Mail To: 54 Camping Tent, Hwy Underpass, Miami

In the middle of downtown Miami, a tent city exists not far from the mansions and beaches that Miami is famous for. Yet despite their proximity, neither community ever mixes—it’s forbidden by law. Why? Because the tent city is “home” to approximately 70 sex offenders, who are forced to live there due to a local law that mandates sex offenders who abused children must remain at least 2500 feet away from locations where there are high concentrations of children.

… Continue Reading

Posted by:

Yolanda Clatworthy

The X Fact(her): What Are You Willing to Die For?

Iranian protester Neda Agha-Soltan's assassination caught on tape

I’m Ready to Die, Tell God I Said Hi – Notorious B.I.G.

America is known for many things but breeding martyrs isn’t one of them.

Sure, we have innocent people lose their lives everyday. Good people, be they parents, honor students, teachers. Thing is, they lose their lives by a stray bullet, jealous exes, hit and runs, swine flu. When they die we say, “What a shame” and keep it moving. But how would we respond if those deaths were because they stood up to a gang, drug dealers or dirty politicians?

Would we march the streets with a poster of their face and bury them as heroes? Would we celebrate their lives and the sacrifice they made?

Have you noticed that Americans don’t throw around the word martyr nearly as much as they should? Not everyone’s life should be in vain. I guess we are just too damn hard to impress. I do recall folks trying to call Tupac and Biggie martyrs. I wouldn’t go that far.

We’ve become accustomed to death, but senseless deaths. What about taking a bullet or blowing yourself up for something you believed in? Why aren’t more of us heroes in death?

… Continue Reading

Posted by:

Chloe

The Voting Rights Act Gets Slimmed Down

What’s the definition of “a clean record”? And who determines that definition?

Today, the Supreme Court slimmed down the definition of the Voting Rights Act. Under this Act, enacted in 1965 during the Civil Rights Movement, all or part of 16 Southern States are required to give the Justice Department advance notice if they wish to change their voting procedures.

The new change allows certain institutions to “opt out” of the advance notice provision.

Upon reading about these changes, I had a pretty strong response. Altering this Act is presumptuous, in my opinion—there are many instances where a “paper standard” doesn’t hold up to an actual experience. What I mean is, for example: I have many friends who make just $6.00 a month over the “paper standard” to earn food stamps… and therefore, cannot receive that support. No one can buy groceries for $6.00, and yet, on paper, it looks like they can.

Just because a municipality has a “clean record” on paper, that doesn’t mean there aren’t larger issues at hand… It was only 2004 when we had a huge issue with voting across the country. And the folks who were primarily cut out of the loop and disenfranchised? Our peers of color and our youth.

What do you think about it?

Read more here. And here.

Posted by:

Katie Diamond

Who Says You Can’t Pimp An Electric Ride?

Countless men and women across the country will agree with this one: your first ride was your first love. You probably remember it as junky and cheap, prone to breaking down every morning, but you loved it just the same. Let’s face it: even though it probably guzzled gas like Gatorade and needed to be started just the right way or else it might have blown up, it was still yours. In the near future, 16 year olds will remember the first time they plugged their car in, rather than the first time they filled up the gas tank.

Let’s hear about some electric cars and green jobs, after the jump!
… Continue Reading

Posted by:

Steve Romain

Snoop Dogg Keeps Giving Back To The Community

What do you get when a famous rapper and an NFL free agent pair up? Simple. New hope for a brand-spankin’ new community sports center. This is what happened when Snoop Dogg and NFL star Willie McGinest teamed up with local Long Beach, CA councilman Dee Andrews on Wednesday, openly declaring their support for the Kroc Center.

The Kroc Center, a $140 million dollar project, will feature pools, playing fields, a gym, and cultural and educational spaces. Fundraising efforts had recently suffered setbacks due to the economic recession but it is expected that this announcement by the celebrities will help raise both support and the necessary funds to build it.

Turns out the center is meaningful to Snoop and Willie too. The Kroc Center will be built in their hometown of Long Beach, California. Willie grew up playing sports on the same piece of land where the center will be built. Snoop’s dedication to youth empowerment through sports, as we profiled earlier this year on 99Problems, becomes even more evident here: he has decided to create a song for the center, which will then receive all of the profits as well as the profits of a benefit concert that he plans to hold there.

As Snoop sings in “Been Around The World” from his 2008 album “Ego Trippin”

I know I’m always on the road, I’m always gone

And you say I’ll never make records for you no more

Well this record is from me to you baby

Love em or hate em, these guys never forgot where they came from… their dedication to their community provides an inspiration to us all! Much love to our boys from the LBC!

Posted by:

Yolanda Clatworthy