Sybil Wilkes ‘What You Need To Know:’ Breast Cancer, IRS Shifts, and More

1. Get Your Popcorn Ready: House Leadership Race is Underway

Get Your Popcorn Ready: House Leadership Race is Underway

What You Need to Know:

The U.S. House returns to work Tuesday in an unfamiliar place, without a Speaker of the House and in the midst of a Middle East war. Questions remain about how the House will function with a temporary Speaker, in the person of Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC), especially in light of a war involving major U.S. ally, Israel.

In the wake of last week’s historic removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House and  an effort to get back on track, Republicans have published a schedule of this week’s events. While Democrats remain united behind Minority Leader Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Republicans will try to get back on the unity track. Two House members are campaigning to become the next House Speaker, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La) and conservative Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Oh).

2. The Curious Case of Black Indigenous Peoples

The Curious Case of Black Indigenous Peoples

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY KHAMERON RILEY

What You Need to Know:

President Joe Biden on Friday issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 11, 2021, recognizing the strength and resilience of the nation’s first people and publicly acknowledging the harm inflicted upon them by the agent of colonization, Christopher Columbus.

The What You Need to Know newsletter wants to unpack the legacy of Black Indigenous people, a people forced to choose a category of confinement among a diverse and culturally rich heritage. Olivia Ward Bush-Banks, poet and journalist of African-American and Montaukett Native American heritage, wrote about her mixed lineage often in a colonized world that tried to divide her in two.

3. Breast Cancer Myths Debunked

Breast Cancer Myths Debunked

What You Need to Know:

Myth 1: You are only at risk of developing breast cancer if you have a family history.
Fact: About 70 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. But if you do have a first-degree relative (mom, sister, child) who has had breast cancer, your risk of contracting the disease doubles.

Myth 2: If air hits a tumor during surgery, it causes the cancer to spread.
Fact: Surgery doesn’t cause breast cancer—or any cancer for that matter—to spread.

Myth 3: If you have small breasts, you are immune to getting breast cancer.

Fact: Breast size has absolutely no connection to your risk of breast cancer. But it can be more difficult to examine larger breasts.

4. Violent Inmate Rehabilitation Program in Tennessee Prison, But What About the Jailers?

Violent Inmate Rehabilitation Program in Tennessee Prison, But What About the Jailers?

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY Coy Malone

What You Need to Know:

On October 4, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office announced a new initiative and partnership with organizations Inward Journey and Inside Circle to “address the rise in violent crimes, changing cultural and generational needs and training that will offer therapeutic models to enhance inmate’s personal growth and working to build a culture of dignity, respect, and tolerance.” 

For families like Gershun Freeman’s, this program is “too little, too late.” 

“On tomorrow will be the first anniversary of my son’s death. They took my child from me,” said Freeman’s mother, Kim, during a press conference on October 4. “We want justice for my boy. We gonna get justice for him, we not gonna stop fighting,” said George Burks, Freeman’s father.

5. IRS Shifts Focus on Audits to Address Tax Inequity

IRS Shifts Focus on Audits to Address Tax Inequity

WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY CATRINA M. CRAFT, CPA

What You Need to Know:

In a move to address tax inequity, the IRS is set to revamp its approach to examining tax returns, particularly those of lower earners. Beginning in 2024, the agency plans to reduce the number of correspondence audits, for specific tax credits. This change will impact the earned income tax credit, which is often claimed by individuals with low to moderate incomes. This comes as part of the IRS’s efforts to balance enforcement practices and enhance tax collection.

This announcement follows the IRS’s plans to harness advanced technology and artificial intelligence for the collection of unpaid taxes from higher-income individuals, partnerships, and large corporations. The goal is to rectify the significant decline in enforcement efforts targeting the wealthiest taxpayers.