Reparations. Black History. Every Day

[View this email in your browser]( Michael’s Motivation Dreaming Forward: Black to San Francisco One must become apart of policy implementation to create Economic Equity and Justice. The other must be celebrated each day and not just in February. Both will be front and center this week at Dreaming Forward: Black to San Francisco. Dr. Davis & Dr. Leatutufu-Burch are showing us what's possible when we realize our Dreams and not be afraid to demand Black Excellence. Given San Francisco’s connection to finance, STEM and tech, the institutions credited with training more than half of Black professionals should have a place here. Next week over 100 people from across the country and industries will convene to explore what it looks like to build an HBCU satellite in San Francisco. Stakeholders and partners representing nearly a dozen HBCUs will gather with representatives from local universities and colleges, civic, business and corporate entities to develop a plan and begin the process to establish a symbol of Black excellence in the Bay – an HBCU Satellite. HBCU’s produce 40% of Black engineers and more than half of Black doctors and judges in America are Black. We invite you to come dream forward with us, to create a space for excellence, come Black to San Francisco. Black to San Francisco (B2SF) powered by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission Date: Friday, February 2, 2024 Location: War Memorial Veterans Building, San Francisco, CA We are excited to invite you to a significant and empowering event: Black to San Francisco (B2SF) powered by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Join us in creating space for connection, networking, and Black economic success. B2SF represents a unique opportunity to support and contribute to the development of an HBCU satellite in San Francisco. B2SF is designed to bring together a diverse group of individuals who are passionate about empowering the Black community, fostering economic opportunities, and nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. Throughout this convening, participants will engage in discussions, workshops, and networking sessions aimed at creating a supportive environment for the development of economic opportunities within the Black community.  In addition, all attendees are invited to join us on February 1 for Dreaming Forward, an event honoring the creation and impact of the [Dream Keeper Initiative]( Your presence would greatly contribute to the vibrant exchange of ideas and the collective effort to empower and develop Black leaders and economic prospects. Further details regarding agenda, guest speakers, and registration will follow shortly. We are offering scholarships to a limited number of our HBCU representatives.  This event is invitation only and non-transferable Please mark your calendar for these important dates and stay tuned for further updates. We look forward to welcoming you to San Francisco for B2SF. [RSVP]( CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS STATEMENT ON NEW LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steven Horsford (NV-04) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus issued the following statement regarding the new second majority-Black district in Louisiana: “In a win for Black voters, the Louisiana State Legislature approved a new congressional map which will create a second majority-Black district in the state. This decision is the result of a years-long legal fight following a federal court ruling that Louisiana's congressional map drawn with 2020 census data violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by illegally diluting Black voting power. “While this decision follows a trend we have seen in several southern states including Georgia and Alabama, the Voting Rights Act is very much under attack. As such, the CBC will not stop fighting to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act.” Watch Founder of Barbershop Books Alvin Irby discusses partnership with the NFL for Inspire Change Super Bowl event, and more. Weekly KAIROS Conversation with Dr. Ashwin Vasan and Taylor Davis Dr. Ashwin Vasan Commissioner of Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Dr. Ashwin Vasan is the 44th Health Commissioner of New York City. He is a practicing primary care physician, epidemiologist and public health expert with nearly 20 years of experience working to improve physical and mental health, social welfare and public policy outcomes for marginalized populations in New York City, nationally and globally. In his role as Commissioner since early 2022, Dr. Vasan has reshaped the city’s public health system to focus on addressing the main drivers of declining life expectancy in the post-COVID emergency era, including overdoses, chronic and diet-related diseases, birth inequities, climate change, and gun violence, while simultaneously strengthening the Health Department’s emergency response-readiness capacities. Throughout this work, he has brought in a unique, unparalleled focus to combating the mental health crisis, releasing a comprehensive citywide mental health plan addressing the second pandemic – a crisis of mental health plaguing youth, vulnerable New Yorkers with severe mental illness, and those impacted by the overdose epidemic. Dr. Vasan has concurrently led several other key health priorities, such as leading the ongoing response to COVID-19 as the first American jurisdiction to kickstart vaccination efforts, combatting the 2022 mpox outbreak and pioneering readiness and response to the first case of polio in the US in a decade. Under his leadership, the city also took charge on protecting reproductive rights by launching the NYC Abortion Access Hub, connecting people from New York and nationwide to providers and becoming the first jurisdiction in the US to offer free medication abortions in its clinics. Having begun his career in global health working at Partners in Health and the HIV Department of the World Health Organization, he most recently served as the President and CEO of Fountain House, a US-based mental health nonprofit. He currently serves as faculty at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Vasan received his BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles; his ScM in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health; his MD from the University of Michigan; and his PhD in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine-primary care at New York Presbyterian Hospital. His work has been published extensively in academic literature in journals such as the Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Health Policy and Planning, and AIDS, and has been featured in several mainstream media outlets, including the New York Times, BBC World News, NPR, Al Jazeera, the Guardian, and NBC News Think. -and- Taylor Davis Founder & CEO, Everyday Diamonds With more than twenty years as a technology executive and leader, Taylor has channeled her extensive experience into the delicate artistry of jewelry making. Pivoting from the precision of software engineering to the intricate world of natural diamonds and metals, she infuses her passion for design into every piece at Everyday Diamonds. The brand's signature lies in blending traditional elegance with modern aesthetics, bringing forth jewelry that is both distinctive and timeless. In addition to its jewelry collections, Everyday Diamonds offers a bespoke concierge service, affording clients the luxury of creating personalized pieces that truly reflect their individual story and style. Everyday Diamonds is not just about adornment; it's about celebrating the joy and brilliance that life has to offer. See you Wednesday! Wednesday, January 31 · 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST Video call link: [( Or dial: ‪(US) +1 651-571-1259‬ PIN: ‪460 226 103‬# More phone numbers: [ Thank you so much for joining Wednesday to learn more about FWD’s work on criminal justice reform. [Here is most of the presentation we shared.]( We removed the slides regarding the national research that we will be releasing in the late spring/early summer. Please stay on the lookout for more information on this campaign and additional opportunities to help us share this critical research. Also, below are some of our research briefs and reports that include the information we shared as well as additional information that may be helpful in your work. - [Turning the Tide on Mass Incarceration]( - documenting the last 20+ years of bipartisan criminal justice reform victories. - [Advancing Public Safety]( - evidence based arguments that we can have more justice and more public safety at the same time. - [Black Voters Want More Safety and More Justice]( (polling + brief) - [People First Business Ambassador Explainer]( - [People First]( For more information about how our People First employer program can support you in building a workplace that recruits and retains justice-impacted team members, please contact Jamil at jamil@fwd.us To talk more about the research on the costs of incarceration, please contact Rena at rena@fwd.us To discuss criminal justice reform successes and learn more about the work FWD is doing to advance criminal justice reform in specific jurisdictions, please reach out to Elissa at elissa@fwd.us Please feel free to reach out to any of us if you have additional questions on our work and as we mentioned, we are open to additional opportunities to present this information in other spaces as well. Obama Foundation’s Leaders Program Application closes on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM CT We’re looking for changemakers between the ages of 24 and 45 from the Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and United States regions who are already doing great work in their fields and want to deepen their leadership skills and meet like-minded individuals to collaborate with and learn from. Since it began in 2018, the Obama Foundation Leaders program has engaged nearly 1,000 emerging leaders worldwide. Participants learn practical skills and tools to help them lead through complex challenges, meet weekly in regional cohorts, and engage with experts to deepen their leadership practice. [Apply Now!]( 2024 Democratic National Convention Chicago, Illinois | August 19-22, 2024 [Winter Media Guide Resources]( Upcoming KAIROS Conversations February 7 Alvin Bragg Manhattan District Attorney, New York Nikita Chopra Founder + CEO, Chronicon February 14 Tiffany Grimes Founder & CEO, Posterity Paper February 21 Allessandra Bradley-Burns Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, DEILAB Save the Dates February 1st & 2nd Black 2 San Francisco San Francisco, CA[RSVP]( Feb 7th Barbershop Books & NFL Las Vegas, NV Feb 13th Carnegie Conversations with Earn Your Leisure New York City[Get Info + Tickets]( Feb 16th-18th Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Caucus Albany, NY[RSVP]( Feb 22nd-25th Festival Of The Diaspora Rio De Janeiro[RSVP]( Feb 26th-March 2nd CIAA Baltimore KAIROS "a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action : the opportune and decisive MOMENT" "The right or critical MOMENT" [Website icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( [YouTube icon]( [Facebook icon]( Copyright (C) 2024 Atlas Strategy Group. 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