Latest news with #AshleyRobinson
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Amid attacks on DEI, a US nonprofit offers reparations, education and healing: ‘We're looking to fill the gap'
When Ashley Robinson and her mother took DNA tests 10 years ago and began meeting long lost cousins, they stumbled across a surprising family history that changed their lives. Robinson's lineage traced back to the 272 West Africans who were enslaved by Jesuits and sold to plantation owners in the southern US in 1838. The sale of the enslaved Africans helped fund Georgetown University, the oldest Jesuit higher education institution in the US, and served as collateral to the now defunct Citizens Bank of New Orleans, whose assets were later folded into JPMorgan Chase. Robinson dived into researching her lineage after having her first child at 21 years old, and soon enrolled in an organization called the GU272 Descendants Association, which hosts genealogical workshops and connects people whose ancestors were sold by Georgetown University. While national discussions around reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans have largely stalled, Robinson's uncovering of her family's history met an unlikely resolution. During her senior year in undergraduate school, she received a scholarship funded by the successors of her family's enslavers. 'I remember praying after I finished the [scholarship] application,' Robinson said. As a 29-year-old mother of three, Robinson considered taking a break from school due to financial constraints. 'It was perfect timing, because the scholarship came about, and that's sailing me through the end of my degree.' The $10,000 from the nonprofit Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation has helped minimize the federal student loans that Robinson needs to complete her computer science degree at University of Maryland Global Campus by the end of the year. For Robinson, the scholarship has meant that she 'will be able to finish school without taking food from the table or having to figure out what we're going to do next'. Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation is a partnership between the descendants of West Africans enslaved by Jesuits and the church's successors, aimed to address the wrongs of the past by focusing on three pillars: education, honoring elders and addressing systemic racism. The descendants partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to issue post-secondary educational scholarships for descendants of Jesuit enslavement at institutions of their choice. Since the fall of 2024, the foundation has awarded more than $170,000 in scholarships to 25 students across 20 schools, with students being eligible to renew scholarships every year. Related: 'A dog cemetery would not be treated like this': the fight to preserve Black burial grounds in the US As Donald Trump's administration has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the federal level by cancelling grant programs that benefit people of color, the foundation has successfully championed reparations in the private sector. 'We're looking to fill the gap where these institutions are somewhat hesitant or unsure how they're going to be able to support those communities,' the foundation's president and CEO, Monique Trusclair Maddox said. Bishops reckoning with their church's history of slavery in the UK are also looking to the foundation's truth and reconciliation efforts. 'Teaching this history through Jesuit institutions, allowing dialogue to come in places that wouldn't otherwise be afforded is something that hasn't been done in the past,' Trusclair Maddox said. 'We believe that that whole approach to changing how people look at racism and how people look at marginalized communities is something that will last for a long time.' The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, were slaveowners until the mid-1800s, relying on forced labor to expand their mission throughout North America. When Georgetown University faced financial difficulties, the Jesuits sold more than 272 enslaved people from five tobacco plantations in Maryland to Louisiana plantation owners to help pay off the school's debts. More than 100 of the enslaved people were sold to other owners, or remained in Maryland by escaping or by having spouses on nearby plantations. The sale that generated the current-day equivalent of $3.3m tore apart families and communities, and in turn, helped form the Georgetown University that's known today. Georgetown and the church's sordid past was largely forgotten until a descendant uncovered it while researching her genealogy in 2004. Over several years, genealogists dug up additional research on the enslaved people, as descendants formed their own groups to learn more about their ancestors. Then starting from August 2018 to the fall of 2019, about 15 representatives altogether from the Society of Jesus, Georgetown University and the descendants gathered together over multiple joint meetings with a facilitator and truth and racial healing practitioner hosted by the Kellogg Foundation. Through their difficult conversations, they created a memorandum of understanding that created the scaffolding for the foundation and laid out the Jesuits' commitments. When Father Timothy Kesicki, a Jesuit priest and chair of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Trust learned about the descendants, he said that it transformed his understanding of history: 'I almost had a 180 degree turn on it, because suddenly it wasn't a past story. It was a living memory, and it begged for a response.' The year-long conversations that unfolded between the Jesuits and descendants were raw and full of challenging emotions. 'The whole thing was painful for everybody. This is a historic trauma. It was very hard for Jesuits. It's very easy to be trapped by shame and fear and a prevailing sentiment out there that says: 'Why are you digging up the past?'' said Kesicki. 'We were understanding the truth differently than our preconceived notions, there was a power and a beauty to it also.' After tracing her own family history back to those who were enslaved by the Jesuits in 2016, Trusclair Maddox attended an apology ceremony at Georgetown University where she met other descendants of Jesuit enslavement the following year. She soon joined as a board member of GU272, before taking over the helm of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation in 2024. The Jesuits agreed to commit the first $100m to the foundation, and so far have contributed more than $45m, some of which came from the sale of former plantation land. Georgetown University also committed $10m to the trust. Half of the funding is designed to provide educational scholarships and home modifications for elderly descendants, and the other half of their dollars will go toward projects devoted to racial healing. The first racial healing grant funded an art display in New Orleans on Juneteenth. The exhibit will go to the Essence Festival in New Orleans, and Cleveland, Ohio. The foundation is also considering creating a grant for victims of fires in California, which would be open to all. Along with the educational pillar, the foundation also helps seniors by hiring occupational therapists to do an assessment of the safety needs in their home, and then a remodeler installs features such as grab bars and railings. The foundation is now piloting its program in descendant homes in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Ohio, with plans to grow nationally. In spite of the anti-DEI rhetoric nationally, Trusclair Maddox said that support from individual donors has increased by 10% in recent months, and they've also received donations from more anonymous donors. Benefactors have shared with the foundation that their work is needed now more than ever. The program is also being used as a model for truth and reconciliation throughout the world. Last September, Kesicki and Trusclair Maddox presented their programs to the College of Bishops in Oxford, who were grappling with their own history of slavery in England. After the presentation, the College of Bishops sent a video expressing gratitude about what they learned over the two days. 'We're transforming their church,' Trusclair Maddox said, 'not just what we're doing here in the US.' Related: Harvard hired a researcher to uncover its ties to slavery. He says the results cost him his job: 'We found too many slaves' The foundation is also working to educate young Jesuits and descendants on their shared history and to instil in them a respect for their collective future. Starting in late June, about 15 people – a combination of Jesuits and descendants – from throughout the nation will discuss racial healing in-person in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and through Zoom throughout the summer. A descendant will lead discussions on race relations and teach about the history of the Jesuits and enslavement, as well as Jim Crow policies. Trusclair Maddox foresees the foundation helping future generations reckon with the past in perpetuity. 'The heirs of enslavers and the descendants of those who were enslaved have come together, not from a litigious perspective, but from a moral perspective, and joined hands and hearts together to walk this path. As painful as it may be together, we believe that shows some hope,' Trusclair Maddox said. 'There is a possibility for a greater America. There's a possibility for people to not live in fear.'
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Amid attacks on DEI, a US nonprofit offers reparations, education and healing: ‘We're looking to fill the gap'
When Ashley Robinson and her mother took DNA tests 10 years ago and began meeting long lost cousins, they stumbled across a surprising family history that changed their lives. Robinson's lineage traced back to the 272 West Africans who were enslaved by Jesuits and sold to plantation owners in the southern US in 1838. The sale of the enslaved Africans helped fund Georgetown University, the oldest Jesuit higher education institution in the US, and served as collateral to the now defunct Citizens Bank of New Orleans, whose assets were later folded into JPMorgan Chase. Robinson dived into researching her lineage after having her first child at 21 years old, and soon enrolled in an organization called the GU272 Descendants Association, which hosts genealogical workshops and connects people whose ancestors were sold by Georgetown University. While national discussions around reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans have largely stalled, Robinson's uncovering of her family's history met an unlikely resolution. During her senior year in undergraduate school, she received a scholarship funded by the successors of her family's enslavers. 'I remember praying after I finished the [scholarship] application,' Robinson said. As a 29-year-old mother of three, Robinson considered taking a break from school due to financial constraints. 'It was perfect timing, because the scholarship came about, and that's sailing me through the end of my degree.' The $10,000 from the nonprofit Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation has helped minimize the federal student loans that Robinson needs to complete her computer science degree at University of Maryland Global Campus by the end of the year. For Robinson, the scholarship has meant that she 'will be able to finish school without taking food from the table or having to figure out what we're going to do next'. Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, The Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation is a partnership between the descendants of West Africans enslaved by Jesuits and the church's successors, aimed to address the wrongs of the past by focusing on three pillars: education, honoring elders and addressing systemic racism. The descendants partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to issue post-secondary educational scholarships for descendants of Jesuit enslavement at institutions of their choice. Since the fall of 2024, the foundation has awarded more than $170,000 in scholarships to 25 students across 20 schools, with students being eligible to renew scholarships every year. As Donald Trump's administration has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the federal level by cancelling grant programs that benefit people of color, the foundation has successfully championed reparations in the private sector. 'We're looking to fill the gap where these institutions are somewhat hesitant or unsure how they're going to be able to support those communities,' the foundation's president and CEO, Monique Trusclair Maddox said. Bishops reckoning with their church's history of slavery in the UK are also looking to the foundation's truth and reconciliation efforts. 'Teaching this history through Jesuit institutions, allowing dialogue to come in places that wouldn't otherwise be afforded is something that hasn't been done in the past,' Trusclair Maddox said. 'We believe that that whole approach to changing how people look at racism and how people look at marginalized communities is something that will last for a long time.' The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, were slaveowners until the mid-1800s, relying on forced labor to expand their mission throughout North America. When Georgetown University faced financial difficulties, the Jesuits sold more than 272 enslaved people from five tobacco plantations in Maryland to Louisiana plantation owners to help pay off the school's debts. More than 100 of the enslaved people were sold to other owners, or remained in Maryland by escaping or by having spouses on nearby plantations. The sale that generated the current-day equivalent of $3.3m tore apart families and communities, and in turn, helped form the Georgetown University that's known today. Georgetown and the church's sordid past was largely forgotten until a descendant uncovered it while researching her genealogy in 2004. Over several years, genealogists dug up additional research on the enslaved people, as descendants formed their own groups to learn more about their ancestors. Then starting from August 2018 to the fall of 2019, about 15 representatives altogether from the Society of Jesus, Georgetown University and the descendants gathered together over multiple joint meetings with a facilitator and truth and racial healing practitioner hosted by the Kellogg Foundation. Through their difficult conversations, they created a memorandum of understanding that created the scaffolding for the foundation and laid out the Jesuits' commitments. When Father Timothy Kesicki, a Jesuit priest and chair of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Trust learned about the descendants, he said that it transformed his understanding of history: 'I almost had a 180 degree turn on it, because suddenly it wasn't a past story. It was a living memory, and it begged for a response.' The year-long conversations that unfolded between the Jesuits and descendants were raw and full of challenging emotions. 'The whole thing was painful for everybody. This is a historic trauma. It was very hard for Jesuits. It's very easy to be trapped by shame and fear and a prevailing sentiment out there that says: 'Why are you digging up the past?'' said Kesicki. 'We were understanding the truth differently than our preconceived notions, there was a power and a beauty to it also.' After tracing her own family history back to those who were enslaved by the Jesuits in 2016, Trusclair Maddox attended an apology ceremony at Georgetown University where she met other descendants of Jesuit enslavement the following year. She soon joined as a board member of GU272, before taking over the helm of the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation in 2024. The Jesuits agreed to commit the first $100m to the foundation, and so far have contributed more than $45m, some of which came from the sale of former plantation land. Georgetown University also committed $10m to the trust. Half of the funding is designed to provide educational scholarships and home modifications for elderly descendants, and the other half of their dollars will go toward projects devoted to racial healing. The first racial healing grant funded an art display in New Orleans on Juneteenth. The exhibit will go to the Essence Festival in New Orleans, and Cleveland, Ohio. The foundation is also considering creating a grant for victims of fires in California, which would be open to all. Along with the educational pillar, the foundation also helps seniors by hiring occupational therapists to do an assessment of the safety needs in their home, and then a remodeler installs features such as grab bars and railings. The foundation is now piloting its program in descendant homes in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Ohio, with plans to grow nationally. In spite of the anti-DEI rhetoric nationally, Trusclair Maddox said that support from individual donors has increased by 10% in recent months, and they've also received donations from more anonymous donors. Benefactors have shared with the foundation that their work is needed now more than ever. The program is also being used as a model for truth and reconciliation throughout the world. Last September, Kesicki and Trusclair Maddox presented their programs to the College of Bishops in Oxford, who were grappling with their own history of slavery in England. After the presentation, the College of Bishops sent a video expressing gratitude about what they learned over the two days. 'We're transforming their church,' Trusclair Maddox said, 'not just what we're doing here in the US.' The foundation is also working to educate young Jesuits and descendants on their shared history and to instil in them a respect for their collective future. Starting in late June, about 15 people – a combination of Jesuits and descendants – from throughout the nation will discuss racial healing in-person in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and through Zoom throughout the summer. A descendant will lead discussions on race relations and teach about the history of the Jesuits and enslavement, as well as Jim Crow policies. Trusclair Maddox foresees the foundation helping future generations reckon with the past in perpetuity. 'The heirs of enslavers and the descendants of those who were enslaved have come together, not from a litigious perspective, but from a moral perspective, and joined hands and hearts together to walk this path. As painful as it may be together, we believe that shows some hope,' Trusclair Maddox said. 'There is a possibility for a greater America. There's a possibility for people to not live in fear.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jackson State wins award for top men's program in SWAC
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – For the second time in three years, Jackson State University (JSU) won the C.D. Henry Award as the top overall men's athletics program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for 2024-25. 'Our student-athletes competed at the highest level all season and I am extremely proud of what they have been able to accomplish, and this is a culmination of that hard work,' Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson said. 'They represented Jackson State at the highest level, competing for numerous conference championships and placing in the top three in eight sports.' Jackson State wins SWAC Softball Championship The Tigers last won the award in 2022-23 after accumulating 72.0 points in men's sponsored sports. Alabama State (68.5) and Texas Southern (68.0) finished in second and third place respectively. Jackson State won the award following a year that included a SWAC and HBCU National Championship in football in the fall and a second-place finish in indoor track and field early in the winter. The men's basketball program finished second in the regular season (and tournament), while men's tennis finished second in the conference tournament. Jackson State's men's outdoor track and field finished second in the conference meet, while cross country finished fifth overall, and the baseball program finished sixth overall. Jackson State finished second in the James Frank Commissioner's Cup after finishing with 147.5 points, finishing just behind Alabama State (163.0). Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ABC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Rugby families, staff lashed for 'appalling' behaviour towards referees
Junior rugby league referees, who can be as young as 13, are being threatened and copping verbal abuse, with families and team staff lashed for "appalling behaviour". In one instance, a Sunshine Coast junior rugby league referee had to be escorted to their car due to threatening behaviour from players and families. In another incident Rugby League Sunshine Coast said a referee was told "let's take this out to the car park" by staff members for a team of under 12s. Yet another was shocked when a player called them a "f***ing r****d", and a fourth refused to referee some teams after consistent poor behaviour. The league made the incidents public in a missive to all clubs and a post on social media. Sunshine Coast Falcons chairperson Ashley Robinson said the behaviour was "embarrassing", particularly with officials and volunteers starting as teenagers. "For them to be treated poorly by players and parents is appalling because if there are no officials there is no game and a lot of these referees are young kids," he said. "If you think you can do a better job, go do a referee's course and get involved because you wouldn't want to see that abuse happen to your own child." Mr Robinson said one of the problems was that parents were "living through their children" on the field. And he said other parents and fans also had a role to play. "We are all responsible to speak out when we see someone doing the wrong thing," he said. "If it is a player, [the referee] needs to stop the game, call the coach onto the field and tell them if they can't get their kids under control 'then I will'. "If it's a parent they need to stop the game, go over to the sideline and actually single them out and say that they will not continue this game until this club sorts out whoever is misbehaving." Mr Robinson said in his decades in the sport it had always been hard to recruit officials and volunteers, and the bad behaviour only made it tougher. Bad behaviour in junior sport is not unique to the competition on the Sunshine Coast. Earlier this week a former elite soccer coach on the Gold Coast urged parents to stop yelling from the sidelines. In early 2024, Queensland Rugby League (QRL) introduced a "green socks" program so fans and players could tell when referees were under 18. QRL's Clayton Sharpe said it was about protecting emerging referees and officials from aggression. "Primarily it is about treating young referees with respect, refraining from abuse, and understanding that our emerging match officials are still learning — just like the players," he said at the time. In 2021, New South Wales Rugby League began banning competitive games for children under 13 and banned tackling until midway through under 7s. In a statement Rugby League Sunshine Coast warned there would be penalties if the behaviour continued. "Sunshine Coast Junior Rugby League firmly stands behind our referees in all instances regardless of excuses given by those who are of the belief that their actions are justified," a spokesperson said. "We are an organisation which fosters a safe environment where referees, just like players, are allowed to make mistakes without fear of retribution. "For any player, team staff or spectator who disagrees with our values then we ask you to reconsider your involvement with rugby league on the Sunshine Coast." Competition organisers have warned the league is considering penalties, including fines and the de-registration of players.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Shock as doctors discover staggering rise in type of cancer that can leave patients unable to control their bowels
Leading doctors are calling on the public to be aware of the symptoms of anal cancer, as new data reveals a sharp rise in cases among women—particularly in over 65s. Red flags include blood in bowel movements, pain, itching, small lumps around the anus and persistent, uncontrollable diarrhoea. These issues can also be caused by other, more common conditions like haemorrhoids or anal fissures—but persistent or unusual symptoms should always be checked by a medical professional, add experts. The warning comes after researchers analysed data from the US National Cancer Institute between 2017 and 2021, and found something surprising. Overall, cases increased by three per cent in women and 1.6 per cent in men over the study period. But white women aged 65 and over saw the most dramatic rise, with an annual increase of four per cent. If these trends continue, scientists warn that anal cancer cases among women over 65 could double in less than 17 years. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about who is most at risk, experts tracking the phenomenon say. Screening guidelines have typically focused on people with HIV, men who have sex with men, organ transplant recipients and women with a history of vulvar cancer. 'Rates of anal cancer are rising fastest among white and Hispanic women over 65—groups not traditionally considered high risk,' said lead author Dr Ashley Robinson, a second-year internal medicine resident at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Human papillomavirus, known as HPV, causes 90 per cent of anal cancers. In the UK, approximately 1,600 people are diagnosed each year. While still considered rare, it makes up approximately one per cent of all gastrointestinal cancers. Although the reason for the increase is still unclear, the experts suggested it is likely because the HPV vaccination was not recommended to older women when they were younger, despite being widely available now and offered in schools. In the UK, the HPV jab was offered to all girls aged 12 to 13 in school year eight since September 2008, while eligibility was only expanded to boys in year eight from September 2019. The jab significantly reduces your chances of catching HPV, which is spread through skin to skin contact, usually during sex. The virus is normally harmless, but for reasons not fully understand can also trigger cancers, which alongside anal cancer also including those in the throat, penis, vagina and cervix. 'It's crucial that we promote HPV vaccination as a key tool for preventing anal cancer, while also keeping health care providers informed as screening guidelines evolve,' Dr Robinson said. 'These findings highlight specific patient groups who may benefit from targeted screening for anal HPV and anal cancer.' Currently, older women are not screened for anal cancer and the findings of the study concluded that this could be beneficial. It comes as the number of under-50s with bowel cancer in England is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, a major study warns. While cases of early onset bowel cancer, defined as those aged 25 to 49, is increasing globally, England's rate of the disease is growing by an average of 3.6 per cent each year – one of the fastest rises. Experts believe poor diet, more ultra-processed foods, obesity and a lack of exercise could be responsible for the alarming trend. The study found bowel cancer rates in young people rose in 27 out of the 50 countries studied in the decade to 2017. Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who led the study, said the rise in early onset cancers is no longer limited to high-income Western countries but is now a 'global phenomenon'.
