By Trinity Brown (RLH Unlimited Pageants Alumna)

To be the first can be daunting. It takes a certain caliber of person to execute this feat and create the standard. As we embark on the 45th Miss Black Cincinnati and 35th Miss Black Teen Cincinnati pageants, let’s take some time to step back and shed light on one of the firsts. Ms Vicky “Vee” McWorther.

Vicky was crowned Miss Black Teenage America in the first Miss Black Teenage America Pageant in Cincinnati, Ohio. During her reign, she was bestowed the key to the city and received the Ms. Positivity Award, along with the title Ms. Dream Girl.

Not only is she a pageant queen, but she is a woman of many talents, from singing to acting. Her acting debut took place right here in the city, at the beloved Playhouse in the Park. In her own words:

“I will cherish those memories forever, because those days (and the people I worked with back home), helped me grow into the woman I am today!”

Her career skyrocketed to Broadway (and off Broadway) she even graced television screens in a variety of shows.

While doing all these things, this multifaceted mogul also worked in music.

At the age of 12, she was given the Musican of the Year award. This award propelled her into a music career. Her first stateside release was with Fraternity Records called “How I Wish You Were Here,” featuring Larry Holston. She had several other releases; two specifically were major CD releases in Japan, “We all Need Love” and “Y2k/ Save the World”. During her career, she’s had the opportunity to work with greats such as Jeffery Daniels (Shalamar), Baby Face, Bootsy Collins, The Deel, LA Reid, and many more.

To this day she continues to do what it is she loves: singing, traveling, and spreading her wisdom to others. She gives all the glory to God for her success and the opportunities she’s been afforded. “I was Blessed, and I Thank God Almighty for it all,” says Vicky.

This year she will have a full circle moment and the chance to pour into young women as a special guest at the Miss Black Cincinnati and Miss Black Teen Cincinnati pageants that will be held on Saturday April 5th at Corinthinan Baptist Church

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Sonia Reed believed she had achieved the American dream. In December 2024, the Black grandmother and former homeless individual became a homeowner in San Leandro, California. But her triumph quickly turned into a nightmare when neighbors began harassing her with racial slurs and vandalizing her property. “I worked so hard to finally have a place to call my own, and now I have to fear for my safety in my own home,” Reed said. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating the incidents as hate crimes. For many, vandalism is part of an ongoing pattern where Black homeowners have faced some kind of discrimination.

Reed’s experience is far from isolated. Black Americans remain locked in a battle for homeownership, confronted by systemic inequities, economic challenges, and, in some cases, environmental disasters that threaten to strip them of generational wealth.

A new Urban Institute report revealed that Black homeownership rates remain far behind those of white Americans. Researchers said it’s a gap rooted in decades of discriminatory housing policies, redlining, and predatory lending practices. “Homeownership remains one of the most significant drivers of wealth, yet Black families face disproportionate barriers to achieving this milestone,” researchers wrote.

The crisis extends beyond acts of overt racism. In January 2025, devastating wildfires tore through Altadena, California, a historically Black community with a homeownership rate of 81.5 percent—far higher than the national average. Thousands of homes were reduced to ashes and rubble, leaving families displaced. Many now face the daunting task of rebuilding and the looming threat of gentrification. “Developers are circling like vultures,” said longtime Altadena resident James Carter.   

“We’re trying to rebuild, but the fear is that we won’t be able to afford to stay.” Economic barriers remain a defining struggle. Brooke Scott, a litigation assistant in Los Angeles, calculated that achieving homeownership and financial security requires an annual household income of $300,000—far beyond what many Black families can attain. Housing costs, healthcare, taxes, and child-rearing expenses leave little room for savings or investment. “The numbers just don’t add up,” Scott said.    “Even with two incomes, we’re barely able to put away anything for a down payment.”

The Urban Institute’s findings represent a clear picture of the obstacles Black homeowners face. Disparities in income, lending practices, and generational wealth accumulation continue to create barriers that make Black homeownership an increasingly difficult goal. While federal and local initiatives have sought to close the gap, the road ahead remains steep.

Without significant policy changes and investment in Black communities, the homeownership gap will persist for generations to come,” the Urban Institute report warns.

For Reed, Scott, and the residents of Altadena, the challenges of Black homeownership are deeply personal. Whether confronting racial harassment, economic hurdles, or the aftermath of natural disasters, their stories serve as a reminder that the fight for equity in housing is far from over. If these barriers persist, the promise of homeownership will remain an elusive dream for too many Black Americans.

“We just want what everyone else has—a fair shot at building a future,” Carter asserted.

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By Daniel Pastula, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The measles outbreak that started in Texas in late January continues to grow. As of March 18, 2025, confirmed cases in the outbreak, which now spans Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, reached 321, surpassing the number of confirmed cases recorded for all of the U.S. in 2024. The vast majority of cases are in people who are not vaccinated. Meanwhile, a lack of clarity from health authorities is leaving people with questions about whether they need to get revaccinated.

In a Q&A with The Conversation U.S., Daniel Pastula, a neurologist and medical epidemiologist from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Colorado School of Public Health, explained how and when you should take action.

Should adults get another shot of the measles vaccine?

The measles vaccine, which first became available in the U.S. in 1963, contains a live but significantly weakened strain of the measles virus. This modified strain is too weak to cause measles, but it is similar enough to the wild type measles virus to train the immune system to recognize it. Most people who have received the live measles vaccine won’t need an additional shot now, but here is what you need to know:

People born before 1957 are presumed to have lifelong immunity because measles was so contagious that almost everyone contracted it before age 15. Unless there are special circumstances, they probably don’t need a vaccine now.

Most people born after 1957 would have received the shot as children, so they should be set for life. Physicians and public health experts don’t recommend most people in this group get a second measles shot, though there are exceptions.

In 1989, a limited outbreak of measles occurred among vaccinated school children. In response, the recommendations changed from one dose of the live measles vaccine to two doses for children. People fully vaccinated as children after that year do not need any additional doses.

Exceptions to these guidelines

There are two special circumstances where the previous recommendations may not hold.

First, if you were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967, one of the measles vaccines available at the time consisted of just proteins from the virus rather than a live, weakened version of it. Researchers soon realized this inactivated, or “killed,” vaccine was less effective and didn’t provide long-term immunity. Unless you know for certain you received the live vaccine, physicians and public health experts recommend that people vaccinated during those years get one dose of the live vaccine at some point.

Second, if you fall into a high-risk group – for example, if you are a health care provider, are traveling internationally or attending college, physicians and public health experts generally recommend getting a second dose if you have only had one.

For most adults without such risk factors, physicians and public health experts do not routinely recommend a second dose if you have previously received one dose of a live measles vaccine. If you have questions or concerns about your situation, make sure to ask your health care provider.

Except in very rare circumstances, there is no recommendation for a third dose of the measles vaccine.

Can you find out whether you’ve been vaccinated?

You might be able to! It’s worth checking. States actually keep vaccine records specifically for this reason, where you can look up your vaccine records or that of your kids. Your high school or college may still have your records, and so might your pediatrician’s office.

Should you get your antibody levels checked?

For most people, probably not.

A titer test checks the level of antibodies in your blood, and some people are asking their doctor to check their titers to determine whether they are still immune to measles. The problem is, the level of antibodies in your blood does not necessarily reflect your level of immunity. That’s because antibodies are just one part of your immune system’s infection-fighting force. Having a low level of antibodies does not necessarily mean your immunity has waned.

Other crucial elements of your immune response include B cells, T cells and other immune cells, but a titer test does not show their capabilities. For example, memory B cells might not currently be making antibodies against the virus but are primed to quickly do so the next time they see it. This is why antibody and titer tests should be used only in specific cases, in consultation with your doctor.

One example of when an antibody test may be warranted is if you are a health care provider born before 1957 and you want to make sure you don’t need another dose of the vaccine. You would use a test to see whether you have measles antibodies. But in this case you would be looking for a yes or no answer; the total amount of antibodies may not be very informative.

Is natural immunity better than vaccine-induced immunity?

Natural immunity – that is, the immunity you get after having measles – is effective. However, the downside is that natural infection with a wild virus is very risky. Before 1963, measles caused close to 50,000 hospitalizations and about 500 deaths each year in the United States, usually in children. It also caused over 1,000 cases of severe brain inflammation every year and carried several other long-term risks, such as permanent hearing loss or the wipe out of immunity to other diseases.

The point of vaccines is to create immunity without the risks of severe infection. It is basically a dress rehearsal for the real thing. The immunity from a vaccine is effectively the same immunity you get from having measles itself – but vastly safer than encountering the wild virus unprotected. One dose is 93% effective at preventing measles and two doses are 97% effective, and any breakthrough cases are likely to be much milder than a full-blown case of measles.

Can the vaccine cause measles?

No, the measles vaccine cannot cause measles because it contains a significantly weakened strain that has limited ability to infect and damage cells.

Some have claimed without evidence that the current outbreak in Texas was caused by the measles vaccine.

As part of the outbreak investigation, however, CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services analyzed the genome of the virus causing the current outbreak and identified it as a wild measles virus. Researchers classify measles virus strains based on their genetic characteristics, or genotypes. They identified the outbreak virus as wild type genotype D8, and not the weakened measles vaccine strain, which is genotype A.

What are the risks of the vaccine?

That is a very reasonable question. Because the measles vaccine is a live, weakened virus strain, it can cause a mild, measles-like syndrome. For example, some people might have a slight fever, a rash, or some slight joint pain. These symptoms generally go away in a day or two, and most people don’t experience them. But the vaccine cannot cause measles itself, as it does not contain the wild measles virus.

In extremely rare cases, people can experience more significant reactions to the measles vaccine. It is important to remember that every single medical or health intervention carries risks – and that includes all medications and over-the-counter supplements. According to all available evidence, however, comparing the potential benefits against potential risks reveals that the risks of a signficant reaction to the vaccine are much lower than the risks of severe outcomes from measles itself.

Being vaccinated not only protects you and your family, but it also protects vulnerable people in the community, such as infants, cancer patients and pregnant women, who cannot be vaccinated themselves.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Daniel Pastula, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Read more:

• Texas records first US measles death in 10 years – a medical epidemiologist explains how to protect yourself and your community from this deadly, preventable disease
• Unverified reports of vaccine side effects in VAERS aren’t the smoking guns portrayed by right-wing media outlets – they can offer insight into vaccine hesitancy
• Vaccines and values: When you’re having a tough conversation about medicine, don’t just pile on evidence − listen to someone’s ‘moral foundations’

Daniel Pastula does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Feature Image: Should you get an additional shot of the measles vaccine? Hailshadow via Gett Images

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By Nate Paszczykowski, Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third and community leaders celebrated the groundbreaking for a new full-service banking center in Cincinnati’s Avondale neighborhood, which has been without a standalone bank branch for nearly five years. 

The new branch is expected to open to the public in late summer or early fall and is among 15 banking centers Fifth Third plans to open in low- and moderate-income (LMI) or high minority (HMT) population census tracts this year. The branch will enable Fifth Third to increase financial access for the community while contributing to the revitalization of Avondale. 

Fifth Third prioritizes financial access and neighborhood revitalization through its Neighborhood Program, a community development initiative which creates and implements innovative place-based strategies to effect positive change in historically disinvested neighborhoods across the bank’s 11-state footprint. As Fifth Third strategically expands and opens new financial centers across the U.S., 30% of new branches in development will be in LMI and/or HMT areas. In addition to new centers, Fifth Third offers its Financial Empowerment Mobile, known as the eBus, and Banking to Go kiosks to address gaps in financial services in underserved communities. 

“At Fifth Third, we believe that strong banks need strong communities, and strong communities need strong banks,” said Kala Gibson, chief corporate responsibility officer for Fifth Third. “We are proud to contribute to the revitalization of Avondale by expanding financial access through this new branch, in addition to many other community investments in recent years.” 

Located in the Avondale Town Center, the new branch will be a model for innovation and sustainability, occupying 2,024 square feet in a storefront along Reading Road. The existing full service drive-up ATM in the town center parking lot will remain. Inside, the center’s open design will make it easy for customers to get quick digital service or discuss more complex banking products, like college savings plans, mortgages, or retirement solutions. The branch is expected to open in late summer or early fall 2025, with Walnut Hills-based Triversity Construction serving as the general contractor. Soul Palette, a local Cincinnati artist, will design and install a mural that celebrates Avondale’s history. 

Avondale, Cincinnati’s largest African American community, has experienced decades of disinvestment leading to population decline, aging housing stock and increased poverty. 

“The Avondale Development Corporation is excited to welcome Fifth Third to our Avondale community,” said Russell Hairston, executive director of the Avondale Development Corporation. “This is more than just a bank opening; it represents a commitment to Avondale’s future. This marks a significant step toward economic empowerment and neighborhood revitalization. By providing accessible financial services, small business support, and homeownership opportunities, Fifth Third is helping to create a more financially inclusive Avondale. We look forward to partnering with them on financial literacy programs, workforce development initiatives, and community investment strategies that will uplift residents and drive sustainable growth, which aligns with ADC’s mission to foster sustainable community development.” 

In partnership with the Avondale Development Corporation and other community partners, Fifth Third has made $33.6 million in direct investments into Avondale and helped catalyze $17.9 million from other entitles for a total financial impact of $51.5 million. 

Key initiatives include: 

• Blair Lofts: The Fifth Third Community Development Corporation invested $15.5 million into Blair Lofts in 2021. The 64-unit affordable housing development located on Reading Road features one-, two-, or three-bedroom apartments, on-site management and amenities that include laundry, resident storage spaces, a community kitchen and a fitness center. Fifth Third also funded wrap-around services such as a move-in care package for residents, financial education workshops, funding so that 55 children could attend a summer camp, furnishing for the community room, and five desktop computers and furnishings for a computer lab. 
• Digital Accessibility: Fifth Third has been working to help close the digital divide and bring Avondale residents into the technology mainstream. Key partners in the effort include the Avondale Development Corporation, Uptown Consortium Inc., and the University of Cincinnati. Following a community-wide assessment of the neighborhood and its needs, in fall 2024 the partners began replacing non-functional and outdated equipment at eight housing complexes and adding service in two locations that were not previously served, thanks to funding from the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. In early 2025, 319 apartments are expected to have free internet connectivity, including 779 residents and 374 school-age students. Six free outdoor hotspots are also being installed along Reading Road. The final phase includes a neighborhood-wide Wi-Fi project that will provide free and/or discounted servicing throughout all of Avondale. 

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By Alissa Paolella, Communications Manager

On March 6, Central State University stepped boldly into a new chapter with the inauguration of its 10th President, Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti.  

The ceremony was a vibrant celebration filled with enthusiasm, highlighting the rich history of Central State, its unwavering dedication to academic excellence, and the bright future that awaits under Dr. Kuti’s visionary leadership. Excitement filled the air as the University community came together to embrace this momentous occasion and the possibilities that lie ahead. 

Dr. Kuti’s connection to Ohio’s only public Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and 1890 Land-Grant Institution dates to 1982, when he arrived on campus as an international student from Nigeria. His journey, as recounted by Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Amy Hobbs Harris in her introduction, was shaped by the relationships he built with faculty who saw his potential and guided him along his path. “One of my favorite stories is about his professor who always kept packets of snacks in her office,” Hobbs Harris shared. “He went for the snacks but stayed for the conversation. And it was through those conversations that he built a relationship that changed the course of his life.” 

This emphasis on personal connections and mentorship is a hallmark of Dr. Kuti’s leadership style. As Hobbs Harris noted, “Watching Dr. Kuti’s impressive curiosity, his care for others, and his commitment to this Institution is truly inspiring.” 

In his address, President Kuti laid out a bold vision for Central State, centered on transforming the University into a “Destination Learning Environment” — a place where students, faculty, and staff thrive in an environment that fosters success, innovation, and integrity. 

Dr. Kuti reflected on the University’s motto, “Veritas et Lux” (Truth and Light) and “Recta et Honor” (Straight and Honor), emphasizing that these values will serve as guiding principles in his leadership. “Truth requires us to pursue academic knowledge, while light brings clarity. Together, they illuminate the path to success,” he said. 

He also underscored CSU’s strategic importance as one of only four public 1890 Land-Grant Universities in the Midwest, serving a region with a population of 76 million people. While Central State welcomes students from across the U.S. and 15 foreign countries, Dr. Kuti emphasized that strengthening recruitment in Ohio and surrounding states is essential for the University’s growth. 

To enhance academic excellence, Dr. Kuti announced a comprehensive academic program review to ensure the University’s offerings align with student interests, regional workforce needs, and financial sustainability. He highlighted plans to launch CSU’s Allied Health programs, introducing stackable credentials and certificates that will prepare students for immediate employment in healthcare fields while they pursue their degrees. 

Additionally, the Institution is adapting to the evolving job market by integrating artificial intelligence literacy and digital skills training into the general education curriculum, ensuring graduates are prepared for careers in emerging industries. 

Beyond academics, President Kuti emphasized strengthening student engagement and leadership opportunities. This includes revitalizing Greek life — aiming to bring all nine Divine Nine organizations to campus within 18 months — and expanding student organizations, which now number 70. “The more connections students have to campus, the more likely they are to succeed,” he said. 

As a Land-Grant and Research University, CSU is committed to expanding its research capacity. Dr. Kuti announced the establishment of master’s programs in Humanities and Agricultural Sciences in 2026, with additional programs in Engineering Management and Computer Science to follow. 

The University’s faculty are already making significant strides in research. He highlighted the work of Dr. Sakthi Kumaran, who is using advanced technology such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to improve agricultural productivity. CSU’s Research and Demonstration Complex is also leading initiatives in bee genetics, specialty crops, and environmental stewardship. 

In recognition of Central State’s growing research impact, the University was recently designated as a Research College and University in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications — a milestone that underscores its expanding influence in the academic and scientific communities. 

Financial sustainability and operational excellence 

President Kuti reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the University’s financial stability through prudent resource allocation and strategic growth initiatives. He expressed gratitude to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey, and state education partners for their steadfast support in advancing Central State’s mission. 

A key component of his administration’s approach is the Marauder Ethos, a University-wide commitment to excellence in customer service, engagement, and continuous improvement. This initiative aims to ensure that every interaction within the CSU community is guided by three core principles: 

• Respectful engagement: Treating every individual with dignity and professionalism. 
• Responsiveness: Addressing needs efficiently and effectively. 
• Continuous improvement: Striving for excellence in all aspects of University operations. 

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By Ben Zdencanovic, University of California, Los Angeles

The Medicaid system has emerged as an early target of the Trump administration’s campaign to slash federal spending. A joint federal and state program, Medicaid provides health insurance coverage for more than 72 million people, including low-income Americans and their children and people with disabilities. It also helps foot the bill for long-term care for older people.

In late February 2025, House Republicans advanced a budget proposal that would potentially cut US$880 billion from Medicaid over 10 years. President Donald Trump has backed that House budget despite repeatedly vowing on the campaign trail and during his team’s transition that Medicaid cuts were off the table.

Medicaid covers one-fifth of all Americans at an annual cost that coincidentally also totals about $880 billion, $600 billion of which is funded by the federal government. Economists and public health experts have argued that big Medicaid cuts would lead to fewer Americans getting the health care they need and further strain the low-income families’ finances.

As a historian of social policy, I recently led a team that produced the first comprehensive historical overview of Medi-Cal, California’s statewide Medicaid system. Like the broader Medicaid program, Medi-Cal emerged as a compromise after Democrats failed to achieve their goal of establishing universal health care in the 1930s and 1940s.

Instead, the United States developed its current fragmented health care system, with employer-provided health insurance covering most working-age adults, Medicare covering older Americans, and Medicaid as a safety net for at least some of those left out.

Health care reformers vs. the AMA

Medicaid’s history officially began in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the system into law, along with Medicare. But the seeds for this program were planted in the 1930s and 1940s. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration was implementing its New Deal agenda in the 1930s, many of his advisers hoped to include a national health insurance system as part of the planned Social Security program.

Those efforts failed after a heated debate. The 1935 Social Security Act created the old-age and unemployment insurance systems we have today, with no provisions for health care coverage.

Nevertheless, during and after World War II, liberals and labor unions backed a bill that would have added a health insurance program into Social Security.

Harry Truman assumed the presidency after Roosevelt’s death in 1945. He enthusiastically embraced that legislation, which evolved into the “Truman Plan.” The American Medical Association, a trade group representing most of the nation’s doctors, feared heightened regulation and government control over the medical profession. It lobbied against any form of public health insurance.

During the late 1940s, the AMA poured millions of dollars into a political advertising campaign to defeat Truman’s plan. Instead of mandatory government health insurance, the AMA supported voluntary, private health insurance plans. Private plans such as those offered by Kaiser Permanente had become increasingly popular in the 1940s in the absence of a universal system. Labor unions began to demand them in collective bargaining agreements.

The AMA insisted that these private, employer-provided plans were the “American way,” as opposed to the “compulsion” of a health insurance system operated by the federal government. They referred to universal health care as “socialized medicine” in widely distributed radio commercials and print ads.

In the anticommunist climate of the late 1940s, these tactics proved highly successful at eroding public support for government-provided health care. Efforts to create a system that would have provided everyone with health insurance were soundly defeated by 1950.

JFK and LBJ

Private health insurance plans grew more common throughout the 1950s.

Federal tax incentives, as well as a desire to maintain the loyalty of their professional and blue-collar workers alike, spurred companies and other employers to offer private health insurance as a standard benefit. Healthy, working-age, employed adults – most of whom were white men – increasingly gained private coverage. So did their families, in many cases.

Everyone else – people with low incomes, those who weren’t working and people over 65 – had few options for health care coverage. Then, as now, Americans without private health insurance tended to have more health problems than those who had it, meaning that they also needed more of the health care they struggled to afford.

But this also made them risky and unprofitable for private insurance companies, which typically charged them high premiums or more often declined to cover them at all.

Health care activists saw an opportunity. Veteran health care reformers such as Wilbur Cohen of the Social Security Administration, having lost the battle for universal coverage, envisioned a narrower program of government-funded health care for people over 65 and those with low incomes. Cohen and other reformers reasoned that if these populations could get coverage in a government-provided health insurance program, it might serve as a step toward an eventual universal health care system.

While President John F. Kennedy endorsed these plans, they would not be enacted until Johnson was sworn in following JFK’s assassination. In 1965, Johnson signed a landmark health care bill into law under the umbrella of his “Great Society” agenda, which also included antipoverty programs and civil rights legislation.

That law created Medicare and Medicaid.

From Reagan to Trump

As Medicaid enrollment grew throughout the 1970s and 1980s, conservatives increasingly conflated the program with the stigma of what they dismissed as unearned “welfare.” In the 1970s, California Gov. Ronald Reagan developed his national reputation as a leading figure in the conservative movement in part through his high-profile attempts to cut and privatize Medicaid services in his state.

Upon assuming the presidency in the early 1980s, Reagan slashed federal funding for Medicaid by 18%. The cuts resulted in some 600,000 people who depended on Medicaid suddenly losing their coverage, often with dire consequences.

Medicaid spending has since grown, but the program has been a source of partisan debate ever since.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Republicans attempted to change how Medicaid was funded. Instead of having the federal government match what states were spending at different levels that were based on what the states needed, they proposed a block grant system. That is, the federal government would have contributed a fixed amount to a state’s Medicaid budget, making it easier to constrain the program’s costs and potentially limiting how much health care it could fund.

These efforts failed, but Trump reintroduced that idea during his first term. And block grants are among the ideas House Republicans have floated since Trump’s second term began to achieve the spending cuts they seek.

The ACA’s expansion

The 2010 Affordable Care Act greatly expanded the Medicaid program by extending its coverage to adults with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty line. All but 10 states have joined the Medicaid expansion, which a U.S. Supreme Court ruling made optional.

As of 2023, Medicaid was the country’s largest source of public health insurance, making up 18% of health care expenditures and over half of all spending on long-term care. Medicaid covers nearly 4 in 10 children and 80% of children who live in poverty. Medicaid is a particularly crucial source of coverage for people of color and pregnant women. It also helps pay for low-income people who need skilled nursing and round-the-clock care to live in nursing homes.

In the absence of a universal health care system, Medicaid fills many of the gaps left by private insurance policies for millions of Americans. From Medi-Cal in California to Husky Health in Connecticut, Medicaid is a crucial pillar of the health care system. This makes the proposed House cuts easier said than done.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Ben Zdencanovic, University of California, Los Angeles

Read more:

• GOP lawmakers commit to big spending cuts, putting Medicaid under a spotlight – but trimming the low-income health insurance program would be hard
• Cutting Medicaid and federal programs are among 4 key Trump administration policy changes that could make life harder for disabled people
• From FDR’s food stamps to Trump’s harvest boxes: The history of helping the poor get enough to eat

Ben Zdencanovic does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Feature Image: President Lyndon B. Johnson, left, next to former President Harry S. Truman, signs into law the measure creating Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. AP Photo

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By Mark Szymanski, mark.szymanski@evocatillc.com

In honor of National Nutrition Month, the national nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels announced Cincinnati as its newest Military and Veteran Food Distribution (MVFD) site. The organization, recognized as the largest provider of food exclusively to veterans in the country, provided food assistance to more than 49,000 Service Members and Veterans in 2024 alone.

“With inflation continuing to pressure our community, Soldiers’ Angels is fighting back by doubling our efforts to fight Military and Veteran hunger in 2025,” said Soldiers’ Angels President and CEO Amy Palmer. “This new Cincinnati food distribution site will provide vital support to Veterans and Service Members in the area and is one of many new initiatives we’ve created to combat food insecurity across the country.”

Now in its tenth year, Soldiers’ Angels’ monthly food distributions now serve veterans, active duty Military, Guardsmen, and Reservists in seven cities: Atlanta, Charleston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio, with a new location opening in Washington, D.C. later this year.  

Soldiers’ Angels has taken over the monthly events in Cincinnati from the VA Medical Center, which had previously hosted them since 2022. The organization aims to enhance the quality of food provided at the Cincinnati event, improve the distribution infrastructure, and raise awareness about food insecurity within the military-connected community.

“We are very excited to partner with Soldier’s Angels to expand our monthly mobile food drive addressing food insecurity among Veterans who may be struggling financially or facing homelessness,” said Nicole Comer, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Chief, Voluntary Service, Cincinnati VA Medical Center. “To date, we have provided relief for over 4,600 households. The additional support of nutritious meals and groceries will promote better health outcomes for Veterans in a more private and dignified way of receiving assistance.”

Soldiers’ Angels MVFD events in Cincinnati will take place on the fourth Friday of every month, providing 175 Veteran and Military families with, on average, 75 lbs. of groceries. Veterans and volunteers must pre-register at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati each month to attend or support the event. 

NEXT EVENT:  Friday, March 28, 2025

WHO:  Hosted by Soldiers’ Angels

WHERE:  Cincinnati VA Medical Center – 3200 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220 

REGISTER FOR SUPPORT: Register for notifications for all future events at SoldiersAngels.org/Cincinnati. Recipients must pre-register each month.

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By Marla Hurston Fuller & Joe Wessel, Cincinnati Public Schools

The Office of Human Relations (OHR) and Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) together hosted students in grades kindergarten through 12 for the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Oratorical Contest. The citywide contest was held February 27 at the Mary A. Ronan Education Center (2651 Burnet Avenue) for students who recited their memorized essay in front of a panel of judges.

This year’s contest, “Honoring the Legacy, Uniting for the Future,” asks contestants to reflect on where society would be without Dr. King, and to provide solutions for moving forward. The contest was held in four divisions: Primary (grades K-2), Intermediate (grades 3-5), Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (grades 9-12). Thirty-four students from nine different CPS schools participated in this year’s contest.

This year’s winners include:

Primary Division

• 1^st Place: Zaniyah Browning, Taft Elementary – Grade 2
• 2^nd Place: Austin Cox, North Elementary – Grade 2
• 3^rd Place: Liam Bauer, Taft Elementary – Grade 2

Intermediate Division

• 1^st Place: Lauren Brown, Taft Elementary – Grade 5
• 2^nd Place: London Brwon, Taft Elementary – Grade 4
• 3^rd Place: Daman Houston, Taft Elementary – Grade 4

Junior Division

• 1^st Place: A’June’t Carson, Walnut Hills High School: Grade 7
• 2^nd Place: Zyon Bolden, Chase Elementary: Grade 6
• 3^rd Place: Serayah Yisreal: Taft Elementary: Grade 6

Senior Division

• 1^st Place: Gavin Foster, Shroder High School: Grade 12
• 2^nd Place: Elena Kochanowski, Shroder High School: Grade 9

“The Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge and appreciation for Dr. King among students. Since its inception, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s plight for civil rights, the ability to think and speak clearly, and an understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship,” stated Paul M. Booth, Division Manager, OHR.

The contest provides students an opportunity to gain confidence in their speaking and presentation skills, while enhancing skills in language arts. Participants were judged on delivery (poise, self-confidence and audience appeal), vocal delivery (audibility, articulation, inflection of voice), creativity, physical (gestures and engagement) and presentation style. Students met State Common Core requirements in Language Arts as they prepared for the contest. Students in grades 4-5 learned how to summarize information, students in grades 6-10 learned how to give an objective summary and students in grades 11-12 learned how to provide an abbreviated version of the most significant points of a text. 

“The Oratorical Contest offers students a meaningful way to honor Dr. King’s legacy by expressing his ideals through their own words and actions. This competition encourages them to think deeply and creatively as they develop and present their speeches. Our goal is for students to feel empowered by their voices, grow in confidence and become advocates for positive change in their communities, following Dr. King’s principles of nonviolent social justice. Supporting them in this journey is both an honor and a privilege,” said Pam Cocklin, Cincinnati Public Schools interim English Language Arts Curriculum Manager.

The top three winners in each division will go on to compete in the State Oratorical Contest in Columbus this spring. Selected Statewide winners will be invited to participate in the annual Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration in January 2024.

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By April Ryan, BlackPressUSA

As this nation observes the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, the words of President Trump reverberate. “This country will be WOKE no longer, an emboldened Trump offered during his speech to the recent a joint session of Congress night. Since then, Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell posted on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that “Elon Musk and his DOGE bros have ordered GSA to sell off the site of the historic Freedom Riders Museum in Montgomery.” Her post of little words went on to say, “This is outrageous and we will not let it stand! I am demanding an immediate reversal. Our Civil Rights history is not for sale!”

Also, in the news, the Associated Press is reporting they have a file of names and descriptions of more than 26,000 military images flagged for removal because of connections to women, minorities, culture, or DEI. In more attempts to downplay Blackness, a word that is interchanged with woke, Trump supporters have introduced another bill to take down the bright yellow letters of Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., in exchange for the name Liberty Plaza. D.C. Mayor Morial Bowser is allowing the name change to keep millions of federal dollars flowing there. Black Lives Matter Plaza was named in 2020 after a tense exchange between President Trump and George Floyd protesters in front of the White House. 

There are more reports about cuts to equity initiatives that impact HBCU students. Programs that recruited top HBCU students into the military and the pipeline for Department of Defense contracts have been canceled.

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing back against this second-term Trump administration’s anti-DEI and Anti-woke message. In the wake of the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, several Congressional Black Caucus leaders are reintroducing the Voting Rights Act. South Carolina Democratic Congressman James Clyburn and Alabama Congresswoman Terry Sewell are sponsoring H.R. 14, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Six decades ago, Lewis was hit with a billy club by police as he marched for the right to vote for African Americans. The right for Black people to vote became law with the 1965 Voting Rights Act that has since been gutted, leaving the nation to vote without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act. 

Reflecting on the late Congressman Lewis, March 1, 2020, a few months before his death, Lewis said, “We need more than ever in these times many more someones to make good trouble- to make their own dent in the wall of injustice.”

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By press@spotlightpr.org 

Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) joined a bipartisan congressional delegation in Selma, Alabama, this weekend to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, honoring the 600 marchers attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965.  

Landsman joined the bipartisan pilgrimage from Selma to Montgomery, led by Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC-06), to honor Civil Rights icons and reflect on our nation’s history. 

Paul Booth Sr., a Cincinnati community leader and public servant, joined Landsman on the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage.

During the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when the threats to our multi-racial democracy are unyielding, Race Forward released the following statement:

“On this day 60 years ago, our ancestors endured brute physical violence,” said Glenn Harris, president, Race Forward. “Civil Rights activists were beaten for no reason other than having the audacity to demand the right to vote. While those who opposed voting rights assaulted the bodies of brave freedom fighters, they could never extinguish our ancestors’ yearning for the ballot box. In the same way our ancestors persisted, we must persist today in our fight against those determined to turn back not only the progress of the past decades, but the very notion that everyone deserves the right to thrive in this country’.

Many state legislatures have proposed or enacted restrictive voting laws. The Brennan Center for Justice reported that “ in 2024, between January 1 to December 31, 10 states enacted 19 restrictive voting laws, 3 states enacted 3 election interference laws, and at least 21 states enacted 32 expansive voting laws. Between 2021 and 2024 the number of restrictive voting laws has nearly tripled the amount passed between 2017 and 2020.” 

“While our struggle may look different from that of our ancestors, make no mistake that we are indeed in the same struggle,” Harris added. “The good news is that the fight of our ancestors shows us how to organize and prepare for this moment.  We have the persistence, stamina, and hope needed to continue our righteous organizing for justice.”

“Our job in this moment is to harness the courage, the tenacity and the drive of people like Martin Luther King Jr., Amelia Boynton Robinson, John Lewis, and so many others. We don’t need to be perfect, but we do need to be tenacious.”  

“Regardless of how dire the circumstances may appear, we must never give up,” Harris concluded. “We will win if we remain in the struggle. This is not a battle we fight alone, but together in solidarity. Our collective power is what will carry us through these times and toward the just, multiracial democracy we all deserve.”

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