Gullah Geechee & Climate Change / Nat "King" Cole Film / PepsiCo STEM Push

September 8, 2024

Good morning. Welcome to our weekly Sunday newsletter. We are explaining how climate change is threatening the Gullah Geechee community, the division within a major political party over abortion rights in the 2024 campaign and find out who is set to produce and portray Nat King Cole in an upcoming film.

Gullah Geechee Homeland Threatened by Rising Sea Levels and Climate Change

By Lisa D. Tinsley

The Gullah Geechee, a historically Black and Indigenous community along the Southeast U.S. coast, is facing the threat of displacement from climate change. Spanning 400 miles from Jacksonville, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida, the Gullah Geechee have maintained their African traditions and strong ties to the land for centuries. However, rising sea levels, frequent hurricanes, and pollution threaten their homeland, particularly in cultural hubs like St. Helena Island, South Carolina. These natural disasters are pushing the community to either restore their ancestral lands or consider relocating.

Efforts to support the Gullah Geechee have led to significant government funding. In 2023, Senator Jon Ossoff and the Biden Administration recommended over $536,000 in funding through the NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative to aid in stabilizing the region. However, gaps remain in getting these funds directly to those in need. Local leaders argue that larger organizations often receive funds first, leaving smaller, community-based groups struggling for support, even as their homes flood and the risk of displacement grows.

For many, relocation is not a simple choice. The Gullah Geechee people's deep spiritual and cultural connection to the land makes moving inland a painful prospect. For Indigenous communities like theirs, being forced from their homeland severs vital ties to their identity and heritage. Despite the challenges, the Gullah Geechee continue to navigate the delicate balance between preserving their legacy and adapting to a changing climate. 

campus chronicles // hbcu edition

• The Sixth Annual Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival is set to honor Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses, a 1978 alumnus. The highlight will be the world premiere of “MOSES-13 Steps”, a documentary that explores the life and legacy of the iconic athlete, whose achievements both on and off the track have inspired and led to significant social and scientific advancements. The film will premiere on September 21, 2024 on the campus of Morehouse College.

• Miles College announced its new state-of-the-art practice field is complete. The HBCU Invitational Field Refurbishment Program was awarded a grant from the Arthur M. Blank Foundation (AMBFF) to improve field quality at HBCUs in Georgia and Alabama. The initiative, funded by AMBFF and supported by the NFL Foundation, aims to enhance the safety and overall playing conditions for college athletes and youth programs in the community.

• PepsiCo announced the launch of "Taste of Tomorrow," an initiative designed to increase Black representation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers because despite the rapid growth of STEM jobs, Black professionals remain underrepresented making up only nine percent of the STEM workforce. To help address this disparity, PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation are investing $350,000 in financial support and providing additional resources to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), particularly for students pursuing careers in food science and technology.

election insight

• The candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris has refocused attention on black men, a demographic that Democrats and Republicans view as persuadable but whose multifaceted experiences and political preferences often go unaddressed in public debate.

• Republicans are more divided over abortion than Democrats are. About six-in-ten Republicans (57%) say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, while 41% say it should be legal in all or most cases, according to an April 2024 survey. Among Democrats, 85% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and just 14% say it should be illegal in all or most cases.

• Democrats’ views of the Supreme Court have grown much more negative. The share of Democrats who have a favorable opinion of the Supreme Court plummeted after the court overruled the Roe v. Wade decision in 2022, which had guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion for nearly 50 years. Today, just 24% of Democrats have a favorable opinion of the court – among the lowest ratings from either party over the past 30 years. A majority of Democrats also say the court is too powerful. Currently, 62% say this, up from 40% shortly before the court overturned Roe.

black history in quotes 

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culture

Colman Domingo is to play Nat King Cole in a new biopic. The Oscar-nominated actor will direct and star in the movie musical based on the life of the legendary crooner after co-writing the script. Domingo revealed he's been working on the project for many years and is now looking forward to bringing it to the big screen.

Jaime Foxx will share the full story of his recent health scare in a show titled, “One More Chance: An Evening with Jamie Foxx.” The one-man show will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on October 3rd, 4th and 5th.

the sunday briefing recommends…

Visit Charleston, South Carolina’s new International African American Museum that specializes in Black Geneaology.

Watch President Biden declare the site of the 1908 Springfield, Illinois Race Riot as a national monument.

Read about a Georgia county that once expelled all Black residents and now wants to be a model of love.

Our editor, Lisa D. Tinsley, would like to thank you for spending part of your day with KISA News Radio. See you next Sunday.

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