Bakersfield News Observer 8.23.23

Revived Lawsuits Allege Michael Jackson’s Sexual Abuse

News Observer

Closing Education Gaps and Fostering Leadership: Willie J Frink College Prep Charter School Approved

By Philtrina Farquharson

Contributing Writer

In a bold and visionary step towards educational equity, the Kern County community is set to welcome a groundbreaking institution that aims to transform the educational landscape and bridge critical gaps in opportunities. The Willie J Frink College Prep Charter School, slated to open its doors in 2024, carries a distinct mission that sets it apart. With a focus on closing educational disparities and nurturing civic and entrepreneurial leadership, this charter school is poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of students in Bakersfield.

Arleana Waller, the visionary behind Willie J Frink College Prep, encapsulates the school’s mission with this statement: “Our commitment reaches beyond regional boundaries to address nationwide disparities in education, placing special emphasis on narrowing the Black American

opportunity gap. Education, as the great equalizer, forms the bedrock of our vision, aiming to empower students with a well-rounded foundation. Our curriculum focuses on fostering cultural understanding, promoting civic engagement, and nurturing entrepreneurial skills.”

This journey has been going on for four years but the journey has truly just begun. Throughout this time, community engagement has been a cornerstone, amplifying voices, exchanging ideas, and forging alliances including insight from local churches, government leaders, and thought leaders in the space including Dr. Margaret Gertrude Fortune who has a network of charter schools. The opportunity to change lives of the future leaders is nothing short of remarkable: a school that authentically mirrors the aspirations and requirements of the community it dedicates itself to serving. The charter school was backed by more than 70 local businesses, and the endorsement of esteemed institutions such as California State University Bakersfield further accentuates the importance of this venture.

The school’s unique approach lies not only in its academic goals but also in its commitment to serving the diverse needs of the Black community and beyond. While the intention is to empower Black children through culturally relevant education, it’s important to emphasize that the school is open to all children, regardless of their background. This inclusive stance underscores the belief that children should learn history that mirrors their own lives, fostering a deeper connection to their heritage and identity.

Waller brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the table. As the founder of non-profit organizations including “ShePOWER Leadership Academy”.Waller has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to empowering youth and closing socio-economic gaps. Her personal journey, combined with a passion for building leaders from an early age, has led her to undertake this necessary endeavor.

One of the distinguishing features of Willie J Frink College Prep is its commitment to small class sizes with no more than 20 students, ensuring that every student receives the attention and support they need to thrive. Each classroom will be staffed not only by a teacher but also by a substitute teacher, catering to various learning paces and styles. This emphasis on individualized instruction reflects the school’s dedication to nurturing every student’s potential.

The school’s location within the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District was carefully selected. Walker states, “The district’s innovative leadership resonates harmoniously with our school’s vision, creating an environment for revolutionary education.” This strategic alignment signifies a monumental step forward in a county where traditional charter schools are still taking root. Willie J Frink College Prep emerges as a trailblazing establishment, making history as the first brick-and-mortar charter school in the Panama-Buena Vista district, charting a path of progress under the guidance of a Black woman.

As the opening of Willie J Frink College Prep Charter School draws nearer, excitement and anticipation build in Kern County. This endeavor is not just about classrooms and textbooks; it’s about closing gaps, fostering leadership,

and equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in an ever-evolving world. Arleana Waller’s resilience, determination, and passion have brought this dream to life, and with each passing day, the school inches closer to becoming a beacon of educational excellence and empowerment.

For more information and updates on Willie J Frink College Prep Charter School, visit www.frinkschool.com

Oprah, Meryl Streep, Michael B. Jordan to be Honored at Academy Museum Gala

LOS ANGELES (AP) –- The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will pay tribute to Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Michael B. Jordan and Sofia Coppola in its annual fundraising gala on Oct. 14, the museum announced Tuesday.

The Academy Museum Gala has become a key fundraising event for the Los Angeles movie museum since its opening in 2021. This year`s event, the third such gala, received a greenlight from the striking actors and writers guilds. SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild have limited what promotion activities their members can do during the ongoing work stoppages.

Streep, Winfrey, Jordan and Coppola will each be given awards celebrating their careers at the gala, which is being co-chaired by Ava DuVernay, Ryan Murphy, Halle Berry and museum trustee Eric Esrailian.

“We are excited to gather again at our third annual Academy Museum Gala to celebrate the power, global impact, and indelible importance of cinema,” said Jacqueline Stewart, director and president of the Academy Museum, in a statement.

After years of delays, the $484 million, Renzo Piano-designed Academy Museum has established itself as a cultural mainstay in Los Angeles, attracting as many as 700,00 visitors a year.

Chance the Rapper Will Discuss His Career and the Impact of Hip-hop at Chicago Apple Store

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) –- Chance the Rapper will take Apple store customers in Chicago on his hip-hop journey as part of an audio series celebrating the genre’s 50th anniversary.

The Grammy winner expects to discuss the impact hip-hop had on his life, including his venture as an independent artist and the 10th anniversary of his critically acclaimed “Acid Rap” mixtape. He will have a conversation with Ebro Darden, global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B at Apple Music.

Chance the Rapper said he wants to celebrate a rap culture that “empowered a generation and gave voice to the voiceless.”

Throughout August and September, Today at Apple will host several events with artists from across the genre featuring rappers, producers and DJs. The sessions are inspired by Apple Music’s Hip-Hop DNA, a 20-episode audio series.

Other sessions will include conversations with rappers Rapsody, Lola Brooke and LaRussell along with producers Just Blaze and Harry Fraud. Other sessions will touch on racial equity and a live digital art competition.

The events will be held in Apple store locations in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

“We can’t wait to welcome customers and music lovers to learn about the creative process of these incredible artists,” said Tracey Hannelly, Apple’s senior director of retail engagement and marketing.

Tropical Storm Hilary Hits SoCal with Heavy Rains, Intense Winds and Washed Out Roads

Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson

California Black Media

After making landfall in Mexico, and crossing the border into Southern California Sunday night, Hurricane Hillary was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone.

The storm veered from its expected path in the Inland Empire with its “eye” hovering above Compton and Dodger stadium around 8 p.m. before making its way to Owen valley.

The storm brought record rainfall to the region, including downtown L.A. and the desserts in San Bernardino County, where there were reports of washedout roads. At press time, all coastal storm warnings had been cancelled but storm watches remain in place for most of Southern California. California Department of Transportation crews are working overtime in areas with affected roads cleaning up the damage.

On Saturday before the storm landed, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for parts of Southern California ahead of Hurricane Hilary’s landfall Sunday.

“Now, therefore, I, Gavin Newsom, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, hereby proclaim a State of Emergency to exist in Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare, and Ventura Counties,” read the governor’s proclamation.

At a news briefing held at the Governor’s Office for Emergency Services in Mather, near Sacramento, state and federal officials updated Californians on the state’s emergency preparedness plan.

Authorities Charge 10 Current and Former California Police Officers in Corruption Case

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) –– Federal authorities have charged 10 current and former Northern California police officers in a corruption investigation.

Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, announced the charges Thursday during a news conference. Arrest warrants were served Thursuday in California, Texas and Hawaii, said Robert Tripp, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office.

Tripp said the arrests were the result of a twoyear investigation. Authorities said early in the news conference that nine were charged, but later confirmed there were 10.

Charges against Morteza Amiri, Eric Allen Rombough and Devon Christopher Wenger say the three conspired with each other and others “to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate residents of Antioch, California.”

A copy of the indictment says the charges stem from actions by the three Antioch police officers between February 2019 and March 2022.

The charges against the three include one count of conspiracy against rights and multiple counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Amiri also faces one count of destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation.

The indictment references racist text messages sent by the officers as well as details of times they used excessive force against suspects and later falsified reports about the encounters.

“Defendants authored police reports containing false and misleading statements to suggest that the force they used was necessary and justifiable,” the indictment said. “In truth and in fact, and as the Defendants well knew, Defendants willfully used excessive force in numerous incidents, including those identified in this Indictment.”

Members of the community congratulating Dr. Arleana Waller during the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District board meeting (Courtesy Photo)

Members of the community at the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District board meeting in support of the Willie J. Frink College Prep charter school (Courtesy Photo)

(From left to right) Dr. Margaret Fortune, CEO, Fortune School Network, Dr. Arleana Waller, Founder & Head of School, Willie J Frink College Prep, and Janelle Ruley, Partner/ Attorney at Young Minney Corr Law Firm (Courtesy Photo)

The Waller family (from left to right) Bentley Waller, Doc Waller, Arleana Waller, and Kadar Waller. (Photo: Christa Hunt Photography)

Mayor Bass announces preparedness measures Aug 20 and urges Angelenos to take caution ahead of anticipated storm following Hurricane Hilary photo by Lila Brown (CBM)

Trump Agrees to $200K Bond in Georgia Election Interference Case

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

As part of the expansive Fulton County, Georgia, indictment, attorneys for former President Donald Trump and the District Attorney have reached a $200,000 bond agreement.

The Atlanta Voice was the first to report Trump’s bond agreement.

Additionally, a $100,000 bond agreement was reached for one of Trump’s attorneys, John Eastman, while a $10,000 deal was afforded Scott Graham Hall, a bail bondsman from the Atlanta area who was allegedly involved in the theft of Dominion Voting Systems’ voting information from Coffee County.

An attorney for lawyer Kenneth Cheseboro also appeared at Willis’ office on Monday, Aug. 21.

According to prosecutors, Cheseboro collaborated with Georgia Republicans in the weeks following the November 2020 election at the direction of Trump’s campaign. Cheseboro worked on the coordination and execution of a plan to have 16 Georgia Republicans sign a certificate fraudulently declaring that Trump won and identifying themselves as the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. The cases have been assigned to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who signed both

bond agreements.

According to AtlantaNewsFirst.com, the agreement between Eastman and the court includes a $20,000 bond for the sole RICO charge he faces.

Eastman, a former dean of the law school at Chapman University in Southern California, allegedly was intimately involved in some of Trump’s endeavors to retain power after the 2020 election.

He argued in a memo that the twice-impeached and now four-times indicted Trump could remain in office if, during a joint session of Congress during which electoral votes would be tabulated, Vice President Mike Pence overturned the election results.

The plan allegedly included installing a slate of “alternate” electors in seven swing states, including Georgia, who would fraudulently certify that Trump won their states.

Trump, whom a civil jury earlier this year found responsible for sexual assault, and 18 others were charged with 41 counts related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.

The former president has now been charged with 91 felony counts across four indictments in three states. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 800 years in prison.

Trump and the others named in the indictment have until this Friday at noon to surrender.

Tennessee District Attorney Drops Multiple Cases Involving Former Officers Charged in Tyre Nichols’ Death

By Stacy M. Brown

The district attorney’s office in Tennessee has dismissed between 30% and 40% cases linked to the five former officers facing second-degree murder charges in the death of Tyre Nichols.

Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy said his team had examined approximately 100 cases involving the accused officers.

He noted that the team discovered numerous decisions that could face reversal.

Mulroy’s spokesperson, Erica Williams, said charges have already been reduced in approximately 12 other cases

involving the ex-Memphis Police officers, in addition to the dismissed cases.

The district attorney forwarded four cases to the U.S. attorney’s office for alleged excessive force.

According to Mulroy, the five officers’ blatant lack of credibility throughout the charges also were considered in making these decisions.

The brutal beating of Nichols, 29, captured national attention with civil rights advocates and others quickly denouncing the officers’ actions.

After the release of video of the beating taken from officers’ body cameras, national outcry grew louder.

The episode added to an ongoing series of incidents between the police and the Black community, sparking protests and renewing discussions about police brutality and the need for police reform in the United States.

within the department.

The Department of Justice recently launched an investigation into the use of force and arrest practices within the Memphis Police Department.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke from the Civil Rights Division noted that even in a predominantly Black city like Memphis, there appears to be a potential disparity in traffic enforcement, disproportionately affecting Black drivers.

The Justice Department initiated a separate review in March, focusing on use-of-force policies, de-escalation strategies, and specialized units within the Memphis Police Department.

Federal investigators are now delving into the specifics of Nichols’ arrest and subsequent death. Nichols’ mother sued the city and its police chief because of her son’s death.

Bakersfield

News Observer

Adjudicated a Newspaper of General Circulation August 11, 1980, Kern County Superior Court Decree, Case No. 16964, Government Code 6023.

Bulk Mailing Permit 724 Bakersfield, CA 93385

Published By Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc. Corporate Office 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 324-9466.

Member of The National Newspapers Publishers Association, Associated Press, and The Better Business Bureau

President: Ellen Coley

CEO: Jon Coley

Publisher/ Editor: James Luckey Jr.

Operations Manager: James Luckey

Credo-The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are solely the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

Bakersfield News Observer

The Valley’s News Observer

The Valley’s News Observer 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing

Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 Fax (661) 324-9472

Emails and general info: observernews@gmail. com, Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail. com Available online: www.ognsc.com

Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith and Demetrius Haley, are the five officers, who were almost immediately arrested.

They have pleaded not guilty to an array of criminal charges, including second-degree murder.

Authorities said the officers fatally assaulted Nichols after a routine traffic stop.

The officers were part of the Scorpion crime suppression team, a unit now disbanded since Nichols’ death.

While Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis dissolved the unit, some members joined other divisions

“I think the Tyre Nichols case harmed MPD’s credibility,” Mulroy told reporters.

“I think the DOJ investigation is going to help with that. Either they’re going to find problems and then they’ll give solutions to them, or they don’t find problems and that’ll be good.

“I don’t see the existence of the DOJ investigation as being a threat to the credibility that potential jurors would give to MPD testimony. If anything, I see it as a cure for any such problem.”

IRS Commish Breathes Sigh of Relief after Inflation Reduction Act Funds Come Through

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel

commemorated the one-year anniversary of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act by breathing a sigh of relief.

Werfel called the legislation a game changer that injected a substantial financial boost into the IRS, earmarking tens of millions of dollars above and beyond its operational budget to catalyze enhancements and bolster enforcement.

“For well over a decade,” Werfel told Forbes, “The agency has grappled with challenges.”

The reduction in funding has resulted in decreased services and limited staff availability.

In 2022, the IRS had 79,070 full-time equivalent positions, which was a 9.1% decrease from 2013.

Werfel explained that when the Inflation Reduction Act injected funding into the IRS, it led to a significant and immediate change in the IRS’s approach to taxpayers. This change also contributed to new recruitment.

Werfel estimated that the number of full-time employees (FTE) was close to 90,000, considering the complexities of hiring in a changing environment that required balancing attrition and recruitment.

While this figure might appear reminiscent of 2022, it stands in parity with figures from roughly a decade ago.

Werfel emphasized the significant impact of IRA funding on improving taxpayer service quality during the 2023 filing season.

However, recent actions in the House of Representatives have injected a note of contention.

House Republicans voted to cut the funding of the IRS to undermine President Biden’s $80 billion overhaul.

The motion was unable to move forward because it didn’t receive enough votes in the Senate, which is

controlled by Democrats.

The measure ultimately stalled after passing the House with a partisan vote of 221 to 210. Democrats unanimously opposed it while Republicans showed strong support.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) criticized Republican budget cuts, stating that they created an unfair tax enforcement system that negatively impacts working families while granting leniency to wealthy tax evaders.

Democrats responded by providing more money to the IRS, eliminating unfair treatment, targeting wealthy tax evaders, and improving service for all taxpayers.

“Republican budget cuts created a double standard for tax enforcement that put too much of the audit burden on working families and ushered in a golden age for wealthy tax cheats,” Wyden stated.

“Democrats passed additional funding for the IRS to fix the double standard, crack down on wealthy tax cheats and improve customer service for everybody else.”

Wyden added that Republicans have now spent months distorting the facts because they want to frighten workers and small businesses, repeal the funding, and help wealthy tax cheats continue getting away with breaking the law.

“The bulk of this funding, however, will go toward building up the IRS’s capacity to root out cheating by sophisticated, wealthy individuals and companies with highly complex structures,” Wyden noted.

For example, he said only a fraction of a fraction of large partnerships get audited today, even among those that are highly profitable, and that’s because the IRS doesn’t have the manpower or the resources to properly examine whether complex business structures are following the law.

Similarly, Wyden said, wealthy individuals who can afford to hire armies of accountants and lawyers are able to

stay ahead of the IRS and skip out on paying a fair share.

“That’s who Republicans are protecting by spreading their falsehoods about 87,000 armed IRS agents busting down people’s doors,” he said.

“The reality is, hardworking Americans who pay taxes out of every paycheck understand that they’re getting ripped off by wealthy tax cheats who are getting away with breaking the law. They want it to stop, and that’s what Democrats are working to accomplish.”

Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith, and Demetrius Haley are the five officers, who were almost immediately arrested.

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Nichelle Lewis’ Tik Tok Performance Lands Her Role of a Lifetime as Dorothy in Broadway-Bound Production of “The Wiz”

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Nichelle Lewis, a 24-year-old entertainer, known as a triple threat in theater, music, and social media, will star in the revival of “The Wiz” on Broadway.

A seasoned actress who has appeared in “Hairspray” and showcased her vocal prowess on “American Idol,” Lewis reportedly captivated casting agents with her creative TikTok escapades.

Now the Virginia native has seized the coveted role of Dorothy.

The role places her in the prestigious lineage of iconic performers like R&B superstar Stephanie Mills and pop icon Diana Ross.

“It’s been a pretty crazy journey,” Lewis conveyed in an Associated Press interview on Monday, Aug. 14.

“I’m honored to be making my debut as Dorothy. I know I’m following in some really big footsteps.”

“The Wiz” will soon begin a tour across the United States, starting in Baltimore this fall and heading to Broadway in 2024.

Lewis will act alongside Wayne Brady and Alan Mingo Jr., who will take turns playing the mysterious character known as the Wiz.

Singer and actress Deborah Cox will grace the stage as Glinda.

The cast includes Kyle Ramar Freeman as the Lion, Phillip Johnson Richardson as the Tin Man, and Avery Wilson as the Scarecrow.

A graduate of Molloy University’s class of 2021, Lewis ingeniously harnessed the reach of her modest TikTok account to showcase her vocal range.

One of her renditions, “Home” from “The Wiz,” resounded far and wide, reaching the ears of astute casting agents who promptly beckoned her to audition.

“I’m so excited that this is a part of my story, because I feel like there’s so many people out there who started out with such a small following, and I feel like they’re hard on

themselves about it,” she remarked.

“But I’m like, ‘You never know whose watching those videos.’ I never knew that ‘The Wiz’ was looking at my videos.”

“The Wiz,” an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s timeless “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” is a book by William F. Brown and is brought to life through the music and lyrics of Charlie Smalls.

Lewis acknowledged the importance of the heroine’s quest to discover herself in a strange world and said she supports others in finding their true selves.

“I feel like it’s extremely important for people, especially right now, to see that they can be powerful just by being themselves and just by being individual and unique,” she told the AP.

“So, I think that’s how the show speaks to me.”

“The Wiz” originally debuted on Broadway in 1975, earning seven Tony Awards, including the coveted title of Best Musical.

The production included memorial songs like “What Would I Do If I Could Feel” and “Ease on Down the Road.”

It featured Mills as Dorothy, Dee Dee Bridgewater as the good witch Glinda, and Andre De Shields as the enigmatic Wiz.

The 1978 cinematic adaptation featured Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross.

In 2015, a live televised rendition featured Queen Latifah, Ne-Yo, and David Alan Grier.

With her mother embracing the news with jubilant tears and ecstatic exclamations, Lewis acknowledged the transformation her life may now take.

“She’s like, ‘Your life is going to change,’” Lewis spoke of her mother’s reaction.

“And I’m like, ‘I don’t know. It probably will. I feel so blessed, and I’m so glad I get to share it with her.”

Revived Lawsuits Allege Michael Jackson’s Sexual Abuse

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

A three-judge panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal resuscitated the lawsuits of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two men who have maintained that the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, sexually abused them during their youth.

The appeals court’s decision will allow the men to sue Jackson’s companies for what they said was their role in the superstar’s repeated abuse of them.

In the gut-wrenching documentary “Leaving Neverland, which aired on HBO in 2019, Robson and Safechuck detailed their interactions with Jackson.

Central to the appeal court’s decision was the notion that the corporations owned by Jackson, namely MJJ Productions Inc. and MJJ Ventures Inc., had a responsibility to protect Robson and Safechuck from Jackson.

Robson and Safechuck alleged the abuse occurred when they were minors and under Jackson’s care. sue Jackson, but a recent change to California law provided them another opportunity to seek redress.

ownership by the person under investigation did not exempt them from their obligation to protect minors from harm. corporate defendant having only one shareholder. And so, we reverse the judgments entered for the corporations,” the

justices wrote. Justice John Shepard Wiley Jr. concurred that the corporations were entirely under Jackson’s control, making them solely responsible for civil liability.

Wiley emphasized that Jackson had a duty of care towards Robson and Safechuck.

“So did Jackson’s marionettes, because Jackson’s fingers held every string,” he said, adding, “These corporations could have taken cost-effective steps to reduce the risk of harm.”

“Every American deserves to have their day in court and Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck are no exception,” investigative journalist Diane Dimond stated.

“I believe these two young men should have their complaints heard by an impartial court and not be simply dismissed and slandered by a legion of fanatics who know none of the facts about their cases.”

Dimond counted as the

special friends,” and both worked for Jackson and his entertainment company.

“If the Catholic Church was held legally responsible for sex crimes committed by their priests, if Michigan State University was held responsible for the sex crimes of their employee Dr. Larry Nassar, doesn’t it follow that Jackson’s MJJ Productions company be held responsible as well?”

Dimond stated.

She affirmed that “having been seeped in the Michael Jackson story for decades I can unequivocally say the Robson and Safechuck complaints don’t come in a vacuum. There have been multiple similar allegations of child sexual abuse by Michael Jackson in the past. Some the public has heard of, some they haven’t. The world has already seen some of Robson and Safechuck’s evidence as presented in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.” Now it’s time for a court of law to see all the evidence and decide what is justice in this case.

Valley in California. The suit asserts that Robson and Jackson slept in the same bed and touched each other’s private parts. Over the next seven years, they did sexual things like masturbation and oral sex, and employees of MJJ Productions saw the abuse, and they made sure that Jackson was alone with Robson and other children.

Safechuck claims he was among many kids who fell for the companies’ “child sexual abuse procurement and facilitation organization.”

According to his lawsuit, a then-8-year-old Safechuck met Jackson while working on a Pepsi ad in late 1986 or early 1987. After that, Safechuck started dancing for Jackson.

Before he died in 2009, Jackson settled at least three claims of child sex abuse for millions of dollars.

However, a jury in Santa Maria, Calif. 2005 found the star not guilty of 14 counts of child sex abuse, conspiracy, and other charges following a trial in which another young

“We are pleased but not surprised that the appellate court overturned the previous rulings,” Safechuck and

“The previous wrong rulings were against California law and would have set a dangerous precedent that endangered children throughout the state and country. We

The role places her in the prestigious lineage of iconic performers like R&B superstar Stephanie Mills and pop icon Diana Ross.

Doulas & Black Moms:

Bridging the Gap Between Mental Treatment and Maternal Care

Aldon Thomas Stiles

California Black Media

There is a growing body of evidence that disparities in medical treatment in the United States -- compounded over centuries by the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow segregation and prevalence of anti-Black biases -- have adversely affected the health of Black women in numerous ways, including the birthing process.

In June, the tragic and high-profile death of Olympic Gold Medalist and sprinter Tori Bowie during childbirth brought more national attention to the crisis of Black maternal mortality in the United States.

Aware of the discrepancies in treatment as compared to women of other races and terrified by the potential mental health ramifications of those disparities – which can lead to greater fear and anxiety about pregnancy and childbirth -- some Black women are seeking alternatives to hospital births.

Black women die at nearly twice the rate of White Women during labor, according to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

In July, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the federal government has launched a civil rights investigation into the treatment of Black expectant mothers at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“Maternal health is a priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and one in which the HHS Office for Civil Rights is working on around the country to ensure equity and equality,” read an emailed statement from HHS to several news outlets.

The federal investigation comes seven years after the 2016 death of a Black woman, Kira Dixon Johnson, who died from internal bleeding following a cesarean section at Cedars Sinai.

Dr. Melissa Frank, Director of the Division of Maternal, Child, & Adolescent Health with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, stated that she has “lived the disparity” associated with maternal healthcare.

During the delivery of her second daughter, Dr. Franklin says she could tell something was wrong and expressed to hospital staff, “I feel like I’m dying,” but her concerns were largely dismissed.

When the hospital staff finally checked on her, they discovered that her blood pressure was dangerously low to which she responded, “I told y’all!”

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, Black women in the U. S. were more than twice as likely as White women to die due to complications related to maternity and the birthing process, according to the CDC.

In California, the risk of death due to pregnancy complications is four to six times higher for Black mothers than any other ethnic group, according to data from the California Health Care Foundation.

Research has indicated that maternal mental health conditions, including prenatal and postpartum anxiety and depression, are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

According to the American Hospital Association

Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, 12.5% of birthing people will suffer from postpartum depression. However, Black women are about 1.6 times more likely to deal with its effects than White women.

Hiring a doula is one solution Black women are using to help address some of the mental health issues associated with the birthing process. A 2013 study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that mothers who received support from a doula during childbirth were two times less likely to experience complications.

A doula is a trained professional who provides emotional and physical support to pregnant individuals during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Doulas are not medical professionals and do not deliver babies or provide medical care. Instead, they offer support in the form of physical comfort, emotional well-being, information, and advocacy.

According to another study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, doula-assisted mothers were 57.5% less likely to suffer from postpartum depression or anxiety. This confirms that having the support of a doula during the birthing process can have a significant positive impact on the mental health of mothers.

The long history of discriminatory care towards Black women in the healthcare system has resulted in another mental health issue: generational trauma.

“When we speak about Black maternal health, we cannot ignore the fact that the foundation of medicine in this country and many of its early principles were deeply rooted in racism,” said Assemblymember Akilah Weber (DLa Mesa), a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, and founder and past director of the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.

“Some of the earliest examples of experimental research relied on these racist concepts. The pain of black individuals was not only ignored but assumed to not be experienced to the same degree as White individuals.”

Franklin emphasized the importance of culturally competent care for the mental health of Black mothers.

The support of doulas as alternative birthing spaces gives Black women the opportunity, the choice of giving birth in a way that’s culturally affirming,” said Franklin. This highlights the significance of providing care that is sensitive to the cultural needs and experiences of Black women during the birthing process.

Franklin also pointed out that doulas alone cannot bear the burden of an unfair healthcare system. She emphasized the importance of hospitals employing well trained providers who operate in anti-bias and anti-racism spaces. This can help Black women give birth with “the support of a village.”

California has been taking steps to address healthcare disparities and improve outcomes for Black mothers and birthing individuals. The state introduced various policies and initiatives aimed at making culturally competent care a reality.

For example, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has taken steps to improve access to doula services for expectant mothers. One such initiative is the inclusion of doula services as a preventative care option covered under Medi-Cal. This can help make doula support more accessible and affordable for those who need it.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell has emphasized the importance of doula care in improving pregnancy experiences and birthing outcomes. In a press release, she stated that “Doula care is shown to improve pregnancy experiences and birthing outcomes. We must increase awareness of doula services for mothers and families across the County and expand our workforce to be more representative of our communities most in need.” This highlights the need for greater awareness and accessibility of doula services, particularly for those in underserved communities.

In a meantime, Dr. Franklin’s advice is to listen to Black women when they express concerns about their health. This means taking their concerns seriously and providing them with the care and support they need.

Related Video Chelsea, an expectant mom, and Danica, her doula, discuss the delicate connection between mental health and maternal care. Watch the video.

Former Kanye West Associate Among Two

African Americans Indicted with Donald Trump in Georgia

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Two prominent African Americans have found themselves in the middle of the unfolding legal drama surrounding former President Donald Trump.

Harrison Floyd and Trevian Kutti are publicists who have turned suspects and stand among Trump’s 18 alleged co-conspirators in his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has hit both, along with Trump and others, with serious racketeering charges.

Floyd led a Trump-founded group to bolster 2020 voter turnout for the MAGA Republican, while Kutti is a celebrity stylist and publicist best known for previously working with Kanye West.

Floyd, also known as Willie Floyd, was the executive director of Black Voices for Trump and emerged as a key player in Trump’s 2020 campaign. According to Newsweek, Floyd’s role extended to the Trump campaign staff.

The charges against Floyd include violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, conspiracy to solicit the dissemination of false statements and writings and attempts to influence witnesses.

Floyd’s LinkedIn profile reflects a career spanning over 15 years, encompassing operations, crisis management, government affairs, and political campaigns.

His experience stems from engagements on Capitol Hill, presidential campaigns, and collaboration with the Marines.

Kutti, a seasoned publicist with Chicago roots, faces allegations of traveling to Atlanta to influence the testimony of Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman before the Georgia grand jury regarding allegations of election fraud.

The indictment asserts that Floyd engaged pastor Stephen Lee to orchestrate a meeting with Freeman and

Kutti, ultimately pressuring Freeman’s testimony. The charges against Floyd, Kutti, and Lee span “conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings” and “influencing witnesses.”

Trump now faces 91 felony charges that could result in the demagogue and GOP presidential front-runner serving more than 800 years in prison after being four times indicted, twice impeached, and already found guilty of sexual assault by a civil jury.

Like Trump, Floyd, and Kutti have until noon on Aug. 25 to turn themselves into Fulton County Jail for processing.

alleged co-conspirators in his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Chelsea Rae Crowder-Luke speaks with her doula in her home in Los Angeles, and she was 34 weeks at the time of the interview.

Harrison Floyd and Trevian Kutti are publicists who have turned suspects and stand among Trump’s 18

Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop: Legislative Black Caucus Honors West Coast Greats

Antonio Ray Harvey

California Black Media

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) celebrated the 5oth anniversary of hip hop on Aug. 14, with a tribute to the West Coast pioneers, leaders and innovators who shaped the genre.

The Bring the Peace Movement organized the rally and ceremony where speakers paid homage to the honorees.

Juana Burns-Sperling, co-founder of Rialto/Los Angeles-based all-female hip hop group JJ FAD, told California Black Media (CBM) that the love received from state lawmakers -- which included standing ovations on both the Senate and Assembly floors -- was a long time in the making, but well worth the wait.

“It was amazing. It was an honor to be there to represent the West Coast and represent my group,” said Sperling, who goes by the stage name, MC JB. “When I first heard about it my thoughts were, ‘finally’ because the West Coast seems to be left out of things that are going on right now. So, the fact that our (lawmakers) were honoring us, we didn’t have to rely on other geographical areas. I was truly happy. We’re finally getting recognized.”

The rap songs Sperling, “Baby D” (Dania Birks) and “Sassy C” (Michelle Ferrens) performed were produced by world-renowned Hip Hop mogul Dr. Dre (Andre Young), and Arabian Prince (Kim Renard Nazel). They group was signed to Ruthless Records.

JJ FAD (an acronym created with the names of the original group members in 1985: Juana, Juanita, Fatima, Anna, and Dana) reached the top of the charts with their signature song, “Supersonic” in 1988.

The program organized by Jamilia Land of the Bring the Peace Movement, featured a voter registration drive and entertainment and was attended by CLBC chair Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), ViceChair and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and other officers and members.

“At the time of its founding, hip hop was met with vitriol from politicians. However, today a host of politicians, community organizations and leaders convene to honor the pioneers and architects of the hip hop movement,” Wilson said on the Assembly floor.

Sperling was joined at the State Capitol with West Coast hip hop artists and music producers King T (Roger McBride), Kid Frost (Arturo R. Molina Jr.), Arabian Prince Mistah F.A.B.(Stanley Cox), Micheal Latt, Karega Bailey,

Tinish Hollins, Greg Mack, Violet Brown, LaRussell Thomas, Greg Mack, Casual from the Hieroglyphics (Jon Owens), Disco Daddy (Michael Khalfani), filmmaker Deon Taylor, and Alonzo “Lonzo” Williams. Mickelle “Hayón” Hellon, Leila Steinberg (who was Tupac’s manager), the Magical Rock Band, and retired legislative aid Rory Kaufman were also recognized as honorees.

Known to the West Coast hip hop community as “Grand Master Lonzo,” Williams is the innovator behind the legendary R&B/Rap group “World Class Wreckin Cru,” that found major success with the 1987 hit “Turn Off the Lights.”

“When I called my partner and Senator, Sen. Bradford, and told him we need to do something for hip hop on the West Coast I had no idea that it would end up

on the Assembly and Senate floors,” Williams told CBM. “My initial plan was to do something in Compton, get all the homies and OGs together and show some love. But here we are today, and it was a great event.”

Bradford and Williams “go way back” on the music scene of Gardena, Compton, and Los Angeles. They used to promote singing groups, bands, and hip-hop dancing cliques. The artists received a warm welcome from lawmakers in both chambers; thanks to Bradford, Wilson, and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D- Ladera Heights).

“Steve understood what we did back in L.A. back in the day because he was a part of it but only on another level,” Williams said. “Steve was a dance promoter before he became a Compton city councilman, assemblymember, and senator. He was my competition. It just made for a great situation.”

Williams is credited with launching the careers of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson), D.J. Yella (Antoine Carraby) and Eazy E. (Eric Wright), formerly known as N.W.A. The group is credited with ushering in a form of hip-hop music that was coined gangster rap.

The gangster rap genre propelled the careers of Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus Jr.), Nate Dogg (Nathaniel Hale), DJ Quick (David Marvin Blake), Above the Law, Warren G (Warren Griffin III), Lady of Rage (Robin Yvette Allen), Yo-Yo (Yolanda Whitaker), E-40’s (Earl Stevens) little sister Suga-T (Tenina Stevens), among others.

The elements of hip hop culture first emerged in the 1970s in Morris Heights, a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City. Hip-hop consists of four elements: “deejaying,” or “turntabling,” “MCing” or “rhyming,” graffiti painting, and the hip-hop dance, style, and attitude of “B-boying.”

The West Coast artists extracted the characteristics and stylings from East Coast hip hop but were able to create their own musical flavor with stories, references and imagery that reflected street life and living in urban centers, mostly in California.

Gangster rap and the “G-funk era” dominated the hip-hop scene in the late 1980s and all through the 1990s from the Los Angeles region to Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area by standouts like Too $hort (Todd Anthony Shaw).     Joel Flatow, Senior Vice President, Artist and Industry Relations, and Chief of West Coast operations for RIAA, said the accolades bestowed on the artists in Sacramento are a tribute to the innovation and foresight they brought to the culture.

“We just have a tremendous wealth of talent in this state,” Flatow added.

RIAA is a trade organization that supports and protects the rights of artists and music labels in the US.

Adding to the cultural weight to the celebration, Land and other community activists issued a proclamation, offered samplings of poetry, gave shoutouts to hip-hop history, and appealed to the audience to become politically engaged champions of peace.

“This is a time of celebration and reflection,” stated Land, who is also the co-founder of the Anti-Violence, Safety, and Accountability Project (ASAP). “We acknowledge the monumental achievements of West Coast artists and also reflect on the effect of unresolved trauma and violence in the Culture.”

NYPD Officer Sold Out Police for Gang Leader, Facing Decades in Prison

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Former New York Police Officer Gina Mestre is accused of giving the Shooting Boys Gang confidential information about a federal grand jury investigation, leaking the name of a witness to gang members, and helping a gang leader flee the U.S. after he killed someone.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, announced the unsealing of an indictment against Mestre for her involvement in a racketeering conspiracy with members of the Shooting Boys gang.

Mestre was booked into federal custody on Thursday, Aug. 17.

“Gina Mestre shamelessly exploited her position of public trust to assist gang members in her own NYPD precinct that were terrorizing the Bronx by committing robberies, murders, drug trafficking, and other acts of violence,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

“The Indictment unsealed today alleges that the defendant abused her position as an NYPD police officer by, among other things, obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into the gang and assisting the gang’s leader in evading capture for a cold-blooded murder committed in broad daylight.”

Further, Williams noted that Mestre’s alleged conduct violates the oath she swore to protect the public and her fellow NYPD officers from the type of criminal activity she helped the gang commit.

“This Indictment makes clear that my Office and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in fighting all forms of police corruption,” Williams stated.

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban blasted his former officer’s conduct.

“There’s no place for any kind of corruption in the NYPD,” Caban railed.

“The arrest today of a former officer is built upon the steadfast work of our Internal Affairs Bureau, a team driven to root out such betrayals of public trust.”

The indictment alleges that the Shooting Boys gang is a criminal organization based in the University Heights section of the Bronx.

Since at least 2017, gang members allegedly sold drugs, used guns, and committed numerous acts of violence against members of rival gangs.

Further, the gang’s territory and base operations fell within the jurisdiction of the NYPD’s 52nd precinct, where Mestre worked.

Prosecutors alleged that Mestre developed a romantic relationship with Andrew Done, the recognized leader of the Shooting Boys gang.

Mestre served as an NYPD police officer from July 2013 to May 2022, assigned to the 52nd Precinct’s Public Safety Unit.

In the summer of 2020, a significant focus of the precinct and the Public Safety Unit was reducing gun violence attributed to members of the Shooting Boys.

Prosecutors said in June 2020, Mestre began

Mestre was booked into federal custody on Thursday, Aug. 17.

communicating with Done through social media accounts and phone numbers that they hid.

The officer immediately began sharing confidential information with Done, warning him and other gang members about police raids and actions.

The officer even caused harm to police witnesses by telling Done and others who reported them to authorities.

In one instance, authorities said that on or about Nov. 5, 2020, Done shot and killed a rival gang member as he sat in his car on Cromwell Avenue in the Bronx.

NYPD Detectives investigating the murder recovered security camera video capturing Done’s commission of the murder.

Several members of the 52nd precinct was called upon to assist in identifying the person captured on the Video, and Mestre was among the officers who identified Done as the perpetrator.

Eventually, as federal authorities closed in on Done, Mestre warned him, and he fled to the Dominican Republic.

On Nov. 17, 2022, Done pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and admitted to the Bronx murder.

On Feb. 22, 2023, Done was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Mestre, 33, faces charges of one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, which has a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering, which has a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Pictured from left to right on the California Assembly floor with framed resolutions are: Joel Flatow (Senior VP of Recording Industry Association of America’s West Coast Operations); Juana Burns Sperling (co-founder of JJ Fad), Kim Renard Nazel (Arabian Prince), Roger McBride (King Tee), and Jon Owens (Casual from Oakland-based Hieroglyphics). Aug. 14, 2023. (CBM Photo by Antonio Ray Harvey)

Angel Reese Pays it Forward with $12,000 Gift to Baltimore Alma Mater

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In a display of gratitude, commitment, and quintessentially paying it forward, Angel Reese, the superstar LSU women’s basketball player, showcased her dedication to the community that shaped her by donating $12,000 to her alma mater, St. Frances Academy.

The Catholic high school in Baltimore serves predominantly Black students.

Reese’s gesture is an inspiring example of giving back and supporting education.

Reese said she and others had benefited from contributions to St. Frances Academy in high school.

Officials said the donation would allow other talented women’s basketball players to have their tuition paid in full.

Reese announced the launch of her foundation in July during a panel discussion at the Variety and Sportico Sports and Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles following LSU’s victorious National Championship earlier this year. Through the foundation, Reese said she hopes to provide equal opportunities for young girls in sports, education, and financial literacy.

Rolling Out reported that Reese has banked about $1.7 million this year in name, image, and likeness deals.

“As a woman, you can make more money in college than going to the WNBA,” Reese said, according to Rolling

Out.

“NIL has changed the game completely for everybody, men, and women. You would think it would only be men and stuff, but it’s women too. We’re making bags!” Reese added.

“They said I was leading the whole country in college basketball in NIL deals. As a Black woman, that meant so much. I was like, wow.

“I was just talking to her, saying we’re going to be in the history books for saying we started this. We did so much here at LSU, in our first year here.”

California Black Media Political Playback: News You Might Have Missed

Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson California Black Media

Your roundup of stories you might have missed last week.

Mayor Karen Bass Announces New Task Force

Focused on Organized Retail Theft

On Aug. 18, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and regional law enforcement leaders -- including Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna -- announced a new regional law enforcement task force created to address organized retail crimes in the greater Los Angeles region.

Luxury retail brand flagship stores and highend retailers such as Nordstrom’s and Bloomingdale’s throughout L.A. and neighboring cities have been subject to an increasing number of brazen heists described as “smash & grabs” and “grab & gos.”

“What we’ve seen over just the past week in the City of Los Angeles and in surrounding regions is unacceptable, which is why today we are here announcing action,” said Mayor Bass. “No Angeleno should feel like it’s unsafe to go shopping and no Angeleno should feel like it’s unsafe to open a business in Los Angeles or Los Angeles County. This task force will aggressively investigate these incidents and hold individuals that are responsible for these crimes fully accountable.”

The task force includes the LAPD, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol (CHP), Glendale Police Department, Burbank Police Department, Beverly Hills Police Department, Santa Monica Police Department, U.S. Marshals Apprehension Task Force, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Apprehension Task Force.

The task force will partner with prosecutors from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the California Attorney

General’s Office.

“Law enforcement is all about partnership – and the CHP is proud to be a good partner to Los Angeles,” added CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.

Atty. Gen. Bonta: California’s Deaths-From-Guns Rates Are Lower Than Most of The Country

Last week, the California Department of Justice’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) released their August data report of gun violence in the state. According to the report, California’s gun death rate is 43% below the national average. If the gun death rate in the nation matched California’s over the last ten years, nearly 140,000 gun deaths could have been avoided.

Attorney General Rob Bonta credits this lower percentage to California’s gun laws and prevention policies.

“The time for thoughts and prayers alone has come and gone. Enough became enough so long ago that it’s now merely a faint memory. The time for action is now,” said Bonta in a letter featured in the report. “The progress we’ve made is undeniable, but it’s hardly finished.”

In recent years, the nation has lost an average of 45,000 people to gun violence per year. Additionally, people in the United States have a 25 times higher chance of being killed by a gun than people living in other highincome countries.

In California, “from 2016-2021, there were 69,136 gunshot wound incidents in California that resulted in death or required urgent medical attention in the form of hospitalization or emergency department care,” according to the report.

Asm. Tina McKinnor and Colleagues Ask Gov. Newsom to Intervene in State Employee Pay Negotiations

Tensions are flaring over ongoing contract negotiations between government employee unions and

the state. Some are deadlocked.

The delays have prompted Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D - Inglewood), who is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus and other lawmakers to write a letter asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to intervene.

“State workers play a crucial role in all of California’s programs,” lawmakers said in the letter dated Aug. 14. “To achieve your Administration’s goals, such as combating climate change, ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare, and improving our transportation infrastructure, it is crucial to retain public workers who can effectively implement these vital programs and policies. Unfortunately, without a new contract many of these workers’ economic futures, and our ability to retain them as employees, are in jeopardy.”

California’s 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees Include Two Black Americans, Singer Etta James and Athlete Archie Williams

Two Black Americans are members of the class of California’s 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees.

Iconic singer Etta James and decorated track and field athlete Archie Williams join five other inductees set to receive the honor posthumously during a virtual ceremony, according to Newsom and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

“The outstanding legacy of this group has and will continue to embody what it means to be a Californian,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “There is no doubt their legacies will continue to live on and inspire millions across our state for generations to come.”

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, ‘Etta James’ became the stage name of the Los Angeles based singer who performed in various genres including blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, and rock & roll. Her most popular recordings included “At Last,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” and “A Sunday

Kind of Love.”

Archie Williams won an Olympic gold medal in 1936 for the 400-meter race in Berlin after completing his freshman year at UC Berkeley. The track star also set a world record at the NCAA Championships running it in

Continued on page A10

Reese’s gesture is an inspiring example of giving back and supporting education.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor ( D-Los Angeles)

Six Decades after King’s Historic Speech, Report Shows Black Economic Equality is ‘Still a Dream’

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Sixty years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a groundbreaking new report has laid bare the stark truth of ongoing black economic inequality in the United States.

Titled “STILL A DREAM: Over 500 Years to Black Economic Equality,” the report, co-authored by prominent experts Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Chuck Collins, Omar Ocampo, and Sally Sim, and published by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), underscores the enduring disparities faced by Black Americans and highlights the pressing need for concerted action to address these disparities.

“Sixty years ago, Dr. King observed that America has defaulted on this promissory note to Black citizens,” stated Chuck Collins, an IPS senior scholar who directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good in Washington, DC.

“Six decades later, despite incremental progress on some fronts, the check of opportunity has still come back with insufficient funds.”

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Chief of Race, Wealth, and Community for NCRC, lamented, “It is deeply troubling that, sixty years after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Black economic equality remains nothing more than a dream for most Black Americans.”

“The revelation that it would take more than 500 additional years to close the economic gap for black Americans is a stark reminder of the systemic inequities that persist,” Asante-Muhammad asserted.

Sally Sim, a senior organizer, and project specialist at NCRC, emphasized the urgency of the situation.

“The sobering projection and findings of our report sixty years after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom reinforce that the dream for economic equality for Black Americans remains unfulfilled,” Sim stated.

“On this historic anniversary, let us turn this report into a catalyst for meaningful action towards comprehensive solutions and public support for policies and initiatives that promote black economic equality.”

Some key findings from the comprehensive report were that, despite modest advancements made by African Americans since the 1960s, including reduced poverty rates, increased high school attainment, and lower unemployment rates, income disparities between Black and white Americans have only slightly improved.

The report exposes that in 2021, African Americans earn 62 cents to every dollar earned by white families.

The report’s authors said, at this rate, achieving income parity would take an astonishing 513 years.

Further, the wealth gap between Black and non-Black Americans has experienced only marginal growth, with African Americans possessing 18 cents for every dollar of non-Black wealth in 2019.

If this pace continues, it will take approximately 780 years for Black wealth to match non-Black wealth.

Median household income for African Americans has shown minimal growth, growing just 0.36% since the turn of the century.

Strikingly, it remained lower than white median family income in 1963.

Even after over six decades, the Black-white homeownership divide persists.

Black homeownership has grown from 38% in 1960 to 44% in 2021, while white homeownership surged from

“The sobering projection and findings of our report sixty years after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom reinforce that the dream for economic equality for Black Americans remains unfulfilled.”

64% in 1960 to 74% in 2021.

The report outlined a series of recommendations to combat black economic inequality:

1. Advocate for full employment and guaranteed jobs

to ensure equal economic opportunities for all.

2. Enact a substantial land and homeownership program to address the enduring homeownership gap between Black and white Americans.

3. Commit to individual asset building, including financial education, asset matching programs, and supportive policies, to facilitate access to wealth-building opportunities for Black Americans.

4. Implement policies to reduce dynastic concentrations of wealth and power, tackling the structural barriers that impede economic progress for Black Americans.

5. Explore targeted reparations to address historical injustices and provide meaningful redress for the economic

disparities Black Americans face.

The authors noted that, as the nation reflects on King’s enduring vision for equality and justice, the report serves as a sobering reminder that pursuing Black economic equality remains an unmet challenge in America.

“The findings of this report are sobering and demand immediate and comprehensive action to address the economic disparities faced by African Americans,” remarked Omar Ocampo, a researcher for the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at IPS.

“We must invest in transformative policies that address systemic racism and create an equitable society.” View the full report here.

California Black Media Political Playback

Continued from page A9

46.1 seconds.

The induction ceremony will be held Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. P.T. and will be livestreamed on X, formerly known as Twitter and on YouTube.

Federal Gov’t Is Providing Resources to Help Universities and Colleges to Lawfully Promote Racial Diversity

The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are jointly releasing resources to help colleges and universities lawfully pursue diversity in their student bodies.

The departments have issued a Questions and Answers resource to help colleges and universities comply with the Supreme Court’s decision that ruled affirmative action unconstitutional.

“Educational institutions must ensure that their admissions practices do not create barriers for students based on any protected characteristics, including race,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke.

The resource gives examples of how colleges and universities can lawfully take to achieve a racially diverse student body. Examples included targeted outreach, recruitment, pathway programs, evaluation of admission policies, and retention strategies and programs.

The ED will release a report in September that showcases practices to build inclusive, diverse student bodies, including how colleges can give thoughtful consideration to measures of adversity when selecting among qualified applicants. This includes the economic status of a student or their family, where a student grew

up, and personal experiences of hardship or discrimination, such as racial discrimination, in their admissions process. FBI Arrests and Charges 10 Antioch and Pittsburg Police Officers

After a two-year investigation, federal prosecutors charged 10 Antioch and Pittsburg police officers with crimes that included excessive force, fraud and conspiracy to distribute steroids.

The morning before the announcement last Thursday, federal agents arrested the officers in the two Contra Costa cities. The feds also conducted similar law enforcement raids in Texas and Hawaii.

“Police officers take an oath,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said at a press conference in San Francisco. “The indictments unsealed today paint a picture of officers who have violated that oath.”

In May, California opened its own investigation into allegations that Antioch Police Department officers exchanged racist and homophobic text messages.

With a $73 Million Investment, California School Playgrounds Will Get Greener California school playgrounds will be become more eco-friendly soon. Under a new program called “Less Asphalt, More Trees,” the state will invest $73 million to make school campuses greener.

“The days of hot asphalt playgrounds at schools are ending,” read a post from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“To protect kids from extreme heat, we’re investing a total of $120 million to transform our schools and make it safer for kids to be active outside,” the post continued.

Bakersfield Youth Jobs Application Extension

The Kern Community Foundation announces a oneweek application extension for the City of Bakersfield’s 2023-2024 Youth Jobs Program City Hall Fellowship application. The City Hall Fellowship will provide valuable work opportunities for youth aged 18 to 30 years old.

The application deadline is extended until 11:59 PM on Friday, August 25, 2023. To apply and find more information, please visit the Kern Community Foundation’s official website at https://www.kernfoundation.org/ bakersfield-youth-jobs-program/ or call the Kern Community Foundation at 661-616-2610.

Eligible participants must be at least 18 years old by September 1, 2023, and no older than 30 years old by August 2, 2024.

The City Hall Fellowship Program spans 10 months and offers a unique opportunity for youth to work and learn alongside staff in various City departments.  Fellows will engage in administrative duties and analyses, participate

in budget management, prepare and present reports, and attend workshops covering personal, professional, and civic development.    Fellows will be expected to work 20 hours per week and will earn $23 per hour.  In addition to handson experience, participants will benefit from ongoing support and career development services from the Kern Community Foundation, including mentorship, professional workshops, travel stipends, and field trips.

The City Hall Fellowship is a component of the Bakersfield Youth Jobs Program.  Funded by a $5.39 million grant from California Volunteers and the State of California, the program offers four tracks, including a paid high school summer internship, a paid college-level fellowship program, a paid recreation internship, and collaborations with non-profit organizations to employ atrisk youth.