Latest news with #Figures
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama leaders call to preserve job training program amid Trump administration scrutiny
Moves in Washington D.C. could cost the Montgomery region 90 jobs and a yearly economic benefit of about $144 million, not to mention streams of newly trained workers, Mayor Steven Reed says. Reed joined U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Montgomery, at the Montgomery Job Corps campus Saturday morning to call for safeguarding the national training program. There is also a Job Corps campus in Gadsden. The Trump administration has called for the pausing of Job Corps programs at all 99 locations in the country by June 30. A Labor Department report cites low graduation rates and safety concerns on the campuses as reason for the pause. A federal judge has issued a stay in the administration's move. "We want to see a full reinstatement of the program, with full funding," Reed said, urging the public to contact their representatives in Congress and U.S. Senators to protest the plans to pause the efforts. Job Corps programs serve young people 18 to 24 with job training. While taking part in the program, participants are offered housing and meals on campus. More: Prattville approves $15M bond to fund city construction projects The Montgomery campus employs about 90 people, and has an yearly economic inpact of about $144 million, Reed said. Figures said continuing the training makes sense. "These are not a partisan issues, as the mayor has indicated," Figures said. "These are not things that fall along political lines. These are things that matter to real people. Creating jobs and maintaining a strong workforce is a bipartisan, shared, American ideal." The Job Corps program has real impact on the Montgomery region and the state, Reed said. '"It offers a second chance for our youth, a pipeline for our local industry and a key driver for our economy," he said. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney atmroney@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama leaders call to preserve federal job training program
The Hill
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Alabama Democrat introduces legislation to protect land-grant schools
A freshman Democrat has introduced legislation to protect land-grant universities in an effort to block some of the White House's steps to reduce federal funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Ala.) on Thursday introduced the Land-Grant Institution Parity Act, which would prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture or any other federal official from reducing, eliminating or suspending funding to land-grant institutions without the authorization of Congress. In a statement to The Hill, Figures pointed to the USDA's February decision to suspend the 1890 scholars program as part of the Trump administration's review of DEI policies. The program, introduced in 1992, provides tuition and room and board for students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or related fields at 19 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the nation. 'Earlier this year, the Trump administration suspended funding for historically Black land grant colleges, but did not pause the same funding for the predominately white land-grant institutions,' Figures said. 'That is simply wrong and that decision sent a clear message about the vulnerability of programs designed to uplift underserved communities.' The USDA's decision to suspend the program sparked outrage among members of the Congressional Black Caucus, many warning of the outsized impact the program's pause would have on Black students seeking to enter the agricultural field. The administration restored the program shortly after its initial suspension, but lawmakers have continued to express concerns over the White House's efforts to eliminate any DEI programs. 'Under this bill, funding for land grant institutions will be treated equally and funds cannot be paused, cut, or eliminated without congressional approval,' Figures said Thursday. 'I'm committed to protecting our HBCUs and the students that they serve.' There are currently 107 HBCUs around the nation; only 19 are land-grant institutions. President Trump has vowed to keep federal funding available for HBCUs, and earlier this month launched an initiative to support the schools. Figures' bill has the support of multiple members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Co-sponsors for the legislation include Democratic Reps. Alma Adams (N.C.); Jennifer McClellan (Va.); Terri Sewell (Aa.); Valerie Foushee (N.C.); Bennie G. Thompson (Miss.); Hank Johnson (Ga.); Glenn Ivey (Md.); Robin Kelly (Ill.); Cleo Fields (La.); David Scott (Ga.); and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Calif.). Adams, in a statement to The Hill, called the legislation an 'important step' to protecting HBCU funding. 'The Land-Grant Institution Parity Act is an important step to protect funding for our land-grant HBCUs and build equity in higher education,' the North Carolina Democrat, who led the effort alongside Figures, said. '1890s schools have always punched above their weight and provided outsized benefits to their students, their research, and their communities.' 'They know how to do more with less, but they shouldn't have to,' she added. 'It's time we ensure these institutions of excellence always receive the funding they deserve.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Shomari Figures remembers Alexis Herman on House floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKRG) — Rep. Shomari Figures (AL-02) gave a speech Tuesday morning to honor Alexis Herman on the House floor. Fairhope nurses train to testify in sexual assault cases Herman died on Friday, April 25. She was 77 years old. Herman served as the first African American U.S. Labor Secretary. She was appointed to the role by President Bill Clinton and served from 1997-2001. She was also a mentor to Rep. Figures. 'Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and legacy of a true hometown hero, a legendary trailblazer, a family friend, a mentor to me and many others, and the former Secretary of Labor of this great nation — Alexis Margaret Herman,' Rep. Figures said. Rep. Figures talked about discussions he had with Herman before he began working with President Obama's campaign and other career opportunities in the White House as she too had worked with a presidential administration. He also reached out to her when he was elected in November 2024 as the representative for Alabama District 2. 'Now, to understand Alexis Herman, you have to understand where she comes from,' he said. 'She was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama — my hometown. She came of age with a number of people and names that, if you're from the Mobile area, you would recognize.' Rep. Figures credited Herman's parents for preparing her for the life she ultimately lived. 'Her father was actually the first Black person elected in the state of Alabama to any position post-Reconstruction,' he said. 'And this led him to being very active and motivated in Black voter participation and led to him one day actually being run off the road by the Klan. His five-year-old daughter, Alexis Herman, sat in the car and listened as her father was beaten by the Klan. Her mother was a schoolteacher, who Alexis had actually witnessed being thrown off of a segregated bus as a child.' Rep. Figures discussed how Herman fought for civil rights and women's rights from a young age. Her determination ultimately caught the eye of President Jimmy Carter, who named her Director of the Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor. Just 29 years old, she was the youngest to ever serve in the role. 'She worked to promote job training opportunities for low-income Americans,' he said. 'And after that, she didn't quit. She always reached back. She always gave back. She always served as a mentor — to give advice to people like myself who wanted to pursue similar career tracks….' Mobile County Sheriff's Office seeks new info on person missing since 2007 'And so today, as I stand here as a Member of Congress — someone who has followed in the footsteps of hers — it's not only my father that I seek to make proud in this moment. It is Alexis Herman,' he said in conclusion. 'Because of people like her, I can stand here today.'Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic filibuster likely kills Alabama abstinence, ‘sexual risk avoidance' bill
Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, listens to a filibuster over a bill to overhaul sex education and make public schools teach 'sexual risk avoidance' and abstinence on April 29, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Alander Rocha/ Alabama Reflector) A bill seeking to make Alabama's public schools teach 'sexual risk avoidance' and abstinence likely won't become law this year. A Democratic filibuster over the General Fund budget Tuesday pushed debate over SB 277, sponsored by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, to the last couple of minutes before midnight, when the legislative day ends. The late debate meant senators could not vote on the measure. Shelnutt made his unhappiness at the prospect clear. 'We've only got 10 more minutes. Y'all wasted the whole day. So, let's just waste the last 10 minutes. I know you want to waste the last 10 minutes,' Shelnutt said at around 11:50 p.m. when Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, asked if he would be willing to delay the bill until next year to allow them to work on something together. There are four days left in the 2025 session of the Alabama Legislature. Starting on Thursday, bills originating in the Senate that have not yet passed that chamber need unanimous consent to be sent to the House. A single senator's objection can kill a bill. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Figures asked about the specifics of the curriculum and its implementation during the debate on the bill after Shelnutt initially ignored her on the floor. 'Senator?' Figures asked after a few seconds, following a question about whether he had been in contact with the Department of Education to learn about the current sex education curriculum. 'You've read the bill. You know what the bill does. There's no sense wasting my time answering your questions. Y'all want to stop it, so just you got the mic. Go,' Shelnutt responded defensively. 'Senator, I am sincerely asking you questions about this bill,' Figures responded. Shelnutt remained defensive during the debate, maintaining that 'this is a good bill' and that he didn't want 'teachers, left-wing, crazy people, teaching my kids about stuff that I don't ever want them to hear about.' 'If you got a problem with it, you got a problem with it,' Shelnutt said to Democratic senators. The bill would change sex education programs to include information about the 'financial cost of pregnancy and child care, abortion, and adoption,' as well as 'instruction about parenting responsibilities.' It explicitly prohibited 'providing a referral to or information about how to acquire an abortion,' 'misrepresenting the efficacy of or demonstrating the use of contraceptives,' and 'using images that are sexually explicit.' 'I don't want my kids taught that crap. I mean, it's crap,' Shelnutt said on the floor. The bill also tried to prevent local boards of education from using services from any individual or organization 'that does not endorse sexual risk avoidance or that advocates for or performs abortions.' It also mandated that parents or guardians be given a 14-day notice before any sex education instruction and granted them the right to opt their children out of such programs. Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, spoke briefly after Figures and pushed back on the claim that Tuesday was a 'wasted day.' Instead, he said, it was an opportunity to compromise. 'It's only a waste when you don't care about things that we're trying to address for the people that we represent. So, if I'm categorized as trying to represent the people that I represent, and someone wants to call it a waste, then so be it,' Smitherman said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grammy-nominated star announces Glasgow show as part of massive world tour
A Grammy-nominated singer has announced a show at Glasgow's O2 Academy. Jessie Reyez will perform in the city on Sunday, September 14. The show is part of her Paid In Memories tour, supporting her third studio album of the same name. READ MORE: READ MORE: 90s one-hit wonders surprise Hydro audience at André Rieu show Tickets for the tour will be available from Wednesday, April 9, with pre-sales running throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, April 11, at 10am local time at The Paid In Memories tour follows Jessie's highly successful 2022-23 Yessie headline world tour. She also supported Sam Smith on his Gloria tour and Jhené Aiko on her Magic Hour tour, performing in arenas across North America. She first rose to fame with her 2016 song Figures, leading to her well-received EPs Kiddo (2017) and Being Human in Public (2018), the latter earning a Grammy nomination.
