Bakersfield News Observer 4.5.23

News Observer

Reparations: Experts Compute Hundreds of Billions Owed to Black Californians

Antonio Ray Harvey

California Black Media

Economists advising The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans have developed economic formulas that project the reparations owed to Black Californians who are descendants of people enslaved in the United States are likely to exceed $800 billion.

Three of five harms were used in the calculations conducted by a five-member panel of economic experts: health, disproportionate housing discrimination, Black mass incarceration and over policing are “from a long list of harms” the state “is a least partially responsible for,” said Dr. Thomas Craemer, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut and one of the experts involved in the assessment.

Craemer spoke last week at the task force’s 14th meeting held in Sacramento on March 29 and 30. The figures also applies to forebears who survived legal segregation, Jim Crow discrimination and other social and economic injustices.

“These are harms for which we thought that we’d have data, that’s one criterion,” said Craemer. “The other is that they are closely related to the actions of the state of California to make our estimates more defensible in the face of challenges that will undoubtedly arrive once the proposal is made public.”

The economic experts’ analysis and final recommendations for the Task Force regarding calculations of reparations and forms of compensation and restitution were presented by Craemer and Dr. William Spriggs.

Spriggs appeared remotely in front of the task force. He is the former chair of the Department of Economics at Howard University. He now serves as chief economist to the AFL-CIO.

The health harm calculations were determined by the annual loss to “Black, non-Hispanic Californians” from health disparities by computing the 7.6 year-life expectancy gap based on the Value of Statistical Life in the United States. It is a concept that is appropriately measured by estimating how much society is willing to pay to reduce the risk of death, Craemer said.

“That is what statisticians use to evaluate how much

One!Take

Developer Drops Land Purchase in Historically Black Town

EATONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A developer on Friday ended plans to purchase a 100-acre (39-hectare) property from the local school system in a historically Black town in Florida following a public outcry that the deal threatened the cultural heritage of the community made famous by Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston.

Derek Bruce said in a letter to Orange County Public Schools in Orlando that he had terminated the deal to purchase the land where a former school for Black students stood in the town of Eatonville. The school system said in a statement that it wouldn’t consider any further bids for the land.

‘’This decision presents us with a new opportunity to collaborate with the Eatonville community to preserve and celebrate the Town’s historic and cultural significance as the oldest incorporated Black town in the U.S.,’’ the school system said in the statement.

An association dedicated to preserving Eatonville’s cultural history last week sued to stop the $14.6 million deal, claiming it threatened the cultural heritage of the town. The developer had plans to build 350 homes, as well as business spaces, raising fears the project would increase traffic and price out longtime residents of the town.

With a population of around 2,350 people, of whom almost three-quarters are Black, Eatonville is perhaps best known through the writings of Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston. The town was the setting for one of her best known works, “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”

Founded in 1887, Eatonville was among the early all-Black incorporated municipalities established in the decades after the end of slavery in the U.S. Around 1,200 Black towns or settlements were established in the late 19th century and early 20th century, according to the Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance.

Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion Headline 2023 Essence Fest

By CHEVEL JOHNSON RODRIGUE

Associated Press

each individual places value on their life,” Craemer said.

“We then divide the value associated with the gap by the average Black, non-Hispanic Californian expectancy of 71 years to obtain an annual estimate of the loss to Black, nonHispanic Californians from health disparities.” The experts use the Black non-Hispanic Californian

category because they didn’t have a U.S. Census count available for Black Californians who can trace their ancestors back to slavery in the United States. Black mass incarceration and over-policing calculations were derived from how many Black, nonHispanic Californians were arrested for drug felonies above

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Hip hop takes center stage at this summer’s Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans as the event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the genre with performances by Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion and Jermaine Dupri.

Rap artist Doug E. Fresh will curate special performances by other soon-to-be announced hip hop pioneers, while Hill will mark the 25th anniversary of her five-time Grammy-winning album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.’’

The California Black Media Political Playback: Officials Show Respect for Ridley-Thomas’s Service

Tanu Henry California Black Media

California Black Elected Officials React to RidleyThomas Conviction

Last week after a jury found former Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas guilty on corruption charges, California’s Black elected officials issued statements acknowledging Ridley-Thomas’s political leadership, many contributions to his constituents and his track record of unapologetically advocating for policies that advanced racial equity and improved the lives of African Americans in the state.

“I am compelled to share my appreciation for the civic contributions of Mark Ridley-Thomas. Mark RidleyThomas has devoted his professional life to serving the people of Los Angeles. He has invested his time and energy to empower and uplift his community and constituents for decades,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in a statement.

“His relentless commitment to helping improve the lives of others through public service will always be worthy of our admiration and appreciation,” Bradford added.

I believe that this is a sad day for Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who worked with Thomas for more than 40 years. “And I feel that sadness personally,” she added. Bass described Ridley-Thomas as a “a policymaker who made a real impact.”

L.A. City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson took to Twitter to express his appreciation for RidleyThomas.

“When those in power chose to forget our community, Mark Ridley-Thomas centered and uplifted us,” he wrote.

“I certainly think people are shocked and saddened by what they’ve read. But I’ve also heard people share how much respect they have for the work that Mark RidleyThomas has done.”

Gov. Newsom Announces $736 M in Funding for Local Communities

Keeping his promise to fast track solutions addressing California’s stubborn homelessness crisis, last week Gov. Gavin Newsom announced $736 million in grants to be channeled directly to local communities for building or acquiring shelter for unhoused people.

“At a time when more housing is desperately needed,

Homekey is proving that we can build faster, and at a fraction of conventional construction costs,” Newsom said.

“My Administration has made available an unprecedented $3.4 billion to date for Homekey to use at the local level to address housing and homelessness. I look forward to seeing more communities use this latest round of funding to boost housing around the state,” the Governor added.

California Black Media Hosts Dinner Honoring Joe Stephenshaw

Last week, California Black Media hosted a reception honoring Department of Finance (DOF) Director Joe Stephenshaw.

A number of state lawmakers, public officials, Black news publishers, journalists and others attended the event co-hosted by the California Black Freedom fund and held at the Prelude Kitchen & Bar in downtown Sacramento.

“For us, this is one of those moments we deeply

treasure when the leaders of the Black Press in California get to officially welcome, celebrate and interact with a top thought leader and decisionmaker in state government in an environment that is intimate and welcoming – no spotlights, no cameras, no fanfare,” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director, California Black Media.

We exchanged ideas and talked freely about our challenges as we got an firsthand view into how our government is deploying our tax dollars in ways that directly impact the lives of the communities we serve,” Wilson added. “We look forward to working more closely with Joe and the Newsom administration on priorities that advance equity for Black Californians.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Stephenshaw to the DOF role. In January, he made his first annual budget presentation as the state’s chief fiscal officer alongside the governor.

Project Homekey is a state government initiative that aims to quickly provide shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness. To date, it has successfully provided shelter for nearly 12,800 formerly unhoused individuals across the state.

Rep. Lee Releases Statement on Trump Indictment

After a New York grand jury reportedly indicted former President Donald J. Trump on more than 30 counts of business fraud last week, Rep. Barbara Lee (DCA-12) said she hopes the action was the “beginning of our justice system holding him and all involved in these crimes accountable.”

“This is the first time a former President has been indicted in American history, and this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Trump’s alleged crimes—before, during, and after his one term as President,” said Lee who is a outspoken progressive known for her Left-leaning political stances and candidate in the competitive race to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the November General Election.

“No one is above the law,” emphasized Lee, the highest ranking African American woman in the United States House of Representatives.

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In addition, the event will laud Dupri, a Grammy award-winning producer and founder of the So So Def record label, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. He will coordinate special performances by some of the Atlanta-based artists that So So Def has produced. Those performers have yet to be named, but Dupri has worked with Da Brat, Bow Wow, Xscape, Jagged Edge and Anthony Hamilton.

Also headlining is three-time Grammy winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, whose work includes such hits as “Savage,” “Hot Girl Summer,” and “Body.”

The festival is set to run June 30 through July 3, with three nights of music inside the Superdome, beginning that Friday. Other artists scheduled to perform so far include Monica, Wizkid, Coco Jones and Kizz Daniel, with more talent for the nightly concerts to be announced later.

Presented by Coca-Cola, the festival has featured some of the world’s biggest entertainers including Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Prince, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Kendrick Lamar and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. Essence Fest was founded in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence Magazine, but it has grown into one of New Orleans’ marquee events bolstering the city’s summer tourism season.

In addition to the concerts, there are free daytime seminars held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, as well as the Essence Food & Wine Festival, Beautycon, Essence Authors and other events held in the city and aimed at engaging the community and economically benefiting local Black-owned businesses.

“As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, (the festival) continues to be a crown jewel of Black culture and plays a pivotal role in the amplification and celebration of the contributions of the Black community through business, music, and more,” said Vice President of ESSENCE Festival of Culture Hakeem Holmes.

Both Hill and Dupri have history with Essence. Hill performed at the festival in 1999, and last year, she made a surprise appearance during her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean’s set, sending the audience into orbit with their performance of “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not.”

Dupri shared the 2019 stage with Grammy-winning songbird Mariah Carey, rapper Lil Jon and others. In 2020 and 2021, the festival was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 version was held in-person and virtually, resulting in 1.9 million live and virtual attendees, according to organizers.

Three-night ticket packages for the Superdome concerts are on sale now, starting at $214 plus fees. Single-night tickets are not available yet.

Shown left to right, California Reparations Task Force members civil rights attorney Lisa Holder, Dr. Jovan Scott Lewis, and Dr. Cheryl Grills at the 14th meeting in Sacramento, California, on March 29, 2023. The members of the task force were presented with an $800 billion amount from economic experts to cover harms in three categories. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Mark Ridley-Thomas (Photo: Facebook screenshot)

HUD Announces $5.5 Million Award for HBCUs to Conduct Housing and Community Development Research

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced awards totaling $5.5 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to conduct housing and community development research. The announcement came during a Black Media Roundtable hosted by HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge.

Adjoa Asamoah, HUD’s senior advisor for Racial Equity; Melody Taylor, regional director for the MidAtlantic Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; Alanna McCargo, president of Ginnie Mae; and Erica Loewe, the director of African American Media at The White House, also participated in the roundtable.

“HBCUs create economic opportunity both for their students and throughout the communities they serve,” Fudge stated.

“At HUD, we are proud to partner with HBCUs to expand the voices in the housing research space to support strong communities, build affordable housing, create job opportunities, revitalize neighborhoods, and promote homeownership.”

HUD will provide the funding to Texas Southern University ($3 million) and North Carolina AT&T University ($2.5 million) to establish or bolster their existing Centers of Excellence that conduct housing and community development research.

At Texas Southern, the school’s research will focus on individual and community wealth building, and housing

security and stability. It also will focus on planning and infrastructure inequity that affects underserved communities.

At North Carolina AT&T, the funds will allow the university to establish a center with research that would focus on the production of affordable housing, homeownership, renewable energy, sustainable communities, and postdisaster recovery.

“This funding will bolster efforts HBCUs are making to expand opportunities for underserved communities and strengthen community development,” Fudge stated.

Under Fudge, HUD has worked to advance racial equity and ensure steps to make homeownership more accessible for Black Americans.

In a Fact Sheet, HUD officials noted that through the Federal Housing Administration, the agency has implemented major reductions to the annual premiums it charges homebuyers for mortgage insurance.

Officials said the action will help Black low-andmoderate income residents save an estimated $600 million in the next year, and billions over the next decade.

Additionally, HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity issued a policy statement in 2021 about making way for lenders to resolve inequities in homeownership that individuals of color face.

Previously, the agency published a notice of proposed rulemaking to restore the department’s Discriminatory Effects Standards and allow policies that unjustifiably exclude people from housing opportunities to be challenged.

New York Grand Jury Votes to Indict Donald Trump

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In 1872, police in Washington, D.C., stopped President Ulysses S. Grant for speeding in a horse and buggy at the corner of 13th and M streets.

The officers issued the President a fine and immediately released him.

There are some that argue that the criminal charges against Donald Trump are similarly minor to those incurred by Grant. However, others relish in the fact that he may face justice for at least some of his alleged crimes now that a grand jury in New York has issued an indictment against the former President.

The “Election Denier-in-Chief” was indicted by a grand jury in New York on Thursday, March 30, on criminal charges stemming from his alleged encounter

with porn star Stormy Daniels.

Though prosecutors haven’t said what charges the grand jury issued the indictments on, it’s alleged that Trump made a $130,000 payment to Daniels through his former attorney Michael Cohen.

It’s believed that the payment was issued to buy Daniels’ silence.

Further, it’s alleged that Trump illegally falsified records and violated campaign finance laws.

The twice impeached former president now faces the ignominy of becoming the first U.S. president to be criminally indicted.

Trump also faces potential conspiracy and racketeering charges in Georgia, where Atlanta prosecutor Fani Willis has been working to secure an indictment against the MAGA leader there.

Further, Democratic Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Congressional Committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, told the Black Press that a special federal prosecutor had received a mountain of evidence suggesting Trump’s guilt.

Five police officers died because of the Trump-inspired riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“It would be a travesty of justice,” Thompson said if Trump isn’t prosecuted by federal authorities for his role in the insurrection.

“Nobody is above the law, not even the President of the United States.

“What we saw after interviewing more than 1,000 people – the majority of whom identify with the Republican Party – we are convinced that whatever

happened, happened because of one person. So, we are clear in our recommendation.”

While Trump has called for demonstrations in response to his arrest, authorities have already begun preparing.

Last week, barricades were put up around the criminal courthouse in lower Manhattan where the former President

searching for a basis — any basis — on which to bring charges, ultimately settling on a novel legal theory untested anywhere in the country and one that federal authorities declined to pursue,” the lawmakers wrote.

“If these reports are accurate, your actions will erode confidence in the evenhanded application of justice and unalterably interfere in the course of the 2024 presidential election.”

They said that Cohen, who used to work for Trump and seems to be the main witness against the former President, has a “serious credibility problem.”

They demanded Bragg provide them with documentation of any communications he’d had with the U.S. Department of Justice over the past six years.

Already on the defensive in multiple jurisdictions, Trump’s current attorneys have asked for a judge to toss the final report and evidence from a special grand jury in Georgia.

The attorneys seek to remove Willis, a Black woman, as prosecutor.

was supposed to be arraigned.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other supporters lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, claiming his investigation amounted to a witch hunt.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), and House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.); sent Bragg a letter demanding he appears before Congress.

“This indictment comes after years of your office

“President Donald J. Trump hereby moves to quash the SPGJ’s [special purpose grand jury’s] report and preclude the use of any evidence derived therefrom, as it was conducted under an unconstitutional statute, through an illegal and unconstitutional process, and by a disqualified District Attorney’s Office who violated prosecutorial standards and acted with disregard for the gravity of the circumstances and the constitutional rights of those involved,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in a court filing.

The California Black Media Political Playback: Officials Show Respect for Ridley-Thomas’s Service

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called U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) a coward. Newsom made the comment in a caption when heshared of the highest-ranking Republican member of Congress refusing to respond to a reporter’s questions about the mass shooting at a Nashville private school that claimed the lives of three adults and three 9-year-old students. Black Students Among Students With Highest Absenteeism Rates

The Public Policy Institute of California is reporting that absenteeism is on the rise among all students in California, and Black children are among the top subgroups of kids who miss school the most.

Absenteeism rose substantially for nearly all student groups. However, we do see variation across demographic dimensions. Among racial/ethnic groups, Black, Native American, and Pacific Islander students experienced the highest rates of chronic absenteeism, exceeding 40% in

2021–22,” the report reads.

The California Legislature Is on Spring Recess Look out for listings of your state lawmakers’ local townhall meetings in your city or a nearby town. On March 31, the California Legislature adjourned for its Spring Recess. Members are expected to return to Sacramento on or before April 10 when the Legislature reconvenes.

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of Black businesses — are not readily available in the calculation model because of lack of data, Cramer said. The 1980 amount minus the 1930 amount provides an estimate of the effect of redlining only. Task Force chairperson and Los Angeles attorney Kamilah V. Moore said some published news headlines

have put out misinformed information about the experts’ final calculations.

“The task force has yet to determine a final amount,” Moore said.

The numbers are not concrete, leaving room for the members of the task force to evaluate, modify, or eliminate any of the experts’ findings. Spriggs said the experts are still in “deliberations.”

“I think it’s improper to prejudge what precise number we may recommend, but we’re only giving you expert advice on these specific harms. The task force has full latitude to ignore it, to add it, or take into consideration addressing tangible harms,” he added.

The powerful tool for HUD and private plaintiffs to address polices that cause systemic inequality in housing, includes policies on criminal records, zoning requirements, lending and property insurance policies that impact equal access to housing opportunities for Black people, HUD officials stated.

Bubba Wallace Rebuilds Confidence on Track, Community Off It

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer

A slow start to the NASCAR Cup Series season - two crashes and an engine failure through six races - has Bubba Wallace looking internally for the steadiness he needs to pull himself out of this early slump.

It was his mother who encouraged Wallace to do some self-reflection.

"It's day by day, right? Just got to be a better version of myself," Wallace told The Associated Press this week. "My mom had said to me, 'You know, if you want things to change, you got to change yourself.' So I'm just trying to change myself and be more active, working out, eating better, and just trying to have a better mindset so Richmond should be good for us."

Yes, Wallace and NASCAR head next to Richmond Raceway for a Sunday short track race at a venue that has not been one of Wallace's stronger tracks. His career- best finish at Richmond was 12th in 2019 when he drove for Richard Petty. He was 13th last fall in his new 23XI Racing ride.

But this weekend represents more to Wallace than a chance to show how far 23XI has come since its 2021 launch. The two-car team celebrated its first win of the season last week with Tyler Reddick at Circuit of the Americas and qualified three cars for the season-opening Daytona 500.

Wallace will use Richmond, a rare NASCAR stop at a facility located in a fairly urban area, for his second annual "Bubba's Block Party.'' The free Friday night event is a community-focused NASCAR initiative aimed at bringing awareness, access and engagement to the sport within the Black community.

The food truck village will feature Black-owned businesses, and there will be live entertainment including iRacing, video games and a live pit stop demonstration by Wallace's Toyota crew. Wallace will host a "fireside chat" to discuss both his career and his attention on promoting diversity and inclusion across the sport.

Wallace, who is from Alabama, in 2020 successfully called on NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its events. He is the only full-time Black driver at NASCAR's top level.

"Richmond is in the heart of a minority market, a diverse market, and I feel like a lot of those people don't show up at the racetrack," Wallace said. ''I wanted to provide an environment that's a Friday night cookout-type style vibes at a racetrack, and get them out and encourage

them to come out and cheer on their favorite driver - don't even have to be me.

"I think just getting them to feel welcome to walk in their own shoe, be comfortable in their own skin and have a great time just like they could go to NBA games, an NFL game, I think that's important. We have to make our markets feel just as welcoming as others."

Bubba's Block Party was born after the national social justice reckoning in 2020 that thrust Wallace into

the spotlight on issues he was still only just beginning to understand. He's not been shy to use his platform, but it's come with detractors and scrutiny, including a noose found in his Talladega Superspeedway garage stall after his call for the banning of the Confederate flag.

The FBI ruled the garage pull was indeed fashioned as a noose but that it was a coincidence it was in Wallace's stall and he was not the victim of a hate crime. Detractors, including then-President Donald Trump, falsely accused Wallace of orchestrating the event.

But it was that year that sparked an urge in Wallace to demand change in a predominately white, Southern sport.

"Our sport change has changed for the better. We removed the Confederate flag, and I felt like a lot of people from a diverse background, minority background, started tuning in," Wallace said. ''They tune in enough to where they actually come out. And I've had numerous people in the last two years now say, 'Hey, man, I'm here because of what you've done.' And that's powerful.

"I think being able to show face and give back to the community that have stood up and supported me is super important."

After the party, it's back to focusing on racing, where Wallace is coming off back-to-back disappointments. He spun without contact from anyone else two weeks ago at Atlanta on the 10th lap, hit the wall and finished 27th. At COTA, he showed early speed but was involved in an early crash and a 37th-place finish. Wallace seemed defeated in his post-incident interview.

"Trying my hardest not to go down that slippery slope of self-doubt here. Two weeks in a row making rookie mistakes. Six years in Cup, need to be replaced,'' he said. His mom gave him encouragement to stop wallowing in self-doubt, and the block party sends him to Richmond with a mission bigger than anything he does on track. Asked by the AP how his confidence was headed to Richmond, Wallace was expressionless: "Find out," was all he said.

Biggest Hollywood Films Still Go Mostly to White Men

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - As Hollywood emerged from the pandemic, its biggest film productions dipped in diversity after years of incremental progress, according to a new study by UCLA researchers. Opportunities were notably greater for women and people of color on streaming platforms than in theatrically released films.

The annual UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, published Thursday, presented one of the most detailed looks yet at how the film industry was shaped and, in many ways, set back during the pandemic. In analyzing 2022 movie releases, academics found that ethnic and gender inclusivity in theatrical films reverted back to 2019 or 2018 levels in many metrics, turning charts downward that had been slowly trending toward greater equity on screen and behind the camera.

As the film industry sought to claw back moviegoers in 2022, it did so by leaning more on films starring and directed by white men, despite considerable evidence that

more diverse films attract larger audiences. Black, Latino and Asian American moviegoers make up nearly half of all frequent moviegoers, and for the biggest hits, often account for the majority of ticket buyers.

The film industry was still recovering in 2022, releasing fewer wide releases and seeing the box office return to about 67% of pre-pandemic levels. Though the 2022 movie year ended in triumph for Asian American representation at the Academy Awards with the best picture-winning "Everything Everywhere All at Once, " researchers see a potential turning point where opportunity for women and people of color is usually reserved for lower-budgeted streaming movies.

"It definitely was not an industry that was back all the way. But I really think it gives a picture of a two-tiered system that's been created," says Ana- Christina Ramón, director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative at UCLA, which produces the report. "What will be interesting to see is what happens in 2023 if it continues to have this bifurcation."

"The fear is that diversity is something is temporary or could be easily cut at any point in either theatrical or streaming," says Ramón, noting that streaming services, after years of torrid growth, are now pulling back on original productions. In theatrical releases, people of color accounted for 22% of lead actors, 17% of directors and 12% of writers. Women were 39% of lead actors and 15% of directors. While roughly double the percentages of a decade ago, the numbers are closer to those of five years ago, and still easily trail U.S. population demographics. Women have made gains in writing, composing 27% of writers in 2022 theatrical releases, up from 17% in 2019. Yet only one woman of color penned a top theatrical film in 2022.

At the same time, streaming releases are more inclusive, accounting for more films with diverse casts and more female leads. Sixty-four percent of original streaming releases in 2022 had casts that were more than 30% nonwhite, as opposed to 57% of theatrical releases. About a third of leads in top streaming films went to people of color

- nearly 12% more than in theatrical films but still about 10% below population demographics. Leads for women in streaming films (49%) nearly reached parity with men in 2022.

But by considering budget levels, which tend to be higher in theatrical releases, researchers found some of the greatest disparities. Studios are overwhelmingly choosing white male directors for their biggest productions. They accounted for 73% of film directors in theatrical release, in films that usually (60%) had a budget above $30 million. Budgets tended to be lower for female filmmakers and directors of color. Films directed by white women were usually (56%) budgeted less than $20 million. For directors of color, 76% of their streaming films had budgets below $20 million.

"With the industry unstable, what we could see was the culture that Hollywood has always relied on when in need of a surefire hit,'' says Ramón. "They think of surefire hits as a code for no diversity, for white-led. It's something that they're comfortable with."

Wallace will use Richmond, a rare NASCAR stop at a facility located in a fairly urban area, for his second annual “Bubba’s Block Party.”

Legal Notices

After Calif. Gig Worker Ruling, Advocates Want Protections for Contract Nurses, Too

Edward Henderson

California Black Media

McKenzie Young is a traveling nurse from California who works in Hawaii. She gets placements though an agency that connects her to temporary jobs around the state and country. Her assignments can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to months at a time.

When Young returns to the mainland, she plans to sign up on a nursing placement app for shorter-term freelance nurses who get paid by picking up shifts at nearby medical facilities.

Currently, her gig in Hawaii pays Young by the hour. She gets medical insurance through the hospital to which she is assigned, and she opted to pay out-of-pocket for her own individualized retirement plan.

“If you can do it smart that way and make sure you’re giving what you should and set up the accounts you need, I can put even more into my retirement because I’m making more,” Young said. “It’s hard going back to staff.

Young says more nurses would opt for freelance work if they knew how flexible and lucrative it can be. And because there is a nursing shortage, she never has to worry about not finding temporary assignments.

As more nurses like Young enter the gig economy seeking higher pay rates and more control over their work schedules, some advocates assert that hospitals that contract nurses often misclassify them as independent contractors, a practice that comes with “tremendous legal and regulatory risks.”

“When workers are misclassified as independent contractors, there is a damaging domino effect that impacts all levels of our economy. In this case, caretakers were systematically denied minimum wage, overtime, and other legally required working conditions,” said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower.

Nurses have access to various apps that help them find work. Just like dating apps, many of these apps enable users to browse through job options by scrolling or swiping until they find a suitable job, facility, and working hours.

Within the spectrum of these healthcare staffing apps, some provide 1099 workers who are farmed out as

independent contractors. Other companies like IntelyCare and ShiftMed hire healthcare staff as W-2 employees, who are eligible for benefits not accorded to 1099 workers.

On March 13, California Courts of Appeal Justices ruled that Proposition 22 (a 2020 ballot measure that allowed Lyft, Uber and other gig economy platforms to classify their workers as independent contractors rather

than employees) is constitutional.

Executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, issued a press release speaking out against the court’s decision.

“Today the Appeals Court chose to stand with powerful corporations over working people, allowing companies to buy their way out of our state’s labor laws and

undermine our state constitution,” Gonzalez Fletcher said. “Our system is broken. It would be an understatement to say we are disappointed by this decision.”

Gonzalez Fletcher, who as an Assemblymember authored Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5), which established stricter criteria for classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees, has been a vocal supporter of legislation prohibiting companies from hiring freelance workers to avoid paying them benefits they are entitled to under California’s labor laws.

The distinction between being an employee and independent contractor is very important, advocates like Gonzalez Fletcher point out. Employees have the right to benefits including sick and family leave, unemployment benefits, minimum wage and more. With 36% of workers in the US in the gig economy, the ongoing battle for these distinctions continues to rage on with both sides contesting court decisions made in the other’s favor.

This past year home healthcare placement agencies were fined $1.8 million by the California Labor Commissioner’s Office for misclassifying 66 workers. Healthcare app-based staffing company CareRev was sued for misclassifying workers who signed up on the app as contractors.

Advocates point out that the healthcare industry is more regulated than the rideshare industry.

“Any nurse who walks into a long-term care or memory care facility will have a long list of rules and protocols that need to be followed. They are often given access badges, a work schedule, a patient list, and time slots for medication, food, or exercise rotation,” reads a press release advocates published describing how companies are benefitting from hiring contract nurses and not paying them benefits fulltime employees must receive by law.

So far, no bill has been introduced in the California legislature to regulate health care industry staffing apps, but advocates say the problems they are posing will hurt health care workers and the industry writ large.

“Misclassification opens the door for joint employer liability and legal wage and hour disputes,” advocates added in the press release.

Sen. Padilla, Rep. Ruiz Push for National Park Named for César E. Chávez

(D-CA-25) last week introduced bicameral legislation to create the “César E. Chávez and the

The bill calls for preserving nationally significant sites associated with labor and civil rights leader César E. Chávez and the farmworker movement in California and Arizona. The legislation is co-sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and U.S. Congressmembers Raul Grijalva (D-AZ7) and Rueben Gallego (D-AZ-3).

“On César Chávez Day we commemorate the work and legacy of an iconic Latino civil rights leader,” Sen. Alex Padilla said in a statement. “Establishing the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park will pay proper homage to Chávez’s tireless work for the dignity, respect, and equal treatment of farmworkers.

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared March 31, 2023, Cesar Chavez day in California.

Padilla continued, “Our National Park System tells the story of our nation and preserves the people and movements that we value as Americans. Yet our park system does not yet adequately preserve the full culture and diverse legacy of all Americans. This legislation would bring us closer to the recognition farmworkers have earned and deserve.”

Chávez is a Latino icon and civil rights leader, labor leader, and community organizer whose legacy is intricately connected to the story of California, the farmworker labor movement, and the push for worker and civil rights.

Chávez empowered Latinos and farmworkers to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, and countless other protections for their well-being. His commitment to social justice has inspired many, and advocates and activists point to him as a role model for their ongoing efforts to improve the lives of all people, regardless of their ethnicity or the color of their skin.

As a farmworker, César Chávez maintained a strong connection to the environment; and the bill by the lawmakers intends to uplift Chavez’s story, and those of others whose contributions helped build the farmworker and civil rights movements that are pillars of American history.

“Growing up the son of farmworkers in the Coachella Valley, I remember seeing César Chávez and the sense of hope he gave to our communities and farmworkers across

the United States. His story still inspires and motivates me even today,” said Ruiz. “My legislation with Sen. Padilla, the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park Act, will help the National Park Service (NPS) embrace their role as storytellers of our nation and reflect the diversity and richness of our people.”

There are hundreds of sites that are part of the National Park system that preserve natural, historical, and cultural heritage while offering vital spaces for teaching, learning, and outdoor recreation.

The bill establishes the César E. Chávez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park, which incorporates the headquarters of the United Farm Workers (UFW) at La Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz in Keene, California, and expands upon the existing César E. Chávez National Monument.

The bill includes a provision to “Conduct a National Historic Trail Study” for the “Farmworker Peregrinación National Historic Trail,” the 300-mile march route taken by farmworkers between Delano and Sacramento in 1966.

If the legislation passes, the Department of Interior will be required to complete a general management plan for the historical park within three years.

In 2012, President Barack Obama’s established the César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, which recognizes the achievements and contributions to the history of our nation by Chávez and the farmworker movement.

Obama traveled to Keene to announce the establishment of the monument. From the early 1970’s until his death in 1993, the site functioned as the residence and workplace of Chávez and his family, and now is home to Chavez’s grave.

“César Chávez gave a voice to poor and disenfranchised workers everywhere,” Obama stated in October 2012. “La Paz was at the center of some of the most significant civil rights moments in our nation’s history, and by designating it a national monument, Chávez’ legacy will be preserved and shared to inspire generations to come.”

This California Black Media report was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.”

César E. Chávez State Holiday Celebration in Northern California. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media United States Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Congressman Raul Ruiz

Farmworker Movement National Historical Park.”

‘Unapologetically Black’ ‘Unapologetically Black’ ‘Unapologetically Black’

Angel Reese Got Her Ring and the World Got Another Dose of Racism

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

LSU’s Angel Reese’s post-game gesture has sparked a conversation about double standards in basketball.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in LSU’s dominating 102-85 victory over Iowa, Reese waved her hand in front of her face, stared at Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, and pointed towards her ring finger.

Reese made it clear; she was the one going home with the championship ring.

For all the trash-talking and lack of sportsmanship on Clark’s part, Reese received the backlash.

Commentators including longtime sportscaster and former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann, the response was telling.

Olbermann called Reese a “f-ing idiot,” while others called her a hood rat.

Shaquille O’Neil, the NBA hall of famer who played for LSU’s men’s basketball team in the 1990s, told Olbermann to shut up.

Reese, the Black superstar, was taking to task on social media for lacking grace in victory.

After the game, and to her credit, Reese remained unapologetic.

“All year, I was critiqued for who I was. I don’t fit the narrative,” Reese explained.

“I’m too ‘hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year.”

As many have noted, there remains a divide between white and African American women over opportunities and perception.

White players are considered tough and fundamentally sound, while Black players are seen as flashy brawlers, noted sports columnist William Rhoden observed.

In this case, the focus was on double standards.

Black players are vilified for doing the same things white players are praised for doing.

Caitlin Clark’s trash talk gestures had been lauded throughout the NCAA tournament, Rhoden continued.

Clark repeatedly made the “you can’t see me” gesture during Iowa’s win over Louisville in the Elite Eight.

She was heralded as confident and brash.

Clark followed up her “you can’t see me” gesture Friday against South Carolina freshman guard Raven Johnson.

Rhoden noted that Clark finally got her comeuppance when Reese lit her up for 15 points and 10 boards, eventually earning the women’s NCAA tournament’s most outstanding player.

Reese played brilliantly in an overall team effort that frustrated Clark, who was called at least twice for pushing off the ball and picked up four fouls.

Clark claimed afterward that she didn’t see Reese’s gesture, and Iowa’s head coach Lisa Bluder gave a near muted response, saying “We’re all different people, and we all have different ways to show our emotion.”

In other words, it was fine when her player – a white athlete – gestured, but not-so-cool when the winning player – a Black champion – gave a little back.

“Ultimately, the conversation around Reese’s gesture is not just about trash talk; it’s about how Black players

are perceived differently than white players,” Rhoden stated. “Reese’s gesture was an unapologetic response to the criticism she has faced all year.”

And, as white commentators like Olbermann continued their rhetoric and race-baiting, Black sportscasters like Rhoden, ESPN’S Stephen A. Smith, and FS1’s Shannon Sharpe, stepped up to back Reese.

“We see it two different ways… when Caitlin Clark did the John Cena it was considered ‘swag,’” Sharpe remarked.

“Angela Reese does the same gestured it’s considered ‘classless.’ “It’s funny how America – society sees black and white.” Sharpe wasn’t done.

“Angel Reese said ‘unapologetically me.’ She meant unapologetically Black. It’s … it’s so obvious what this is. This is not about anything other than race.”

He continued:

“One is a celebration and is celebrated. The other is condemned. And why? Only because a Black did the exact same gesture that a white female did 48 hours earlier.

“Trash talk is a part of the game. But white trash talk and black trash talk is viewed entirely different and we know why.” On his First Take show, Smith also went in on the race issue.

“We all know that there’s a white-black issue here,

because the fact of that matter is when Caitlin did it, people were celebrating it. And they were talking about nothing but her greatness,” Smith railed.

“But, the second a sister stepped up and threw it back in her face, now you’ve got half the basketball world saying ‘Well, you know what, that’s not the classiest thing to do.”

Smith continued:

“Clark kind of instigated this and the fact that hasn’t been brought up tells us a lot about our society as a whole. You know exactly what the hell you’re doing as people when you want to bring up how Angel Reese acted, but you don’t want to bring up how Caitlin Clark acted. That’s the inconsistency. That’s the story.”

Angel Reese (L) and Caitlin Clark (R)

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc Kappa Omega Omega Chapter, Bakersfield Ca

“Soaring To Greater Heights In Academic

Excellence”

It’s That Time of Year Again. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc Kappa Omega Omega Chapter with the support of The Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc Will Host Its 44th African American Graduation Awards Program to recognize and celebrate the high achievements of Our African American Students In Bakersfield.

Bakersfield, April 11, 2023 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc Kappa Omega Omega Chapter with the support of the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, will host its 44th African American Graduation Awards Program on Tuesday April 11, 2023 at 6pm at The Bakersfield High School Harvey Auditorium 1241 G Street, Bakersfield, CA. The theme for this year's Graduation Awards Program is “Soaring To Greater Heights In Academic

Excellence”.

8th Grade Recognition - Letters were sent out to 27 schools from various school Districts in Kern County to identify African American students for Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and The Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation to honor at the 44th Graduation Awards Program. The Awards Committee received names from 26 of the schools, totaling 333 8th Grade students who will be honored for their commitment to Academic

Excellence.

Highschool Recognition - Students with a GPA of 3.0 to 4.5 will be recognized and honored for their High Academic Achievement and Excellence inside and outside of the classroom (including community service, leadership and written

essay). Applications came in from numerous High Schools from various school Districts. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Kappa Omega Omega Chapter with the support of The Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation will be honoring more than 30 African American students from the following 14 Bakersfield High Schools:

Stockdale High School

Bakersfield High School Highland High School Independence HighSchool

Centennial High School Liberty High School

Arvin High School Ridgeview High School

South High School

Garces High School

Golden Valley High School University Bound

Homeschool

Mira Monte High School

Bakersfield Christian High School

“Attendance At The Event Is Limited To Awards

Recipients And Their Families”

WHO WE ARE Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc was founded on

January 15, 1908, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC. Our founders were among the fewer than 1,000 African American women enrolled in higher education institutions in 1908, and the 25 women who received bachelor of arts degrees from Howard University between 1908 and 1911.

Kappa Omega Omega Chapter, Bakersfield California of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc was chartered on May 13, 1976. The insight and hard work done by 15 women, Sisters Susianna Anderson, Wilma Anderson (Wright), Wanda Bradford, Elsie Cashie, Linda Cato (Hoyle), Jeanette Fulton, Lavenia Goodloe, Alta Harvey, Cheryl Hyde, Marilyn Jones, Mazie Mack, Adelle Minor, Darnell Rucker, Debra Travis, and Jane Van Hook led to the chartering of the Kappa Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. For 47 years, the Ladies of Kappa Omega Omega Chapter have relentlessly served Bakersfield, CA and we have no intentions of slowing down! We will continue to provide ”Service to All Mankind”

#ΚΩΩ #AKAbakersfield THE BAKERSFIELD IVY LEGACY FOUNDATION, INC (BILF)

The Mission of the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation is to collaborate with educational agencies, local businesses, non-profits and individuals to secure and manage resources for the educational, leadership and philanthropic programs of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Kappa Omega Omega Chapter.

BILF President: Raquell Jones

Email: bakersfieldivylegacy@gmail.com Website: www.bakersfieldivylegacy.org

Bakersfield City Council Members Discuss Equity Versus Equality In Funding

By Janell Gore South Kern Sol

Equity and equality, are two terms that despite sounding similar have two completely different meanings.

While the idea of equality is nice, some feel that it is not enough. For equality, disadvantaged groups who have been left out of opportunities in the past need help to catch up to others economically. This is where equity comes into play, equity is giving the groups what each of them needs to create what looks like an equal playing field.

During the last Bakersfield City Council Meeting this very conversation was sparked between the council members when discussing a grant aimed towards disadvantaged communities.

According to the City of Bakersfield website the $500,000 grant will be split between California State University Bakersfield’s (CSUB) Small Business Development Center and Division of Extended Education and Global Outreach, the Kern Community College District’s (KCCD) Bakersfield College (BC) Launchpad. and the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce.

Between these three entities; women, Black, Indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ+, owned businesses will be targeted through the funds with the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Technical Assistance and Grant Program.

Councilwoman Patty Gray of ward 3 stated in the March 22 council meeting that she supports the program but believes it threatens “equal opportunity for all.”

“It only benefits those that are minority entrepreneurs, including women-owned, Black-, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ that experienced disparities in their community,” stated Gray in the meeting. “I don’t again wish to withhold any of these funds but at one time my husband was a disadvantaged White male who did not have the opportunity to have grant funds given to him to be able to open his own business.”

Gray continued to say that she hope for a time when people are not stuck on race and gender. She wants people to be able to apply for a grant after college without those questions being asked.

“I just want to see the system be fair. That it’s equal opportunity for everyone no matter who they are in this country, that they can gain access,” said Gray. “I feel like what is happening today is another form of discrimination that we as a country can say we aren’t going to take this anymore. We aren’t going to let it divide us.”

After Gray’s comments Vice Mayor, Andrae Gonzales and councilmembers Manpreet Kaur, and Eric Arias stated that they disagreed with her stance.

Gonzales explained that he had to “respectfully disagree” due to the fact that many historical and systemic barriers have made it harder for different communities. He explained that communities of color were “held back from creating generational wealth” because of things like redlining and governmental policies.

“I think it’s important for us to recognize that and recognize that these programs are a way for us to address some of those systemic issues that are affecting our

community,” said Gonzales. “There are issues that we may not see every day and I think it’s nice to hear that we want to be equal but it’s really important for us to understand that it is not equal for many people and their experiences.

Kaur spoke after to say that also had to “respectfully disagree” and similar to Gonzales explain that there historical reasons why women and people of color have not been provided equal opportunities.

“It’s our role and I frankly think it’s the direction our city should be heading, and it’s the opportunities that we should be creating for the next generation to come,” said Kaur. “So that folks can sit here proudly and be proud of the city that supports their dreams no matter that we live in a country that has histories that we’ve inherited of inequalities we face every day and frankly people still experience every day rather they’re trying to go to school, rather they’re trying to start a business or just going about their day.”

She also told Kern Sol News that is disappointed by remarks made by Councilwoman Gray and that feels that this is a great solution.

“This is a creative and effective solution – to criticize a policy that actually reduces burdens to economic prosperity, based solely on minority communities being named recipients, fails to understand the difference between equality and equity.  And to deny that systemic inequalities across gender, race, class, or sexuality don’t exist – simply is not factual,” said Kaur.

Arias spoke to the need for equity explaining that it is important for each person to be able to attain the American dream and that means acknowledging not each person has equal opportunity.

“We must acknowledge that that is not equal. As we look across demographics, as we look across age brackets, by gender, there are so many ways that we can cut it up but at the end of the day that playing field is not equal,” said Arias.

He continued to read from a Federal Reserve article that states, “White Americans hold 84 percent of total U.S. wealth but make up only 60 percent of the population— while Black Americans hold 4 percent of the wealth and make up 13 percent of the population.”

Arias explained that the American dream depends on your access to capital and it is “profoundly dangerous” to assume that the playing field is equal.

Arias told Kern Sol News that he feels this is a serious misconception and that is why it is important to have equity.

“Equity refers to the work that we must do to provide the additional support and recourses to communities that don’t necessarily have the same opportunities, or the same resources, or the same support as others,” said Arias.

He continued to explain that is important to locally try to make this change and strive for more equitable changes.

“We have seen certain parts of our communities neglected for decades. Frankly, we are trying to create new opportunities, new partnerships, and to think creatively about how we can provide unique opportunities to specifically marginalized communities that have suffered for so long.”