Former U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King and former U.S. President Barack Obama. Photo Courtesy of: USA Today

John B. King Jr. epitomizes the American dream. Brooklyn born and bred, King was an orphan by age 12. His mom died of a heart attack when King was 8 and his dad died from Alzheimer’s disease.

But his love for learning was what he found his comfort in learning. A product of the New York City public school system, King comoleted his undergraduate work at Harvard University. After Harvard, he completed his Masters of Education at Columbia before earning his JD at Yale.

John B. King Jr. is currently the president and CEO of The Education Trust, a nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement for all students.

Check out former U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson via Scoop B Radio

Before his current position, King was tapped as the secretary of education in 2016, under former U.S. President Barack Obama. During President Obama’s time in office, he founded the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. Amid the huge disparity in opportunity for millions of boys and young men of color (in comparison with White males, as young girls of color face similar disparities), the My Brother’s Keeper initiative was created to assist leading businesses into taking steps to tailor their diversity and talent strategy of hiring male POC.

My Brother’s Keeper Alliance was activated in February 2014 following the death of Trayvon Martin. By 2020, the majority of Americans under the age of 18 will be persons of color. The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance helps boys and young men of color by supporting program interventions and targeting six key life milestones that include entering school ready to learn (Early Childhood), Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade (Middle Childhood), graduating from high school ready for college and career (Adolescence), completing post-secondary education or training (Adulthood Transition), successfully entering the Workforce (Adulthood) and reducing violence and providing a second chance (Throughout Life).

Check out Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s feature on President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance in EBONY

Having covered the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance since its inception and announcement at Lehman College in 2014, I got a bit curious in a recent interview with King. As an educated African American, I hold dear to my heart that the Every Student Succeeds Act replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. As an experienced educator, King broke down to me how that changes the outlook on students who were under the No Child Left Behind Act during the Bush Administration. “The good thing about the new law is that it gives states and districts a chance to broaden the definition of an excellent education so yes of course students need strong skills in English and math,” John B. King told me on Scoop B Radio.

“But there’s an opportunity to think about science, social studies and excellence in the arts social and emotional development a much broader vision. At the same time were going to make sure implementation of the law protects student’s civil rights and the focus on equity. You know we still have big achievement gaps for African American and Latino students, low income students and English learners. So we have a lot of work to do and we have to make sure that states use their new flexibility and service of equity and better outcomes for students who haven’t had the opportunity to shift.”

By 2020, the majority of Americans under the age of 18 will be persons of color.  The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance will help boys and young men of color by supporting program interventions and targeting six key life milestones that include entering school ready to learn (Early Childhood), Reading at Grade Level by Third Grade (Middle Childhood), graduating from high school ready for college and career (Adolescence), completing post-secondary education or training (Adulthood Transition), successfully entering the Workforce (Adulthood) and reducing violence and providing a second chance (Throughout Life).

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The post Scoop B: Former Obama U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. Making Mark As President & CEO of The Education Trust appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released a new song “Drug Dealer” that include some deep thoughts. The song features the soulful sounds of Ariana DeBoo as she shares the scary truth about today’s drug dealers. While the song focuses on the use of prescription drugs, Macklemore is not a stranger to this topic. His past song,“Otherside” also mentions drugs and how they affect lives without even knowing it.

Like “Drug Dealer”, “Otherside” also has Ryan Lewis featured on it. The duo seem to work well together when it comes to their music. In “Drug Dealer” like a majority of their music, they are sticking to their own sound and topics. Instead of going with the trend of prescription drugs that many rappers broadcast, Macklemore speaks on the same topic but in a different way.

It also has been hinted at that Macklemore released the song today in preparation for his talk with President Barack Obama. The talk aired on MTV tonight and covered the ugly truth of opioid addiction. In the song and in real life, the drug dealer that is mentioned in the hook by Ariana DeBoo is an actual pharmacist who is providing the drugs for their personal profit.

“My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor. Had the plug from a pharma, pharma. He said that he would heal me, heal me.But he only gave me problems, problems…. I think he was trying to kill me, kill me. Kill me for a dollar, dollar.”

By shining the light on the critical and harsh reality that many people who are receiving their drugs in todays world are getting them from the doctor who is supposed to be helping rather than hurting. All in all the song provides the listener something to ride to as well as think about. Food for thought in hip-hop is always appreciated.

Check out “Drug Dealer” above !

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AP Photo/Max Becherer

A shooting has taken place in Baton Rouge that has left three police officers dead and three others wounded. Officials believe that it was the work of multiple gunmen that initiated the attack.

According to CNN, the police had received a tip that there was a ‘suspicious person walking down Airline Highway with an assault rifle.’ As soon as the police responded, the shooting began. After the attack on police officers in Dallas, officials fear that this may be the work of copycats. USA Today reports that officials have drones working in the area to make sure that there is no possibility of explosives. Both articles mention that relations between citizens and police officers have been tense after the death of Alton Sterling, an unarmed black man who died at the hands of the police earlier in the month.

President Barack Obama released a statement condemning the attacks. He stated he believed that the shooting and the one in Dallas are acts of violence with no justification, and that they ‘right no wrongs’ and ‘advance no causes.’

The latest update reports that one of the suspects, yet to be identified, has been killed. Police believe that there are still two more suspects at large that may be wearing army fatigues or black clothing and masks.

No motive for the shootings has been released.

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President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on his first day in office 1/21/09.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Here is the official proclamation via the White House:

“A vital part of our Nation’s proud heritage, African-American music exemplifies the creative spirit at the heart of American identity and is among the most innovative and powerful art the world has ever known. It accompanies us in our daily lives, and it has rung out at turning points in our history and demonstrated how our achievements as a culture go hand-in-hand with our progress as a Nation. During African-American Music Appreciation Month, we honor the artists who, through this music, bring us together, show us a true reflection of ourselves, and inspire us to reach for the harmony that lies beyond our toughest struggles.

Songs by African-American musicians span the breadth of the human experience and resonate in every corner of our Nation — animating our bodies, stimulating our imaginations, and nourishing our souls. In the ways they transform real stories about real people into art, these artists speak to universal human emotion and the restlessness that stirs within us all. African-American music helps us imagine a better world, and it offers hope that we will get there together.

This month, we celebrate the music that reminds us that our growth as a Nation and as people is reflected in our capacity to create great works of art. Let us recognize the performers behind this incredible music, which has compelled us to stand up — to dance, to express our faith through song, to march against injustice, and to defend our country’s enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2016 as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music that is composed, arranged, or performed by African Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.”

My soul just did a tap dance.  President Obama has made it official; June is officially in honor of African- American music.

“Obama out!” (Drops the mic)

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