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Cuba Forces Jailed Journalist into Exile in U.S.

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He Cites ‘a Lot of Torture That Has Been Done to Me’
Can a President Really Control Prices? Depends

Short Takes: Ava DuVernay at IRE; pharmacies in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods; lawsuit over discriminatory discipline practices; settlement over “When They See Us,” “African Americans and D-Day.”

Homepage photo: Cuban journalist Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca and his wife, Eralidis Frómeta (Credit: CubaNet)

The independent journalist and Cuban political prisoner Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca was exiled by the Cuban regime after having been imprisoned for almost three years. (Credit: YouTube) (in Spanish)

He Cites ‘a Lot of Torture That Has Been Done to Me’

“Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca, a Cuban independent journalist who had been imprisoned in Cuba since 2021 because of his reporting, was released Wednesday on the condition that he leave the island for exile in the United States,” Nora Gamez Torres reported for the Miami Herald.

Valle Roca, arriving at Miami International Airport, said he was headed to Philadelphia, where he and his wife, Eralidis Frómeta, who was with him Wednesday and helped arrange his release, will join his family.

“ ‘There has been a lot of torture that they have done to me,’ said Valle Roca, who apologized to reporters for the state of confusion in which he found himself after leaving the Combinado del Este in Havana, the largest Cuban prison,” the website CiberCuba reported.

“ ‘They have a lot of hatred against me,’ added the independent journalist who spent three years behind bars.

“Valle Roca explained that the animosity towards him is accentuated by his origins. Nephew of the opposition leader Vladimiro Roca, who died last year, and grandson of the communist leader Blas Roca Calderío, the opponent believes that the regime’s cruelty against him comes, in part, from what he and his family represent.” (Map credit: Human Rights Watch)

The Herald reported, “Human-rights organizations estimate that Cuba is holding about 1,000 political prisoners. The United States, the European Union and the Catholic Church have all made diplomatic efforts to convince the Cuban government to release at least some, to no avail.

“It is unclear if Valle Roca’s release is an isolated event or a signal that Cuban authorities are changing their calculus on the matter. In the past, they have used political prisoners as bargaining chips to negotiate better relations with the U.S. or the EU.

“U.S. diplomats have said Cuba’s reluctance to release the political prisoners is the most important obstacle to better relations between the two countries. . . .”

CiberCuba continued, via translation, “Valle Roca confirmed that it was a forced exile and that it was clear in how they spoke to him that if he returned to the island he would not survive.

“Last Monday he was transferred from the Combinado del Este to the Prison Room of the National Hospital under ‘maximum security’ measures.

“He says that in the hospital he felt treated like ‘a dangerous terrorist.’ At four in the morning on Wednesdays, State Security agents took him to the José Martí International Airport, where his wife was waiting for him with clothes to change and travel.

” ‘Right now the biggest enemy that Cuba and the Cuban Government have is themselves, because they are so corrupt and the corruption is so deep… We are talking about generals, colonels…’ , assured with conviction the reporter, who since he was a child He rubbed shoulders with the most important families of the Cuban leadership, especially with Raúl Castro’s clan.

“Regarding the moment he was arrested in June 2021, he says that they took him to Villa Marista and that he immediately stood up and went five days without drinking water.

“ ‘There my kidneys exploded, my pressure went to a million, and I am grateful that people went out on July 11 and 12 to the streets, that was what kept me alive, that was what made me quit.’ of the state of starvation,’ he explained.

“He specified that although his destiny was not to die, he has gone through significant physical deterioration in the last three years, a wear and tear from which he will now have to recover little by little. . . .

“Valle Roca obtained a humanitarian parole managed by his wife at the United States Embassy in Havana, a condition imposed by the Government to release him in exchange for exile.

The Herald reported, “Valle Roca was arrested in June 2021 after reporting on a protest in Old Havana in which human rights activists threw leaflets with phrases by Cuban independence leaders José Martí and Antonio Maceo. He was sentenced to five years in prison, accused of disseminating ‘enemy propaganda’ and ‘resisting authorities.’ “

Normando Hernandez, director of the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and the Press, “said Valle Roca arrived in the U.S. with a humanitarian parole after Cuban state security officials informed his wife that the authorities would be willing to release him if he left the country for good.

“ ‘The negotiations took several months, and the U.S. embassy in Havana facilitated his departure,’ Hernandez said. ‘It was difficult because Yuri didn’t want to leave at first. We are deeply happy about his release; he was a journalist who was unjustly imprisoned, but we repudiate the conditions for his release. It is an exile.’ ”

Human Rights Watch says on its website, “The Cuban government continues to repress dissent and deter public criticism. It routinely relies on long and short-term arbitrary detention to harass and intimidate critics, independent activists, artists, protesters, and others. Hundreds of government critics remain behind bars, including many who participated in the landmark July 2021 demonstrations.

“The US embargo continues to provide the Cuban government with an excuse for its problems, a pretext for its abuses, and a way to garner sympathy abroad with governments that might otherwise have been willing to condemn the country’s repressive practices more vocally.”

Katherine Jacobsen, U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said, “Although we welcome Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca’s prison release, it is disconcerting that the Cuban government has forced Valle into exile rather than allowing him to do his job. The Cuban government should allow journalists to work freely, without fear of imprisonment or forced exile.”

Can a President Really Control Prices? Depends

It’s become conventional wisdom that voters believe the economy is ailing, and that President Biden is losing potential supporters as a result, especially among voters of color.

But according to Samuel Myers Jr. (pictured, credit: X), a Black economist at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, who has joined others to educate younger generations of color to become Ph.D. economists, those voters might be looking for their news in the wrong places.

“There are two issues here,” Myers messaged Journal-isms Thursday:

“a) The fact that the ‘real economics’ is never likely to be explained in the general sections of the media. Instead, it is explained in the business section (depending on whether it is a local or national publication). And, of course, the print media is a declining share of where people get their exposure to economic analysis.

“b) A second big issue is a widening gap since the pandemic between what the economic indicators show (e.g. inflation rates, unemployment rates) and what people believe about these indicators.

“On the first issue, more and more people are getting their economic news from social media vs conventional well-researched print media. On the second issue, the definitions used in the official economic indicators are a half-century old. Yes, egg prices are higher than they were five years ago. But, no, egg prices have not increased over the past few quarters. And, in any event, wages are higher so real egg prices have NOT increased!”

Journal-isms asked Myers how much control presidents have over everyday prices.

“It is typically unusual for presidents to ‘control’ prices,” Myers said. ” Wage-price controls under the Carter Administration are often credited with one of the main sources of public discontent causing Carter to lose [to] Reagan. For more on the hyper-inflation during the Carter years and the policies implemented by Ray Marshall, the Secretary of Labor, see this.“

The article Myers referenced “focuses mostly on wage controls, but one of the main drivers of inflation is the cost of labor,” Myers explained. 

“The specific things that presidents can do to affect price changes include import restrictions, currency exchange policies, critical supply management, and public displays of aversion to price increases among regulated companies. So, two points: a) it is possible for a president to affect prices, but b) historically, it has come at a high political cost.”

As for the news media, “The WSJ, The Economist, and usually the NYT provide competent and accurate discussions of the issue of price controls. I am actually surprised that so many price-control initiatives under both Trump and Biden have escaped the typical objections from economic journalists,” referring to the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

And a tip: “There are quite a few journalists with degrees in economics (e.g. CNN’s Erin Burnett) so, they know a lot about wage-price controls.”

Short Takes

“A Distant Shore: African Americans on D-Day,” released in 2007, portrayed the role of African American soldiers during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy.

New WaPo Leaders Pledge More on Diversity

June 4, 2024

After Shakeup, Sharp Questions From Newsroom

Short Takes: Fearless Fund, Black women and DEI; Ginger Thompson; Sam Davis; Rod Carter; BET presidential election special; Cuba and human rights.

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Matt Murray speaks to staff members at The Washington Post after being named to a new top editorial role. (Credit: Robert Miller/Washington Post)

After Shakeup, Sharp Questions From Newsroom

The new leaders of The Washington Post, confronted at a newsroom meeting described as “contentious,” “turbulent” and a “shit show” after the surprise exit of Executive Editor Sally Buzbee and the reintroduction of a top layer of white men, promised a “constant commitment” to diversity Monday, a phrase used by Matt Murray, the former Wall Street Journal leader chosen as short-term executive editor.

“When you were here before, you talked very movingly about how you care about diversity — and people talk about diversity — but then when push comes to shove, they say, ‘Well, I looked around and I couldn’t find anyone,’” star political reporter Ashley Parker (pictured), who is white, said Monday.

“In response, Mr. Murray said that diversity would be a ‘constant commitment’ at The Post, adding that he had ‘the most diverse masthead that The Journal had ever had’ during his years as the top editor at The Wall Street Journal [2018-2023],” Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson reported Monday for The New York Times.

“As far as diversity goes,” Charlotte Klein reported for Vanity Fair, Publisher Will Lewis “admitted ‘it’s not great’ and vowed to do better going forward.

“Later in the meeting, another reporter asked Lewis whether ‘any women or people of color were interviewed and seriously considered for either of these positions,’ a question that prompted applause. Lewis said there will be ‘significant opportunities’ within the new organizational structure. . . .”

On Sunday night, the Post announced that Buzbee had stepped down as executive editor. A news release said. ”Buzbee has been with The Washington Post since 2021, leading the newsroom through the turbulence of the pandemic and expanding its service journalism, including Climate and Well+Being. Under her leadership, The Washington Post has won significant awards, including the recent Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.

“Matt Murray, former Editor in Chief of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), will replace Buzbee as Executive Editor until the 2024 U.S presidential election, after which Robert Winnett, Deputy Editor of The Telegraph Media Group [in Great Britain], will take on the new role of Editor at The Washington Post, responsible for overseeing our core coverage areas, including politics, investigations, business, technology, sports and features.

“The Washington Post also announced today its intention to launch a new division of the newsroom dedicated to better serving audiences who want to consume and pay for news differently from traditional offerings.

“This third newsroom will be comprised of service and social media journalism and run separately from the core news operation. The aim is to give the millions of Americans – who feel traditional news is not for them but still want to be kept informed – compelling, exciting and accurate news where they are and in the style that they want.”

Matt Murray said that diversity would be a “constant commitment” at The Post. After Election Day, Murray is to shift over to serve as leader of a new company division described as being focused on “service and social media journalism.” (Credit: Robert Miller/Washington Post)

Lewis was hired in November “by Post owner Jeff Bezos with a mandate to reverse a sharp decline in subscriptions and a $77 million deficit over the past year,“ Sarah Ellison, Elahe Izadi and Jeremy Barr reported for the Post Monday, and “wanted to execute the new plan immediately.” Buzbee “balked at the role he saw for her in the new structure — and the two agreed she should depart, according to two people familiar with the conversation. . . .”

Buzbee was the Post’s first female top editor. That the new team leaders are all white men was quickly noted by staffers and outside observers — most prominently by those who were white themselves, and some of whom had attended diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging training at the Post.

Margaret Sullivan, the Post’s former public editor, tweeted Monday, “Each of our three newsrooms will be led by an outstanding white male, which we feel is especially appropriate in Washington DC. If these three newsrooms are successful, we will consider a fourth and fifth.” Sullivan, who now writes for the Guardian, is also executive director of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security at the Columbia Journalism School.

The Washington Post Guild said Monday, “We’re troubled by the sudden departure of our executive editor Sally Buzbee and the suggestion from our publisher and CEO Will Lewis that the financial issues plaguing our company span from the work of us as journalists instead of mismanagement from our leadership.

“We are also concerned about the lack of diversity at the top levels of the organization, especially as the Post seeks to reach new audiences while continuing to cover the most pressing issues in the nation and the world.”

As part of the Wall Street Journal-Morgan State University Business Journalism Exchange Program, the Journal conducted a training session with Morgan State students in former syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts’ Baltimore Reporting Project. Pitts, second from right, in rear, is the director of the university’s Center for Urban Journalism. (Credit: Morgan State University)

In 2020 at the Journal, Murray promoted Brent Jones to a new and expanded masthead role as editor of culture, training and outreach and praised The Wall Street Journal – Morgan State University Business Journalism Exchange Program, “our groundbreaking training collaboration” launched in 2019.

“A second newsroom outreach training initiative, WSJ & Lehman Journo-Tech Program, was announced with CUNY’s Lehman College (Bronx, N.Y.) in February 2020 and is slated to launch remotely this fall. Lehman’s student body is majority Latino,” a Journal news release said then.

In Britain, the news media have been excoriated for insufficient progress on diversity, just as in the United States.

Amid fallout in 2021 over coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, Stephen Castle and Isabella Kwai wrote for The New York Times:

“ ‘In terms of the way racism sits in the national debate, Britain is very different from the U.S.,’ said David Yelland, a former editor of the country’s high-selling tabloid, The Sun, and founder of Kitchen Table Partners, a communications company.

“Though he does not agree that race directly motivated the tabloid criticism of Meghan, Mr. Yelland concedes that there is enormous unconscious bias in British newsrooms.

“ ‘In this country we are way behind the U.S. in terms of this being a topic that is on the lips of people all the time,’ he said. ‘There is a huge ignorance of what racism is in this country.’ ”

On its website, Telegraph Media, where incoming Post Executive Editor Robert Winnett worked for 17 years, and where Lewis was his editor, has an extensive section on diversity, inclusion and belonging.

“We believe it’s not only the right thing to do, but that there’s a strong business case to support it. We are focusing on delivering initiatives and programmes which invest in our people, diversify our workforce and enhance everyone’s careers and well-being,” it says.

Update: Additional links (June 6)

Updated: Additional links (June 7)

Short Takes

Sexual Abuse of Native Children Was ‘Pervasive’

June 2, 2024

Boarding Schools Were a ‘National Crime Scene’
False AI Images of Trump With Blacks Proliferate
Combs Said to Hit Women While a Howard Student
Wall Street Journal Lays off Multicultural Mix
House Speaker Rejected Address by Kenya’s Leader
AP Updates Some Racial, Criminal Justice Terms
‘People of Color’ Phrase Makes the Front Page

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Harris Faulkner; Northwest Asian Weekly; The Black Lens in Spokane, Wash.; Marcia Smith and Stanley Nelson; complaint of Israeli war crimes against journalists; Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum; Nicaragua’s Carlos Fernando Chamorro and other persecuted Latin American journaists; Venezuela’s Carlos Julio Rojas; need for free press guarantees in Lesotho.

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On the “PBS NewsHour,” Lisa Desjardins spoke with Deborah Parker, chief executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, and Washington Post reporter Dana Hedgpeth, part of the team that reported the boarding school abuse story and a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe of North Carolina. (Credit: PBS NewsHour/YouTube)

Boarding Schools Were a ‘National Crime Scene’

Firsthand accounts “and other evidence documented by The Washington Post reveal the brutality and sexual abuse inflicted upon children who were taken from their families under a systematic effort by the federal government to destroy Native American culture, assimilate children into White society and seize tribal lands,” Sari Horwitz, Dana Hedgpeth, Emmanuel Martinez, Scott Higham and Salwan Georges reported Wednesday for the Post.

“From 1819 to 1969, tens of thousands of children were sent to more than 500 boarding schools across the country, the majority run or funded by the U.S. government. Children were stripped of their names, their long hair was cut, and they were beaten for speaking their languages, leaving deep emotional scars on Native American families and communities. By 1900, 1 out of 5 Native American school-age children attended a boarding school. At least 80 of the schools were operated by the Catholic Church or its religious affiliates.

“The Post investigation reveals a portrait of pervasive sexual abuse endured by Native American children at Catholic-run schools in remote regions of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, including Alaska.

“At least 122 priests, sisters and brothers assigned to 22 boarding schools since the 1890s were later accused of sexually abusing Native American children under their care, The Post found. Most of the documented abuse occurred in the 1950s and 1960s and involved more than 1,000 children.

“ ‘A national crime scene’ is how Deborah Parker, a citizen of the Tulalip Tribes and the chief executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, described the network of church-run Indian boarding schools.

“ ‘They committed crimes under the cloak,’ said Parker, whose grandmother and other family members were sent to boarding schools. ‘They did it in the name of God.’

“To investigate, The Post examined the work histories of priests named on lists, disclosed by Catholic entities, as having faced a ‘credible claim of sexual abuse.’ Using those lists from dioceses and religious orders, The Post then identified which abusers worked at Indian boarding schools. Reporters also reviewed lawsuits, sworn affidavits, oral histories and thousands of boarding school records, and conducted interviews with former students. . . .”

In a box headlined “How We Reported This Series,” the newspaper said, “Reporters Sari Horwitz, Dana Hedgpeth and Scott Higham and photojournalist Salwan Georges spent a year traveling to eight states. They spent time on reservations and interviewed more than two dozen Indian boarding school survivors who were sexually and physically abused as children.

“Reporters attended one of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s ‘The Road to Healing’ events on the Tulalip Tribes’ reservation in Washington state, where they met with and listened to survivors. Reporters also visited the American Indian Records Repository, located about 100 feet underground in limestone caves in Lenexa, Kan.”

This Instagram post by Trump_History45 is captioned, “Donald Trump takes a photograph with his supporters outside of the Fulton County Jail – August 24th, 2023.”

False AI Images of Trump With Blacks Proliferate

“As the U.S. enters its first presidential election in which convincing misinformation can be created by artificial intelligence (AI), supporters of former President Donald Trump are spreading AI-generated images of him posing with Black celebrities, historical figures, and ordinary Black people,” Angelina Hicks and Vani Sanganeria reported Thursday for the New York Amsterdam News.

“Trump backers often used the fake images to illustrate and amplify a genuine trend: polls showing growing, although still modest, support for Trump among Black voters.

“Some of the photos, which can look strikingly real, began as parodies but ended up being used for political persuasion in posts viewed by millions of people. At least one photo was used in a dubious fundraising scheme by a person purporting to be a top Trump advisor.

“The New York Amsterdam News has identified AI-generated images by using a variety of established methods, including running the images through AI image detection tools. Our methods can be found here.

“In 2020, only about 12% of Black voters cast their ballots for Trump, according to exit polls — the lowest among any major ethnic group. But last fall, the New York Times trumpeted a poll conducted with Siena College that found 22% of Black voters in swing states would support Trump this time around. While the results suggest growing support for Trump among Black voters, only 403 Black voters were polled from the six swing states, making it hard to draw firm conclusions.

“The NYT poll was followed by one from NBC News showing that 20% of Black voters would consider supporting Trump, although it included only about 120 Black people.

“Despite their limitations, these polls received widespread attention. Not long after the NYT poll was released, internet personality and conspiracy theorist Dom Lucre, who has 1.2 million followers on X, posted an AI-generated image of Trump marching in a huge crowd of Black men. The caption read, ‘President Trump can’t lose’ because he has “n*” backing him in this election. The post was viewed more than 11 million times. . . .

“In March, Marcia Ann Mims Coppertino, founder of the Coppertino and Associates Consulting Group, posted the AI-generated image featuring the NBC News tweet on Facebook and LinkedIn. According to her website, her organization is a marketing firm and alleges to be a ‘Trump Congressional District Focus Group.’

“Coppertino used the AI-generated image to advertise an alleged fundraising event in Torrance, Calif., for the Trump campaign. . . .”

The Amsterdam News worked in partnership with the OSINT reporting project of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Separately, “A pair of studies published Thursday in the journal Science offers evidence not only that misinformation on social media changes minds, but that a small group of committed ‘supersharers,’ predominately older Republican women, were responsible for the vast majority of the ‘fake news’ in the period looked at,” Devin Coldewey reported Thursday for TechCrunch.

When Sean Combs delivered $1 million to Howard University in October, David P. Bennett, development and alumni relations senior vice president, said, “Mr. Combs has fully honored every public pledge of support he has made to Howard University. . . . Mr. Combs has also supported Howard University and our students in many private ways. This includes through contributions, internships and hiring many Howard alumni at Combs Global.” (Credit: WDVM) (video)

Combs Said to Hit Women While a Howard Student

 “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ alleged violence toward women dates back to his days as a student at Howard University in the late 1980s, when the future hip-hop mogul purportedly attacked a girlfriend outside of her dorm, horrifying her classmates and friends, three sources claim to Rolling Stone,” Cheyenne Roundtree (first photo, below) and Nancy Dillon (second photo, below) reported Wednesday in an 11,625-word piece in Rolling Stone.

“Combs allegedly screamed in a ‘belligerent’ manner for the young woman to come outside, and began hitting her with what appeared to be a belt when she emerged, according to one eyewitness. ‘She was trying to defend herself a little bit,’ the eyewitness says. ‘She was crying. And we were telling him, “Get off of her.” We were screaming for her.’ (The woman at the center of the alleged attack declined to speak with Rolling Stone.)

“When reached for comment, Combs did not specifically address the new allegation. ‘Mr. Combs cannot comment on settled litigation, will not comment on pending litigation, and cannot address every allegation picked up by the press from any source, no matter how unreliable,’ his lawyer, Jonathan Davis, tells Rolling Stone. ‘We are aware that the proper authorities are conducting a thorough investigation and therefore have confidence any important issues will be addressed in the proper forum, where the rules distinguish facts from fiction.’

“The previously unreported incident was part of a six-month Rolling Stone investigation into the Bad Boy Entertainment founder. The career-spanning article, published Tuesday and including interviews with more than 50 people, also uncovered new details of alleged physical aggression inside Bad Boy’s offices and claims that Combs sexually harassed a business associate at a party he threw to celebrate his 2001 acquittal in a nightclub shooting. . . .

“The new claims bolster the public allegations made against Combs in the six sex-assault lawsuits filed by five women and one man after R&B singer Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura stepped forward with her bombshell sex-trafficking lawsuit last November. Several people who spoke to Rolling Stone described Combs as a serial predator who used his fame, fortune, industry status, and reputation as a fun-loving party host to hide a volatile temper and disturbing, narcissistic behavior for decades. . . .”

Combs has been given an honorary doctorate at Howard, donated $1 million to the university and been a commencement speaker.

“Howard University is ‘reviewing’ allegations made against former student and rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, according to a source with the university, as pressure mounts for the school to revoke the star’s honorary doctorate degree, WDVM-TV in Hagerstown, Md., reported Friday.

Wall Street Journal Lays off Multicultural Mix

The Wall Street Journal laid off a multicultural group of at least eight more employees on Thursday with the U.S. news and “speed and trending” teams affected, “two people familiar with the matter” told Daniel Lippman of Politico, who reported the news Friday on X.

“Layoffs included NYC reporter Erin Ailworth, Midwest staff reporter Ben Kesling, breaking news reporter Suryatapa Bhattacharya (pictured), U.S. news reporter Talal Ansari, reporter Christine Mai-Duc, Texas reporter Adolfo Flores (pictured, below) and mid-U.S. correspondent Shannon Najmabadi, according to the sources,” Politico reported.

At least three have connections to South Asia.

In addition, Daniel Varghese, who oversaw the gear and gadgets section of Off Duty at The Wall Street Journal, editing stories about personal technology, was among the layoffs at the publication on Thursday,” Chris Roush reported that day for Talking Biz News.

“I had so much fun working with the team at Off Duty, and hope that you all continue to read their work,” he wrote on Twitter. Roush added Alicia A. Caldwell, who covers immigration, on Friday.

David Folkenflik reported Thursday for NPR, “The Wall Street Journal has laid off even more journalists, despite a surge in paid subscribers, strong profits at its parent company, and a new nine-figure licensing deal with OpenAI.

“The union representing the newsroom – the International Association of Publishers’ Employees – staged an hour-long walkout Thursday to object to the job cuts. Staffers stuck Post-it notes protesting the move on the glass walls of the office of Editor in Chief Emma Tucker, whose vision for the paper has come under fire.

“The layoffs of at least eight reporters who covered national and breaking news follow double-digit cuts to staff in Washington and abroad, although the paper has added some positions back in recent months. The union tabulation only covers those represented by the local; others have been laid off as well.

“In a note to staff, Tucker described the moves as part of a larger reorganization.

“ ‘Our Editor-in-chief is reshaping our newsroom with an eye towards digital growth, subscription growth and high-quality journalism,’ a spokesperson said in a written statement. ‘While we recognize change can be difficult, it is necessary to ensure we have the right structure in place to support our objectives.’ ”

KTN News in Kenya reports on President William Ruto’s four-day trip to the United States, followed by a visit to China by another Kenyan delegation. Ruto told a reporter, “We are neither facing west, nor facing east, we are facing forward.” (Credit: YouTube)

House Speaker Rejected Address by Kenya’s Leader

Thumbs up to the news outlets that reported a development on Capitol Hill that many ignored: House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (pictured) rejection of a request for Kenya’s president William Ruto to address a joint session of Congress during his trip to the United States last month.

Politico’s Nahal Toosi mentioned it May 16 in explaining that “African Countries Are Failing to Make a Dent in Washington’s Diplomatic Scene,” in the words of the headline.

The Hill and USA Today also reported the snub, with The Hill’s Lauren Irwin noting that the Congressional Black Caucus pointed out that such an invitation “is typically extended to other international leaders.”

In fact, Politico’s Jordain Carney reported Friday that “Congressional leaders have officially invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress, capping off weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations.”

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy of USA Today reported May 23, while Ruto was still in Washington, “Ruto’s trip is the first state visit by a Kenyan president to the United States in two decades and the first by an African leader since 2008. The last African leader to address Congress was Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who spoke in the House chamber in 2006.

“A letter signed by more than 60 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, demanded that Ruto be ‘treated with the same respect granted to other heads of state.’

“Recent heads of state including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kashida, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have all addressed the joint session of Congress.”

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also filed a request to have Ruto speak in a joint letter with Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., a ranking member of the committee, Kenya’s Capital News reported.

“Asked about his decision, Johnson’s office sent a statement to USA TODAY saying ‘scheduling restraints’ were the reason for the lack of invitation.

“We offered the Kenyan embassy over 90 minutes of engagement including a one-on-one visit with Speaker Johnson, bipartisan leadership meeting with Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Committee Chairmen and Ranking Members, and a bicameral meeting,” the statement said of the meeting that took place May 22.

Ja’han Jones (pictured) wrote May 23 for MSNBC, “Johnson’s snub speaks to what I deem to be an American arrogance or ignorance about African nations’ roles as power brokers, both now and in the future. I felt similarly last year, when then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy booted Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat who’s the only African-born member of the House, from the Foreign Affairs Committee and its subcommittee on Africa.

“Africa has the youngest, fastest-growing population in the world, it’s rich in resources needed to power the high-tech revolution, its leaders are increasingly wary of U.S. imperialism and paternalism, and lately some of its nations have shown openness to cooperating with China and Russia. Now is the time for the U.S. to make serious inroads with Africa — and not presume their leaders will be satisfied with mere sit-downs and photo ops.

“Fortunately, many Democrats, including [President] Biden, seem to have gotten the message. Republicans? Not so much.”

“Locs is our style for a rope-like hairstyle that is a common protective hairstyle among Black people,” the news cooperative says. (Credit: YouTube).

AP Updates Some Racial, Criminal Justice Terms

The Associated Press Wednesday updated its stylebook with revised entries for “Native Americans,” locs,” the Civil Rights Movement, the difference between “juvenile” and “minor,” who is a Hawaiian, and “LGBT+” among them.

” Updated guidance says to generally use the term Native Americans in broad references when referring to two or more people of different tribal affiliations within the contiguous U.S. geographic boundaries. The term Indigenous people(s) is a broad umbrella term, describing the original inhabitants of a place globally. The term does not capture the political relationship or political status of Native American tribes or people, so use it only when the broad description is accurate. Be specific about a person’s citizenship and/or affiliation. The term American Indians is generally considered outdated. The guidance gives additional detail on these terms and other language considerations.

Also in the race-related coverage entry: new guidance that locs is our style for a rope-like hairstyle that is a common protective hairstyle among Black people. Specify dreadlocks, dreads when referring to people with the hairstyle who are of Jamaican descent or Rastafarian belief. Locks refers to hair in general.

A new entry on the Civil Rights Movement, which should be capitalized when referring to the specific historical period in the U.S. mainly in the 1950s and ’60s.

A change in AP style from LGBTQ to LGBTQ+ to make it more inclusive. Also updates on deadnaming, queer, transgender and other gender-related terms and points.

Expanded guidance on the right and wrong uses of the term Hawaiian(s): “Use the term Hawaii residents — not Hawaiians — for the overall population of Hawaii. Use the term Hawaiian or Hawaiians only for members of the ethnic group indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands. They also may be called Native Hawaiians, Indigenous people in Hawaii or Hawaii’s Indigenous people.”

The revisions also say, “Juvenile and minor are broad terms that can carry legal connotations when sometimes there are none, or those connotations are beside the point. The terms’ clinical tone can inadvertently suggest guilt in situations of crime or conflict. They can be dehumanizing. They can be perceived as having racial connotations. Their definitions can vary across jurisdictions.

“Depending on the context and available information, consider terms like child, teenagers, youths, young teens, etc. Use specific ages or age ranges when possible: 5-year-old girls, not young girls or 15- to 20-year-olds, not youths. Or consider descriptions such as children and young teens (if accurate).

“When possible, ask sources who use the terms juvenile or minor for specifics on what they mean, then use those specifics rather than the general term. . . .”

And a word about the media: “Revised entry recommends avoiding writing in a way that implies media are monolithic. Be specific when referring to, for example, news media, social media or paid media. Refer to specific organizations or companies individually when relevant.”

‘People of Color’ Phrase Makes the Front Page

There it was, “People of Color” on the front page of Wednesday’s Washington Post.

It was in 2020 that the National Association of Hispanic Journalists came out against the term “minorities,” as did columnist Derrick Z. Jackson, then at the Boston Globe, in 1991.

Stull, not everyone is sold on “people of color,” or, for that matter, any of the other terms.

NAHJ called minorities “a word that for too long has perpetuated an ‘us vs. them’ narrative,” among other shortcomings.

Some on Facebook said “people of color” erases Black people, or was too close to the outdated “colored people.”

A Latino journalist wrote there, “I like the term ‘people of color.’ I don’t use the word ‘minority’ to describe Latinos. As for BIPOC, that term minimizes Latinos to the point of just adding us as one of many groups. It’s like putting Latinos as secondary and not equals. We are an ‘And’ with a bunch of other people of color. That word to me means Blacks, indigenous and ‘other.’

“It would be as wrong as using LIPOC, Latinos, Indigenous and other people of color.”

Jackson (pictured) wrote, “I feel more strongly than ever that people of color should not refer to ourselves in any kind of ‘minor key.’ We are the majority or close to it in many realms that matter in U.S. society. Kids of color are now the majority of public school students. Commuters of color are now the majority of users of public transportation. People of color are the majority of US Army recruits. And we don’t need to ask twice who is the majority backbone of NFL, NBA, WNBA, or the Power 5 conferences in college football & basketball. Again, the very first definition of ‘minor’ in Merriam-Webster’s is: ‘inferior in importance, size, or degree : comparatively unimportant.’ “

A Post spokesperson told Journal-isms, “The Washington Post tends to follow The Associated Press’s lead on the phrase.”

That lead, part of the post-George Floyd revisions of September 2020, says, “The term is acceptable when necessary in broad references to multiple races other than white: We will hire more people of color. Nine playwrights of color collaborated on the script.

“Be aware, however, that many people of various races object to the term for various reasons, including that it lumps together into one monolithic group anyone who isn’t white.

“Be specific whenever possible by referring to, for instance, Black Americans, Chinese Americans or members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Examples: The poll found that Black and Latino Americans are bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s financial impact, not people of color are bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s financial impact. Most of the magazine’s readers are Black women, not most of the magazine’s readers are women of color.

“In some cases, other wording may be appropriate. Examples: people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds; diverse groups; various heritages; different cultures.

“Do not use person of color for an individual.

“Do not use the term Black, Indigenous and people of color, which some see as more inclusive by distinguishing the experiences of Black and Indigenous people but others see as less inclusive by diminishing the experiences of everyone else. Similarly, do not use the term Black, Asian and minority ethnic. Do not use the shorthand POC, BIPOC or BAME unless necessary in a direct quotation; when used, explain it.”

Short Takes

“I know my father wished he could have saved more people,” Harris Faulkner said. “But maybe the silver lining is that we left some things behind. We left who we are imprinted on the people of South Vietnam. And I know that because I’ve been among them.”

Assunta Ng, founder and publisher of Northwest Asian Weekly, has sold the 41-year-old newspaper to a group of Seattle-area investors. In this 2023 photo, Ng, center, is shown with, from left, Albert Shen, Sam Cho, Jeffrey Roh and Tim Wang. (Credit: John Liu)

Marcia Smith and Stanley Nelson at the 2022 Art21 Family Reunion. (Courtesy of Art21 and Sean Zanni/PMC)

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Richard Prince’s Journal-isms originates from Washington. It began in print before most of us knew what the internet was, and it would like to be referred to as a “column.” Any views expressed in the column are those of the person or organization quoted and not those of any other entity. Send tips, comments and concerns to Richard Prince at journal-isms+owner@groups.io

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