27 July 2009

Having an overweight surgeon general has its upside

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

Ever since President Obama nominated Alabama physician Regina Benjamin for the position of surgeon general, the blogosphere has been buzzing about the doctor’s weight. No, they’re not talking about the weight of her accomplished resume, which includes receiving a Genius Grant from the MacArthur Foundation and being the first black woman to be on the American Medical Association’s board of trustees.

Everyone seems to be up in arms about Benjamin’s physical weight. Many question how effective the nation’s next top doctor can be in promoting good health choices if she isn’t leading by example.

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23 July 2009

Boston’s racial problems persist

taliawhyte The Grio Boston, Henry Louis Gates, police abuse, racism

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

The recent arrest of the esteemed black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his Cambridge home has put the Greater Boston area back in the national spotlight as a hotbed of racism.

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21 July 2009

The fight for civil rights goes digital

taliawhyte The Grio NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, social media

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

The NAACP announced during its convention last week that it has joined the online revolution with its new effort to address the problem of unreported cases of police brutality. Its new Rapid Response System (RSS) was launched July 6, allowing users to report police abuse by sending text messages, emails or video of an incident to the organizations by cell phone or through its website.

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14 July 2009

Give green jobs to ex-cons

taliawhyte The Grio green jobs, prison activism, urban renewal

By Talia Whyte

The Grio

The proposed green economy also provides potential job opportunities to address environmental injustices in urban communities, such as alleviating lead and asbestos in housing, monitoring water and air quality and developing other green construction initiatives. Urban green employment should also be seen as a priority to help those who are chronically unemployed – ex-offenders.

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