b'POLITICSBlack Veterans Get Housing Relief O nNovember302021,PresidentmoresimplyknownastheGIBill Bidensignedbill,S.1031,whichRestoration Act. The bill would provide requires the Government Accountabilitythe families of Black veterans of WorldBlack servicemembers fought valiantly in Office to conduct a race and ethnicityWar II a transferable benefit that their study regarding certain Department ofdescendants can use to attend college,Europe and the Pacific for freedom from Veterans Affairs benefits. secure housing, start businesses and There is a long history with respect tobuild generational wealth.Black veterans and their rightly earnedThebillisnamedinhonoroftwotyranny, with hope that their patriotism benefits. In 1944 President Franklin D.World War II veterans who exemplify the Roosevelt signed the GI Bill into law.indignities African American veteranswould be greeted with equality and Intheory,theGIBillrepresentedafaced after serving their country.promise from the country to the peopleIwasayoungstudentwhenopportunity once they returned home.whofoughtonitsbehalfthattheirPresidentTrumanintegratedthe sacrifice would be rewarded with theArmedServicesinresponsetothe opportunity to attend college and buildblindingofIsaacWoodard,andthat generational wealth. stuckwithmethroughoutmylife. In practice, however, generations ofWemustrectifywhathappenednotto fulfill this promise to World War IIearned through service and sacrifice.BlackveteransofWorldWarIIandonlytoSgt.Woodard,buttoalltheveterans of color. TheGIBillRestorationActrepre-their descendants were robbed of thisBlack World War II veterans who wereBlackservicemembersfoughtval- sents a major step toward righting this promisebecauseofJimCrowandtreatedunjustlywhentheyreturnediantlyinEuropeandthePacificforinjusticeandrepairingtheeconomic thewideracialdisparityinthebillshome from serving their country andfreedom from tyranny, with hope thatharmsexperiencedbyBlackWWII implementation.ButchangemaybedeniedtheirGIBillbenefits,saidtheirpatriotismwouldbegreetedveteransandtheirfamiliesbecause coming. Congressman Clyburn. withequalityandopportunityonceof discrimination and will help ensure In honor of this years Veterans Day,We all know that the quickest waytheyreturnedhome,saidSenatortheir descendants can access the full 77 years later, Representative James E.tobuildwealthisthrougheduca- Warnock. Racial inequity in how therange of GI Bill benefits, they earned Clyburn, introduced legislation in thetionandhomeownership.Somanyimmense benefits of the original GI Billthrough their heroic service.House, and Senator Reverend RaphaelBlackfamiliesweredeniedthispathweredisbursedarewell-documented, WarnockofGeorgiaisintroducedinto the middle class. It is important toand weve all seen how these inequi-theSenate,legislationdesignedtoacknowledgethisinjusticeandhelptieshavetrickleddownovertime,SOURCE: Walter Huff II, Congressional begin to repair the damage. address the wealth gap that was exac- leavingBlackWorldWarIIveteransBlackCaucus,OfficeoftheMajority The GI Bill Restoration Act of 2021,erbatedbythegovernmentsfailureandtheirfamilieswithoutwhattheyWhip and NOAAH Prime StaffNew Legislative Map Boosts Chance for Latino RepresentationF ollowing the approval of the proposed legis- tunity to secure meaningful representation forWe exist to empower lative maps by the Colorado Supreme Court,Latino communities in every corner of the state. the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy andThese maps are a continuation of our work tocommunities so they can ResearchOrganization(CLLARO)releasedthebuild power for Colorado Latinos. We will notadvocate for themselves. That following statement:stop fighting for the representative leadership, CLLARO fought for meaningful representationpolicychange,andgrassrootsadvocacythatwas our rationale for jumping forColoradoLatinosthroughtheredistrictingwill ensure our communities are powerful andinto the redistricting process, process, and these maps provide the opportunitywhole for decades to come. and were proud to say that the to make that a reality for the next decade. WeappreciatetheLegislativeCommissions thoughtful approach and applaud their use ofresult is the opportunity to secure We exist to empower communities so they can advocate for themselves. That was our rationaleproper data and consideration of VRA analysis.meaningful representation for for jumping into the redistricting process, andAlthough we do not agree with every element ofLatino communities in every were proud to say that the result is the oppor- the approved maps, we are proud of the work and confident in the outcome. corner of the state.1.Danny Gokey - Jesus6.Tamela Mann - People Overcomer2.Edwrin Sutton - The7.Andy Mineo - Revival Neverland Ii3.Kenny Lewis -8.Toby Mac - Live In Undefeated Denver4.True Believers - The9.Christina Bell - Still Sounds We Grew Up On Faithful5.Newsboys - Stand 10 Jason Nelson - Close6 DECEMBER 2021 BOCNEWS.com'