A. Shuanise Washington, CBCF president/CEO

(TriceEdneyWire.com) –  “It starts with you.” That’s the theme of this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation  Annual Legislative Caucus (ALC), attempting to inspire people to innovation in the answers to their personal and community issues.

“Throughout the centuries, humankind has been able to identify one person - an individual - who made a difference, who changed the thinking, who made an innovative discovery that led to a seismic shift in how history was written,” said a release this week.  This year's ALC “hopes to have  the same impact on the thousands of individuals expected to attend the four-day conference.”

U. S. Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.) will serve as honorary co-chairs of the annual four-day gathering of issues forums, brain trusts, glitzy parties and receptions to be held from Sept. 18-21 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

In addition to the issue forums, the annual Thursday morning national town hall meeting, the Saturday morning prayer breakfast and Saturday evening Phoenix Award dinner are also major highlights.  The town hall, themed "From Poverty to Prosperity: Confronting Violence, Restoring Opportunity, and Investing in our Youth" will address the impact of poverty, juvenile justice and gun violence, the release said.

“We encourage everyone, be they political figures, leaders in industry and non-profit organizations, celebrities eager to lend their voices to a cause, or citizens with a desire to obtain information to uplift their communities, to come together to exchange ideas and create solutions to the unique issues facing African Americans today,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and chief executive officer for CBCF in a statement. “The goal of ALC is to find workable solutions to help stimulate our economy, end health disparities and improve education.” 

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - In parts of our nation, people worry about tornados and hurricanes. Some worry about devastating floods or raging forest fires.  Others worry about blizzards, terrorist attacks or other unexpected events.  If you live and work in Washington, DC, the storms of life never seem to end. A struggle seems connected with every aspect of life.

I was riveted to the television during the past week watching the tragedy of the weather event in Oklahoma.  I grieved watching stories of those who had lost their homes, their businesses and their lives. The pain grew even greater as I listened to urgent pleas from those asking Americans to come together to support the rebuilding efforts of our citizens in the most-affected areas.  In the background of my emotions, I could not help wonder why something so horrific must happen to bring Americans together.

Unfortunately, within 24 hours of the Oklahoma news coverage, Congressional leaders rejoined their partisan acrimony and bickering.  In the face of the great tragedy for the people of Moore, OK, few legislators could bring themselves to call a truce to make life better for them or for other Americans.  Not all Americans experienced the violence of the Boston bombings nor were we all involved in the Waco tragedy weeks before that, but all Americans desire security from the respective storms in their lives -- and we look to our leaders to help us.

It seems that we’re a nation that cares only when things presented to us are unimaginably devastating.  We often place little value on the principle of pro-activity, and pay little attention to preventing tragedies before they occur.  Because of political wrangling and an apparent priority to thwart the President-- jobs, businesses and programs that could revitalize our economy are left withering on the vine.  Government can’t work optimally, to the benefit of our country, because some politicians choose to derail the appointment confirmation process of talented executives or jurists whose expertise languishes in inactivity.

Yes, we have a right to know what happened in Benghazi, what really happened at the IRS and the why of the AP story—but should we ignore that millions of Americans outside "Tornado Alley" are still under- or unemployed and they, too, are losing their homes and precious possessions?  Are obstructionist leaders taking the time to see the tragedy in young people preparing themselves for jobs that won't be available to them?  Have they looked with clarity at the obstacles preventing many from preparation for productive livelihoods?  Do they see the obscenity of wasting time and money voting 37 times to repeal a law that has been affirmed by the Supreme Court and the re-election of the President?  Or, do they care that healthcare costs are a leading cause of bankruptcy and can ruin the financial lives of otherwise well-prepared retirees?

Tragedies come in many forms. They needn't be as immediate or dramatic as the events of Moore, OK, but the pain of loss is just as great.  I pray that the OK senators who voted against disaster aid for the East Coast understand that now.  Leaders in Washington can prevent many disasters if only they would.  If they’d legislate on the basis of what is good for their constituents and America, instead of loyalty to Mitch McConnell's pledge to scuttle the Obama Presidency, some of the disasters we witness wouldn’t exist.

At some point, grown-ups must prevail! The silliness must stop!  I fear that too many obstructionists are perfectly willing to wait until 2017 before they act to prevent or resolve the disasters that impact us. We, the people, must stand up to the obstructionists and tell them, “Enough! Stop the games and work for the good of the people you serve!”

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women. 202/678-6788. www.nationalcongressbw.org)

By Michael Skolnik 

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Ain't trying to be blunt. rude. or insensitive. Don't want to offend. disrespect. or insult anyone. We walk through life hoping for a higher ground. Hoping for clarity amidst the confusion. Hoping for protection for the unprotected.

When a bullet enters the chamber of the heart of a 17-year-old young man, his life ends. Over. Breathing ceases. No high school prom. No high school graduation. No first day of college. No college graduation. No wedding. No honeymoon. No first child. No proud dad moments. No weekly paychecks. No vacations. No growing old. No retirement party. No rocking chairs. No rocking chairs. No rocking chairs.

Trayvon Martin is dead. And George Zimmerman is on trial for murdering him. And that trial begins in less than two weeks. Fact.

On a rainy Sunday evening in Sanford, Florida. back in February of 2012, one bullet was shot from a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. a gun that belonged to George Zimmerman. a trigger that was pulled by George Zimmerman. With no DNA evidence found whatsoever on Trayvon's on this gun, there is no dispute over who shot who. When the police arrived they found a can of ice tea and a bag of skittles next to the lifeless body of Trayvon. That is what he had on him when a bullet tore a hole through his hooded sweatshirt on one side and left another one on the other. A 9mm handgun vs. a can of ice tea and a bag of skittles. Armed vs. unarmed. Bullets in the hood.

In the past few days, the crowd-sourced funded legal team of George Zimmerman did everything they could to make you forget about the deadly, drizzly night in Sanford, Florida. Distractions were their weapon of choice. Dump information about Trayvon's past that everyone knew would not be allowed in court. Many members of the media mistook their leaking of photos and text messages as evidence, which led to irresponsible headlines printed in black and white. Paint Trayvon as a "thug" and then maybe you would question whether or not he deserved to get a bullet in his chest. Or better yet, maybe potential jurors would walk into the jury box with a guilty image of Trayvon before opening arguments ever began. Strategy of desperation. Confusion. A smear campaign.

Then, we woke up and were brought back to reality when the presiding judge in the case ruled that nothing of the defense leaked on Friday would be admissible in the murder trial of George Zimmerman. None of it. Everything George Zimmerman's defense threw into the air last week to paint Trayvon as a "thug" did not stick at all. Denied. Irrelevant to the trial.

What is relevant to the murder trial of George Zimmerman is what happened during the seven minutes that two strangers encountered each other on a small street in Sanford that ended with a bullet shot through the heart of Trayvon Martin. That is what this trial should focus on and that is why George Zimmerman is the one who is on trial - because he did the shooting. The perpetrator. The assailant. The man who killed an unarmed teenager. Let us not be distracted by tactics of paid-lawyers who want us to forget the truth.

So, we must move over the next week with great focus and energy that shakes off the distractions and the confusion. We must raise our voices louder than ever before with one, unified rallying cry that screams for justice for Trayvon. We must wear our hoodies in the summertime heat in solidarity with every black and brown male misunderstood who is threatened by violence for walking through any community in America. Let us continue the work that we have begun, for we are not there yet. And when we reach that moment of clarity, we will know it to be true, as justice will ring for brother Trayvon so loud that even in heaven it will be heard.

Hoodies Up!

Michael Skolnik is the Editor-In-Chief of GlobalGrind.com and the political director to Russell Simmons. Prior to this, Michael was an award-winning filmmaker. Follow him on twitter @MichaelSkolnik

To Be Equal 

By Marc Morial

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - “Too often, our politics aren’t focused on the same things you are.  Working hard.  Supporting your family and your community.  Making sure your kids have every chance in life.” President Barack Obama

If you’ve been watching the news, you’ve probably noticed there’s no shortage of scandals or manufactured crises coming out of Washington these days.  But the biggest crisis of all – the epidemic of double-digit unemployment and the huge gulf of economic disparities that continue to plague millions of Americans -- seems to be attracting little attention.  This week, the National Urban League is shifting the nation’s focus back to the jobs crisis, not by reciting gloomy and well-worn statistics, but by putting a comprehensive solution on the table. 

On Monday in Cleveland, the National Urban League launched one of the most ambitious economic rescue missions in our history.  “Jobs Rebuild America: Educate, Employ, Empower” is a $100 million public-private-nonprofit partnership aimed at putting America back to work and targeting communities where help is needed most.  Using a comprehensive community development approach to the nation’s employment and education crises, this initiative brings together federal, corporate and non-profit resources to create economic opportunity in 50 U.S. cities through the Urban League affiliate network.  The program consists of both community investments and grassroots legislative advocacy.

The campaign’s five-year, $100 million community investment component includes job training for youth and mature workers, college preparation, a jobs network, entrepreneurship support, small business financing and resources, and tax credits. 

The campaign’s grassroots advocacy component will focus on federal legislative action in support of a balanced and responsible fiscal plan as well as backing for efforts that spur job creation in hard-pressed urban communities.  This includes our long-standing support for the passage of the Urban Jobs Act, co-sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Chaka Fattah, and for the Project Ready STEM Act, sponsored by Congresswoman Marcia Fudge.

We stood with Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Seth Harris, Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald and Urban League of Greater Cleveland President Marsha Mockabee to kick-off the Jobs Rebuild America campaign.  As a designated Jobs Rebuild America market, the Urban League of Greater Cleveland received $950,000 in community investment competitive grants for three signature National Urban League programs – the Urban Youth Empowerment Program, the Entrepreneurship Center program and Project Ready: Post Secondary Success Program.  This funding will help the affiliate expand existing programs and introduce new ones to better serve the needs of the local community, including the design of a new 21st Century workforce development system to reach thousands of job seekers, while targeting some of the most vulnerable unemployed.

Since the start of the Great Recession, Urban League affiliates in Ohio and across the nation have served as economic first responders for communities devastated by job loss.  For the Jobs Rebuild America campaign, we have put together an expanded coalition of public and private partners who have pledged their expertise and resources.  They include the U.S. Departments of Labor, Justice and Treasury and more than 20 major corporations.

As America faces the lowest labor force participation rate in almost 35 years and unacceptably high urban unemployment, creating jobs and economically viable communities must involve all of us working together, including the government, corporate and non-profit sectors.  It’s time to shift from the debate about the problem of unemployment to taking concrete action to solve it.  National Urban League affiliates and our Jobs Rebuild America coalition are primed to do just that.

For a detailed description of the Jobs Rebuild America initiative and a full list of cities and coalition partners, visit www.jobsrebuildamerica.org.