Connected, Stay Notedd ✌🏾
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