See the Mug Shots in Trump's Georgia Case

Meadows, Giuliani, Powell, Ellis, Chesebro and others

Defendants who have been booked on charges connected with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia

"It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you've done nothing wrong," said Trump, whose 2024 Republican presidential campaign quickly began selling merchandise featuring his mugshot to raise money.

Donald Trump

The former president was booked Thursday night and released on a $200,000 bond.

Charges: Thirteen counts — three of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer; two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements; two of false statements and writings; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit to impersonating a public officer.

Image: Former President Donald Trump was booked at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta on Aug. 24, 2023. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Mark Meadows

The former Trump White House chief of staff was booked Thursday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Two counts — one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; and one of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.

Mark Meadows. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Rudy Giuliani

The former Trump attorney was booked Wednesday and released on a $150,000 bond.

Charges: Thirteen counts — three of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; three of false statements; two of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents.

Rudy Giuliani. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Jeanna Ellis

The attorney who advised Trump during his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results was booked Wednesday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Two counts — one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer.

Booking photo of Jenna Ellis released on Aug. 23, 2023. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)ce.

Kenneth Chesebro

The lawyer associated with Trump's campaign who came up with the legal theory behind the so-called fake electors scheme was booked Wednesday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer.

Kenneth Chesebro. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Sidney Powell

The former member of Trump's legal team was booked Wednesday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of conspiracy to commit election fraud; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit computer theft; one of conspiracy to commit computer trespass; one of conspiracy to defraud the state; one of conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy.

Booking photo of Sidney Powell released on Aug. 23, 2023. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Ray Smith

The attorney who represented Trump in 2020 election lawsuits in Georgia was booked Wednesday and released on a $50,000 bond.

Charges: Twelve counts — three of solicitation of violation of oath by public officer; two of false statements; two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating public officer.

Ray Smith. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

David Shafer

The former Georgia state senator, allegedly a fake GOP elector, was booked Wednesday and released on a $75,000 bond.

Charges: Eight counts — three of false statements; two of forgery in the first degree; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of impersonating a public officer; one of criminal attempt to commit filing false documents.

David Shafer. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Cathy Latham

The former Coffee County GOP chair was booked Wednesday and released on a $75,000 bond.

Charges: Eleven counts — two of conspiracy to commit election fraud; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of impersonating a public officer; one of forgery in the first degree; one of false statements; one of criminal attempt to commit filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit computer theft; one of conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy; one of conspiracy to defraud the state; one of conspiracy to commit computer trespass.

Cathy Latham. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

John Eastman

The former Trump-allied attorney was booked Tuesday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Nine counts — two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer.

John Eastman mugshot released by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 22, 2023. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Scott Hall

The 2020 Fulton County GOP poll watcher was booked Tuesday and released on a $10,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of conspiracy to commit election fraud; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit computer theft; one of conspiracy to commit computer trespass; one of conspiracy to defraud the state; one of conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy.

Scott Hall mugshot released by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 22, 2023. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Harrison Floyd

The former leader of Black Voices for Trump was booked Thursday. No bond agreement has been set.

Charges: Three counts — one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of influencing witnesses; and one of conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings.

Harrison Floyd. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Jeffrey Clark

The former Trump Justice Department official was booked early Friday and released on a $100,000 bond.

Charges: Two counts — one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; and one of criminal attempt to commit false statements.

Michael Roman

The former Trump staffer was booked early Friday and released on a $50,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer.

Robert Cheeley

The Atlanta attorney was booked early Friday on a $50,000 bond.

Charges: Ten counts — two of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two of conspiracy to commit false statements; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to commit filing false documents; one of conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; one of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; one of false statements; one of perjury.

Shawn Still

The alleged fake GOP elector was booked early Friday and released on a $10,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of forgery in the first degree; two of false statements; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of criminal attempt to commit filing false documents; one of impersonating a public officer.

The following defendants have not yet surrendered

Stephen Lee

The Lutheran pastor from Illinois is expected to be booked by noon Friday and released on a $75,000 bond.

Charges: Five counts — two of criminal attempt to commit influencing witnesses; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of influencing witnesses; one of conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements.

Trevian Kutti

The former publicist for Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, is expected to be booked by noon Friday and released on a $75,000 bond.

Charges: Three counts — one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of influencing witnesses; and one of conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements.

Misty Hampton

The former Coffee County elections director is expected to be booked by noon Friday and released on a $10,000 bond.

Charges: Seven counts — two of conspiracy to commit election fraud; one of violation of the Georgia RICO Act; one of conspiracy to defraud the state; one of conspiracy to commit computer theft; one of conspiracy to commit computer invasion of privacy; one of conspiracy to commit computer trespass.

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"It was always going to end this way, wasn’t it?" wrote Sykes, a frequent critic of the former president and the party that elected him. "If you elect a serial liar and conman, a narcissist, bully, wannabe mobster, with the vocabulary of an emotionally insecure 9-year-old, you can’t really be shocked at how it turned out, can you?"

Bill Barr Ramps Up His Showdown With ‘Troubled Man’ Trump in Stunning CBS Interview

He is Like ‘A Defiant 9-Year-Old’ kid who’s always pushing the glass toward the edge of the table

Bill Barr, former Attorney General

Bill Barr, Attorney General during the Trump administration in a CBS interview with Robert Costa on Sunday, June 18, 2023, unload on his former boss.

Former Attorney General Bill Barr has been the talk of the political world for the past week — after his stunning proclamation that former President Donald Trump is “toast” if half of the 37-count indictment against him is true. Now, after a week of personal insults from the former president, Barr is fighting back with an utterly brutal assessment of his old boss.

In a stunning CBS interview on Sunday with Robert Costa, Barr doubled down on his opinion that Trump has only himself to blame for his current predicament.

Bill Barr, Attorney General during the Trump administration in a CBS interview with Robert Costa on Sunday, June 18, 2023, unload on his former boss.

‘This is not a circumstance where he’s the victim or this is government overreach,’ Barr said. 

‘He is a consummate narcissist, and he constantly engages in reckless conduct that puts his political followers at risk and the conservative and Republican agenda at risk,’ he said. 

Asked if he believes Trump lied to the Justice Department, Barr said, ‘Yes, I do.’

He then added this jaw-dropping postscript:

‘He will always put his interests and gratifying his own ego ahead of everything else, including the country’s interests. There’s no question about it. This is a perfect example of that. He’s like a 9-year-old — a defiant 9-year-old kid who’s always pushing the glass toward the edge of the table, defying his parents to stop him from doing it. It’s a means of self-assertion and exerting his dominance over other people. And he’s a very petty individual who will always put his interests ahead of the country’s, and the personal gratification of his ego. But our country can’t be a therapy session for a troubled man like this.’

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The Department of Justice made history on Friday, June 9, 2023, unsealing a 37-count indictment against former President Donald Trump related to his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House.

No other president has ever faced federal charges, let alone the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence if convicted (an aide, Walt Nauta, was also charged with helping Trump conceal records).

Banana Republic Blues

The MAGA crowd

I never thought I would be comparing Washington DC to the Green Zone in Baghdad; however, the MAGA crowd brought us to the brink of a very un-American insurrection. Trump stormtroopers aimed was to overturn the will of the American people and, in true Jim Crow fashion, tried to disenfranchise African Americans and other minorities.

The world citadel of democracy was brought low by a rogue’s gallery of white supremacists’, conspiracy theory nuts, and slavish devotees of the cult of Trump.

Trump, his children, and staff celebrate as their supporters wreaked havoc and assault on America's Democracy.

In Picture: Trump' Stormtroopers

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January 6, 2021 will forever be remembered as a day of infamy. You do not have to be Nostradamus to know what was going to happen next.

I kept my literary powder-dry on the outcome of the election. Like an exhausted boxer in the last round, waited for Trumps' spurious clowns to reach their logical conclusion and bow to the inevitable.

The fresh promise of a New year had barely ushered in when Donald J Trump and his merry band of ‘stormtroopers’ attempted to shred the Constitution in a failed de facto coup -so much for law and order.

There is plenty of blame to go around, and Trump is not the only one with blood on his hands.

The catalyst for the Capitol insurrection was based; on a web of hate, disinformation, and misguided racial animus. Social media and political toadies like Jim Jordan, Ted Cruz, and Josh Hawley -helped spread venom into the body politics. Furthermore, acolytes like Rudy Giuliani, Roger Stone, and Rush Limbaugh perpetuate the Myth of a stolen election. Grumpy ‘Moscow’ Mitch McConnell, William Barr exchanged their morality and patriotic duty for political power.

The communal ties that bind our nation have been torn a shred by a megalomaniacal faux tyrant, political poseur, and a mean-spirited dilettante.

Trumps' primary legacy is a nation ravaged by disease, economic devastation, and increased racial animosity. Therefore impeachment seems to be a 'fitting coda' to His four-year reign of terror and endless scandals.

Globally the image of America as a shining bastion of democracy has been shattered.

There have been a few profiles-in-courage on the Republican side: Senator Mitt Romney and Congresswoman Liz Cheney deserve praise for their commitment to truth and honor.

The future of the GOP cloudy on the horizon; a fratricidal civil war is looming between traditional conservatives and Trump-republicans. One can only hope, for the sake of our democracy, the better angels prevail over those who live in the alternative universe of hate and deception.

Hopefully, Joe Biden offers America a chance to reset. He will need all his political acumen to raise the American phoenix from the ashes.

America is a divided nation- One of the most disappointing aspects of the 2020 election despite some disastrous policies and chaotic reign, 74 million Americans still voted for the continuation of Trumps' strange brew of political Theatre.

Trump abrogated every oath he took to protect us from all enemies: foreign or domestic. He left an indelible dark stain on the psyche of our nation.

Trumps' Insurrection

A major tenet of American democracy is the peaceful transition of power, this sacrosanct principle Trump sought to overturn in a demonic attempt to retain the White House.

With a failure to concedes election, Trump unleashed a motley crew of domestic terrorists on the nation without regard for life or liberty.

Rather than suppressing voter turnout, we need a new Republican party that competes for everyone's vote.

Time to choose country over party, virulent ideology, and political opportunism. We have stared into the abyss and seen the enemy within. Political philosopher, Edmund Burke: '...all that is necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to stand by and do nothing.' After the events at the Capitol, doing nothing no longer seems to be a viable option.

And Black History for All

America’s redemption will come when it truly comes to terms with its troubled past

As an African American, there are vast areas of our history that I was not aware of. But do not worry, I knew the significance of Juneteenth, and no, Trump did not enlighten me on the matter.

While in high school during Black History, we learned about the usual suspects, and we skated through the Civil War. And I drew anxious gazes from classmates and teachers alike at the thorny issue of slavery. As we watched a plethora of slave-related movies, some of my fellow African American students crouched in embarrassment.

A handful of Black History classes added to my sliver of knowledge in college. The adage that if we do not learn from past mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them in the future. Today, we are at a critical inflection point as the issues of systemic racism threaten to engulf a divided nation. Slavery, violence, and prejudice against minorities are the virulent dark stains on the American tapestry - a litany of broken promises and deadly intent.

1921 Greenwood, Oklahoma: The site of the worst massacres in US history. Greenwood dubbed the Black Wall Street, was a mecca of black prosperity until jealous whites burned it to the ground and slaughtered town residents by the hundreds. Attacks were even launched from the skies as privately owned planes strafed the terrified community below with incendiary devices. Over 10,000 residents were made homeless, and the black lives and prosperity were decimated.

Photos

Justice was denied to the people of Greenwood, nobody was ever prosecuted, and insurance companies failed to honor their obligations to compensate for devastated property and business owners. Today, Greenwood is a hollow shell of its former self. Over the decades, infrastructural and commercial development has bypassed the and unemployment rates for minorities remain high.

“This our history. 401-year odyssey encompasses tragedy, triumph, and the indomitable spirit of a battle-scarred people.”

The multicultural hordes on the streets are demanding an end to systemic racism. America's redemption will come when it truly comes to terms with its troubled past. And strive for that elusive, more perfect union.

The euphoria of Obama’s presidency and the potential of a post-racial society seems to have dimmed in the obsidian shadow of Trump's dark American vision.

We can do better and must do better, the people demand it.

For the wider society, learning about black history and being enlightened by it is crucially important in the quest for empathy and mutual understanding. We live in momentous times with a real chance to reset and end systemic racism.

If the chains of the nation's painful past are broken, then surely we will all be ‘Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.’

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“Black History Month”

— February

The artist stitches together Black history one portrait at a time.

A former art school teacher, Bisa Butler, used the art of quilt making to stitch together the African American experience and celebrate Black life in America.

#NorahO'Donnell, #CBSnews, #BlackHistoryMonth, #BisaButlerArt, #BisaButler

Video Credited: CBS News

She transformed their stories onto fabric one portrait at a time.

Actions The U.S. Took To Address FGM/C In Its Foreign Policy

FGM: The Hot Button Topic

By J Reynold Weeks: Credit Source:

In 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a unanimous resolution condemning FGM/C as a human rights violation. The resolution condemning FGM/C was co-sponsored by 28 members of Congress and calls for “coordinated efforts to eliminate the harmful practice.”

Two reports by the U.S. GAO from 2016 found the U.S. efforts to end the practice lacking and in need of significant improvement both in the U.S. and abroad. Despite the clear recommendations outlined in those reports, very little has changed since they were issued. The United States presently has only one program explicitly dedicated to ending FGM/C through foreign assistance. A three-year program in Kenya due to expire in 2021. US$5 million for the U.N. joint international program focused on eliminating FGM/C. Supports 17 countries, and led to national laws banning the practice in 13 of those countries, and 12 have appropriated funds from their respective national budgets to specifically address FGM/C through investigation, prosecution, intervention, prevention, and care services.

The United States government has issued several policy statements and recommendations.

• In 2017, the USAID guidance on Female GENITAL Mutilation/Cutting was released

• In 2016, the State Department launched the US Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls, which included specific goals and objectives to ensure adolescent girls were able to reduce their risks and vulnerability

• The State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues has worked closely with high prevalence countries such as the Gambia and Egypt on partnerships with local leaders and community outreach to combat the practice via legal reforms, public education and awareness campaigns

• The 2016 US Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally defined FGM/C as a form of gender-based violence but did not recommend specific actions to address the practice

• Although the State Department includes information on FGM/C in their annual Human Rights Country Reports, under the Trump Administration, reporting on women’s rights issues has been curtailed in countries that generate asylum petitions, and have the greatest levels of gender inequality. As a result, reporting on FGM/C appears to be less robust since 2018, the first year for which the Trump administration was responsible for country reports

While the U.S. has a federal law prohibiting transporting minors abroad for FGM/C in a practice already described as “vacation cutting,” a 2016 GAO report noted that existing efforts to raise awareness on this issue need improvement. Currently, there are very few investigations and prosecution of FGM/C, in part due to the confusion over reporting requirements.

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Female Genital Mutilation

FGM: The Hot Button Topic

By J Reynold Weeks: Credit Source:

Acknowledgments: Dr. Nina Smart, the United Nations, recognized Ambassador and Representative, FGM/C. Policymakers and researchers.

Growing up in West Africa, it did not seem to be of importance to me when young girls mostly in their teens with distinguished colorings on their faces and other parts of their bodies were paraded bare-breasted if there were any to be bared, in the streets of my village.

As I grew older, I became curious. Was it to satisfy the social norms that seek to suppress the girls’ sexual desires or expressions? Was it a religious ritual, or was it a cultural practice in my country alone?

Every year, there are about 3 million girls forced to undergo a procedure to remove or modify their genitalia to fulfill social norms which look to suppress women’s sexual desire and expression. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) as: 'all procedures involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female organs.' The practice has no known health benefits. Moreover, it most frequently occurs to girls from infancy to age 15. Adult women are also at risk.

Approximately 200 million girls and women alive today have survived FGM/C, and an estimated 3 million girls are at risk of FGM/C each year according to the group Equality Now.

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Although 43 countries globally have banned the practice, it still occurs at a very high rate in at least 30 countries where it is measured. Mainly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. While now considered to be both child abuse and a violation of girls’ and women’s human rights, FGM/C is a deeply entrenched practice with roots in inequitable gender norms.

Despite my youthful misconceptions to the contrary, FGM/C not rooted in any religious or theological tradition. This practice is not limited to any one country, region, religion, or culture.

Frequently FGM/C is tied to cultural traditions and norms related to perceived purity and family honor around virginity and girls’ sexuality. Since these beliefs are rooted in cultural norms, immediate change is difficult even in countries where strong laws and or policies exist.

Infection, obstetric fistula, excessive bleeding, difficulties related to menstruation, sexual problems, infertility, cysts, scarring, increased risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth in some cases death, believed to be negative health consequences. Many survivors of FGM/C experience physical trauma, pain, and complications, which can lead to psychological harm such as post-traumatic stress, flashbacks, fear, anxiety, and depression. Research also suggests that in countries or communities where FGM/C is prevalent, individual girls who do not undergo the process are at risk for trauma and isolation as a result of social stigmas stemming from their non-conformity.

As such, it is clear that programs that seek to outlaw FGM/C or change individual behavior without addressing the root causes and social norms may do more harm than good.

"Actions The U.S. Took To address FGMC/C in its Foreign Policy," will be the next publication.

6 Skills Needed for All Jobs Regardless of Field

And your young adult needs each one of them to thrive in the workforce

This post is from NBC Parent Toolkit.

You have likely heard about “soft skills” before. But what are they? Sometimes referred to as “21st-century skills,” “interpersonal skills,” or “applied skills,” they are the skills that are non-technical or specific to a certain job. They are the skills that help you think, communicate with people, and reflect on your experiences. Basically, your young adult needs them to thrive in the workforce. Career coach Jane Horowitz says the basis of her coaching practice is “hire for attitude, train for skills,” and she sees will and drive as being the greatest determinants of young adults getting hired.

“We hear it time and time again, it’s the soft skills,” says Terri Tchorzynski, 2017 National School Counselor of the Year. “That’s what allows you to keep the job. Employers can hire our students and train them, but if they don't have the soft skills, it's really hard for them to stay employed."

According to the Harvard University “Pathways to Prosperity Project” study in 2011, U.S. employers are increasingly seeing students graduate from college unequipped to survive in the 21st century workforce. Specifically, they are “deficient” in skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and communication. Bruce Tulgan, founder and CEO of Rainmaker Thinking and expert and author on young people in the workplace, has been tracking the generational change in the workplace since 1993. According to Tulgan (and many other experts and employers), there is a gap in soft skills from previous generations to the generation entering the workforce today.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

A Plea From Planet Earth

On fire

By Ola George & Theo Edwards

It is the very nature of entropy to lead to an eventual state of decay. I have survived the millennia and the ravages of time. Dinosaurs, empires, and false Gods have long turned to dust. I have provided life and relief for entire species yet; mankind you are doing your best to destroy me and therefore yourselves.

My Amazon is a blazing inferno–its opulent forest exploited for insatiable desire for wealth. Polar Bears are growling as the ice caps melt and the glaciers vanish. Sea levels are rising, putting your coastal cities in jeopardy. Hurricanes like Dorian, Katrina will be remembered in time as mere Childs play.

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Driven by hubris, and corruption, many of you deny the evidence of your own eyes

Mankind, you poison my oceans with toxic chemicals and mountains of plastic, whales beach themselves to die unable to live in their natural environment. Air and land are contaminated. Poisons seep into soil and water supplies. Record high temperatures across the globe portend serious issues ahead as portions of your world become uninhabitable. Therefore the consequences will be disruption and mass migration as resources become scarce.

Mankind the time to act is now, put your collective hearts and minds on this task of saving us all.

You can be heroes for this generation and countless others that follow. Or, be known as an "indolent" species who did nothing while their planet died.

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Teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Monday opened the United Nations Climate Action Summit with an angry condemnation of world leaders for failing to take strong measures to combat climate change. Thunberg, visibly emotional, said in shaky but stern remarks at the opening of the summit that the generations that have polluted the most have burdened her and her generation with the extreme impacts of climate change.

A Closer Look At The Suspensions of African American Students

EDLD Dissertation

Dr. Theodosia M. Edwards

University of Maryland Eastern Shore Education Leadership Program

April 2018

The researcher concluded that while the suspension rates of students increased at the school and for African American students between 2012-2014, the trend since 2014 has been a continuing decline in the suspension of all students and African American students. The researcher also found that factors such as school and community culture, the lack of student interventions, and a coherent restorative practices model, among other factors, have all influenced the suspension rates of African American students.

Dr. Theodosia M. Edwards

Research Study: A Closer Look At The Suspensions of African American Students

“UNDERSTANDING FACTORS, POLICIES AND, PRACTICES IN A SOUTH BALTIMORE SCHOOL: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SUSPENSIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
”

— Dr. Theodosia M. Edwards

A focus on providing resources through mental and counseling supports, and ongoing professional development for staff, students, teachers, and community members would help all stakeholders to take ownership of student behaviors and would help to increase the outcomes of African American students while reducing the need for out of school suspensions.

The CBD and Cannabis Gold-rush

Marijuana legalization has crumbled across the US

Fmr. Speaker, John Boehner, an industry lobbyist

Visitors to the 2018 Home Garden Flower Show in Fryeburg learn about CBD oils from a vendor. (MARGARET MCKENZIE PHOTO)

Societal resistance to marijuana legalization has crumbled across the US. Cannabis! How times have changed. Once the province of tokers, back-alleys, and street hustlers gone mainstream. Fmr. Speaker of the House John Boehner is an industry lobbyist. Even domestic maven Martha Stewart has joined the fray.

For many cancer patients and others who suffer from a variety of maladies, medical marijuana is the only thing that mitigates pain and suffering.

CBD oil is the new wonder drug in the pain management fight. Touted as a cure-all for chronic pain the CBD industry has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years. Fancy designer boutiques offering a myriad of products are springing up everywhere. Despite skepticism from the healthcare professionals the CBD industry continues to boom. Viva Las Vegas!

Undoubtedly as one of the nation’s most popular vacation spots. Legalization of marijuana added strong economy with stores opening on and off “The Strip.” Gamble, watch a show and shop your favorite pot sundries with convenience.

With no expectations, I set out to find some CBD lotion for an arthritic aunt. I landed at “Planet Thirteen,” dubbed the “cannabis superstore.” I entered a slick and gleaming edifice replete with a state of the art sound system pumping out a droning techno beat. Well-heeled suited men and women and more casually dressed counterparts milled around sparkling glass displays cases. Astute sales reps patiently explained the pros and cons of a staggering array of products. Pot-infused beverages, candy, cakes, and coffees, etc. A sales rep told me construction had started on a dining area in anticipation of Nevada changing its laws. To serve pot-infused meals.

The experience was edifying and changed some of my preconceived notions about the industry.

Wakandan ​Dreams

The phenomenal success of “Black Panther” underscored the point that Hollywood must continue on a path towards all-inclusive diversity.

However, the most salient question for me as I the marveled at the technological might of mythical Wakanda. I can’t help but ponder, where would Africa be today had it been unfettered by the burden of its colonial past.

There have been missteps. Civil wars, greed, and autocratic despots have littered the landscape. However, if history has shown us anything it’s that the road to freedom, progress, and equality is never easy.

For a continent not too far removed from its colonial past, it would seem that Africa is due credit for the progress it has made. There is cause for optimism. With its stunning array of bustling metropolises, diversity, natural resources, and human capital, Africa undercuts the claim of a retrograde US President who described them as “shithole countries.”

The future can belong to Africa. However, for this bright new dawn to emerge, strong foundations must be laid. First, the rule of law must be adhered to, and the civil rights of all citizens must be respected.

Next, corruption and nepotism must be stamped out. Furthermore, governments must make a genuine attempt to meet the basic needs of their citizenry. These needs include equitable access to educational and economic opportunity. Also, improving healthcare and clean water access would help to ameliorate concerns of many. Natural resources should be harvested for the benefit of all and not the privileged or corrupt few. Finally, to avoid civil unrest, a cohesive sense of nationalism should be promoted at the expense of ethnic and religious loyalty.

Wakandan ​Dreams

By Ola George

The potential of Africa is limitless and with astute progressive leadership, perhaps then “Wakandan” dreams will become a stunning reality.