Kamala Harris introduces bill to tackle uterine fibroids

Uterine fibroids have a disproportionate impact on Black women.

Sen. Kamala Harris has introduced a new bill that will fund research and education on uterine fibroids. In July 2007, fellow lawmaker, Representative Yvette D. Clarke, underwent surgery to treat fibroids and has spearheaded a companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

READ MORE: Study: Childhood trauma, fibroids linked

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that appear during a woman’s child-bearing years. They affect an estimated 26 million people and are the leading cause for hysterectomies.

According to The Journal of Women’s Health, uterine fibroids have a disproportionate impact on Black women, as they are 2.4 times more likely to undergo a hysterectomy. Black women are more likely to develop fibroids earlier in life and have larger fibroids.

We don't talk nearly enough about uterine fibroids, which affect millions of women across the US. So today, I'm introducing legislation to fund uterine fibroid research and education so women get the information and care they need. https://t.co/1F1Br5yALu

— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) July 30, 2020

“Complications from uterine fibroids can lead to maternal mortality and morbidity,” Harris told Refinery 29. “We have an opportunity to change that with the Uterine Fibroids Research and Education Act. I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Clarke to ensure that women get the care, support, and knowledge they need.”

The proposed bill would provide the National Institute of Health (NIH) with $30 million annually from 2021 until 2025. The funds would expand research and create a uterine fibroids public education program through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), expand and improve data collection on which groups are affected by uterine fibroids, and more.

READ MORE: Sen. Kamala Harris announces anti-racism bill to fight COVID-19’s impact on Black communities

One of the many organizations that supports Harris’s bill is “The White Dress Project,” which not only raises funds, but also supports those who are faced with the difficulty of managing life with fibroids.

Fibroid Awareness Month 2020 ended on a beautiful high that we must highlight & celebrate. A Bill on Uterine Fibroids was introduced in the US House of Representatives by @SenKamalaHarris on Thursday July 30th, 2020 to provide funding for research & education on uterine fibroids. pic.twitter.com/7Uyyk9PrlU

— @fibroidtt (@fibroidtt) August 1, 2020

In a Twitter post on July 30 Sen. Harris wrote, “So many of you have shared your experience with uterine fibroids in the comments. Thank you for speaking out–your stories matter and they must be heard.”

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Motown 30 (1990) Hosted by Robert Townsend
Taped before an audience at the Pantages Theatre, 'Motown 30: What's Goin' On!' is a live musical tribute to the recording company from Detroit in its 30th anniversary. The star-studded television special celebrates the achievements of its entertainers from the late 1950s to 1990. Includes commercials. ---- "The 1983 special Motown 25 is now remembered primarily for a single segment — the one featuring the remarkable dancing of Michael Jackson before he became an all-pervasive media event. In Motown 30, no one steals the show like that. Instead, this homage to three decades of Motown music contains a whole succession of terrific performances. Tracy Chapman sings the civil rights anthem ”A Change is Gonna Come” with more warmth than anything on her last album had; Terence Trent D’Arby elicits screams of amazement from the audience when he delivers a howling, gospel version of Smokey Robinson’s ”Who’s Lovin’ You.” And there’s a salute to Mary Wells, now suffering from throat cancer, that is sung by Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight; accompanied only by Wonder on piano, these Motown vets are marvelously relaxed and passionate at the same time. Like most variety shows, the pace is uneven, as are the comedy segments by everyone from Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) to Sinbad (A Different World). But what matters is the music, and the music is great. A" - Entertainment Weekly Shared for historical purposes. I do not own the rights. ##### Reelblack's mission is to educate, elevate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at Reelblack@mail.com and info@reelblack.com with details and it will be promptly removed.

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Hurricane Isaias causes major damage as it approaches the U.S.

Hurricane Isaias may reach wind speeds of about 75 mph when it reaches Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Category 1 storm, Hurricane Isaias, landed in the Bahamas with winds of about 85 mph. Many buildings and trees were blown over and the storm caused wide-spread damage.

Although the storm is moving away from the Bahamas and towards the U.S., Trevor Basden, the director of the Bahamas meteorology department, told residents  to “continue to hunker down”.

Tropical Storm #Isaias is expected to strengthen again this evening, and hurricane conditions are expected along portions of the FL east coast on Sunday with tropical storm conditions expected to begin tonight. Rush preparations to protect life and property to completion. pic.twitter.com/uvSOjcPA2b

— National Weather Service (@NWS) August 1, 2020

While on the way to Florida, Isaias was weakened to a tropical storm, but experts say that it may be upgraded once again, according to Reuters.

“Don’t be fooled by the downgrade. We do think it will be upgraded back to a hurricane later on this evening,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis today.

READ MORE: Kids in Bahamas stranded with schools damaged by hurricane

On Friday, both Florida and North Carolina declared states of emergency for many counties due to the imminent landing of Hurricane Isaias.

All COVID-19 testing sites were closed and people living in affected areas were told to buy seven days worth of food and supplies in order to stay in their homes when the storm hits.

Hurricane Isaias may reach wind speeds of about 75 mph when it reaches Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. They also said that the storm could bring heavy rains and cause flooding during the weekend and into the beginning of next week.

#HurricaneIsaias #florida pic.twitter.com/6i1c9MaCEh

— Ali Eslami (@techjoffrey) August 2, 2020

“While current projections have the eye of Isaias remaining at sea, the situation remains fluid and can change quickly,” said DeSantis, according to Reuters. “The state of Florida is fully prepared for this.”

READ MORE: CDC quietly releases reopening plan as ‘busy’ hurricane season looms

Many public areas including beaches and parks were closed on Friday. Experts say that the storm could become a Category 2 hurricane, with wind speeds being close to 110 mph.

Florida has a well-trained hurricane response team, but with the added pressure of controlling the coronavirus, there is less focus on storm preparation.

“It’s not a perfect system,” said Frank Rollason, Miami-Dade’s director of emergency management, “but what we’re facing to today with COVID, we’re trying to avoid packing all of those people into the emergency operations center.”

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As Trump plans to ban TikTok, Sarah Cooper continues to hilariously mock him

Twitter users are also saying that Trump’s move to ban TikTok could be due to Cooper’s constant mockery.

Sarah Cooper, 35, has become a viral sensation over the past few months because of her Trump-impersonating TikTok videos.

With Trump now threatening to ban the social media platform over concerns that the Chinese government is accessing Americans’ data, Cooper is doubling down.

Her latest video called “How to tick tock,” shows Cooper in a bathroom, with her hair blowing in the wind as she reenacts Trump’s announcement.

“We may be banning TikTok. We may be doing some other things. There are a couple of options. But a lot of things are happening, so we’ll see what happens. But we are looking at a lot of alternatives with respect to TikTok.”

Twitter users are also saying that Trump’s move to ban TikTok could be due to Cooper’s constant mockery. Trump blocked Cooper after her initial videos went viral.

I’m pretty sure your awesome vids are why he wants to ban it.

— Jessica (@MessicaHare) July 31, 2020

But Cooper has proven that a TikTok ban won’t stop her from her comedic critiques.

In regards to one of her videos, in which Cooper reenacts Trump’s descriptions of his “impressive” cognitive test, the comedian let her Twitter followers know that she didn’t even record it on TikTok. The video has over 10 million views on Twitter.

READ MORE: Comedian Sarah Cooper goes viral with TikTok lip-sync of Donald Trump

In her video, “How to Empty Seat,”  Cooper does a brilliant job acting along as Trump’s real voice can be heard boasting that his rally will be packed with 22,000 people.

6,200 people actually showed up, according to Tulsa officials, and many speculators say TikTok users rallied together on the app to sabotage Trump’s attendance. This could be another reason for Trump’s dislike for the app.

He only wants to ban TikTok because they outsmarted him regarding the Tulsa rally.

— Barbara Johnson (@Barbara70581880) August 1, 2020

Cooper initially went viral last May after creating a lip-sync video mocking Trump’s suggestion that the coronavirus could be cured by the injection or consumption of common disinfectants.

Trump’s comments were so concerning that Lysol and Dettol has to make a statement against consumption of their products. 

READ MORE: Vegan Tik Tok star Tabitha Brown is living her dream after inking major Creative Arts Agency deal

“I feel like we’ve been gaslighted for years, being told it is totally normal for a president to say things like this,” Cooper added. “It is a very validating thing to see something remind you that, no, this is actually ridiculous and we can all agree on that.”

She is a Jamaican-born author and comedian best known for her books “100 Tricks To Appear Smart In Meetings” and “How To Be Succesful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings.”

Does Trump know that by banning TikTok he’s also pissing off suburban moms pic.twitter.com/4o9hjNM7rN

— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) August 1, 2020

Cooper told MSNBC in May that “she takes the subtext of what he has written extemporaneously,” and gives it back to the world. She even calls herself the Trump whisperer.

theGrio’s Blue Telusma and Tonya Pendleton contributed to this report. 

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Teen spent a year and a half in jail with no indictment

Prosecutors have yet to present William Haymon’s case to a grand jury.

William Haymon celebrated his 16th birthday and his 511th day in jail on July 14th. Haymon has been in the rural Lexington, Mississippi jail for months and there is no telling when he will be released.

Mississippi has no rules regarding the length of time a person can be detained without being formally charged. Haymon cannot be released on bail, though he is technically innocent in the eyes of the law.

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#WilliamHaymon #JusticeForWilliam #BlackKids #BlackFamily #BlackPeople #BlackLives #BlackLivesMatter #MassIncarceration #CrimeBill #StopAndFrisk #DefundThisShit #Racism #amerikkka

A post shared by Stanley (@loud_proud_stanley) on Jul 31, 2020 at 4:39pm PDT

Prosecutors have yet to present Haymon’s case to a grand jury so it can consider whether the state has sufficient evidence to pursue a conviction against Haymon.

READ MORE: Michigan teen jailed for not doing schoolwork to be released

Akillie Malone-Oliver, the local district attorney who prosecutes the state’s 21st judicial district, blames the delay on heavy turnover within the city’s police force. But the problem is bigger than that and is characteristic of ongoing concerns facing Mississippians who have the misfortune of being arrested, according to experts.

Haymon’s attorney, Lawrence Blackmon, has alleged that the county does not have grounds to hold him. Blackmon asserts that his client is being illegally detained and that his constitutional right to a speedy trial is being violated.

He is concerned that Haymon, who would be entering the 10th grade in the fall, will experience long-lasting harm due to his prolonged imprisonment during his youth.

DA Akillie Malone Oliver & Sheriff Willie March : Release William Haymon to his Mother. – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/D5t71vVXDE via @Change

— Dozo (@Dozo80649729) August 1, 2020

Sebrenda Tillman, Haymon’s mother, voiced her concerns to The Appeal. “As long as he’s been there, what are you holding him for? Somebody ain’t doing their job,” she complained.

In June 2013, when Haymon was 13-years-old, he was arrested for allegedly robbing a senior citizen at gunpoint. He waived a preliminary hearing and was released on a $25,000 bond.

However, in February 2019, Haymon arrested again for aggravated assault involving a gun. State law prevented him from being granted bail for the second alleged crime.

READ MORE: Teen who says he accidentally killed teen girl in Russian roulette game, remains in jail

After the public defender assigned to Haymon’s aggravated assault case died in January, Blackmon agreed to represent the teenager for free. Despite filing a petition and a motion seeking Haymon’s release, the teenager remains in jail.

Circuit Court Judge, Jannie Lewis-Blackmon, no relation to Haymon’s attorney, ruled that Haymon’s right to a speedy trial had not been violated. According to a transcript of the proceeding, Judge Lewis-Blackmon said that “the reason for the delay outweighs the length of the delay.”

Due to Covid-19, Haymon’s mother, Sebrenda Tillman has been unable to visit him since March. Since his incarceration, Tillman has celebrated his last two birthdays by putting money in his account.

“He’s trying to hold up,” she told The Appeal. “I worry about him, some nights I can’t sleep because he’s my baby,” she said.

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