Norton to Speak at Black Men and Boys Caucus Briefing on Unbiased Reporting of Men of Color, Tomorrow

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that Norton, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Men and Boys (CCBMB), will give remarks at a National Collaborative for Health Equity briefing, entitled "Mediaxploitation: A Call for Unbiased Reporting on Boys and Men of Color," tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, at 8:40 a.m. in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building (45 Independence Ave SW).

The CCBMB briefing is being held in conjunction with the National Collaborative for Health Equity's Dellums Commission and is scheduled in the wake of two controversial grand jury decisions in the cases of Michael Brown Jr. and Eric Garner. In each case, the police officers who directly caused the deaths of these unarmed men were not indicted on any charges, sparking protests across the nation and a response from the White House. The event will feature a presentation and panel discussion on the dearth of media coverage for the peaceful protests that have taken place since the Brown and Garner incidents and on the traditionally negative portrayal of young black men in the news. Norton, whose House-passed amendment to the House fiscal year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill to prevent profiling by law enforcement officials and to ensure citizens are not stopped, investigated, arrested, or detained based on their appearance, plans to engage in more conversations about the dangers of racial profiling on the streets, and in the news, with the hopes that they will lead to much needed police reform.

"The tragic killing of Michael Brown and Eric Garner were not in vain if they sparked meaningful discussions about racial profiling and the use of deadly force on young black men by law enforcement," said Norton. "Now that the nation has seen first-hand the on-camera choking death of Eric Garner, it is timely to look at the media coverage and public perception of Black men."