America Has A Problem...and Apparently Aliens Too
5 Things in News & Politics This Week: Behind the Headlines
1. Biotech firm settles with family of Henrietta Lacks
70 years after doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells without her knowledge, her descendants have reached a settlement (The Grio article)
In 1951, she visited one of the few hospitals that would treat African Americans, complaining of vaginal bleeding (John Hopkins Story)
The U.S. has a dark history of researching and testing on African Americans, prompting a lack of trust in the medical industry (National Library of Medicine) 2. Wanna talk about aliens? Did the U.S. government confirmed they exist?
Congress held a hearing wherein 3 former military whistleblowers testified that the Pentagon was covering up a UFO retrieval program (The Hill article)
After hearing the testimonies, social media blew up with many content creators claiming they’d “always knew the government was covering it up” (News Nation Hearing Video)
There was no real consensus reached during the hearing, but the House Oversight Committee did vow to continue to hold morning hearings and potentially authorize an investigation (News Nation article) 3. Black History in Florida Middle Schools is even deeper than claiming it “beneficial”
Florida and Ron DeSantis have been at the center of a culture war, particularly focusing on how Black History is taught (The American Prospect article)
Recently the Florida Department of Education approved a new social studies curriculum for middle school students around African American History (DOE)
VP Kamala Harris spoke at DST convention and criticized the curriculum requiring teaching that some enslaved people used the “skills” they acquired while enslaved to their “personal benefit” (The Hill article)
Curriculum also teaches high school students that events like the 1920 Ocoee Massacre and Tulsa Race Massacre were either perpetrated by African Americans or, “not that bad”. (Time Article)
Also compares the institution slavery and the quality of life of enslaved people in the U.S. to those and that in other countries, often times painting a picture of, “see, slaves had it worse over there”. (The Grio article)4. American woman and her daughter kidnapped in Haiti
American nurse, Alix Dorsainvil who is the wife of El Roi Haiti Director, Sandro Dorsainvil, and their child were abducted last Thursday morning (El Roi Haiti)
Some members of the community said the unidentified men asked for $1 million in ransom (MassLive)
Haiti is currently in a state of intense fighting, gang violence and political turmoil (ABC Article)
But America and European nations have had a consistent hand in solidifying Haiti’s current state (NPR Article)
Kenya is proposing to lead multinational force into Haiti to support Haitian police (NPR Article)5. Yellow Corp. files for bankruptcy after years of financial mismanagement
Accumulated about $1.5b in debt, including a $700m pandemic-relief government loan (CBS Article)
Company was facing charges of defrauding the U.S. government by overcharging for U.S. military shipments and agreed to pay Defense Department about $7m (DOJ Article)
Last week the company declined to contribute to employee pension and health plans, almost causing a Teamsters strike (Transport Dive Article)
On Friday, Yellow announced that they would cease operations and sent layoff notices to a large portion of its 30,000 employees (Layoff Notice)
Quarterly reports show revenue and tonnage losses and increased outstanding debt (Q1’23 Report)Interview: How freelancing is reshaping the American workforce and economy
Discussing with Laura K. Wise how freelancing is changing the U.S. workforce and economy. 
