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Spanish-Language Reporter Could Be Deported

by richard01182

Journo Streams Own Arrest Near ‘No Kings’ Protest
‘Rethink Some Word Choices to Be More Hearable’
Amid Boos, DeSantis Ally Confirmed as FAMU Leader
Chauncey Bailey Killer Set Free After 18 Years
Naba’a (Richard) Muhammad Dies, Edited Final Call
Comics, Graphic Novels Hosting Religious Diversity

Exiled Cuban Threatened After Book Knocks Regime
Independent Latin Media Struggle After Trump Cuts
More than 100 Press Groups Demand Access to Gaza

En Espanol:
Reportero en español podría ser deportado
Amenazan a cubano exiliado después de que un libro golpeara al régimen

Homepage photo: Mario Guevara, a Hispanic journalist in Atlanta, was arrested during Saturday’s protest against ICE and other policies from the Trump administration. ICE has now lodged a detainer against Guevara, who reportedly granted work authorization to be in the U.S. (Credit: WAGA-TV, Atlanta)

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Journo Streams Own Arrest Near ‘No Kings’ Protest

“Mario Guevara, the metro Atlanta-based Spanish-language reporter who built a mass audience with his coverage of immigration raids, could be deported following his arrest at a protest over the weekend, according to his attorney,” Lautaro Grinspan reported Monday for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A lawyer for Guevara told the news organization “that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged what is known as a ‘detainer’ against the journalist, which is often the first step in deportation procedures.

“ICE detainers are requests for local jails to hold detainees for an additional 48 hours beyond their scheduled release dates so they can be picked up by federal immigration officials.

Marlon Sorto, Brian Stelter and Caroll Alvarado of CNN described Guevara Tuesday as “A Salvadoran journalist who built a big social media following by documenting immigration raids. . . .”

“Guevara’s ‘MG News’ outlet on Facebook has 110,000 followers; his personal account has 782,000 followers. He was live-streaming on Saturday when he captured his own arrest on video [go to 34:40] during a protest in Doraville, a city northeast of Atlanta,” CNN reported.

However, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday, “Guevara has work authorization in the United States and has been in the process of obtaining a green card through his son, who is a U.S. citizen.

“He must be released immediately and the charges against him dropped,” said Katherine Jacobsen. CPJ U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator. “Guevara was doing his job and reporting the news at the time of his arrest. It is alarming that the charges he is now facing could be a pretext to begin deportation proceedings against him.”

Separately, the Los Angeles Press Club announced Monday that its attorneys “filed a complaint in federal court seeking to restrict use of force by LAPD on our members and fellow journalists. Recent police attacks on our colleagues while covering protests are both wrong and unlawful. Journalism is not a crime.

“We hope for an injunction to protect the press from any police misconduct that prevents us from doing our jobs. Details will be addressed in court. We want our members to be aware that we are not seeking any money. Our organization is being represented pro bono, meaning lawyers are covering their own costs. We deeply appreciate their support.

“This case is about LAPD, but if necessary, we are ready to take similar action to address misconduct toward journalists by other agencies. . . .”

Attorney Giovanni Diaz, representing Mario Guevara, briefs reporters Tuesday at a bilingual news conference. (Credit: WAGA-TV/Facebook) (if image is not visible, please consider changing browsers.)

Grinspan’s AJC report continued, “Guevara was one of eight people arrested Saturday at [a] DeKalb County protest targeting President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement. He was there to cover the rally, livestreaming the event for a social media audience that exceeds 1 million people.

“Online police records show Guevara was arrested by the Doraville Police Department and charged with obstruction of law enforcement, unlawful assembly, and pedestrian walking on or along a roadway.

“On Monday, Guevara’s attorneys successfully petitioned DeKalb County Magistrate Court for a bond, then learned of the ICE detainer which prevents him from being released.

“Attorney Giovanni Diaz said that Guevara lacks permanent legal status, although he has work authorization and a path to a green card through his U.S. citizen son.

“ ‘You can imagine with this administration, they always reserve the right to put an ICE hold on anybody that is technically not a legal permanent resident, regardless of whether or not they have work authorization,’ Diaz said.

“The developments show Guevara was taking extraordinary risks as he crisscrossed the metro area to document immigration raids close up.

“ ‘My lawyers are asking me to tone it down, to not be so aggressive,’ Guevara told the AJC in an interview about his work earlier this spring. ‘I’m acting as if I were a citizen … but I’m not scared.’

“ICE detainers are not warrants, and individual jails can decide not to honor them, and release immigrant detainees before the 48 hours requested by ICE are up.

“In the past, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has taken steps to limit their compliance with ICE detainers under certain conditions.

“But Diaz says DeKalb authorities may choose to keep Guevara behind bars long enough for him to be transferred to ICE detention, where he could face deportation. . . “

“Journalist Isaac Saul explores how subtle word choices can inhibit productive dialogue about significant issues — and shows how small (but important) changes can help us all have better conversations with people who think differently than us.” (Credit: YouTube)

‘Rethink Some Word Choices to Be More Hearable’

“At a recent training I attended, a journalist shared that they had faced pushback after using the term undocumented immigrant in their coverage. To some people, the use of this term signaled bias.” Mollie Muchna wrote last month for Trusting News.

“While this isn’t all that surprising, it does underscore the weight behind journalists’ language choices.

“We know from research that journalists’ language and framing can convey a sense of where they are coming from and how they feel about the sources and ideas presented in their stories. People said factors like simple word choices can make coverage feel polarizing and turn them off before they even engage with the story.

“That’s why we frequently encourage journalists to be mindful about how their language will land with different audiences.

“The end goal isn’t to appease everyone. That’s not reasonable. (I’m also not suggesting you stop using the term undocumented immigrant. More on this below.) But as journalists, we can make our coverage less polarizing by being more mindful about our language — and then explaining our decisions to our audience.

“Here are two examples that highlight how journalists are doing this. . . .

“Tangle’s use of ‘unauthorized migrant’ . . .

“Dallas Morning News avoids ‘expert’ . . .

“‘Marva Johnson is not ready to lead the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU (historically Black college or university,”‘ FAMU alumna and former ABC News President Kim Godwin, who served on FAMU’s presidential search committee, told the Florida Board of Governors. (Credit: Greg Jaffe/Palm Beach Post.)

Amid Boos, DeSantis Ally Confirmed as FAMU Leader

Over the objections of detractors who included alumna Kim Godwin, former president of ABC News, the panel that oversees Florida’s public universities Wednesday approved Marva Johnson, an ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, as the next president of Florida A&M University, known as FAMU.

FAMU is a leader among historically Black colleges in producing journalism graduates.

“Her confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors continues the trend of having politicians or individuals with strong political ties as state university presidents in Florida,“ Tarah Jean reported for the Tallahassee Democrat.

“And it completes another loop of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan for a conservative takeover and remaking of the state’s higher education system. Now that FAMU – the state’s only public historically Black university – has a new leader that falls in line with the ‘anti-woke’ agenda, it’s another win for the governor. . . .

“She was confirmed after a unanimous vote, which was followed by a mixture of claps during a standing ovation and shouts of disapproval from FAMU stakeholders as the Board of Governors convened on Florida Atlantic University’s campus in Boca Raton. Security officers stood around the meeting room, including two against a wall near Johnson’s seat.” (Photo: A smiling Marva Johnson after confirmation. Credit: Greg Lovett/Palm Beach Post)

Jean continued, ” ‘Under my leadership, I don’t expect FAMU to just survive,’ Johnson added. ‘I expect it to thrive.’

“At the same time, many FAMU alumni, students and others who stood in opposition to Johnson followed through with their attempts to thwart Johnson’s path to being the new president.

“While FAMU Board of Trustees vice chair Deveron Gibbons presented Johnson, opponents repeatedly shouted ‘no’ in the crowd. It was a task that was supposed to go to FAMU board chair Kristin Harper, but she disapproved of Johnson and passed it along to Gibbons.

“Although the alumni and students − who stood up and turned their backs away from the front of the room as Johnson gave remarks − were unsuccessful at putting a stop to Johnson’s ascendancy, they attended the meeting en masse, organizing under one effort to express concerns.

” ‘Marva Johnson is not ready to lead the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU (historically Black college or university),’ said FAMU alumna and former ABC News President Kim Godwin, who served on FAMU’s presidential search committee.

“Johnson ‘did not earn this,’ Godwin told the board. ‘She does not have the best resume. She did not have a good on-campus interview. She appeared unprepared and short-sighted and did not present well to our stakeholders. She had the opportunity, but failed to win the support of any stakeholder group. These are facts.’ . . . “

 

 

Chauncey Bailey Killer Set Free After 18 Years

“The hitman who shot-gunned Oakland newspaper editor Chauncey Bailey (pictured) to death nearly 18 years ago in one of the most horrific attacks on a journalist in American history has been released from state prison.” Thomas Peele reported June 6 for the Chauncey Bailey Project.

“Bailey’s sister, Lorelei Waqia, said she was notified this week by the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation that Devaughndre Monique Broussard (pictured) has been paroled. He is living in Southern California.

“ ‘We hope he has reformed and becomes an asset to the community,’ Waqia wrote in a text.

“The correction department did not immediately respond to a request for information on Broussard’s release. The prosecutor in the case, former Deputy Alameda County District Attorney Melissa Krum, declined to comment.

“Broussard, then 19, killed Bailey on Aug. 2, 2007. He eventually admitted that he did so on orders from Yusuf Bey IV, the leader of Oakland’s now defunct Your Black Muslim Bakery, to stop a story Bailey was writing about the bakery. He also admitted killing another man, Odell Roberson, in revenge for Roberson’s nephew killing Bey IV’s brother in 2005.

“As part of a plea deal, in which Broussard eventually testified against Bey IV and another man who helped him carry out the hit, Antoine Mackey, Alameda County prosecutors agreed to seek a rare fixed sentence of 25 years in state prison, which a judge approved. State law allows correction officials to shave time from sentences for good behavior, and records show Broussard also worked as an inmate firefighter which can lead to additional reductions in sentences. . . .”

Naba’a (Richard) Muhammad Dies, Edited Final Call

Services are planned in Chicago Saturday for Naba’a Muhammad (pictured, via Facebook), formerly Richard B. Muhammad, editor in chief of the Final Call, official newspaper of the Nation of Islam. His age has been given as 63 and 64.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association, of which the Final Call is a member, did not list a cause of death, nor did it list a successor as Final Call editor.

“In a notice sent June 7, NNPA President and CEO Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. informed publishers of Muhammad’s transition on June 6,” the NNPA reported.

“We all are very saddened to notify you about the passing last evening of Naba’a Muhammad, the distinguished Editor of the Final Call newspaper,” Chavis wrote.

“The Final Call is the official communications organ of the Nation of Islam. Founded in the basement of Minister Louis Farrakhan’s South Chicago home in 1979, the publication has styled itself as an alternative to mainstream, corporate media, offering unflinching, sometimes controversial coverage of national and international issues. Muhammad has led the newsroom since 2009.”

A native of Baltimore, Muhammad studied English-journalism at Morgan State University. He later called Chicago his home.

Formerly Richard B. Muhammad, he was given the Islamic holy name “Naba’a Muhammad” in February 2020 in Detroit by Minister Louis Farrakhan.

He hosted a weekly news and analysis podcast, “Straight Words With Naba’a Richard Muhammad, Bj Murphy and James G. Muhammad,” and covered uprisings such as those in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Ferguson, Mo., and elsewhere after the deaths of Mike Brown and in Baltimore after the police killing of Freddie Gray, the account said.

Services are scheduled for noon Central time at Mosque Myriam, the Nation of Islam National Center. 7351 South Stony Island Ave. Chicago, IL. 60649.

When Vishavjit Singh suited up as Captain Sikh America in Manhattan for the first time in summer 2013, “Strangers came up and hugged me,” Singh said. “Police officers wanted photos with me. A couple wanted me to be part of their wedding ceremony. I felt I had a certain privilege I’d never had before.” (Courtesy Vishavjit Singh)

Comics, Graphic Novels Hosting Religious Diversity

“Captain America doesn’t wear a beard and a turban, and he’s white,” Deepa Bharath reported June 7 for the Associated Press.

“Vishavjit Singh looked at the boy who uttered those words, and then he looked at himself — a skinny, bespectacled, turbaned, bearded Sikh in a Captain America suit.

“ ‘I wasn’t offended, because I knew that this kid was going to have this image of me, a Sikh Captain America, forever in his mind,’ Singh said. ‘This image has so much power to it that it opens up conversations about what it means to be American.’

“Representation of non-Abrahamic religions and spiritual traditions, particularly in the mainstream comics universe, is minimal. Even when they are portrayed in comics, their presentation, as Singh and others in the field point out, is often inauthentic and sometimes negative.

“Recently, however, comic book writers and academics who study the intersection of religion and comics observe a renaissance of sorts, which they say is happening because people close to these faith traditions are telling these stories with a reverence and sincerity that resonate with a wider audience. . . .”

Bharath continued, “Marvel’s Black Panther heralded better representation for Africana religions in the U.S., according to Yvonne Chireau, a professor of religion at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. However what is seen in Black Panther or other comics is a synthesis of different African religions and cultural practices, she said. . . .

“Zen Buddhism has informed much of John Porcellino’s work. For over three decades, he has produced and self-published King-Cat Comics and Stories, a largely autobiographical mini-comic series. Porcellino was drawn to Buddhism in his 20s after what he describes as a period of intense mental suffering and health problems. . . .”

Though Teresa Robeson, who wrote a graphic novel about the 14th Dalai Lama, “practices neither Catholicism nor Buddhism at this time, Robeson jumped at the opportunity to tell the story of the Dalai Lama in graphic novel form because the book focused on a pivotal moment in the spiritual leader’s life, when he fled Tibet for India after the Chinese occupation. . . . “

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Exiled Cuban Threatened After Book Knocks Regime

Exiled Cuban journalist and sports commentator Armando Campuzano says he received a telephone threat referring to his four children after publishing a book critical of the Cuban government, “Cuba, the Titanic of the Caribbean.”

Campuzano’s alarm comes just weeks after historically Black Morgan State University’s journalism component released a documentary of its December trip to Cuba, in which participants accused the United States of “apartheid” for banning books by some Black authors but said nothing about the lack of freedom of expression in Cuba, where the First Amendment does not exist.

“In a video posted on the X account ‘Swing Completo LLC’ on June 2, the communicator directly blamed the Cuban regime for any harm that could happen to his family,” the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press, known by the acronym ICLEP, reported.

“Cuban journalist and sports commentator Armando Campuzano, exiled in Canada since 2017, reported having received a telephone threat in which [the caller] directly referred to his four children. In a video posted on the X account ‘Swing Completo LLC’ on June 2, the communicator directly blamed the Cuban regime for any harm that could happen to his family.

” ‘I just received a phone call that worries me a lot,’ stated Campuzano visibly affected. According to his testimony, the call was made from a private number allegedly located in the state of Tennessee, in the United States. At first they communicated in English, but after answering in Spanish, the interlocutor changed his language, albeit with a distorted voice, as if he were trying to hide his identity.

‘He told me that I shouldn’t have done what I did and to remember that I had four children, and that they knew where my four children were.’ I got upset at the time and threw an inappropriate one, threw a bad word, and hung up on my phone,’ he reported.”

Meanwhile, at least two other reports spoke of growing repression on the island, while Black Press USA, organ of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, published an uncritical interview with Cuba’s deputy director of U.S. affairs, Johana Tablada, under the headline, “Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.: “Cuba’s Top Diplomat to U.S.: Blockade Hurts Black Americans and Cubans Alike.” (Pictured: Chavis and Tablafa, credit NNPA)

“We are planning to take a delegation of the Black Press to visit [Havana] to work out a strategic alliance between the Cuban press and the Black Press of America,” said Chavis, NNPA president and CEO.

The press in Cuba is state-controlled and the nation consistently ranks near the bottom in press freedom surveys.

A report released Wednesday by the human rights group Article 19 said, “In Cuba and Nicaragua, the onslaught against press criticism continues. However, despite the recurring attacks, today more than ever the multifactorial crisis shaking Cuba reveals, in the state’s last resort — repression — the lack of alternatives for those at the helm of the country.”

The LATAM Network of Young Journalists, a flagship project of Factual, a regional journalism platform based in Mexico City, was at risk of disappearing after the suspension of international grants. (Credit: Factual)

Independent Latin Media Struggle After Trump Cuts

“When El Toque, an independent outlet that serves Cubans from exile, lost significant support after the suspension of U.S. international cooperation in January, its leaders launched an effort to diversify revenue sources,” César López Linares reported June 20 for LatAm Journalism Review.

“They increased advertising sales, secured new funders, and sped up the development of paid products, according to editor-in-chief José Jasán Nieves.

“And in March, they received news that the lost support would be restored. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a foundation funded by the U.S. Congress, announced that following a lawsuit it would be able to resume disbursing grants, including to El Toque and other independent Latin American media whose sustainability had been left in limbo.

“But according to Nieves, challenges remain.

“ ‘In three months it’s not possible to change a business model,’ Nieves told LatAm Journalism Review (LJR). ‘We still can’t say we’re safe from a new interruption like the one in January affecting us badly, but we’ve taken steps to avoid it.’

“Dozens of media outlets across Latin America continue working to depend less on organizational funding. Some have found strengths they are managing to translate into income, while others are encountering new factors threatening their long-term sustainability. . . .”

More than 100 Press Groups Demand Access to Gaza

“Over one hundred press freedom advocacy groups and international newsrooms have joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in issuing a public appeal demanding that foreign journalists be granted immediate, independent and unrestricted access to the Gaza Strip,” RSF said June 9. “The organisations are also calling for the full protection of Palestinian journalists, nearly 200 of whom have been killed by the Israeli army over the past 20 months.

“For more than 20 months, Israeli authorities have barred foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip. During the same period, the Israeli army killed nearly 200 Palestinian journalists in the blockaded territory, including at least 45 slain for their work. Palestinian journalists who continue reporting — the only witnesses on the ground — are facing unbearable conditions, including forced displacement, famine, and constant threats to their lives.

“This collective appeal, launched by RSF and CPJ, brings together prominent news outlets from every continent demanding the right to send correspondents into Gaza to report alongside Palestinian journalists. . . .”

Repost: No Stopping Myth of Juneteenth’s Origin

June 17, 2025

Promotion for 16th Annual Juneteenth Festival Summit | FREE Festival & Concert, June 12, Brooklyn, N.Y.

No Stopping the Myth of Juneteenth’s Origin

(June 21, 2024)

https://www.journal-isms.com/no-stopping-the-myth-of-juneteenths-origin/

H.L. Gates Jr.: Why Popular Juneteenth Story Strains Credulity

(June 12, 2024)

(scroll down)

Media Version of Juneteenth’s Origin Is a Myth

(June 19, 2021)

 Florida A&M University marching band during a battle of the bands at the Juneteenth celebration in the SoFa District of San Jose, Calif., 2024 (Credit: Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

The Daily News in Galveston, Texas, locus of the events that inspired Juneteenth, reports in 2021 that President Joe Biden has designated the day a federal holiday, expanding its recognition beyond Black America.

 

 


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