The California Black Media Political Playback: Black Advocates Celebrate Women’s History Month

Tanu Henry and Maxim Elramsisy

California Black Media

Black Advocates Celebrate Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, and several California organizations are celebrating trailblazing women making history in our state -- whether it’s recognizing the record-setting number of women who are state constitutional officers or lauding the unprecedented number of women serving in the Legislature ((50 out of 120).

Last week, the Black Women’s Collective kicked off Women’s History Month with an event organized to help build an Economic Action Plan for Black Women. It

Exxon Mobil Sued as 5 Nooses Displayed at Louisiana Facility

Exxon Mobil Corp. violated federal law for failing to take sufficient action as five hangman’s nooses were displayed at its facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the U.S. government said in a lawsuit.

According to the government, in January 2020, a Black employee found a hangman’s noose at his worksite at the Baton Rouge complex run by Exxon Mobil Corp. and reported it. At the time, the company knew of three other nooses that had been found at the complex, but it failed to investigate all the complaints and take action to prevent such harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in its lawsuit filed Thursday.

Then, in December 2020, a fifth noose was found at the complex, which includes a chemical plant and nearby refinery. Exxon Mobil’s lack of action created a racially hostile work environment, the EEOC said.

Todd Spitler, a spokesperson for Exxon Mobil, said in a statement Sunday that the company disagrees with the EEOC’s allegations and that it “encourage(s) employees to report claims like this, and we thoroughly investigated.”

“The symbols of hate are unacceptable, offensive, and in violation of our corporate policies,” Spitler said. “We have a zero tolerance policy of any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace by or towards employees, contractors, suppliers or customers.”

Employers who become aware of racially offensive or threatening conduct in the workplace are legally obligated to take “prompt, remedial action aimed at stopping it,’’ Rudy Sustaita, an attorney at the EEOC’s Houston district office, said in a statement.

Elizabeth Owen, a senior trial attorney in the EEOC’s New Orleans field office, said in a statement that the displays of nooses required swift action.

“A noose is a longstanding symbol of violence associated with the lynching of African Americans,” she said. ‘’Such symbols are inherently threatening and significantly alter the workplace environment for Black Americans.”

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Obama Praises Woman Behind ‘Fired Up’ Chant

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Former President Barack Obama, marking the retirement of the woman credited with popularizing the chant “Fired up, ready to go!” that epitomized his campaigns, says her energy played a key role in lifting his spirits and his candidacy.

“It was early in my campaign, and I wasn’t doing that good,” Obama recalled in a video provided to The Associated Press by the Obama Foundation, harking back to a 2007 campaign stop in Greenwood, South Carolina, on a dreary, rainy day.

But the small crowd, Obama said, was transformed as Edith Childs led them in the rousing, back-and-forth chant, “Fired up, ready to go!”

“Leadership and power and inspiration can come from anywhere,” Obama said in the video to mark Childs’ retirement after 24 years on the Greenwood County Council. “It just has to do with spirit, and nobody embodied that better than Edith.” brought together experts in policymaking, labor, economic development, and entrepreneurship.

“Fired up, ready to go!” swiftly became part of the Obama campaign’s ethos, manifested in T-shirts, signs and bumper stickers.

This week, Childs told the AP that she had come to know the “fired up” verbiage from its use decades ago, the words energizing participants during NAACP voter registration drives.

“Once we sang that song, it reminded us that, no matter what, we have to remain fired up and ready to go, and be prepared for whatever confronts you,” she said.

“Black women serve as breadwinners in 80% of Black households in California with over 70% headed by single mothers,” said Kellie Todd Griffin, President and CEO, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute. Griffin was citing statistics from a report on the State of Black Women in California from 2018 and 2022.

“Typically, Black women have higher labor force participation rates than other women, meaning a higher share of Black women are either employed or unemployed and looking for work,” Griffin continued. “However, the economic safety net is not secure as Black Women makes less than most of their counterparts making .55 cents to White males, which is one of the lowest in the nation equally the wage gap in Mississippi. California falls short of the national rate at .63 cents.”

Panelists at the event included Los Angeles City Councilmember Heather Hutt (CD10); Yvonne Wheeler, President, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, President and CEO, Center by Lendistry; and Denise Pines, Co-Founder and CEO, Tea Botanics and Women in the Room Productions. Moderators were Griffin and Regina Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media.

In Historic Los Angeles Ceremony, Malia M. Cohen Sworn in as Top State Accountant

It was a history-making moment as Malia M. Cohen was inaugurated the 33rd California State Controller at Los Angeles City Hall on Feb. 23. During the swearing-in, she was flanked by her husband Warren Pulley while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass administered the oath.

As California’s chief fiscal officer and top accountant, the State Controller’s office is an independent watchdog overseeing the disbursement of state and local funds, including one of the nation’s largest public pension funds.

Cohen, a San Francisco native will be the first Black person, and second woman Controller, as the state continues to make an intentional effort to break gender and racial barriers. Two of the top four largest cities, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are led by Black women Mayors, Karen Bass and London Breed respectively, and the state also elected its first Black in Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, who previously served under an appointment by Gov. Newsom.

“Mayor Bass and Congresswoman Lee: I know that you know all too well, that no matter the campaign budget difference, no matter how much they outspend you, leadership can’t be bought,” Cohen said in her inaugural speech.

California Black Freedom Fund Hosts Panel

Discussions in Oakland

On Feb. 28 in Oakland, the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) hosted an event titled “Strengthening Democracy and Building Black Futures” followed by a reception for guests who attended.

The event included two panel discussions centered around the need for philanthropy to commit resources to building and sustaining a just, racially diverse, equitable and inclusive civil society.

“Civil society is the basis upon which you have a democracy, and civil society needs to be informed. It needs

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Childs attended several events with the Obama family at the White House during his presidential tenure, led delegates in the chant during the 2012 Democratic National Convention and sat with first lady Michelle Obama at her husband’s final State of the Union address in 2016.

In the years since, the chant has become ingrained in South Carolina’s Democratic political scene. Politicians, including state Sen. Marlon Kimpson, regularly use it to amp up crowds at rallies across the state.

In 2020, it was adopted by billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, who ran a TV ad in South Carolina and other early-voting states featuring Childs’ endorsement of his presidential campaign.

Looking ahead to the 2024 presidential campaign - and South Carolina’s new first- in-the-nation Democratic primary - Childs said she was open to connect with candidates who might seek her support, although she said she wanted Democrats to be clearer about showcasing the party’s accomplishments in trying to appeal to voters.

“When you’re fired up about something, you put more into it,” she said. ‘’We’re going in the right direction, but we need to be more vigilant about what we’re doing.’’

Tempe OKs Plan to Change Street, Park

Names with KKK ties

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Tempe city officials will move forward with plans to rename streets and parks with namesakes that had century-old ties to the Ku Klux Klan. AZFamily.com reports the Tempe City Council approved a resolution at a meeting Thursday night to change the names of three streets and four parks. Some will be renamed for two local families, the Sozas and Sotelos. Both have been active in the area for generations. They were suggested by members of the community.

Among the changes, Hudson Park will now be Parque De Soza. East Laird Street will become Obregon Street after pioneer farmer Pete Obregon. Redden Park will be renamed for late activist and philanthropist Michelle Brooks-Totress.

The renaming effort began in 2021 after historical research led to proof that several prominent Tempe leaders were members of a Klan chapter in the 1920s. The Arizona Historical Society and Tempe History Museum assisted in the research. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, KPHO-TV.