• In a scathing report, Human Rights Watch accused the state of Israel of committing the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution. The charges are based on international law and the Rome Treaty that formed the International Criminal Court.
(“Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crime of Apartheid,” Human Rights Watch, April 27, 2021; “Israeli is Committing Crime of Apartheid,” Washington Post, World View, April 27, 2021)
• At a time when progressive voters have increasing clout, there’s concern that Andrew Yang, a pro-business moderate in the mold of Michael Bloomberg could win City Hall, while progressive candidates, including two women of color, split the left-wing vote. This scenario played out in San Francisco in 2018, when a high-profile pro-business moderate won despite two progressive candidates who cross-endorsed each other to influence the outcome under the ranked choice voting system.
(“In Search of the Anti-Yang Gang,” American Prospect, April 28, 2021)
• After a century of hardship and grief, black farmers are at long last making a comeback. On the outskirts of Durham, North Carolina farmer and food justice activist Tahz Walker and a few friends pooled their resources and bought a 48-acre farm they call Earthseed Land Collective, to experiment with collective living and inspire “people of color to reimagine their relationship to the land.” According to Mother Jones magazine, Walker is among a new generation of black farmers looking to reclaim farmland, which is part of a broader reparations movement that seeks redress for the unpaid debts owed to many black Americans.
(“Black Land Matters,” Mother Jones, May 2021; “Biden Aid for Black Farmers: The View from a Louisiana Farm,” Christian Science Monitor, April 12, 2021)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
