Florida Sentinel Bulletin

 By Candace McDuffie (Published in

‘The Root’ on Friday)

      The Heritage Foundation outlined a dangerous plan if Trump becomes President again.

     Project 2025, a 920-page policy document, was devised by the conservative Heritage Foundation and outlines a far-right Christian agenda for Donald Trump’s second presidential term if he wins the election in November. The plan will dismantle educational opportunities for Black people, go after LGBTQ+ protections, cut Medicare and stop “anti-white racism,” among other things.

     Here are just a few reasons why Black folks should be terrified of Project 2025.

Firing Thousands Of Government Employees

    The Biden-Harris administration has the most diverse staff in this country’s history, with 50 percent of current employees describing themselves as racially or ethnically diverse. Project 2025 would eliminate job protections for those government employees who could be replaced by political appointees — making the White House full of white MAGA supporters.

     At the Treasury Department, the document says the next administration should “treat the participation in any critical race theory or DEI initiative without objecting on constitutional or moral grounds, as per se grounds for termination of employment.”

Getting Rid Of Abortion Pill

Photo: Kansas City Star (Getty Images)

     In the Project 2025 blueprint, it requests that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 24-year-old approval of the widely used abortion pill, mifepristone. It also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the Comstock Act against providers and distributors of abortion pills — all of which will disproportionately affect Black women who have the highest rate of maternal deaths during childbirth.

Doing Away With ‘WOKE Propaganda’

    The blueprint insists that the Trump administration will go against “woke propaganda” which includes having a long list of terms banned from all laws and federal regulations like “sexual orientation,” “gender equality,” “DEI,” “gender equity,” “abortion” and “reproductive rights.”

Eviscerating LGBTQ+ Rights

     Project 2025 plans to dismantle the rights of transgender people and well as the rights of same-sex married couples. It says that children should be raised by their “biological” fathers and mothers since the “male-female dyad is essential to human nature.” The blueprint also equates the act of being transgender, or “transgender ideology,” to pornography and states it should be outlawed.

Getting Rid Of Loan Forgiveness

     Project 2025 encourages putting an end to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Currently, the program provides student loan relief to borrowers who work in federal, state, local or tribal governments as well as nonprofit organizations.

Attacking Critical Race Theory

Photo: Jeffrey Greenberg (Getty Images)

     The creators of the blueprint believe teaching Critical Race Theory in schools would make white students feels bad. According to Project 2025, they would “not require students or teachers to believe that individuals are guilty or responsible for the actions of others based on race or ethnicity.”

Limiting Education For Black Students

Photo: Drew Angerer (Getty Images)

     In addition to the racist practice of “school choice,” which would widen the educational gap between Black and white students, those who send their kids to disproportionately Christian and white private schools would be rewarded. Project 2025 also wants to get rid of Head Start, a federal educational readiness program for qualifying children during their first five years.

Weakening Black-Owned Businesses

     The Biden-Harris administration has provided funding for Black businesses. However, Project 2025 would get rid of programs aimed to help them. In addition to eliminating a program that would protect Black businesses from discrimination, it plans on changing the Minority Business Development Agency into something focused on “the benefit of free markets, the evils of socialism and Communism, and the destructive effect of taxes and regulations on minority businesses.”

Finishing The Wall

     Project 2025’s agenda advises finishing Trump’s wall along the U. S.-Mexico border. In addition, it encourages the next administration to “take a creative and aggressive approach” to dealing with drug cartels at the border. The blueprint wants to employ active-duty military personnel and the National Guard for arrests at the southern border.

Reducing Black Home Ownership

Photo: Jim Morrison (Getty Images)

     Black home ownership has always been low, but Project 2025 will do away with programs meant to increase it and end “other uses of special-purpose credit authorities to further equity.” Rental assistance programs would come to end as well.

Defunding Liberal Media

     Project 2025 has intentions of defunding Public Broadcast System (PBS), National Public Radio (NPR) and grants for media entities that have “mostly liberal” audiences.

Getting Rid Of Racial Data

     The blueprint insists on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to cease collecting employment data based on race and ethnicity. In the document, they state it “can then be used to support a charge of discrimination under a disparate impact theory” which could “lead to racial quotas.” They want to stop this sort of data collection from both public and private employers.

Getting Rid Of Inflation Reduction Act

     Project 2025 wants to get rid of the Inflation Reduction Act, which under Biden would have generated around 10 million climate-friendly jobs over the next decade. The agenda also calls for banning greenhouse gas regulations and clean energy programs. Low-income Black folks are exposed to pollution disproportionately and die at higher rates from it.

Dismantling Department Of Homeland Security

     According to Project 2025, several offices would be cut from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which would shut down the biggest school in the country for federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) would also be eliminated from DHS, which was created to protect the United States after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Getting Rid Of Medicare/Social Security

Photo: Jeffrey Greenberg (Getty Images)

     Project 2025 will repeal “health policies enacted under the Obama and Biden Administrations such as the Medicare Shared Savings Program and Inflation Reduction Act.” These vital policies are assisting millions of Americans afford their health insurance and prescription drugs. The blueprint would also cut Medicaid funding in half as well.

DANIEL BLACK, Ph.D.

Author, Professor, Consultant, Mentor, Clark Atlanta University

     The Hillsborough County Branch NAACP is preparing for its annual Freedom Fund Dinner. The event will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at the Tampa Marriott Water Street. This year’s theme is “All In Thriving Together.”

     Hillsborough Branch President Yvette Lewis announced that the guest speaker will be Daniel Black, Ph.D., a 30-year professor of African American Studies at Clark Atlanta University.

     Dr. Black is also an award-winning novelist, activist, mentor and public speaker. His published works include They Tell Me of Home, The Sacred Place, Perfect Peace, Twelve Gates to the City, The Coming, Listen to the Lambs, Don’t Cry for Me, and Black on Black.

     Dr. Black’s newest novel, Don’t Cry For Me, was released by HarperCollins on February 1^st, 2022.

     Dr. Black’s newest work is his first essay collection titled BLACK ON BLACK, which was released on January 30^th, 2023.

     He also works as a diversity consultant, having spoken at top-tier companies in America. He assists corporations with creating work environments in which all employees, of every level and difference, feel supported and valued.

      A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Black spent his formative years in rural Blackwell, Arkansas. He graduated from Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) where he earned the prestigious Oxford Modern British Studies fellowship and studied abroad at Oxford University. He was then awarded a full fellowship to Temple University where he studied with Black Arts Movement poet laureate Sonia Sanchez and, in 1992, earned his Ph.D. in African American Studies. Dr. Black has spent the majority of his 30 academic years as a professor of African American Studies at his beloved alma mater, Clark Atlanta University.

     Dr. Black lives in Atlanta and is the founder of the Ndugu-Nzinga Rites of Passage Nation, a mentoring society for people of African descent who seek to love themselves and build a world of character for their people.

     Currently, Dr. Black has completed the literary sequel to Don’t Cry for Me, tentatively titled Isaac’s Song. He is also working on part II of The Coming, titled The Second Coming and a black scripture titled The Good Book.

Robles Park Village

     Former residents, currents residents and residents in the area are invited to the Robles Park Village Reunion on Saturday, August 24, 2024. The event will be held 2-6 p. m. The event will honor the first African American Cemetery, with a Zion Walk.

      Robles Park Village was built in 1954, and the community wants to respect a new change and a better community. Gratitude is extended to Mayor Jane Castor for allowing the City of Tampa to assist in this event. Security will be on site. The Robles Park Tenant Association Council, led by Reva Ivan, is assisting with planning this event.

     Anyone who would like to donate or learn more about the event, please contact Ms. Ivan at imonreva10@gmail.com.

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CAMILLA D. BURTON

As Middleton High School closes out the 2023-2024 year and prepares for the new school year, its new principal, appointed in July of 2023, Camilla D. Burton, remains driven to new heights of achievement when speaking of the work that must continue, from improved test scores on this year’s Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST), and End of Course Exams (EOC) in Biology, Geometry, and US History to the school’s 2024 School Grade.

Principal Burton leads with vision, dedication, and a profound commitment to students’ successes. Her goals for the coming year are to increase community involvement (particularly parent engagement), provide intentional professional development for staff, and build students’ capacity to “buy in” to the rewards of earning a high-quality education.

One of the most tangible measures of Ms. Burton’s impact has been the significant improvement in students’ test scores. Principal Burton re-introduced innovative instructional techniques, such as Learning Intentions and Success Criteria where students must state what they will learn each day and how they know they have learned it during every 90-minute class.

“We’ve made great strides this year,” Principal Burton remarked. “It’s a testament to the collective effort of our entire school community. Our students’ progress results from a shared commitment to excellence, and we’re excited to build on this momentum.”

Beyond academic achievements, Principal Burton has strongly emphasized fostering community engagement. She believes a vibrant school environment extends beyond the classroom and involves active participation from parents, local businesses, elected officials, and community leaders. Over the past year, Middleton High School has seen a surge in community involvement, from volunteering opportunities, particularly with AP Exam Administrations, to partnerships that enhance the educational programs, like Elevate and 5,000 Men Strong programs. She emphasizes the importance of her students knowing Middleton C.A.R.E.S. — that every interaction embodies Collective Intelligence, Acceleration, Resilient Resources, Exhaustive Efforts, and Successful Systems.

This year, however, marks a monumental milestone. Middleton will be celebrating its 90th year of existence. Principal Burton is looking for the entire community (alums, young and old) to participate on Saturday, August 10, beginning at 8:00 a. m. at Ferrell Girls Preparatory Academy (the original Middleton High School). Alumni and leaders will parade up 22nd Street to Middleton’s Memorial Wall. (See advertisements in this edition)

Principal Burton believes that starting the year with community engagement will unite young and old, strengthen bonds within the community, and encourage partners to provide the additional resources needed to support the students.

Also, at 10:45 a. m., teachers will report to their classrooms for a “meet and greet” with parents and students before the start of the new school year. Principal Burton stated, “While we hold Open House every year, this year’s events make Open House very special.”

Then, on Monday, August 12 (the first day of school), from 8:00 am to 11:30 a. m., Middleton Alumni will visit classrooms to share tales of tradition and triumphs while being a student at Middleton.

Principal Burton, who has been a science teacher and an administrator in the district for the past 6 years, enjoys family time with her son, a USF student majoring in Architecture, and daughter, who will begin her junior year in the district.

For more information regarding the 90th Anniversary Celebration, email Octavia Coleman at octavia.coleman@hcps.net.