Bakersfield News Observer 6.5.24

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Calif. Leaders Discuss Foster Care Reform Strategies for Black and Brown Youth

BY Lila Brown California Black Media

Before becoming a nationally recognized social justice leader and a member of California’s Mandated Reporting Taskforce, Shane Harris spent 13 years as a foster care youth after he lost both of his parents. As President of the national civil rights organization, People’s Association of Justice Advocates (PAJA), he’s aiming to solve some of the toughest challenges Black and Brown children in the foster care system face.

During National Foster Care Month in May, Harris visited the Sanctuary of Hope in Los Angeles to host a roundtable meeting with current and former foster youth, many of whom, like Harris, have beat the odds and become successful professionals -- government officials, social workers and community activists leading their own organizations. Sanctuary of Hope is a non-profit organization that works to empower youth through education, stabilization initiatives and the dismantling of social and economic barriers that may impede their progress. According to the federal government’s Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, there are nearly 370,000 American children and youth in foster care. Approximately 18,500 youth are emancipated from foster care without a permanent family annually and in 2021, 77% of eligible youth in foster care, ages 14–21 years old, left care without receiving the federally funded services necessary to prepare them for adulthood and independent living. Nationally, Black children are overrepresented in foster care. According to datacenter.kidscount.org, Black children represented 14% of the total child population in the United States. However, they represented 23% of all children in foster care. Harris pointed out that one out of every four foster youth go homeless upon exiting foster care in California. Across the state, there are nearly 65,000 children in foster care, he added. Of the 65,000 children in foster care across California, 14,000 of them are Black American. Harris also announced a new effort already underway to push for the removal of the term “case” in L.A. County when referring to foster youth during the roundtable which featured Hafsa Kaka, Senior Advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Janet Kelly, the Founder and Director of Sanctuary of Hope. The session focused on solving problems foster youth face.

Sharing personal stories, insights, and various visions for policy changes, the participants discussed numerous solutions and addressed specific concerns about ongoing challenges with the foster care system.

One top priority was how to close the foster care to homelessness pipeline for the disproportionate number of Black and Brown children in LA County’s and the state’s foster care system. Los Angeles County has the highest number of children in foster care of any county in California, with roughly 25,000 children.

“When you see the direct connection between the disproportionate rates of Black children in foster care and the disproportionate rates of Black people in the general homeless population, there is a very clear connection there in which our foster youth are coming out of care,” stated Harris during opening remarks. “Even though there are more programs, housing programs and transitional housing programs, we are still not nearly doing enough. The State’s budget cuts play a role into services being provided, and how that then could create a homelessness pipeline.”

Kaka said the governor has been intentional about making sure that foster children are homeless prioritized

as the state addresses homelessness across different sectors.

“This is a critical moment for foster care,” said Kaka.

“The systems that are working together are looking at leveraging federal, state and local funds. Prop 1 funds will create more dollars for youth, as well as the general population experiencing mental health, substance abuse and abuse at the intersection of homelessness.”

Harris said he has already begun efforts in San Diego County to drop the word “case” when referring to homeless youth.

“We are asking for a 90-day public input period, in which the county CEO and leadership can facilitate discussions with the community on replacement terminology. There’s plenty of ideas,” Harris elaborated.

“It is a criminal justice related term. Foster care to prison pipeline is already large and vast.”

Kelly said a majority of the youth who go through the Sanctuary of Hope program are young people who have experienced some form of housing instability or housing crisis.

“The goal of the work that we do is really centered around helping young people leave here with leadership skills and other forms of what we call protective factors in order for them to continue on with their stabilization journey and become loving, caring and active citizens in this world,” Kelly said. It’s always great for me, especially during national foster care month, to see many of the young people that

I’ve seen from the time that we founded almost 14 years ago, to see them grow or whether they are getting married or they’re graduating, becoming doctors, having children, because it really talks to the promise and the possibilities, because as individuals, we need to invest in their being, their social being, their emotional well-being, all of those things,” she added.

Last year, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed foster youth to keep the money they accrue through Social Security benefits when they become adults. The bill would have also required the state to pick up the tab for foster care costs.

A similar bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 2906, has since been introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to address the issue.

AB 2906 would require social service agencies to ensure that a foster child’s federal Social Security survivors’ benefits are not used to pay for, or to reimburse, the placing agency for any costs of the child’s care and supervision. Existing law requires every youth who is in foster care and nearing emancipation to be screened by the county for potential eligibility for SSI. The bill would also increase benefits and access to Social Security benefits for foster children.

If passed by the Legislature and signed by Newsom, AB 2906 would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

IRS Permanent Expansion of Direct File for 2025 Tax Season

By Stacy M. Brown

by 2025 and beyond. Officials said the expansion includes examining ways to cover more tax situations and inviting all states to partner with the program. Further details on the expansion are expected ahead of 2025. The decision stems from a highly successful pilot during the 2024 tax season, in which 140,803 taxpayers from 12 states used Direct File. The IRS collected and analyzed data from the pilot, held numerous meetings with stakeholders, and received feedback from users, state officials, and representatives across the tax landscape. Hundreds of organizations, over a hundred members of Congress, and potential future users provided input. While some stakeholders said they believe current free electronic filing options from third-party vendors suffice, the IRS found substantial support for Direct File.

Based on initial post-pilot analysis, the IRS determined that making Direct File permanent was viable. Commissioner Danny Werfel recommended the move to Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen, who accepted. Werfel cited overwhelming user satisfaction and improved ease of filing taxes as critical reasons for the recommendation.

“The clear message is that many taxpayers across the nation want the IRS to provide more than one no-cost option for filing electronically,” Werfel said. “Starting with the 2025 filing season, the IRS will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns. Giving taxpayers additional options strengthens the tax filing system. Adding Direct File to the menu of filing options fits squarely into our effort to make taxes as easy as possible for Americans, including saving time and money.”

Building on the pilot’s success, which targeted taxpayers with relatively simple tax situations in 12 states, the IRS is exploring ways to expand eligibility nationwide.

For the 2025 filing season, the IRS will work with all states wishing to partner with Direct File, with no limit on participating states. Several new states are expected to join the program.

The IRS also plans to gradually expand the range of tax situations supported by Direct File. Over the coming years, officials said the goal is to accommodate the most

common tax scenarios, focusing on those affecting working families. Announcements about new state partners and expanded eligibility are expected soon.

“User experience—both within the product and integration with state tax systems—will continue to be the foundation for Direct File moving forward,” Werfel said. “Accuracy and comprehensive tax credit uptake will be paramount concerns to ensure taxpayers file a correct return and get the refund they’re entitled to. Improving the tax filing experience and helping taxpayers meet their obligations as easily and quickly as possible will be our guiding principles.”

Officials stated that many taxpayers expressed a desire for no-cost filing options throughout the review process. Millions of taxpayers from non-pilot states visited the Direct File website or requested the service for their state.

Direct File will become a permanent option among the various filing methods available to taxpayers. The IRS said it’s not intended to replace other services offered by tax professionals or commercial software providers, who remain essential partners with the agency. The IRS said it also continues its commitment to Free File Inc., having recently signed a five-year extension with the industry.

As the IRS expands Direct File, other free filing options will be enhanced, including the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE).

Post-pilot analysis identified three key conclusions supporting Direct File’s permanent establishment, including, high user satisfaction, a simplified tax filing experience, and a catalyst for digital transformation.

“We’re mindful that the most important decision we made during the pilot was to focus on executional certainty,” Werfel said. “We took the time to get it right. We will apply that same critical lesson for next year as we take a strategic approach to expanding Direct File’s availability and capabilities.”

when the attack happened, Edelbrock said. The city also deployed a drone and a boat to look for the shark afterwards with no success.

“The water visibility was really poor,” he said. “You just can’t see anything that’s moving through the water column at all. The exact moment of the incident was really the only interaction with, or sighting of, the shark.”

Another swimmer was attacked by a shark in November 2022 on the coast of Del Mar, where she was bitten in the upper thigh. A popular beach in San Clemente, 41 miles (66 kilometers) north of Del Mar, also closed for the Memorial Day holiday last week after a shark bumped a surfer off his board.

Man, 81, Charged with Terrorizing California Neighborhood with Slingshot Dies Days After Arrest

AZUSA, Calif. (AP) — An 81-year-old man who investigators said terrorized a Southern California neighborhood for years with a slingshot has died just days after his arrest, authorities said.

The man was found dead Wednesday evening at a home in Azusa, east of Los Angeles, police Sgt. Nick Covarrubias said.

“We didn’t find any evidence of foul play,” Covarrubias told the Southern California News Group.

The man died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death as natural.

The man had been released on his own recognizance Tuesday after pleading not guilty to five counts of felony vandalism and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism.

Police said the man was arrested May 23 on suspicion of breaking windows and car windshields and of narrowly missing people with ball bearings shot from a slingshot. No injuries were reported.

While conducting an investigation, detectives “learned that during the course of 9-10 years, dozens of citizens were being victimized by a serial slingshot shooter,” the Azusa Police Department said in a statement last week.

Officers serving a search warrant found a slingshot and ball bearings at the man’s home in Azusa, police said. Azusa police Lt. Jake Bushey said Saturday that detectives learned that most of the ball bearings were shot from the suspect’s backyard.

“We’re not aware of any kind of motive other than just malicious mischief,” Bushey told the news group.

While police suspected him of vandalizing windows in his neighborhood for about a decade, the LA County District Attorney’s Office charged him with vandalism from October 2021 to May 2024.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP)

Shane Harris, PAJA President and member of the California Mandated Reporting Taskforce (center) with Hafsa Kaka, Senior Advisor on Homelessness to Governor Gavin Newsom and Dr. Janet Kelly, Founder & Director of Sanctuary of Hope LA (far right) (Lila Brown CBM)

Trump Accused of Witness Tampering in New Investigative Report

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

While Donald Trump awaits a July 11 sentencing in New York on his recent felony convictions, a new investigative report by ProPublica has unearthed potential instances of witness tampering by the twice-impeached and four-times criminally indicted former president.

An in-depth exposé by the award-winning news site noted that, despite being convicted on all 34 felony charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, who promised to be a dictator “on day one,” could see his legal woes mount as ProPublica suggested that he was involved in a concerted effort to sway eyewitness testimony in the trial that ended last month with 34 unanimous guilty verdicts. The report said that nine witnesses embroiled in criminal cases against Trump had received “significant financial benefits,” including substantial pay raises, hefty severance packages, and prestigious positions within his campaign and media empire. The perks, distributed at pivotal junctures during the case, has cast yet another shadow over the integrity of Trump and those who vouched for the MAGA leader.

Neither Trump’s campaign on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg returned messages left by the Black Press seeking comment.

However, ProPublica quoted legal experts who opined that such benefits could potentially constitute evidence of criminal behavior if the intent was to influence witnesses’ statements. Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney, told ProPublica that there were “grave concerns” over the potential corrupting influence of such action. McQuade also cautioned that it could prove a difficult case to prosecute.

While ProPublica said it did not find direct evidence linking Trump to the pay increases, the site said it’s wellknown that he closely monitors his operations and prides himself on being frugal. One former aide likened working for the Trump Organization to “a small family business” where every employee “in some sense reports to Mr. Trump.” Trump’s demand for loyalty from his subordinates

“Where’s my Roy Cohn?” referring to his former fixer. Journalists on the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism team reported that several notable figures in Trump’s circle have seen significant financial benefits. For instance, Trump campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn’s pay more than doubled, and Susie Wiles, head of Trump’s campaign, saw payments to her firm spike while her daughter was also hired by the campaign. Trump aide Margo Martin received a roughly 20% raise, and Dan Scavino was appointed to the board of Trump Media. Trump attorneys Jennifer Little and Evan Corcoran saw dramatic increases in payments to their law firms, while Allen Weisselberg, a Trump Organization executive, received a lucrative severance package. According to ProPublica, witness tampering and efforts to influence testimonies have been recurring themes in Trump-related investigations and criminal cases. In past instances, Trump’s former campaign manager and adviser were convicted on federal witness tampering charges, with the latter advising a witness to lie to investigators. Trump later pardoned both individuals. Additionally, during the congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot, a former White House staffer testified about receiving a call suggesting she stay loyal to Trump in her testimony. A former Trump employee, who was a key witness in the classified documents investigation, recounted being offered various benefits, including golf tournament tickets and a raise, upon quitting his job. This witness, Brian Butler, declined the offers, but noted the timing of these benefits raised suspicions about their intent. The issue of financial rewards for witnesses has surfaced in Trump’s New York trials as well. In a civil fraud case, prosecutors questioned a former Trump Organization controller about his $500,000 severance agreement, which he continued to receive during his testimony. Steve Witkoff, a longtime friend, and real estate executive, testified as an expert witness for Trump’s defense and subsequently received over $370,000 from the Trump campaign for air travel expenses. The Trump campaign confirmed using Witkoff’s private jet for multiple trips, citing

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Faces the Battle of Her Life After Cancer Diagnosis

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has fought tirelessly for groundbreaking legislation throughout her career. She authored the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, creating the first new federal holiday in nearly four decades, and fervently championed the Violence Against Women Act, ensuring its passage for the first time in almost ten years. Now, the stalwart Texas representative is facing the battle of her life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

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In a statement posted to X on Sunday, the 74-yearold congresswoman disclosed her diagnosis and treatment.

“My doctors have confirmed pancreatic cancer, and I am currently undergoing treatment,” Jackson Lee shared. “I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease. The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”

Jackson Lee has represented Texas’ 18th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995. Now in her 15th term, she serves on the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and the Budget, and is the first female Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, a subcommittee she chaired during the 117th Congress.

Her legislative achievements are extensive and impactful. Jackson Lee has spearheaded the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, and the RAISE Act. She has also introduced crucial bills like the Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, and Kaleif’s Law. An unwavering advocate for women and children, she fervently supports the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and has championed outreach to minority- and women-owned businesses in the commercial space industry. Additionally, she authored the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act. Recognized as one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress by ‘Congressional Quarterly’ and among the ten most influential legislators in the House by ‘U.S. News and World Report,’ Jackson Lee’s influence extends beyond legislation. She is a founder, member, and Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and the Congressional Children’s Caucus, as well as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust and Co-Chair of the Justice Reform Task Force.

Educationally, Jackson Lee holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. She is married to Dr. Elwyn Lee, an administrator at the University of Houston. She has two

Marian Robinson,

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Marian Robinson, mother to former First Lady Michelle Obama, died on Friday, May 31, at 86. Her loved ones said she leaves behind a void in the hearts of many. As a steadfast figure in the Obama White House, Robinson’s presence extended far beyond familial ties, touching the lives of all who knew her.

Marian Lois Shields set out on a journey that was characterized by fortitude and compassion after emerging from the vibrant tapestry of Chicago’s South Side. From her early days as a teacher to her later role as a trusted secretary, Robinson’s life was a testament to the values of family and service, showcasing her personal achievements and contributions. In a heartfelt tribute, Michelle Obama fondly recalled her mother’s enduring influence, describing her as the unwavering pillar of their family. Robinson’s wisdom, honed through life’s diverse experiences, was a beacon of light during times of uncertainty. Her steadfast support and gentle nature were not just sources of strength but unique qualities that endeared her to the entire Obama clan.

Throughout Barack Obama’s historic presidency, Marian Robinson was a symbol of stability, offering sage advice and unconditional love. Despite the grandeur of the White House, she maintained her down-to-earth charm, forging deep connections with staff and finding solace in everyday routines, thereby extending her influence beyond her immediate family. Reflecting on her mother’s legacy, Michelle Obama shared cherished memories of their time, illustrating their profound bond. Robinson’s unwavering presence and nurturing spirit created a sense of home amidst the whirlwind of public life.

“Her wisdom came off as almost innate, as something she was born with, but in reality, it was hard-earned, fashioned by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges could always be sanded down with a little grace,” the family said.

Michelle, Barack, Craig, Kelly, Avery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin, and Aaron joined to pen a heartfelt remembrance of Robinson.

“Our mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think,” they wrote. “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Know what’s truly precious. As a parent, you’re not raising babies — you’re raising little people. Don’t worry about whether anybody else likes you. Come home. We’ll always like you here.”

The family recalled that, as a young woman, Robinson studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She fell quickly and madly in love with Fraser Robinson, another South Sider with a “boxer’s strength and jazzlover’s cool.” Together, they raised two children, Craig, and Michelle, in a tiny upstairs apartment on Euclid Avenue in South Shore.

Robinson volunteered for the PTA and taught her children to read at an early age, sitting together as they sounded out words on a page, giving them the strength and confidence to walk to school — and out into the world — all on their own. She once chewed out a police officer who had accused Craig of stealing a bike, demanding that the adult apologize to her son.

On summer nights, she’d pack the family into the car with a steaming plate of chicken for a trip to the drive-in movies. On New Year’s Eve, she’d pass around pigs in a blanket and raise a toast to Auld Lang Syne. And every night, for years on end, she and Fraser would hold court at the dinner table, where they indulged all manner of questioning, teaching their children to believe in the power and worth of their own voices.

“On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand,” the family wrote.  “With a healthy nudge, she agreed to move to the White House with Michelle and Barack. We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all.”

An in-depth exposé by the award-winning news site noted that, despite being convicted on all 34 felony charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee who promised to be a dictator “on day one,” could see his legal woes mount as ProPublica suggested that he was involved in a concerted effort to sway eyewitness testimony in the trial that ended last month with 34 unanimous guilty verdicts.

is a consistent theme, exemplified by his reaction when Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, prompting Trump to angrily question,

Now, the stalwart Texas representative is facing the battle of her life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

children: Jason Lee, a Harvard graduate, and Erica Lee, a Duke graduate and member of the Harris County School Board. She is also the proud grandmother of twins Ellison Bennett Carter and Roy Lee Carter III. Despite her diagnosis, Jackson Lee remains resolute in her commitment to her congressional duties. “I am

committed to working with our Congressional leadership, including Leader Hakeem Jefferies and the Speaker of the House, to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people,” she affirmed.

Marian Lois Shields set out on a journey that was characterized by fortitude and compassion after emerging from the vibrant tapestry of Chicago’s South Side. From her early days as a teacher to her later role as a trusted secretary, Robinson’s life was a testament to the values of family and service, showcasing her personal achievements and contributions.

Usher, Victoria Monét will Receive

Prestigious Awards from Music Industry Group

ASCAP

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Usher will add another prestigious award to his already loaded trophy case.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers said Thursday that Usher will receive its Voice of the Culture Award. He’ll be honored at ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul Music Songwriters and Publishers event on June 27.

The honor Usher is receiving is presented to ASCAP members who have had a major influence on music and culture.

“Artistic development is a lifelong journey of experimentation that requires risk for reward, embracing unknowns, trusting your intuition, and believing in your creative vision and God given talent,” Usher said in a statement.

The R&B superstar is an eight-time Grammy winner who recently ended a two-year Las Vegas residency, “Usher: My Way” at the Park MGM. In February, he released his first solo album in eight years, and in August is scheduled to kick off a 24-city U.S. tour titled “Past Present Future.” Usher’s Super Bowl halftime performance drew

acclaim and included guest appearances by such stars as Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Lil Jon and Ludacris. His album “Confessions” has sold more than 10 million units in the U.S., ranking it among one of the bestselling music projects of all time. It launched No. 1 hits such as “Yeah!” with Ludacris and Lil Jon, “Burn” and “Confessions Part II.”

“It means the world to me that my peers, this community of passionate and distinguished songwriters, composers, and authors are inspired by my execution of the craft,” Usher added. Singer Victoria Monét will be honored as well. She will receive the Vanguard Award, which recognizes members who are helping to shape the future of music.

Monét won three Grammys earlier this year, including best new artist and R&B album for “Jaguar II.”

“Victoria Monét has proven herself not only as an illuminating songwriter, but also as a flourishing artist and ASCAP member who continues to break barriers,” said Paul Williams, chairman of the board and president at ASCAP. “Her resilience, talent, and exemplary work ethic have helped her become a multi-award-winning singer and songwriter.“

Nicole Brown Simpson’s Sisters Want You to Remember How She Lived, Not How She Died

By MARYCLAIRE DALE

Affairs Writer

In the familiar images that circulated after her June 1994 death, Nicole Brown Simpson appears frozen in place. She's a statuesque blonde with a tense smile, silently escorting famous husband O.J. Simpson. She’s the breezy California beauty behind the wheel of her white Ferrari. And she’s the somber woman, with telling bruises and a black eye, in the stark Polaroids locked away in a bank vault.

Thirty years later, Nicole’s three sisters want her remembered for more than those static images or the violent way she died. They fear the vibrant person they knew has been lost in the chaos of Simpson’s murder trial, the questions it raised about race in America and the headlines spawned by his recent death.

“It's seeing her move. It's hearing her talk, seeing her,” youngest sister Tanya Brown told The Associated Press of the joy she felt watching video clips of Nicole in a new Lifetime documentary. “(She's) someone who just was very warm, very warm-hearted and quirky.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide and domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. For the National Domestic Violence Hotline, please call 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.

“Daddy’s taking movies again,” coos Nicole, who met Simpson when she was 18, as she cuddles her infant child on the beach. The home movie included in “The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson,” which airs this weekend, echoes one of her as a child with her own mother.

“She wanted to be like her mother,” said Melissa G. Moore, the executive producer. “Nicole wanted to be home, being a mother and creating a beautiful home.”

The innocence of the mother-and-child beach scene contrasts with friends’ memories of a cloud descending over the couple’s Laguna Beach home whenever Simpson arrived and another of him knocking her down in the water.

“Nicole was a very, very good hider of her domestic violence. She pushed everything under the rug and then would change the subject. And I think that was just all to protect herself and to protect everyone that she loved and her family,” Dominique Brown told the AP in a recent interview with her sisters.

Along with the Browns, the filmmakers spoke to friends both famous and infamous, including Simpson houseguest Brian “Kato” Kaelin, whose laid-back demeanor on the witness stand at the 1995 trial made him a household name; Faye Resnick, who wrote a tell-all book; and Kris Jenner, whose ex-husband Robert Kardashian, to her dismay, joined Simpson’s defense team.

Nicole’s two children, who have stayed out of the public eye and seemingly remained close to Simpson until his death last month, did not take part. They were both busy starting families of their own, Moore said.

But the sisters felt it was finally time to revisit Nicole’s life and legacy. They have grieved in different ways, and sometimes grew apart. Their parents have died.

Oldest sister Denise Brown, who gave wrenching trial testimony, never hesitated to pin the stabbing deaths of their sister and Ronald Goldman on Simpson, and became a vocal advocate for domestic violence victims. Although she had known the marriage was volatile, she did not think of Nicole at the time as a battered woman, even after Simpson was charged with assault on New Year’s Eve 1989. Nicole, after a week away, chose to return home afterward.

“She said, ‘I don’t want to ruin my children’s father’s life,’” Denise Brown recalled to the AP.

Dominique Brown focused on the couple's young children, Sydney and Justin, after Nicole's death. For more than a year, as Simpson sat in jail, she helped her aging

parents raise them, along with her own son. Simpson won back custody after he was acquitted, later moving his children to Florida. Dominique said she remains close with the children today — and still doesn't know quite what to think.

“There are kids involved. And they don’t have their mother. I knew that somebody was to blame and I knew that somehow there was involvement. I didn’t know to what extent,” Dominique Brown says in the film, explaining why she refrained from commenting on Simpson's alleged role during the trial. “I still don’t know.”

Tanya Brown, a decade younger than Nicole, has felt waves of guilt over Nicole's death. At the 10-year mark, she tried to take her own life. In treatment, she thought: “She had a perfect opportunity to share something with me, to share her tumultuous relationship, you know? And she never did.”

All three believe that Nicole, like many victims, downplayed the abuse. She had always wanted the kind of happy family life her parents had provided them.

They had met in Germany, then built an affluent life for their girls in southern California. Nicole, a homecoming princess, was interested in photography. She enrolled in community college, but met Simpson in 1977 at a club where she worked. He was a 30-year-old NFL superstar and married father.

A childhood friend, David LeBon, remembers Nicole coming home from their first date in a Rolls Royce, with the zipper of her pants ripped. He wanted to confront Simpson.

“She said, ‘No, don’t. I really like him,’” LeBon recalls in the documentary. They made a glamorous couple, and Simpson found more fame as an actor and TV pitchman. Nicole loved hosting people at his Los Angeles mansion, where they married in 1985. But those good times were interrupted by bouts of violence, according to the photos and diaries Nicole hid in a safe deposit box, and the repeated 911 calls

she made seeking help, especially after they separated in the early 1990s. And while they both had big personalities, the documentary makes clear how Simpson came to control her. Early on, he became angry when she kissed a male friend on the cheek at one of his Buffalo Bills games. He wanted all her attention when he returned home from a trip. He derided her for getting “fat” during her pregnancies and wanted her to avoid vaginal deliveries and nursing to keep her body intact.

“He had turned her into the perfect wife, and that’s what he expected of her,” Resnick says in the film. At the time, domestic violence was largely deemed a private matter. Nicole's death helped bring it out of the shadows.

“The family saw some of this stuff, but they didn’t have a name for it,” said Patti Giggans, a nonprofit director in Los Angeles who has worked on domestic violence since the 1970s, and spoke frequently on it during Simpson's trial. “They were pretty helpless.”

Not long after Nicole died, then-Sen. Joe Biden invited Denise Brown to Washington to lobby support for the Violence Against Women Act. It passed that fall, helping to fund shelters, hotlines and other services ever since.

Nicole herself called a helpline five days before she was killed, as Simpson’s stalking intensified. They had been on and off since their 1992 divorce, but finally, at 35, she was looking to make a clean break.

“She was on the cusp of a new life," said Moore, who found it difficult to realize how much Nicole had suffered in silence.

“This was a woman who couldn’t share the hell that she was going through with the people she loved. Not because she didn’t trust them, but because she wanted to protect them,” Moore said. “It must have been a very lonely experience for Nicole.”

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

Mike Tyson's fight with Jake Paul has been postponed after the 57-year-old Tyson fell ill on a flight last weekend.

Tyson and Paul said Friday that they will announce a new fight date next week. They were scheduled to meet July 20 in Arlington, Texas.

Tyson became nauseous and dizzy during the final hour of a flight from Miami to Los Angeles last Sunday, and his plane was met by first responders who attended to the former heavyweight champion. Tyson's camp attributed the episode to an ulcer problem.

“During a follow up consultation on Thursday with medical professionals on his recent ulcer flare-up, the recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations,” the fight's promoters said in a statement.

Tyson hasn’t fought professionally since June 2005, but he has been training regularly for several years. He fought Roy Jones Jr. in an entertaining exhibition in Los Angeles in November 2020.

“My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s, and I will be back to my full training

schedule soon,” Tyson said in the statement. “Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.”

This combination of photos shows Victoria Monet at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on June 26, 2022, left, and Usher performs at Power 105.1’s Powerhouse 2016 at Barclays Center in New York on Oct. 27, 2016. (AP Photo)

Tyson and Jake Paul. PHOTO: JOE SCARNICI/GETTY

Legal Notices

Sen. Steve Glazer’s Vows Redo After Journalism Tax Bill Placed on Hold

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Contra Costa County) expressed

his views about Senate Bill (SB) 1327 at Capitol Weekly’s

“Covering California: The Future of Journalism in the Golden State” conference, which was held in Sacramento on May 30.

During his keynote speech message at the one-day event, Glazer said admitted he couldn’t get the votes he needed to pass the bill SB 1327 that proposes imposing a “mitigation fee” on major digital technology companies to fund journalism jobs.

Despite the challenges, the Senator vows to keep the Legislation alive.

“We have had setbacks, and we have a lot of work to do to fix this, but I certainly am not giving up,” Glazer said at the event near the State Capitol. Glazer is chairperson of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.

In addition to Glazer’s address, Capitol Weekly organized a probing conference that examined three of the most pressing issues facing California reporters.  Media experts, publishers, communications specialists,

and political reporters assembled to discuss the preservation of fair, balanced, and accurate journalism. The need for media outlets to deliver high-quality news coverage that bolsters government, the assessment of new business models; and coverage of the State Capitol dominated the 5-hour event.

“It is nothing short of tragic I would say to see what is happening to the journalism industry,” said Tim Foster, Capitol Weekly’s Executive Director. “I’ve been in and around journalism since 1995 and what we are seeing today with the closing of the journalism industry is unprecedented in my lifetime.”

Glazer spoke for 45 minutes about the future of democracy and the role journalism plays in it. However, the Legislature’s failure to advance SB 1327 and why he pulled the bill was the main subject. If SB 1327 should reemerge and be passed as law, fees collected would provide $500 million in employment tax credits to news organizations across California. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to pass the bill with a 4-2 vote on May 16, but Glazer still needed a pathway for twothirds of the votes required to make it off the Senate floor.

Glazer cited several reasons for why SB 1327 is facing opposition from digital tech giants like Google, Meta, Amazon, and publishers. These include concerns about increased advertising, the perceived threat of government influence, discrimination against larger publishers, a fear that the mitigation fee could trickle down to smaller news outlets as they expand, and nonprofit newsrooms that don’t pay taxes getting a share.

“Opponents will always sell the ghost in the closet,” Glazers said of entities that oppose the bill. “The news business is facing an existential threat, and they are fighting with each other over who will be the last passenger on the Death Star.”

Glazer shared that Google, Meta, and Amazon “fiercely” oppose SB 1327 but “don’t have a problem with helping news media. In conversations with the big tech giants, they prefer the state to pick up the tab.

“I tried to point out to them that their conduct and work ethic has contributed to the hollow out of news in California,” Glazer said. “They have an obligation to help mitigate the damage they have caused.” California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) vice chair

Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) said on May 16 at the State Capitol that his biggest concern about SB 1327 was whether it would benefit Ethnic Media, including Black media platforms. “They’re usually left and still need more assistance,” Bradford said. The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) put SB 1327 on its “job killer” list of bills.  CalChamber releases a list of job killer bills to identify legislation that it “claims “decimate economic and job growth” in the state.  On CalChamber’s website, it says that SB 1327 “implements a discriminatory” 7.25% tax on the revenue generated from the sale of digital advertising. Companies that make an excess of $2.5 billion would be responsible for the mitigation fee. “About 65% of journalists have lost their jobs since 2005,” Glazer said. It’s quite ironic that the state Chamber of Commerce labeled the bill a ‘job killer.’ I tell my staff when we debate many issues it is all about definition and job killer isn’t always about people, certainly not in this case. In this case is all about profits.”

L.A. Pilot Program Addressing Asian American Hate Could Be California Model

By McKenzie Jackson

California Black Media

Californians who are Asian American or Pacific Islanders (AAPI) were the targets of an escalated number of hate crimes and hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many AAPI people, particularly the elderly, reported being too scared to leave their homes. Others experienced firsthand hateful incidents stemming from deep-rooted prejudices and stereotypes -- such as verbal or physical assaults in public. Yet, too many of them were hesitant to voice their emotions, according to Yu Wang, an associate marriage and family therapist at the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center in Los Angeles.

“A space for healing is critically needed,” Wang said, also noting that some Asian cultures don’t put a heavy emphasis on sharing feelings and vulnerabilities. “It makes it difficult to talk about experiences related to racism. Also, many of us lack to the language to express emotions, which exacerbates feelings of isolation and fear.”

The Asian/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Equity Alliance in collaboration with other Asian American community groups recently launched the Healing Our People through Engagement (HOPE) pilot program in Los Angeles County geared at healing racial trauma experienced by Asian American community members by providing healing spaces and reducing isolation. Based on the successes of the initiative, supporters and organizers believe the “culturally centered” program could become a model for other cities around the state.

Ethnic Media Services hosted an hourlong Zoom press conference on the last day of May, which was AAPI Heritage Month, to allow HOPE program facilitators and allies the opportunity to provide details of the initiative to the media.

HOPE is a healing space for five distinct Asian American communities -- Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and Korean -- created to make sense of their experiences with racism and recent surges in hate crimes. The psychology of the program is radical healing, a framework that has aided Black people in dealing with years of prejudice-caused trauma. HOPE is funded by a grant from the California Department of Social Services. More than 11,000 stories of hate have been reported to the California-based online resource, Stop AAPI Hate, since 2020.

AAPI Managing Director of Programs Michelle Sewrathan Wong called HOPE vital and said Asian Americans endured episodes of brutality on a scale not seen in generations in the U.S. during the pandemic.

“They were scapegoated by politicians for transmission of COVID-19, targeted for violent physical attacks, made to feel unsafe and unwelcome in their own communities and bullied and ridiculed by neighbors and strangers alike,” she stated.

HOPE opened healing spaces in Los Angeles County that offer six two-hour sessions conducted in groups by facilitators, who are staff from partner community organizations. The initiative’s curriculum encourages self-reflection and dialogue, and it facilitates connections among participants.

DePaul University Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Anne Saw said the radical healing framework promotes healing over merely coping with the traumatic impacts of racism. She said radical healing is about becoming whole despite racism.

“We believe the radical healing framework provides a powerful set of tools/approaches to help people of color heal from racism,” Saw explained. “Healing may be lifelong

because racism is ongoing, yet a program like ours reminds people of the cultural, community, family, and individual strengths they have to resist racism. We believe that healing in a group can be more powerful than an individual engaging in healing on their own because of the support they receive.”

Wang, a HOPE facilitator, recalled a gathering of four Chinese and Chinese Americans people she met.

“The participants shared their feelings of helplessness and fear,” Wang said. She noted how one of the participants, a woman who grew up in a predominantly White community, was initially reluctant to talk about her feelings because she didn’t grow up in a Chinese majority neighborhood.

“However, after seeing how others shared their stories openly, she felt encouraged and shared her own story,” Wang recalled. “I think because our community tends to

internalize traumatic experiences rather than talking about them, this healing space was so powerful and allowed us to express and validate these feelings. The group let us learn how to support each other.”

HOPE facilitator Xueyou Wang, a social services program assistant at Little Tokyo Services Center in Los Angeles, said the center’s officials were uncertain if members of the community they served would benefit from HOPE.

“The participants talked a lot about microaggressions that would build up during the pandemic,” she said. Wang said the group included new Japanese Americans and multi-generational Japanese Americans, who discussed and bonded over their concerns of loss of culture and history and how to combat gentrification in Little Tokyo.

“It was very interesting to see participants meet each other where they were and hold space for each other,” she said. “Newer Japanese immigrants fearing the loss of

culture and Japanese Americans, who have been here for longer, fearing the loss of the history.” HOPE is meant to empower people and to fight racism. Next year, the program will focus on outreach to older adults.

“The concept of radical healing can be empowering,” Saw stated.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

The panel for A Crisis in Local News. Shown right to left, are Danielle Bergstrom (Fresnoland), Colleen McCain-Nelson (Sacramento Bee), Christa Scharfenberg (California Local News Fellowship Program-UC Berekely), and former television broadcast journalist Pamela Wu (News and Media Relations-UC Davis). (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Contra Costa) was the keynote speaker at Capitol Weekly’s Covering California: The Future of Journalism In the Golden State event held in Sacramento on May 30. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

More Segregated Than Deep South: ACLU Releases Report on Calif. Public Schools

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

The 2024 State of Black Education: Report Card was recently published by the American Civil Liberties Union California Action (ACLU California Action).

It states that California is the third most segregated state for Black students.

Co-author of the report, policy counsel Amir Whittaker from ACLU Southern California explained the criteria the ACLU use to rank California during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education held at the State Capitol the day after the Memorial Day holiday.

“For every state in the Deep South, California (schools) are more segregated,” Whittaker said. “People often think that California is not segregated or unequal as Deep South states and others. The inequalities here (in California) are actually wider.”

New York and Illinois are ahead of California regarding the racial diversity of their student bodies. According to a report May 2022 report by Stanford Graduate School of Education, the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York City school districts are in the top 10 most racially segregated districts for White-Black, White-Hispanic, and White-Asian segregation based on the average levels from 1991-2020.

In bigger school districts, segregation between lowincome (students who are eligible for free lunch) and non-low-income students increased by 47% since 1991, according to the Stanford Graduate School’s report.

“That’s why it’s important to look at this data,”

Whitaker said. “When you have millions of people living in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the urban areas are a lot more segregated than the south. That’s a big part of it.

A number of factors contribute to the segregation of schools in California such as parents sending their children to private schools, others optioning for homeschooling, and other reasons, Whitaker said.

The Brown v. Board of Education case declared that separating children in public schools based on race was unconstitutional. However, Whitaker pointed to cases after the landmark decision that circumvented that federal law.

According to a 2014 report by the Civil Rights Project, in the 1990s, decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court decision ended federal desegregation orders in San Francisco and San Jose. In addition, court decisions in the state that ordered desegregation in the 1970s were overturned by the 1990s. Legally, California has no school integration policy to adhere to.

“This is why we did this report. There needs to be a report just on this issue (of school segregation),” Whitaker told California Black Media. “Right now, there’s no task force or anything addressing it. I have never seen the California Department of Education talk about it. This is a pandemic (and) a crisis.”

Linnea Nelson, ACLU Northern California Senior Staff Attorney in the Racial and Economic Justice Program are the co-authored of the eight-page report.

The organization hosted an overview of the report and panel discussion at the State Capitol on May 29. California Black Legislative Caucus member Assemblymember Mia

Bonta (D-Alameda) and Sen. Steven Bradford were the guest speakers. Parents, students, educators, and Black education advocates from all over the state attended the 90-minute presentation at the State Capitol.

School segregation is the No. 1 issue listed in among the report’s “24 areas of documented inequality,” along with problematic trends of racial harassment, a continuous decline of Black student enrollment, school closures, connection with school staff, chronic absenteeism, low Black teacher representation, and parent participation.

Educator John Hughes alluded to the Black exodus and the decreasing Black student population in California. Hughes, one of the panelists for ACLU’s event at the State Capitol, taught at Warren Lane Elementary School in the Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD)for 20 years.  0

According to IUSD’s 2021 Progress Report, the student population has fallen from approximately 18,000 in 2003-2004 to about 7,950 in 2020-2021. The report predicts that the decrease will continue, with the loss of approximately 400 to 500 students each year. The nearby Los Angeles Unified School District student enrollment has declined by 40% in the last 18 years.

“I believe fear comes into play because of the age-old

Seated left to right, Carl Pinkston (Sacramento Black Parallel School Board, Jessica Black (Black Organizing Project of Oakland), and Amir Whitaker (Policy Counsel for ACLU Los Angeles) lead the panel discussion about the State of Black Education in California. (CBM Antonio Ray Harvey)

Asm. Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) was a guest speaker at the State of Black Education report card briefing at the State Capitol on May 29. (CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Lindsey Witherspoon, left, a member of ACLU Southern California’s Youth Liberty Squad, and John Hughes, right, special education educator at Warren Lane Elementary School in Inglewood, served on the panel. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

discriminatory and racial practices that our students have been victims of,” Hughes said.

Political Playback:

California Capitol News You Might Have Missed

By Bo Tefu and Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media

California State Budget: Legislature Announces Counter Proposal to Gov’s 2024-25 Plan

Last week, members of both houses of the California legislature discussed plans to close the state’s $27.6 billion budget gap, restore funds to build housing, preserve social services, and help the state save money.

The legislative hearings on the budget took place nearly three weeks after Gov. Newsom presented the May revision of his 2024-25 annual spending plan.

On May 30, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) announced a joint legislative budget proposal on May 30 that saves approximately half of the state’s reserves for future budget years.

“Fixing California’s deficit means making tough choices, so the Assembly came to these negotiations focused on preserving programs that matter most to Californians: lowering the cost of living, expanding affordable housing access and sustaining public services,” said Rivas.

The Democratic Party Budget Committee reviewed the governor’s proposed spending plan to remove various programs and reduce funding for agencies statewide. Newsom’s proposed cuts to public schools across California prompted teachers’ unions to push back with advertisements pressuring the governor to reconsider his budget plans.

The California Teachers Association argued that public schools could lose billions in the next few years resulting in a loss of teachers and resources in the state.

“This agreement is sound and makes the necessary tough decisions meeting the needs of this critical time, all while maintaining our commitment to strong public schools, investing in desperately needed resources in homelessness and workforce housing, health care access, resources to keep our communities fire safe, key climate investments and more,” said McGuire.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance, said that Gov. Newsom agreed to a temporary arrangement with the teachers’ union to delay spending cuts. The parties agreed to suspend Proposition 98, a law that guarantees an annual minimum amount of funding for public schools.

“The result of that is an agreement we can both support, and that advances two shared goals: avoid multibillion-dollar cuts to schools in the near term and provide greater predictability for school budgets in the long term,” said Palmer.

The State Senate held budget hearings this week to finalize the plan due by June 15. By state law, once the budget plan is passed, the Governor will have to finalize it by July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

Newsom Admin Takes Steps to Stabilize California’s Troubled Insurance Market

As growing numbers of Insurance companies announce plans to exit California’s insurance market -- or cancel customers’ policies -- Gov. Gavin Newsom says his administration is taking steps to reverse the trend. Speaking during a news briefing on May 31, Newsom highlighted the plan, which was unveiled as part of a trailer bill on May 28.

Newsom said the proposal speeds up approvals for rate increases and addresses rising costs resulting from incidents like wildfires. Newsom said, under his plan, the Department of Insurance will be required to decide and respond to rate increase requests within 120 days. The plan also calls for streamlining the process for filing for increases; builds in two 330-deay extensions for finalizing rate changes; and provides room for insurers to appeal decisions.

“We need to stabilize this market,” Newsom said. “We need to send the right signals.

Proponents, mainly insurance industry representatives like the Personal Insurance Federation of California, are praising the Governor’s actions while consumer advocates warn that the plan is a threat to public intervention rights California’s Prop 103, a 1988 state law adopted to protect state residents from “arbitrary insurance rates and practices.”

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara thanked Newsom for backing his office’s plan.

“To safeguard the integrity of the insurance market – composed of consumers, homeowners, and business owners – we must fix a system suffering from decades of deferral and delay,” said Lara in a statement. “This measure is one of several parts of a comprehensive plan to enact long-overdue regulatory reforms. The Legislature can do its part to support my reforms by giving this proposal a fair and full consideration, including public input. By enacting this important part of our strategy in statute, the Legislature can help us meet the urgency of the moment.

Lara is working on a longer-term strategy to shore up the insurance market that is expected to be released in December.

LAO Releases Multi-Year Outlook: Modest Budget Deficits to Persist

The state budget deficit is projected to increase, which will require the Governor and Legislature to make more budget cuts over the next few years, California’s nonpartisan Legislature Analyst’s Office (LAO) stated in a report last week.

According to the LAO’s multiyear budget report that makes forecasts about the state’s general fund through the 2027-28 fiscal year, the state’s budget problem is $7 billion higher than expected due to lower revenue and spending estimates.

“Under our office’s revenue and spending projections, and assuming the Governor’s May Revision policies are adopted, the budget problem for this year is $7 billion larger,” the report reads. “Put another way, the Legislature would need to take $7 billion in additional budget actions to balance the budget.”

This shortfall requires the Governor to reduce government spending by an additional $7 billion to balance the state’s deficit. However, if the legislature does approve the governor’s May Revisions the budget problems will carry over into the 2025-2026 fiscal year, increasing the existing budget deficit by nearly $10 billion.

California’s budget deficit could be as high as $73 billion, requiring the Legislature to consider harsh budget buts that can help the state economy recover long-term. However, the LAO’s spending estimates are lower than that of the state’s Department of Finance.

“The main reason that our estimates of the state’s operating deficits are slightly smaller than the administration’s is that our estimate of General Fund spending is lower than the administration’s estimates,” stated the LAO in the multiyear budget report.

The LAO’s estimates exclude spending on schools and community colleges, and lower estimated expenditures for Health and Human Services (HHS) programs. Based on the LAO’s estimates, Health programs grow annually by an average of 5.1 percent compared to the Newsom Administration’s estimated 8 percent.

“Our office has little insight into the components of, or assumptions underlying, the administration’s projections in HHS. As a result, we cannot identify the precise source of these differences—or the comparative reliability of our respective estimates -- with confidence,” the LAO report stated.

Given the projections, the LAO recommends that the Legislature maintain an overall structure similar to the Governor’s May revisions in the final budget package.

Gov. Newsom: California Is Making Progress in Fentanyl Fight

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that state law enforcement authorities seized 5.8 million pills containing fentanyl across the state since the beginning of the year. The California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force partnered with local and federal law enforcement to seize illegal fentanyl off the streets and at ports of entry along the Southern border, according to Newsom.

Two weeks ago, the State Senate passed the bipartisan Safer California Plan to address the fentanyl crisis and reduce crime in communities statewide.

Senate President pro-Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) has coauthored 15 bills focusing on crime prevention in local communities. Ten of the bills focus on evidence-based prevention and treatment solutions that address substance abuse and the fentanyl crisis.

Pro Tem McGuire said the bills, “will help curb the deadly fentanyl epidemic,” and reduce community-based crimes that impact people across the state.

CalGuard Major General Matthew Beevers worked alongside law enforcement partners to tackle the fentanyl crisis in the state.

“The volume of seizures we’re enabling and supporting demonstrates our commitment to denying operating capital to drug cartels and making California safer,” said Beevers.

Before the Senate’s package of bills passed, Gov. Newsom compiled a master plan designed to tackle the growing fentanyl and opioid crisis in California. The master plan provided a framework that addresses drug trafficking, supports overdose prevention efforts, and holds the pharmaceutical industry accountable.

“Illegal fentanyl has no place in our neighborhoods. California is tackling this problem head-on by holding drug traffickers accountable and increasing seizures, while at the same time expanding access to substance abuse treatment options and providing lifesaving, affordable reversal medicine to Californians statewide,” said Newsom.

The Newsom administration has also launched an online resource and tools for residents seeking help with prevention and treatment methods for fentanyl and opioidrelated substance abuse at Opioids.Ca. Gov

Department of Finance Report: One in Five New Homes in California Are ADUs

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) in California have more than doubled in the last half-decade, making the yards of one in five single-family homes into multi-unit properties.

California has experienced a rapid increase in ADUs

since the state Legislature lowered building barriers in 2017 to resolve the housing crisis. The number of ADUs has increased from nearly 8,500 units in 2020 to more than 22,800 units in 2024.

According to data from the California Department of Finance, one in five homes is an ADU. Property owners have expanded building projects in their backyards to accommodate family members are be used as rental units. Since 2017, lawmakers have passed several bills to increase the availability of housing for residents statewide. Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) passed AB 68 in 2019 to help residents acquire ADU permits in no less than 60 days. Lawmakers passed AB 881 the following year, allowing property owners to build ADUs on rental properties and preventing communities from requiring landlords to live on the property.

However, housing advocates argue that the state needs to build a wider variety of housing including apartment buildings. However, expansion plans for affordable housing are restricted by the lack of land near developed areas and local zoning laws that limit building in infill areas.

“Our biggest challenge in California is that so much of our zoning is for single-family homes, which makes it next to impossible to build any new housing,” said Ting.

“This is the one housing product that you can actually build in these single-family neighborhoods,” he said.

These affordable housing units are popular in cities such as Berkeley, San Jose, and Oakland. Developers have helped fuel the increase in ADUs, companies such as BrightSky Residential used new legislation to build a 71-home subdivision with a total of 141 units with no requirement to change zoning on the property. Newer development companies such as Abodu sell pre-manufactured ADUs starting at $228,800 for a 340-square-foot studio. Some companies even offer custom-built ADUs that cost approximately $500 per square foot without water and electricity connection.

The state recently passed legislation that allows homeowners to sell ADUs as condos separate from their properties, starting in July this year.

Public Policy Inst. of California Releases Data on Hate Crimes

Hate crimes against minorities have increased statewide over the last decade with a spike in violent crimes between 2020 and 2022, states a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report.

The recent increase in violent hate crimes is backed by data revealing that victims were targeted based on personal characteristics, including race, ethnicity, and gender. Those violent hate crimes disproportionately affected Black, Latino, and Asian individuals. Incidents of violent hate crimes including assault grew by 791. The number of property-related hate crimes, including vandalism, increased by 314 incidents. In all the incidents reported, 25% of the hate crimes included the use of weapons including knives, handguns, and clubs.

The report stated that violent hate crimes remain underreported. The California Department of Justice is working on plans to invest more money in facilitating the reporting of hate crimes and supporting communities affected most by these incidents.

According to the report between 2019 and 2022, hate crimes targeting Black people tripled, while incidents against Latinos doubled, and attacks against Asians more than tripled in recent years.

“These increases are overwhelmingly driven by violent rather than property crimes,” the report stated.

In 2022, approximately 75% of all reported hate crimes included violent attacks against Black, Latino, or Asian people.

The state has since passed bills to address current and emerging issues related to hate crimes. The Legislature passed AB 485 in 2020, requiring local law enforcement agencies to post monthly updates of hate crimes online. Legislators passed AB 449 in 2023, a law that requires local law enforcement agencies to report suspected hate crimes and provide information that helps report hate crimes to the state attorney general.

Gov. Gavin Newsom launched the “CA vs Hate” campaign, an educational awareness campaign that includes a hotline and online resources for reporting hate crimes. The campaign also provided funds to communitybased organizations supporting victims of hate crimes.

“This potential change in reporting behavior, along with increased media attention to the problem, may be partially responsible for the recent uptick in the number of incidents we report on here,” the report stated.

(Shutterstock Photo)

Young NAACP Delegates Hand Out “Blessing Bags” to Unhoused People

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

A delegation of youth and college students added a charitable touch when they participated in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) California-Hawaii State Conference (Cal-Hi State Conference) annual “Legislative Day” in Sacramento on May 20.

The young members of NAACP branches from all over the state attended the daylong event to learn about public policy and participate in the legislative process. They also discussed legislation focused on reparations and environmental justice.

The group’s benevolent gesture involved distributing packages of personal care and hygiene items to the less fortunate and unhoused population in the state capital.

The initiative was the brainchild of Zowee Williamson, the Housing Committee Chairperson for NAACP Cal-Hi

State Conference’s Youth and College division.

“These are ‘blessing bags,’” said Williamson, a 15-year-old resident of Stockton. “They are about blessings for people who may need blessings. We wanted to provide resources that people could use to get off the streets. I just see a lot of people – old and young — on the streets who are in need. We look at our community and say, ‘What can we do?’”

The NAACP Stockton Branch’s Youth Council prepared the rose and blue-colored blessing packages in advance and stored them in boxes while participating in the event’s orientation held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Sacramento.

All of the members spent the morning going through orientation before visiting lawmakers at the State Capitol and the nearby Capitol Annex Swing Space where temporary offices are set up for legislators while the 73-year-old State Capitol is undergoing a facelift.

“This (is) a great day for all friends and members of the NAACP to gather together,” said Venus Butler, a member of the NAACP Branch of Los Angeles. “This also a day we could recognize the 70th-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Brown v. the Board of Education.”

The young members dropped off some of the blessing packages to individuals they met as they walked to the facilities three blocks away and handed out a few more on their way back to the hotel.

“It was only about 100 bags but hopefully at future events like this we can give out more,” Williamson said.

According to the National Chapter of the NAACP, the Youth Council and Junior Youth Council are part of the oldest civil rights organization’s local units that provide training and leadership development for young adults under the age of 25. The Youth and College Division of the NAACP Cal-

Hi State Conference is known to perform community work across the state by organizing a variety of workshops, including the thought-provoking “Stop the Hate Mock Trial,” a Youth Focused Dinner, an informational Juvenile Justice Workshop, and a comprehensive Health Forum. At the NAACP Cal-Hi State Conference’s 36th Annual State Convention in San Francisco last October, Williamson said youth delegates also gave out blessing packages of personal items to the homeless – a popular program at her local branch in Stockton. l Williamsons’ hope is to get all 57 branches in the state involved and potentially expand the program nationwide among other NAACP Youth Councils. “It’s just a start,” she said. “Once we have more resources to build it up, we can help get people off the streets, out of the cold, away from pollution. The world will be a better place.”

Teneicia Herring, Cal-Hi State Conference’s Government Relations Specialist, far left, and the State Conference Communication Director, Kristine Yabumoto, far right, take a photo with the young delegates before they distributed “blessing bags” to unhoused people on their way to the State Capitol. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)