Bakersfield News Observer 6.28.23

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Family Suing for $100 Million for Death of Keenan Anderson After LAPD Encounter

They believe the video shows that the use of force by police was inappropriate in this situation.

“It matters not whether there was cocaine in his system, because the actions of the officers were wrong. It matters not why he was in distress, because it’s clear from the body camera footage that he was never a threat. He spoke to the officers politely. He was always compliant; he never balled his fist, he never kicked. He never did anything to give an officer the belief that he was a threat. Instead, these officers acted like hammers. And when you send a hammer into a garden, they treat all the flowers like their nails,” Douglas said to CBM.

“They did not know that Keenan Anderson was a schoolteacher of high school students. They didn’t know he had a five-year-old boy who loved him and he was engaged in his young son’s life. They didn’t know he was a role model to dozens of other kids across the country.”

“It resonated with me because I was so close to George Floyds family,” said Crump, who represented the family in a lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis.

“The one thing that I think is similar is just the fact that Black people who have mental health crises, man, we get the death sentence,” Crump said. “When White people have mental health crises, everybody is trying to help them.”

This month the U.S. Department of Justice released a report outlining systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department. It said police officers used “unjustified deadly force” and other types of force, and that they “unlawfully discriminate” against Black and Native American people, violate the rights of people engaged in protected speech, and discriminate against people with behavioral health issues.

There were similar findings in Los Angeles Police Department after the Rampart Scandal uncovered corruption.

“20 years ago, there was a finding that there were systemic problems in the Los Angeles Police Department and there was a consent decree,” Douglas said. “The problem is there is a warrior mentality that envelops law enforcement: us versus them; military equipment against citizens instead of a guardian mentality to protect and serve, to help.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discussed the incident with CBM in February.

“People have died at the hands of the LAPD. You had those three deaths in one week, which was really horrific from my point of view,” Bass said. “With my medical background, I looked at those tapes unedited, and I saw two people in serious crisis.”

One!Take

MLB to Stage Negro Leagues Tribute Game at Rickwood Field Next June Honoring Willie Mays

NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Baseball will stage a Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 20, 2024, between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 10,800-seat stadium, opened in 1910, is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and a National Historic Site. The stadium was home to the Birmingham Black Barons from 1924-60.

“It’s an honor. Any time I get to represent my culture like that, especially on the MLB level, it’s always a joy,” said Cardinals rookie Jordan Walker, who is Black. “All I got to do is stay healthy and ready and I want to play in that game, for sure.”

The game will honor Hall of Famer Willie Mays, an Alabama native who began his professional career with the team in 1948.

“Willie played there, oldest ballpark in the nation,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “Really incredible opportunity for our organization. Really excited about it.”

MLB said Tuesday it is staging the game around the Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865. There also will be a Double-A game at the ballpark between the Birmingham Barons and Montgomery Biscuits of the Southern League on June 18.

St. Louis will be the home team for the June 20 game, scheduled to start shortly after 7 p.m. EDT and to be televised nationally on Fox. Period uniforms will be used relating to the Negro Leagues history of San Francisco and St. Louis.

“The legacy of the Negro Leagues and its greatest living player, Willie Mays, is one of excellence and perseverance,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. ‘’We look forward to sharing the stories of the Negro Leagues throughout this event next year.” Mays, 92, is generally considered baseball’s greatest living player. After playing with Birmingham, he signed with the New York Giants and was voted the 1951 National League Rookie of the Year as the Giants won the NL pennant.

Maxim Elramsisy California Black Media

Civil Rights and personal Injury attorneys Benjamin Crump and Carl Douglas announced a $100 million lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles last week for the death of Keenan Anderson, a high school English teacher visiting Los Angeles from Washington D.C.

The attorneys are representing Anderson’s son, Syncere Anderson, and Syncere’s mother Gabrielle Hansell.

The complaint alleges civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and negligence on the part of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the death of Anderson.

“They are trying to George Floyd me,” Anderson said as he lay face down on the street in Venice, California on January 3. The 30-year-old died later at a hospital after body-camera footage shows him being tased at least six times by LAPD officers.

“[He is] calling out to the public when he’s on the ground being tased and squashed. He’s calling for help. He was anticipating his own injury,” Douglas, said to California Black Media (CBM).

“When you think about Black people, our fear is that every time police stop us, they might do us like George Floyd,” Crump said to CBM.

The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner reported in early June that Anderson’s cause of death was an enlarged heart and cocaine use and reported manner of death as undetermined.

The attorneys argue the report is irrelevant.

“After they assassinated him, they tried to assassinate his character. That is the strategy, tried and true, in America when the police kill Black people,” Crump said. “Look at that video, your eyes are not deceiving you. What killed [Anderson] was an overdose of lethal force, it’s that simple. If he were not tased, he would be here today.”

Bass also described assurances she received from Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore. She said, “Part of my agreement in supporting him was that we identified a group of objectives of what I want to see done. I am insisting that every officer be trained in mental health to spot crises.”

“The Commitment I made to the chief was to work to increase the funding for mental health, social workers, so that they can go out and be part of these assessments, because I believe if those officers had been accompanied by a mental health professional that it may not have escalated the way it did.”

A June 23 statement from Mayor Bass’ office to CBM stated, “The Mayor’s approved budget has money to continue funding the SMART teams. The primary challenge isn’t lack of funding for these positions but a shortage of licensed clinicians who work alongside the officers to respond to people experiencing mental health crises. The Mayor’s Office is working with our partners at LAPD and LA County Department of Mental Health to pursue strategies to hire additional licensed clinicians.”

The LA City Attorney declined to comment for this article, citing pending litigation.

A World Series champion with the Giants in 1954, Mays was a 24-time All-Star, tied with Stan Musial for second-most behind Hank Aaron’s 25. Mays won the 1954 major league batting title and was voted NL MVP in 1954 and 1965.

“I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d see in my lifetime a Major League Baseball game being played on the very field where I played baseball as a teenager,’’ Mays said in a statement. “It has been 75 years since I played for the Birmingham Black Barons at Rickwood Field, and to learn that my Giants and the Cardinals will play a game there and honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues and all those who came before them is really emotional for me. We can’t forget what got us here and that was the Negro Leagues for so many of us.”

MLB will work with the City of Birmingham and Friends of Rickwood to renovate the ballpark, the home of the minor league Barons from 1910-1961, 1964-65, 1981- 87. The Barons have played since 2013 at Regions Field, about 3 miles away, and shift one game annually to Rickwood in a tribute to the team’s history.

Walker said it was important for baseball to honor the history of the Negro Leagues.

“It really was an introduction to Black people in baseball. I know Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Before that, that was all we had,” he said. “So everybody coming out, representing our culture and the game of baseball, it’s truly special. That’s really the main reason I am here today is all that support.”

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

The California Hawaii State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (CA/HI NAACP) held its 11th annual Legacy Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event took place on June 24 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Sacramento.

At the event, the NAACP paid tribute to 1968 Olympic medalists Dr. Tommie Smith and Dr. John Carlos, and 1967 Olympic Project for Human Rights co-organizers Dr. Harry Edwards and Dr. Kenneth Noel. These men were honored for their contributions to the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

All the honorees except Smith were present at the ceremony. Smith’s friend Darrell Goode accepted the award on his behalf.

“If you receive this award, it exemplifies greatness of your career whether it’s in politics, whether it’s in business, or whether it be activism,” said Rick Callender, President of the CA/HI NAACP.

On the morning of Oct. 16, 1968, AfricanAmerican athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist while the US national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” played during their medal ceremony at the Olympics in Mexico City. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey was taken at their alma mater on Oct.6, 2016 on the campus of San Jose State University. Statue designed by artist Rigo 23 in 2005.

“I’m sure you can see why now our current inductees are receiving this honor. It just shows you what an incredible impact they had on the lives of everyone in their fight for civil rights,” he added.

After placing first and third in the 200-meter dash at the Olympic Games in Mexico City, sprinters Smith and Carlos ascended the medal stand to receive their respective gold and bronze metals with second-place silver medalist Peter Norman of Australia. During that historic moment, the men led a protest to draw attention to racial discrimination and other negative conditions affecting

Black people in America and across the globe.

Shoeless, donning black socks to represent Black poverty, and wearing beads to protest violence against African Americans, the athletes raised a black-gloved fist to show support for Black and oppressed people. Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to show Black pride.

The iconic image of their stance on the podium and their bold display of the Black power movement’s most recognizable symbol (the raised fist) was seen around the world. That moment changed the racial dynamics of international sports forever.

After their stand against racial injustice, Smith and Carlos never relinquished their medals even though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prohibits protests at the games. They were immediately asked to leave the games in Mexico City.

Carlos said it was a widespread myth for decades that the IOC took his and Smith’s medals.

“They never took our medals. It was pure propaganda,” Carlos told California Black Media. “They were saying for years that they took our medals but what it really was a fear factor. They said it to try to instill fear into every Black athlete after 1968.”

Carlos, Smith, Edwards and Noel were associated with San Jose College’s track and field team in the mid-1960s. Facing discrimination as students on the campus, Edwards and Noel orchestrated rallies, protests and social justice events to attract African American student-athletes and fellow campus activists. Noel and Edwards started The United Black Students

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Doja Cat Announces Massive 2023 North American Tour with Ice Spice, Doechii

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Rapper-singer Doja Catthe Grammy Award winner, fashion muse, and creator of many TikTok hits - is set to embark on a 2023 North American tour this fall.

Doja Cat will be joined by song of the summer contender Ice Spice and up-and- coming rapper Doechii, as they open on select dates of her 24-date run. The Scarlet Tour kicks off on Halloween night in San Francisco and runs through December 13, with a final show scheduled in Chicago.

The tour will hit most major cities in the U.S. as well as Toronto.

The announcement arrives a week after Doja Cat released a new single, a fiery rap titled “Attention’’ that negotiates her relationship with online commentary from fans and critics alike.

Doja Cat first found mainstream fame when her 2018 single, “MOO!”, went viral. Since then, she’s been nominated for many Grammys, including for her No. 1 single “Say So” and most recent album, 2021’s “Planet Her.” In 2022, she won the Grammy for best pop duo performance for her collaboration with SZA, “Kiss Me More.”

In an effort to bypass bots and scalpers, The Scarlet Tour tickets will be available to fans if they register in advance at Ticketmaster through Sunday, June 25 at 10 p.m. Pacific. After that, some fans will receive a presale code. A limited number of tickets will become available to the public on Friday, June 30.

tased repeatedly by Los Angeles Police Officers. (Photo: Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media)

FBI Under Fire for Imposing Secrecy Agreements on Local Law Enforcement Regarding Cell-Site Simulators

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Records obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have shed light on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) persistent enforcement of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) on state and local law enforcement agencies seeking to use the agency’s cell site simulators.

The ACLU found that the agreements prohibit disclosure of the technology’s use to the public and the courts, even going as far as obstructing defendants’ constitutional right to mount a proper defense.

The organization found that records highlighted the FBI’s compelling local police to conceal vital information about these intrusive devices from judges, defense attorneys, and the media.

Laura Moraff, Brennan Fellow with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project expressed strong disapproval.

“These records show the FBI continuing to force local police to conceal basic information about this invasive technology from judges, defense attorneys, and the press. That is unacceptable,” Moraff stated in a news release.

“The FBI should immediately stop enforcing these extreme secrecy requirements and should inform courts and defense attorneys in cases where this technology has been used,” she added. Cell site simulators, commonly known as stingrays

or “IMSI catchers,” are powerful surveillance tools that invade the privacy of cell phones.

By mimicking cell phone towers, those devices emit signals to deceive nearby cell phones into transmitting identifying information, enabling precise location tracking.

While primarily used to track the location of a suspect’s cell phone, they inadvertently gather information from the phones of unsuspecting individuals in the vicinity.

Previously, the FBI mandated strict NDAs for state and local police departments interested in procuring their own cell site simulators.

However, the FBI backed away from this practice nearly a decade ago due to severe criticism.

A Maryland court emphasized that “such a broad prohibition on disclosure of information to the court… prevents the court from exercising its fundamental duties under the Constitution.”

The ACLU found that recently released documents indicate that the FBI has continued to impose NDAs when local police request the FBI’s assistance in locating a suspect’s phone using its own equipment.

The documents also revealed:

1. Concealment from courts: The FBI’s agreement prohibits local police from using information obtained from cell site simulators as “primary evidence in any affidavits, hearings, or trials.” Additionally, the FBI commits to employing “all appropriate legal means to limit testimony regarding the technology in any state or local

The ACLU found that the agreements prohibit disclosure of the technology’s use to the public and the courts, even going as far as obstructing defendants’ constitutional right to mount a proper defense.

proceeding.” Consequently, officers can gather evidence using a cell site simulator but withhold crucial information from court filings, depriving the court of comprehensive knowledge about the investigation.

2. Secrecy over everything: The documents demonstrate that the FBI adopts a “jigsaw” or patchwork theory of disclosure, aiming to keep even minor details

about cell site simulators hidden from the public. An email from May 2020 clarifies that the FBI will only deploy a cell site simulator at the request of local police after they have acknowledged and agreed to the FBI’s Nondisclosure Agreement. Previous versions of the FBI’s NDA went to the extreme of coercing police to drop charges rather than reveal their use of the technology.

3. Disregard for ethical concerns: Among the documents, an email exchange from 2015 highlights a local official expressing “serious reservations” about signing a nondisclosure agreement due to concerns that the terms “could place our prosecutors in a position of compromising their statutory and ethical duties.” Although much of the exchange remains redacted, records from five years later indicate that the FBI continued to impose NDAs on local agencies in certain circumstances.

ACLU officials said the recent revelations regarding the FBI’s enforcement of NDAs on local law enforcement agencies using cell-site simulators have raised significant concerns about transparency and constitutional rights. They argued that the practice impedes defendants’ ability to mount a fair defense and obstructs the judiciary’s duty to uphold the Constitution.

Calls for the FBI to immediately cease enforcing such extreme secrecy requirements and to notify courts and defense attorneys when this technology is employed have grown louder, ACLU officials asserted.

Mercenary Commander Reaches Deal with Kremlin, Exposing Russian Vulnerabilities and Wagner Group’s Role

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

The greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-decade-long reign has fizzled out as the rebellious mercenary commander, Yevgeny Prigozhin, abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin.

The agreement entails Prigozhin exiting and ordering his troops to retreat, effectively ending the brief revolt.

However, many believe the uprising has exposed vulnerabilities within the Russian government forces and shed light on the activities of the Wagner Group, a controversial private military company.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, announced a deal in which Prigozhin, the commander of the Wagner Group soldiers, would travel to Belarus, a country that has backed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Charges of mounting an armed rebellion against Prigozhin will be dropped.

Furthermore, the Russian government said it would not prosecute Wagner fighters who participated in the revolt.

military company.

Meanwhile, those who did not join the uprising will be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry. Prigozhin promptly ordered his troops to return to their field camps in Ukraine, where they had been fighting alongside regular Russian soldiers. The armed uprising led by Prigozhin, which threatened to march on Moscow, was met with strong opposition from

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Putin himself.

In a televised address to the nation, Putin referred to the rebellion as “betrayal” and “treason.”

However, the Kremlin decided to allow Prigozhin and his forces to go free. Peskov explained that Putin’s “highest goal” was to avoid bloodshed and internal confrontation that could lead to unpredictable results.

The move allowed the Kremlin to regain control over the situation.

In an audio clip released by his press service, Prigozhin defended his actions, asserting that the goal of Wagner was not to overthrow the government but to protest the mistreatment they perceived.

The Russian military denied the allegations that this mistreatment included attempts to integrate the group into the armed forces and launch a deadly attack against them.

Prigozhin did not disclose his current whereabouts.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, whose removal was one of Prigozhin’s key demands, appeared in a video on Monday, suggesting that Putin is unlikely to dismiss him immediately. The video, released by Russia’s Ministry of Defense, showed Shoigu inspecting a command post for the war in Ukraine. Its timing and content raised speculation about the minister’s status, but experts said no definitive conclusions could be drawn from it.

The terms of the agreement between the Kremlin and Prigozhin remained unclear.

Despite earlier statements from Peskov that a criminal case against Prigozhin would be dropped, it was revealed on Monday that he was still under investigation for mutiny. Prigozhin’s future and the fate of Wagner’s 25,000 heavily armed troops remained uncertain. Reportedly, the Russian military, which failed to impede Wagner’s advance towards Moscow, might face internal restructuring in the aftermath of the rebellion. Prigozhin stated that Wagner had called off its march on Moscow to avoid harming Russian soldiers, asserting that their demonstration had served its purpose. He did not provide further details about the future of his organization. However, he mentioned that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had offered to explore legal avenues for Wagner to continue its work.

While the authorities did not make immediate efforts to disarm or disband Wagner, recruitment centers in Tyumen and Novosibirsk, which had temporarily closed, resumed their activities, according to state news agency TASS. Prigozhin was last seen in public on Saturday night as he departed from the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, heading towards an undisclosed destination.

Supreme Court Allows Redrawing of Louisiana Congressional Map to Create Additional Majority-Black District

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National

Correspondent

The U.S. Supreme Court has permitted redrawing the Louisiana congressional map, paving the way for adding another majority-Black district.

The justices have reversed their initial plans to hear the case directly and lifted the hold placed on a lower court’s order regarding the need for a revamped redistricting regime.

Notably, there was no dissent among the justices.

This move by the Supreme Court follows a recent ruling made earlier this month regarding Alabama’s congressional maps.

The ruling upheld the historical approach of courts when dealing with the redistricting provisions in the Voting Rights Act, a historic civil rights law that Black voters are utilizing to challenge the Louisiana congressional plan.

The lower court proceedings, which the conservative majority had put on hold in June of last year, will now resume because of this new order.

At that time, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had been preparing for an expedited review of a judge’s ruling that suggested the 5-1 congressional plan likely violated the Voting Rights Act.

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, who presided over the case, had been considering a remedial congressional

California NAACP Conference Honors 1968 Olympics Heroes

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for Action (UBSA). They both noticed that Black studentathletes could use their fame to elevate civil rights issues. They both converted UBSA into the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR), a civil rights organization created to boycott the 1968 Summer Olympics.

On Oct. 16, 1968, Smith won the 200-meter race in a world-record time of 19.83 seconds. Norman finished second with a time of 20.06 seconds, and Carlos was third with a time of 20.10 seconds.

“There were several other people who were really important in our lives and involved in the struggle too,” said Noel, who was known as a gifted middle-distance runner. “One of the things that I will say about the fight for human rights is we endeavored to change the paradigm of what it means to be a champion athlete. Not only to perform on the field but to get involved in politics, and support activities in our communities.”

Edwards, an emeritus professor of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley, and former scholarathlete at San Jose State College (today San Jose State University), encouraged African American athletes to protest the 1968 summer Olympics in Mexico City with the support of the Project for Human Rights.

Edwards, a long-time consultant at the San Francisco 49ers, is a proud and committed social activist. In 2016, Edwards supported then-49ers quarterback

Colin Kaepernick’s controversial protest against excessive use of force by police officers.

Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the National Anthem before each game, as a way of bringing attention to police brutality against Black people in the United States.

After the first time Kaepernick kneeled, Edwards told him to give him his uniform immediately because his action would be a monumental moment in sports and representative of the new wave of civil rights. Edwards sent the garment to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., alongside Carlos, Smith, and Muhammad Ali’s exhibits.

“He felt strong enough about it to put his career and life on the line. Look at the number of death threats and other things that happened to him. He put it all on the line in order to make that statement,” Edwards said. “He was saying we are better than this. He started a movement that swept the world.”

The Legacy Hall of Fame honors outstanding community leaders who have fought tirelessly to advance the civil rights movement while also creating vital funding for local unit capacity building, youth leadership programs, and NextGen Leadership programs and initiatives, according to the CA/HI NAACP.

plan after Louisiana lawmakers refused to pass a plan that included a second majority-Black district.

The Supreme Court clarified on Monday that their latest decision “will allow the matter to proceed before the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for review in the ordinary course and in advance of the 2024 congressional elections in Louisiana.”

A congressional map that the Republican legislature had passed over Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto last year led to the lawsuit against Louisiana state officials.

The map, which only designated one out of six districts

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Shown left to right at the CA/HI NAACP Legacy Hall of Fame ceremony, Darrell Goode (received award for Dr. Tommie Smith), Rick Callendar (CA/HI NAACP president), Dr. John Carlos (Legacy Hall of Fame recipient), Dr. Kenneth Noel (Legacy Hall of Fame recipient), and Dr. Harry Edwards (Legacy Hall of Fame recipient). Dr. Tommie Smith, a gold medalist in the 1968 Olympics, could not attend the induction ceremony in Sacramento. June 24, 2023. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Dr. Harry Edwards (Legacy Hall of Fame recipient), at the podium, and Dr. Kenneth Noel organized the protest at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He is shown here with CA/HI NAACP President Rick Callendar and Carolyn Veal-Hunter (CA/HI NAACP treasurer) at the Legacy Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Sacramento. June 24, 2023. (CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Many believe the uprising has exposed vulnerabilities within the Russian government forces and shed light on the activities of the Wagner Group, a controversial private

Ahead of the BET Awards, A Look Back at How the Network Helped Hip-Hop Grow and Thrive

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

Entertainment Writer

AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) - "Rap City." "106 & Park." And even, "Uncut."

From innovative to provocative, BET has played a crucial role in creating several influential programs that helped spread hip-hop to millions of homes across the globe. Other than its rival show "Yo! MTV Raps," the network known as Black Entertainment Television took up the mantle - despite some reluctance - to showcase a misunderstood rap culture decades before it became today's most popular music genre.

For many, BET became a safe place for those within hiphop to express their artistry, although not without criticism. Through it all, the network has been a mainstay for established and emerging rap artists.

It will all come together during the BET Awards on Sunday. Show officials plan to celebrate the genre's 50th anniversary during the telecast dubbed as a "non- stop Hip-Hop Party." It also comes at a pivotal time for the network, which will be soon be sold. Several Black entrepreneurs and celebrities, including Tyler Perry, media executive Byron Allen and rapper-entrepreneur Diddy, are interested in purchasing the network.

The new owner will acquire an important cultural fixture, one whose success was partially built on how it elevated hip-hop.

"BET was a big platform for hip-hop and urban music overall," said E-40. His song "Tired of Being Stepped On" with the rap group The Click appeared on BET's "Video Soul," which was created in 1981 at a time when MTV refused to play videos by most African Americans. The rapper recalled how guest host Jamie Foxx dissed The Click's song but the comedian's critical words didn't faze him. He felt his group gained important exposure to promote their "unorthodox" West Coast rap style.

"The network really stepped up. We needed that," said E-40, who also made a few appearances on another BET show called "Rap City," which featured hip-hop music videos, interviews and freestyles booth sessions with big names including Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and MC Lyte. The show, which highlighted popular and up-and-coming rappers, became the longest-running hip-hop TV show in history.

E-40 credited BET founder Robert Johnson for giving hip-hop a chance. Johnson built the brand into the leading TV network for Black Americans in hopes of creating content geared toward jazz, comedy and gospel. But at the time, he and other founders were unsure about featuring a rap show, believing the genre would be short lived.

Rival MTV's "Yo! MTV Raps," however, showed that hiphop had staying power.

"After kind of a brief initial hesitancy, the founders of BET really understood how hip-hop was transforming culture overall and specifically Black entertainment," said Scott M. Mills, BET's president and CEO.

"They rapidly embraced hip-hop as part of the mission of BET," he said. "You went from BET having shows with no hip-hop artists or music to artists and music starting to trickle

through shows to this full evolution of creating dedicated shows, celebrating hip-hop music, artists and culture."

grasp the concept of his crunk music, which eventually gained mainstream appeal.

"We strived to be on 'Rap City.' We strived to be on '106 & Park,'" Lil Jon said. "A.J. knew who I was, because he would go to the South and host things. He knew the power of my music.

as Ludacris' "Booty Poppin" music video. The tipping point came after Nelly's "Tip Drill" video featured women simulating sex acts with themselves while men grabbed their bodies.

"Uncut" normally finished airing early Sunday just hours before the network's faith-based programs began.

At the time, Big Boi of Outkast was taken aback by some of the raunchy content, calling it "distasteful" and "soft porn." Other political figures and activists showed their displeasure. Cofounder Sheila Johnson even said in a 2010 interview that she was ashamed of BET, suggesting that no one, including her own children, should watch the channel.

After the backlash, BET took a new approach. The company researched what their viewers wanted to see and created a lineup of more family-oriented shows such as "Reed Between the Lines" and "Let's Stay Together."

"If you look at it, hip-hop is like a huge family," said Roxanne Shante. "You're going to have family members that do things that's necessarily not my thing."

"But who am I to criticize what they go through? It's a form of expression,'' said the "Roxanne's Revenge" rapper. ''I think BET has shown its ability to go with that form of expression. Now, people are expressing themselves in a different way. And now, they cater to a different audience and started to show different programming."

Despite controversy, Mills said a symbolic relationship was kept between BET and the hip-hop community. He said the network has a chance to break new artists through the BET HipHop Awards while showcasing the more popular ones at the BET Awards. He shouted out veteran rapper and Oscar-nominated actor Queen Latifah, who recently hosted the NAACP Image Awards this year.

FILE - Black Entertainment Television chairman and founder, Robert Johnson, gestures during a press conference in New York on Aug. 12, 1999. Johnson built the brand into the leading TV network for Black Americans. BET’s decision to embrace hip-hop literal...Show

BET's decision to embrace hip-hop literally paid off: Johnson and his then-wife, Sheila, sold the network to Viacom in 2000 for $3 billion - which made them the nation's first Black billionaires. He remained CEO until 2006.

After the sale, BET continued to beef up its content with reality shows and the network's flagship program "106 & Park," a weekday show that started in 2000 and lasted for more than a decade. The show thrived with a video countdown, interviews and performances. A year later, the network started the BET Awards then the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

For Lil Jon, he certainly benefitted from appearing on "106 & Park." One day, the rapper-producer joined the show's audience during the time when he had a hard time getting music on BET.

Lil Jon had no clue "106 & Park" co-host A.J. Calloway would notice him sitting in the crowd before he shouted out his name. The exposure helped him become more recognizable, particularly to the BET brass - who he says initially struggled to

... They would show me in the audience throughout the whole show. It was what they call an impression in the advertising world. It was a way for me to be around people at BET. They started to see and get familiar with me, and they wanted to look out for me. BET was just a place where we would get support from our community."

Like Lil Jon, other hip-hop artists took advantage of the exposure from BET - which often highlighted positive images of Black people through shows such as "Teen Summit" and "106 & Park." But in the early-2000s, the network started to take an odd turn as several popular figures - from filmmaker Spike Lee to Public Enemy's Chuck D - heavily criticized the channel's content for depicting African Americans in a negative light.

Many took aim at the now-defunct "BET: Uncut," a latenight mature program that contained highly sexual content such

"When you look at artists today, they're profoundly talented," he said. "The evolution of people deciding how they want to show up to the world is something that ultimately, I think we have to embrace. One thing about hip-hop, it's always changing. We're in the moment today, and that moment will evolve to whatever comes next."

Mills said BET is exploring ways to bring back "106 & Park" as a possible residency live show.

With a new buyer looking to purchase BET soon, the network's future focus and how much it emphasizes hip-hop will be closely watched.

Rapper Too Short said BET should continue to serve the Black community's needs.

"'Teen Summit' was the best show ever," he said. "Just for kids to sit there and have an intellectual conversation every Saturday morning. That was amazing to see Black kids thinking intelligently and debating with each other and an audience tapping in. "I don't know why anybody doesn't think that kind of programming is needed right now. I think BET just needs to be the community. Don't show me an aspect. The whole thing. Be Black entertainment."

Unforgettable Moments from 50 Years of Hip Hop: Inside the BET Awards 2023

By Philtrina Farquharson

Contributing

Writer

The stage was set for an unforgettable night of honoring Black excellence in music, television, film, and sports as the highly anticipated BET Awards 2023 took center stage. Held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, this star-studded event captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. As the evening unfolded, the icon Beyoncé and SZA emerged as the top winners, earning well-deserved recognition for their outstanding contributions to entertainment. With their remarkable achievements, they were on display brightly alongside a stellar lineup of nominees, showcasing the incredible talent and artistry within our community.

One of the standout moments of the night was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes. The prestigious honor was accompanied by heartfelt introductions from Marlon Wayans and Swizz Beatz.

Busta Rhymes, known for his prolific career spanning over three decades, received a standing ovation as he accepted the award. In a memorable tribute performance, Busta Rhymes was joined on stage by an all-star lineup including Bia, Coi Leray, M.O.P., Rah Digga, Spice, Supercat, and Swiss Beatz.

The late Tina Turner, a global powerhouse in the music industry, was paid homage by music legend Patti LaBelle, who delivered a performance of "The Best." The tribute served as a poignant reminder of Turner's immense impact and influence across the industry.

Another heartwarming moment that delighted the audience and viewers was the reunion of Quavo and Offset, who took the stage for a surprise performance. Part of the popular group Migos, they delivered a tribute in honor of the late member Takeoff. Their performance showcased their unity and marked their first appearance as a duo since Takeoff's passing.

In the midst of the glitz and glamour, nominee for Best Actor, Amin Joseph, shared his excitement about the momentous

occasion, stating, "I'll be appearing in the FX series Justified this summer. Attending the 50th anniversary of hip-hop as a nominee at the 2023 BET Awards was special and fitting for the dynamic character that I played on Snowfall for the last six years. Being recognized by the culture is everything." Joseph's heartfelt words underscored the significance of the event, highlighting the profound impact that the celebration of Black artistry has on both the artists and the community at large.

The evening was a celebration of the rich history of Hip Hop, with Kid Capri taking the audience on a journey through the genre's best songs from the past five decades. Esteemed artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Chief Keef, E-40, EPMD, Fabolous, Ja Rule, Jeezy, MC Lyte, Redman, Remy Ma, Soulja Boy, Styles P, Trick Daddy, Trina, Warren G, and many more graced the stage and showcased their incredible talent.

The complete list of winners included notable names such as SZA, who won Album of the Year for "SOS," and Beyoncé, who shared the Album of the Year honor for "Renaissance." Future's

collaboration "Wait For U" featuring Drake and Tems won Best Collaboration, and Coco Jones was recognized as the Best New Artist. The BET Her Award went to Beyoncé for her soul-stirring song "Break My Soul," while the Video of the Year. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: (L-R) Trevor Smith, T'Khi Wood-Smith, Cacie Smith, Busta Rhymes, winner of the Lifetime Achievement award, Mariah Smith, Trillian Wood-Smith, and T'ziah Wood-Smith pose in the press room during the BET Awards 2023 at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/ Getty Images for BET) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Ice Spice performs onstage during the BET Awards 2023 at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for BET) (Pictured: Amin Joseh, Actor/ BET Award Nominee)

Supreme Court Allows Redrawing of Louisiana Congressional Map to Create Additional Majority-Black District

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as majority Black, came under scrutiny considering the 2020 census revealed that 33% of the state’s population is Black.

Over a year ago, Judge Shelly Dick ordered the map redrawn to include a second Black-majority district, concluding that the Republicans’ map likely violated the Voting Rights Act’s prohibition of racial discrimination in voting.

Judge Dick emphasized that “the evidence of Louisiana’s long and ongoing history of voting-related discrimination weighs heavily in favor of” the arguments put forward by the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP and other challengers involved in the case.

Subsequently, Robinson v. Ardoin proceeded to the conservative-leaning 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel, including two Republican-appointed circuit judges, declined to suspend Judge Dick’s order.

The appeals court expedited a comprehensive review of the case, but those proceedings were halted last summer when Louisiana officials successfully sought intervention from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court then took up the case in June but paused it while deciding the challenge to the Alabama map.

Republicans representing Louisiana’s state officials argued in subsequent filings that the Louisiana case presented a “unique situation” for the Supreme Court to address unresolved legal issues with the Voting Rights Act because of the Alabama ruling in Milligan.

“Today’s decision in Milligan does not address the district court’s significant errors of law that should rightly result in reversal,” the Louisiana filing stated.

However, opponents of the state’s position countered by highlighting that the district court in the Louisiana case had determined that the 5-1 map likely violated the Voting Rights Act using the same legal test that the Supreme Court endorsed in its Alabama ruling.

With the Supreme Court’s latest decision, the ongoing debate surrounding the Louisiana congressional map’s compliance with the Voting Rights Act will proceed through the ordinary review course in the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

NNPA Wins Four Year Internal Voting Rights Civil Cases

NNPA Newswire

In a definitive and consequential ruling, the Honorable Ebony Scott in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Civil Division, issued on May 10, 2023, a factual “Summary Judgment” in favor of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

Today, in an official notice sent out to each member publisher of the NNPA, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr, President, and CEO of the NNPA, confirmed, “In the matters of Dorothy R. Leavell v. NNPA, Amelia AshleyWard v. NNPA, and Carol Geary v. NNPA, the courts in the District of Columbia have now ruled in favor of the NNPA.”

The NNPA is the national trade association of the Black Press of America representing over 240 African American owned newspapers and multimedia companies throughout the United States.

Chavis resoundingly attested, “Finally, after four years of extended and financially costly, frivolous lawsuits against the NNPA, we have good news for the NNPA upon winning these significant legal victories.”

Chavis concluded, “The NNPA will continue to work diligently to ensure that the voting rights of all our member publishers are protected from any future effort to subvert the overall interests of the membership of the NNPA.”

Leavell, Ashley-Ward, and Geary who are members of the NNPA disagreed with the outcome of the 2019 NNPA national elections and sued the NNPA in part to contest the results of the 2019 NNPA Board Elections.

In 2019, the membership of the NNPA duly elected Karen Carter Richards, publisher of the Houston Forward Times, as the new NNPA Chair.

Leavell was defeated by Richards for Chair of the NNPA.

“As much as I would like to say that I’m excited about this ruling I’m not [because] this should have never happened to our esteemed organization or the wonderful publishers who make up this important entity,” Richards stated.

“This entire ordeal has been a stain on this organization, led by three individuals who refused to accept the will of the qualified vote of our publishers.”

Richards continued:

“Not only did we have to fight through the COVID-19

pandemic and other changes in the market, but we also had to fight against the frivolous actions of three of our member publishers.

“Now, thankfully after four years, we can put this unjustified action behind us and move forward for the betterment of our organization and continue to do what’s right for the NNPA.”

During the past four years, however, the NNPA continued to make substantial progress even in the face of the continued civil litigation.

“We are pleased with the judge’s decision, and it’s been a long time coming,” NNPA General Counsel Attorney A. Scott Bolden stated.

“There was never any substance to the plaintiffs’ allegations. Unfortunately, it took four years and a lot of legal expenses to prove that there was nothing there.”

Bolden said Judge Scott also issued a separate order of sanctions – the second during the case – “for some of the conduct of the plaintiffs and their counsel. “

“This isn’t the first time the plaintiffs and their lawyers were sanctioned,” Bolden asserted. “It is fortunate that we were able to emerge victorious.”

Bolden said many lessons were learned about how the lawsuit was brought and how the plaintiffs and prior judges handled it.

“Going forward, we’re looking forward to working with NNPA members and the board members to prevent any future lawsuits against the organization by amending the NNPA Bylaws to ensure that any disputes will require mediation or arbitration,” Bolden said.

He said the two avenues are far less expensive than civil litigation.

Bolden also noted that Carole Geary, publisher of the Milwaukee Courier, lost her lawsuit against the NNPA in 2022, appealed the defeat, and lost again.

“Thanks to our outstanding legal team, our leadership, and Dr. Benjamin Chavis, our president/CEO for pressing forward as we endured such an unfortunate and costly situation,” Richards added.

The NNPA is now preparing to celebrate the 196th Year Anniversary of the Black Press of America at its 2023 Annual National Convention in Nashville, TN, June 28July 1, 2023.

Supreme Court Upholds State Court’s Authority in Election-Related Case, Rejects Republican Argument

By Stacy M. Brown

Newswire

U.S.

impose new

restrictions on state courts regarding election-related matters. The decision came as the Court ruled against

Republicans in North Carolina fighting for a congressional district map that favored their candidates.

The justices voted 6-3, stating that the North Carolina Supreme Court had acted within its authority by deeming the map a partisan gerrymander under the state Constitution.

The ruling rejects the “independent state legislature” theory, an obscure legal argument made by Republicans.

The theory argues that state courts have limited power to strike down election laws enacted by state legislatures.

However, the Supreme Court’s decision refused to adopt this broad interpretation, much to the relief of voting rights groups and Democrats concerned about potential limitations on state court authority.

Former President Barack Obama expressed his approval of the Court’s decision, tweeting, “Today the Supreme Court rejected the fringe independent state legislature theory that threatened to upend our democracy and dismantle our system of checks and balances.”

The “independent state legislature” argument centers on the language of the Elections Clause in the Constitution, which states that election rules “shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof.”

Proponents of the theory claim that this language gives state legislatures ultimate power over federal election rules under state law, potentially overriding any constraints imposed by state constitutions.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the majority opinion, agreed that state courts could apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures exercise the power granted by the Elections Clause.

However, he noted that state courts should be within the bounds of ordinary judicial review when conflicts with federal law arise.

Federal courts can intervene in such cases, according to the Court’s conclusion.

The North Carolina Supreme Court had previously issued the ruling.

Still, following the midterm elections, the court composition changed to Republican control, and the decision was recently overturned.

That development raised questions about whether the Supreme Court needed to decide the case at all.

Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by fellow conservative justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, dissented, arguing that the case was moot.

Thomas expressed concern that the decision would create confusion in lower courts, potentially leading to more cases resembling the controversial Bush v. Gore ruling in 2000 and ultimately resulting in Republican George W. Bush becoming president.

In a separate opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh hinted that the Court might address the scope of state court authority in a future case.

He emphasized that the Court had established a general principle for federal court review of state court decisions in federal election cases.

He suggested that a more specific standard would be distilled in due course.

Although the congressional map in North Carolina will be redrawn before the 2024 election due to a state

law provision, the Supreme Court’s ruling suggests that the new map is likely to favor Republicans heavily. Had the Court embraced the “independent state legislature” theory, it would have impacted redistricting disputes and other election-related rules, including issues like mail-in voting and voter access to the polls.

This theory could have also called into question the power of governors to veto legislation.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist had endorsed a version of the theory in the 2000 Bush v. Gore case.

During the recent oral arguments, several justices referenced Rehnquist’s opinion to support the notion of constraining state officials, including judges, from making changes to election laws enacted by legislatures without proper legal grounding.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump cited the “independent state legislature” theory in various cases related to the 2020 presidential election.

Republicans, including Tim Moore, used the theory after the North Carolina Supreme Court invalidated the congressional district map last year. They argued that the state court had exceeded its authority.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case but maintained an interim map for the 2022 midterm elections, in which Democrats and Republicans each won seven seats.

The Supreme Court had previously declined to intervene in election-related cases involving the theory. However, during the litigation, four conservative justices indicated some level of support, fueling hopes among proponents of the theory.

The argument had various versions, some of which sought to limit the authority of state courts in specific circumstances, while others aimed to provide state legislatures with virtually unchecked power.

Prominent figures supporting the theory included John Eastman, a lawyer involved in Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Eastman argued that then-Vice President Mike Pence could block the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory on January 6, 2021.

Conservative groups advocating for stricter voting restrictions and claiming widespread voter fraud also supported the theory.

Democrats and voting rights activists had raised concerns about the case, particularly in light of attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

It is worth noting that many high-profile Republican candidates who questioned or denied Biden’s victory lost in the 2022 midterm elections.

“This 6-3 decision should put an end to the radical theory that state legislatures can operate without being bound by state constitutions or judicial review,” said Dr. Jennifer Jones of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

“The fight to end partisan gerrymanders is still ongoing, and politicians in North Carolina and other states may still try to lock in their power through biased maps, but today’s decision confirms that those legislators’ power is not absolute. Today’s decision is a relief for everyone concerned with free and fair elections.”

The justices voted 6-3, stating that the North Carolina Supreme Court had acted within

authority by deeming the map a partisan gerrymander under the state Constitution.

NNPA

Senior National Correspondent

The

Supreme Court declined to

Formerly Wrongfully Incarcerated, Yusef Salaam Runs for Office, Seeking Redemption in the City’s Power Structure

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Yusef Salaam, a man who endured wrongful imprisonment, has launched a campaign for a seat on the New York City Council.

Widely recognized for the unjust ordeal that altered the trajectory of his life, Salaam now aspires to join the very power structure that once condemned him.

In 1989, when Salaam was just 15 years old, he and four other African American teenagers, collectively known as the Central Park Five, were apprehended by the police.

Falsely accused and convicted of raping and assaulting a white woman in Central Park on April 19 of that fateful year, the group faced years of wrongful incarceration.

Reflecting on his experiences, Salaam remarked during an interview with the Associated Press at his campaign headquarters,

“I’ve often said that those who have been close to the pain should have a seat at the table.”

Salaam’s and his co-defendants’ miscarriages of justice, which included Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, attracted national attention.

Their convictions were overturned in 2002 when new evidence, including DNA analysis, linked the crime to a serial rapist.

The city awarded the group, now known as the Exonerated Five, a settlement of $41 million.

Salaam counts among three candidates locked in a closely contested Democratic primary scheduled for June 27.

The primary outcome will determine who will represent Harlem’s district in the City Council.

“When people look at me and learn my story, they resonate

with it,” Salaam expressed with conviction.

“But now, after 34 years, I can utilize the platform I have to repurpose the pain and help uplift people as we emerge from despair.”

As a native New Yorker, Salaam passionately seeks to address some of Harlem’s most pressing challenges, including poverty, homelessness among children, and the ongoing issue of affordable housing.

Political experts said Salaam’s campaign represents a remarkable journey of resilience and pursuit of redemption.

If successful, he said a goal is to leverage his unique perspective and experiences to advocate for those historically marginalized and neglected.

Widely recognized for the unjust ordeal that altered the trajectory of his life, Salaam now aspires to join the very power structure that once condemned him.

Sam Pollard’s Documentary Shines Light on the Rich Legacy of the Negro Baseball Leagues

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Senior National Correspondent

On the Black Press of America’s “Let It Be Known” show, renowned filmmaker Sam Pollard took center stage in an exclusive interview about his new film that shines a spotlight on the fabled Negro Leagues.

Pollard’s latest documentary, “The League,” will make its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival before a theatrical release in July.

Based on the book “The Negro Baseball Leagues” by Bob Motley and Byron Motley, the film counts as another triumph for Pollard, whose past directorial works include the critically acclaimed “Mr. Soul!”, “Sammy Davis, Jr: I’ve Got to Be Me,” and “MLK/FBI.”

The documentary also boasts Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the executive producer responsible for the Oscar-winning “Summer of Soul.”

The film illuminates that the sport was integrated in its earliest days, albeit with Black players forming only a minority of team members.

That changed in the late 1800s, as racist white players like Pop Anson of the Chicago White Stockings, who infamously refused to take the field with Black athletes, sparked a shift.

However, as Jim Crow laws engulfed the nation, Black players were banned from the game.

In 1920, Rube Foster, a trailblazing Black baseball pioneer who excelled as a pitcher, manager, and owner, founded the Negro National League.

Inspired by Frederick Douglass’ words, the league

The film illuminates that the sport was integrated in its earliest days, albeit with Black players forming only a minority of team members.

adopted the motto “We Are the Ship, All Else the Sea.”

Three years later, the Eastern Colored League emerged as a competitor, culminating in the inaugural Colored World Series in 1924.

Foster, hailed as the “father of black baseball,” serves as one of the documentary’s most compelling subjects.

Noteworthy for pitching seven no-hitters and inventing the screwball, Foster even taught the pitch to

white player Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants, who popularized it.

Tragically, Foster met a grim fate, succumbing to the effects of a gas leak in a hotel room.

He suffered from delusions and spent several years institutionalized in an asylum before passing away at 51 in 1930.

Although the Negro National League eventually succumbed to the economic pressures of the Great Depression, other leagues emerged, serving as a springboard for numerous Black players who would later achieve legendary status.

Several of these players, including Ernie Banks, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Satchel Paige, would eventually join Major League Baseball (MLB).

The documentary features captivating archival interviews with these players and more.

The film poignantly chronicles the immense challenges faced by Black players as they traversed the country, often denied accommodation in hotels and meals in restaurants.

Additionally, the Negro Leagues provided a home for many talented Latino players from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and other parts of Latin America.

Following World War II, with many Black service members having bravely fought for their country, pressure began mounting for the integration of MLB.

Notably, Paul Robeson became a prominent advocate for this cause. Despite years of resistance from MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who evoked comparisons to a character from “Birth of a Nation,”

progress emerged.

Landis died in 1944, and three years later, Branch Rickey recruited Jackie Robinson as the first Black player to join the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson’s entry opened the door for other Black players such as Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, and Jim Gilliam, all of whom had roots in the Negro leagues.

Effa Manley, a formidable businesswoman, also features prominently in the documentary.

Known as the “First Lady of Negro Baseball,” she coowned the Newark Eagles and became the only woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Manley fiercely advocated for fair compensation for Negro league teams when MLB began recruiting their players. The integration of baseball eventually led to the decline of the Negro Leagues, which ceased operations by the late 1940s.

Through masterful use of vintage footage, interviews, oral histories, and contributions from modern-day historians and scholars, the documentary makes a case for the enduring significance of the Negro Baseball Leagues. Reflecting on his connection to the project, Pollard said, “I grew up in the 1960s being a huge baseball fan… But what I did not know much about… was that [Jackie] Robinson had come out of the Negro Leagues and that the Negro Leagues had been home to Black and Latino ballplayers who had to play segregated baseball during the height of the Jim Crow era.”

Click here to view the full interview with Sam Pollard.

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

Joe W. Bowers Jr., Antonio Ray Harvey

and

Edward Henderson California Black Media

Your roundup of stories you might have missed last week.

Black Caucus Members Sen. Steven Bradford and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas Recognize Juneteenth on Senate Floor

Last week, the California Senate voted 39-0 to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 76. This measure recognizes June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth. During the session before the vote, Senators Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ladera Heights) spoke about why the commemoration is important for all Americans.

Bradford highlighted the historical significance of the color red for formerly enslaved people.

“Many times, people stereotype African Americans as great lovers of watermelon, red soda pop, or other things of that nature. But if they knew our history, they would know the significance of ‘red’,” Bradford told his colleagues before they cast their votes in favor of California commemorating the 158th Anniversary of Juneteenth.

“It is the significance of the watermelon, the significance of hibiscus tea, or as my old man used to say, ‘red velvet cake’,” Bradford continued. “The red was reflective of the blood that we shed in this country. The blood that we shed for over 250 years of slavery. That’s why those items are so significant to a Juneteenth celebration if you’ve ever been to one.”

Smallwood-Cuevas reminded her colleagues that Black Americans were enslaved longer than they have been free.

“It is a celebration, historically, of how America became the “Land of the Free” for everyone in this country on Juneteenth,” said Smallowood-Cuevas. “An estimated $20 trillion was amassed on the backs of enslaved labor, making the U.S. the largest economic power in the world.”

Authored by California Black Legislative Caucus (CLBC) members Bradford and Smallwood-Cuevas, SCR 76 urges lawmakers and Californians to celebrate the anniversary of the day in 1865 when some of the last enslaved African Americans in America were told they were free through the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years earlier in 1863.

Hate Crime Hotline Receives 180 Reports in First Month

In May, the California Civil Rights Department (CCDR) launched a hate hotline to provide support and services to victims of hate crimes. One month into the effort, 180 reports from across the state have been processed.

“Make no mistake: Hate and discrimination remain a threat across the country,” Director Kevin Kish said in a statement. “However, here in California, you’re not alone in the face of hate.”

According to Kish, nearly half of those who reported hate acts accepted services from department staff, including help in obtaining legal aid and counseling.

“No place is immune to hate, but in California, we’re committed to doing everything in our power to uplift, protect, and heal all our communities,” Kish said.

Of the 180 reports received by the CCDR hotline, hate acts related to race and ethnicity were the most commonly reported. Acts related to religion and sexual orientation followed. The majority of reports were from individuals who were directly targeted by hate acts. The CCDR plans to release more detailed numbers in the future.

Reports can be made online in 15 languages at any time at cavshate.org, or by calling (833) 866-4283 or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. Trained staff are prepared to receive reports in over 200 languages.

Attorney Gen. Rob Bonta Releases “State of Pride” Report

In honor of LGBTQ+ Pride month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a new “State of Pride Report.” The report highlights recent actions taken by the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) to support,

uplift, and defend the rights of LGBTQ+ communities across California.

The report documents discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in the classroom, sports, healthcare and public access. The report also lists rights that members

oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes “A Confluence of Crises”: Gov. Newsom Unveils Multibillion-Dollar Housing Plan for Mentally Ill

On June 20, Gov. Gavin Newsom, in partnership with Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), announced a legislative package to build housing for people with mental illness and addiction.

The plan proposes using $4.68 billion in new bond funding and modernization of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) for the March 2024 ballot.

“We are facing a confluence of crises: mental health, opioids, housing, and homelessness – and this transformative effort will ensure California is tackling these head-on in a comprehensive and inclusive way,” said Newsom in a statement.

“Over the last few years, California has led the nation in expanding access to affordable and quality mental health services – especially for children, teens, and people with untreated mental illness. The historic legislative effort announced today will supercharge these efforts to ensure California continues to lead the way in the decades to come.”

questionnaires and 365 in-depth interviews with adults experiencing homelessness in eight regions of the state, representing urban, rural, and suburban areas.

The study provides a comprehensive look at the causes and consequences of homelessness in California and recommends policy changes to shape programs in response.

The study found that, for most of the participants, the cost of housing had become unsustainable. Participants reported a median monthly household income of $960 in the six months prior to becoming homeless. Most believed that rental subsidies or one-time financial assistance would have prevented their homelessness.

The study also found that the state’s homeless population is aging, with 47% of all adults aged 50 or older, and that Black and Native Americans are dramatically overrepresented.

“The results of the study confirm that far too many Californians experience homelessness because they cannot afford housing,” said Margot Kushel, MD, Director, UCSF BHHI and principal investigator of CASPEH. “ CASPEH recommendations can be found on the final page of their executive summary State Announces New Action to Attack Organized Retail Crime in California.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, with retailers and online marketplaces representing a large share of retail and online business, signed an agreement committing to specific actions aimed at addressing the growing issue of organized retail crime.

Organized retail crime refers to large-scale theft and fraud by individuals or groups who steal retail goods from the retail supply chain with the intent to resell, distribute, or return stolen merchandise for financial gain. In some cases, resale may occur through third-party online platforms. California and other states have seen a pattern of organized retail crime.

The agreement will help advance information-sharing and detection of lost items from various stages of the supply chain, including cargo and retail goods, that may end up for sale in online marketplaces.

“The fact is, we are stronger when we work together as a united front,” said Bonta. “Organized retail crime costs businesses, retailers, and consumers -- and puts the public at risk. This new partnership signals a robust and genuine commitment shared by the retail marketplace and law enforcement to crack down on these crimes. Whether it is law enforcement, online marketplaces, or retailers -- we will not tolerate organized retail crime in our state.”

of the community have to protect themselves against discrimination.

According to the report, about 2.7 million or 9.1% of California adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender -- the largest share of any highly populated state and higher than the national average of 7.9%.

Between 2021 and 2022, there were over 391 reported hate crime events motivated by sexual orientation bias, and 45 hate crimes motivated by anti-transgender or antigender non-conforming bias in California.

“As a committed LGBTQ+ ally, I firmly believe that everyone deserves to be safe, healthy, prosperous, and celebrated for who they are — regardless of how they identify or who they love,” said Bonta. “As we come together this Pride Month to celebrate our LGBTQ+ communities, we must also recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights at home and across the country.”

The State of Pride Report can be accessed on the Attorney General Office’s website. For more information on hate crimes and LGBTQ+ discrimination, visit https://

SB 326 (Eggman) and AB 531 (Irwin) are two bills that aim to transform California’s behavioral health system through housing with accountability and reform. The funding would provide California with the resources needed to build 10,000 new beds across community treatment campuses and facilities.

“We are facing mental health and substance abuse crises on our streets in communities throughout California,” said Eggman. “This legislation will help us transform our behavioral health system and provide critically needed support for the most vulnerable among us, many of whom are struggling with homelessness in addition to mental illness. The time to act is now.”

University of California San Francisco Study of People Experiencing Homelessness

The University of California San Francisco’s Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) recently published the largest representative study of homelessness in the United States since the mid-1990s.

The California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH) was designed to all adults 18 years and older experiencing homelessness in California.

CASPEH includes nearly 3,200 administered

The California Film Tax Credit Presents a Real Opportunity to Change Hollywood

As industry insiders, advocates for change, and social justice activists, we are joining forces in this Op-Ed to shed light on the critical need to strengthen California’s Film Tax Credit program through community and stakeholder participation and oversight.

Thankfully, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) have been spearheading this effort in the Legislature, calling for a Film Tax program that reflects the diverse landscape of the California workforce.

The motion picture industry is grappling with a multitude of challenges, including strikes, COVID-19 disruptions, and fierce competition from other states offering enticing tax incentives.

To address these issues and support the ever-evolving industry, California plans to extend the $1.2 billion film tax credit for another five years. While we applaud the commitment of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to retain jobs in our state, it is essential that we seize this opportunity to bring about real change for disadvantaged and underrepresented workers.

We can’t afford to settle for mere job retention or isolated success stories from underrepresented workers; this moment calls for us to strive for true accountability and inclusivity within the industry.

Looking to the future, the very essence of Hollywood as we know it may be at stake. Other states, including Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Missouri, have embraced film tax credit legislation, luring productions away from California. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2021 Study on Black representation in film and TV, addressing persistent racial inequities could unlock an additional $10 billion in annual revenues for the industry. This presents an incredible

opportunity for California to not only lead by example in equitable representation, but also bolster our economy and help shield ourselves from recession.

Throughout history, the motion picture industry has lacked the necessary mechanisms to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in hiring practices. Version 4.0 of the California Film Tax Credit presents us with a fresh chance to make significant headway in this regard.

Previously, the industry operated mostly within the private sector, making it difficult for the state to evaluate compliance, progress, and enforce reporting requirements as it does with public sector jobs.

Under Version 3.0 of the California Film Tax Credit, the implementation of a Diversity Requirement aimed to increase employment opportunities for underrepresented workers. Unfortunately, this program fell short due to its lack of meaningful reporting requirements, community and stakeholder participation, and institutional support.

Studios receiving the tax credit were allowed to devise their own diversity plans and benchmarks. We firmly believe we can change this by implementing a community- and other stakeholder-led film tax credit task force. This task force would be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the diversity plans of tax credit recipients, using certified payroll data to verify that the industry’s efforts to promote diversity lead to tangible changes in its workforce demographics. The task force would also provide productions with resources to help them implement these requirements through partnerships with nonprofits like Ujima Entertainment Coalition - a Black entertainment professionals staffing liaison, networking alliance, and

advocacy group - as well as by offering guidance in using the ‘Inclusion Rider’ as a process for inclusive hiring.

As the state prepares for Version 4.0, let’s make sure that the creation of high-quality film and television content right here in Hollywood is an attainable goal for all aspiring creators, free from the confines of an antiquated ‘old Hollywood’ model that continues to perpetuate exclusion. We want to ensure that the real stakeholders— the workforce and community — are given a prominent seat at the table. We can’t sit on the sidelines as passive observers; we have to show up as active participants who hold the power to enact change. So today, we are using that power to demand community- and stakeholder-led oversight as part of California’s Film Tax Credit Proposal.

As an editor, and the Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition, I, Dominique Ulloa, remain committed to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable television and film industry.

And, I, Lori Condinus, a labor leader and activist for over 30 years and the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles, have witnessed, firsthand, the amazing progress that is possible through labormanagement-community collaboration, and I look forward to a fruitful endeavor with the Legislature and the other motion picture industry stakeholders. Let’s seize this opportunity to shape the future of California’s production landscape together.

About the Authors Dominique Ulloa is a Peabody-Award winning editor and Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition. Lori Condinus is the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles.

ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 9, 2017 Homeless encampment lined up along the Los Angeles River along a bike trail.

Sen Steven Bradford ( D-Gardena) (vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus)

Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas ( D-Los Angeles)

San Jose, CA - June 10, 2023: Personal and beauty supplies, half of which are locked up behind glass to prevent theft and shoplifting. ( Shutterstock)

Lori Condinus (Courtesy Photo)

Dominique Ulloa and Lori Condinus

Special to California Black Media

Nikki Blue Takes Over as Interim Head Coach of Phoenix Mercury

Interim coach Nikki Blue said she is ready to help turn around the season for the Phoenix Mercury, who are in last place in the WNBA.

Blue, a Mercury assistant, was elevated to the head coach position when Vanessa Nygaard was fired Sunday after Phoenix’s 2-10 start. Monday, Blue met with the media and said she’s hopeful of seeing an infusion of energy for the team, which has lost five games in a row.

“Our players just have had a renewed sense of confidence,” Blue said on a video call with media. “The way that they came in over the past 24 hours has been great, too. [Practice] was good. I didn’t know what to expect. I wanted us to just have tons of energy, and they exceeded my expectations.

“We are in a tough position. We are pretty banged-up. We have a couple of different circumstances going on. It’s going to take patience. So, we’re gonna come out and give it our all every chance we get. Vanessa is a friend, and she reiterated, ‘You’re ready Nikki, you’re going to do a great job.’”

Nygaard, 48, finished with a 17-31 record in regularseason play with the Mercury and went 0-2 in the playoffs last year. The Mercury’s entire 2022 season was overshadowed by Brittney Griner’s absence as she was imprisoned in Russia. The Mercury still made the playoffs

with a 15-21 record but didn’t have either Diana Taurasi (injury) or Skylar Diggins-Smith (left team for personal reasons) in the postseason. Phoenix was swept by eventual champion Las Vegas Aces in the first round.

Diggins-Smith gave birth in the offseason and is still on maternity leave, with her status for the remainder of this season unknown. Both Blue and Phoenix general manager Jim Pitman said Monday that they had no comment on whether Diggins-Smith might return.

“We like to respect our players’ privacy,” Blue said. “I have not reached out to her. She’s on maternity leave. And that’s just our protocol here.”

Griner said Diggins-Smith texted her Sunday to congratulate her on being named an All-Star starter.

“I asked her how the fam’s going,” Griner said. “People get too tied up into basketball; we’re all human, we have families and we have other things that are bigger than basketball.”

That said, Griner said she is eager to be part of improving the Mercury, who are last in scoring defense (88.4 PPG) and defensive efficiency (109.5 points per 100 possessions). The Mercury are 10th in scoring average (77.2 PPG) and have been outscored by 135 points thus far, their worst points deficit through 12 games in franchise history.

“I definitely think that this team and who we have on

this roster, we can play better,” Griner said. “I always have to look in the mirror first. I can play better. So I think we’re all kind of looking in that mirror and assessing that.

“You don’t have to have a celebrity team to win a championship. We’ve seen it across the board in different sports: You can have the best people on paper, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to jell.”

Blue was the 19th pick in the 2006 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics, playing four seasons for them and one with the New York Liberty. She began her coaching career in 2008 as an assistant with UNLV while she was still playing in the WNBA. She then moved to Cal State Bakersfield (in her hometown), Grand Canyon and Arizona State before joining Nygaard’s staff last year with the Mercury.

Blue, 39, joins former UCLA Bruins teammate Noelle Quinn (Seattle Storm) as a WNBA head coach.

“Me and Noelle are best friends,” Blue said. “So I talk to her all the time. Talked to her again this morning.

“There’s gonna be some adjustments. Some things offensively that need to be changed, some things defensively. But the thing that we most need to do is just play our hearts out.”

Pitman thanked Nygaard for what she did for the Mercury, but said their record thus far was not acceptable.

Phoenix is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

“Sometimes you just got to shake things up a little bit,” Griner said. “And I think that’s what we did. Different energy [in practice], definitely a pick-up for sure. People buying in. So, it was it was good.

“We added a few things, took out a few things. I think in the long run, in the grand scheme of things, it’s going to help us out tremendously.”

TYM4CHANGE Is Adopting MLK Park

By Janell Gore South Kern Sol Transitional

Youth Mobilizing for Change

will be adopting Martin Luther King Jr. Park on June 29th.

(TYM4Change)

Adoption of the park comes after a series of garbology studies being done in the park and seeing the trash in the kid’s area. Executive Director, Jovon Dangerfield explained that this helped push him to want to clean up the park.

Prior to the decision to adopt TYM4Change had already been starting an afterschool program at the park. So, adopting the park just seemed like the natural next step.

“Basically it’s really about showing our presence here in this community cause sometimes we have people talking about communities and they’re not really there or seen there and that’s not what I want,” said Dangerfield.

To Dangerfield being present means not only being there but shining a light on the area.

“We wanted to continue to draw attention to this area not just for the bad but for the good. There’s been a lot of good changes. Parks and rec’s doing a good job with a lot of things so we want to come in and be some of that bridge work between the community,” said Dangerfield.

One of the first steps to this bridge work has been the afterschool program that started a couple of weeks ago at the MLK center. On Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., youth are able to come to the center and during the program, Dangerfield stated that also push antitobacco use campaigning.

While urging for parents to community members to bring their children to the MLK center, Dangerfield is aware of some of the negative narratives around the park

but states children are well supervised in the program.

“I have eight full-time staff in there right now with these kids. These are trained individuals, facilitation specialists, people who’ve been doing this for a long time and you got me who’s been in this work for like a decade,” said Dangerfield. “We can guarantee supervision here inside.”

He continued to say that it takes real work and they do have to learn to co-exist with those who congregate on

the West end of the park. Dangerfield stated there are also small businesses that are starting on that side of the park.

“There’s a lot of good things happening. I think sometimes we let things get a bad rep whenever they don’t look new,” said Dangerfield. “ We are trying to do something to impact this community but we have to start from somewhere… We would like for people to bring their kids down with people that are qualified and able to do this job.”  MLK Park has been in Bakersfield for a long time

which contributes to the many stories and narratives in the park. For a Dangerfield the park is seen as iconic and because of its proximity to Eastside Bakersfield and the constant events and gatherings so it only made sense that this was the park they’d focus on.

“This park just seems like a hub for Bakersfield. It’s Iconic. You can talk about a lot of parks and people still be like where’s that at again? But MLK everybody knows where MLK is,” said Dangerfield.

The development of MLK Park and the area around it means more than just a place for the youth to come it also means more job opportunities and importantly, it provides people with a choice according to Dangerfield.

“It would present us with another choice collectively. That choice would be you got something new, you want to take care of it?” said Dangerfield. “It’s a new park, don’t tear it up now… Let’s take care of it together. Let’s not be throwing stuff everywhere, let’s try to keep the shootouts away from here. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

He continued to say he’s hopeful that if the area starts to create more economic opportunities like the Jack in the Box that was just built there creating jobs and more produce stores then people will respond well.

Renovating that park to means change it coming and people are finally listening to those in the area that were asking for more care to be given to that park and its surroundings.

“I see the opportunity for jobs inside the rec center, I see an opportunity for jobs in the nearby developments, and I see an opportunity for higher scale events,” said Dangerfield. “I think aesthetic helps people feel better too if it looks better.”