Scroll down to see this weeks focus areas!
Dismantling Racism
Civil rights recognition for Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley
On December 24, 2022, Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley were posthumously honored with the Congressional Gold Medal For Advancing Racial Justice. As Congressman Cory Booker stated, “The courage and activism demonstrated by Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, in displaying to the world the cruelty endured by her son” by showing his body in an open casket, “helped awaken the nation’s conscience, forcing America to reckon with our failure to address racism and the glaring injustices that stem from such hatred.”
Emmett Louis Till was a 14-year-old black boy who was abducted, tortured and lynched in Mississippi in 1995 after being accused of offending a white woman in her family's grocery store. An all-white jury found the husband of the woman and a brother not guilty of Till's murder. Protected against double jeopardy, the two publicly admitted in a 1956 interview that they had tortured and murdered the boy, selling the story of how they did it for $4,000.
Emmett Till’s death was not vindicated by the courts, nor has it been in the history books of the United States. We can only hope that this Gold Medal honor and the telling of their story through a newly released mainstream movie 'Till', will motivate people to work to dismantle racism.
Human Trafficking Committee
What is Sextortion? Part II
Sextortion is a crime that happens online when an adult convinces a person who is younger than 18 to share sexual pictures or perform sexual acts on a webcam.
How do predators contact our children/teens? Our children are vulnerable through social media. Predators contact children through mobile or online sites, apps, and games. The minors are enticed by predators who offer them something of value in exchange for a picture. For example: The children/teens may be offered a modeling contract, online game credits, money, cryptocurrency or gift cards. Also, predators use threats claiming they have a picture of the child and will distribute it on the web or threaten to harm the child or family and friends, if he/she does not comply with the requests.
How do we protect our children?
- Convey to our children that sextortion is a crime and is very risky.
- People can pretend to be anyone online.
- Understand that nothing disappears online – photos are preserved.
- Set limits on internet use (ex. No phones in bedrooms at night.).
- Frequently check phones and computers to monitor apps and contacts.
- Review settings on social media accounts and maintain private settings.
- Keep communication open with our children and be supportive.
- Do not judge if this crime affects your child.
Resources and Sources
- Report online tips at: FBI.Gov
- Call local FBI office
- Call local police
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: https://www.missingkids.org/
- FBI Resources: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion
