Black Operatives Reportedly Furious Over Kamala Harris Campaign’s Spending Decisions
By Stacy M.
Black
The marginalization of Black-owned political firms is not new to Democratic campaigns, but Harris’ candidacy has sharpened the issue. Black operatives and media companies argue that Harris’ campaign is following a pattern of taking Black vendors for granted despite their critical role in past Democratic victories.
Insiders say the problem is not just a Harris issue but one inherited from the Biden campaign, where similar grievances were raised in 2020. Still, the stakes are higher for Harris, who, as the first Black and Southeast Asian
operatives and minority-owned firms are raising alarms over spending practices in Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. They accuse the campaign of favoring white-owned vendors while sidelining Black-owned firms. The controversy, first reported by NOTUS, a nonprofit newsroom created by the Allbritton Journalism Institute, has caused growing frustration among Democratic leaders, operatives, and donors. Many fear that these missteps could harm Harris’ standing with voters of color in the crucial weeks before Election Day.Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, expressed frustration in an August call with Harris’s campaign. Alongside other prominent Black leaders, Johnson questioned why minority-owned political firms— historically integral to Democratic campaigns—were not receiving a fair share of the campaign’s record-breaking fundraising, nearly $1 billion since Harris became the Democratic nominee.“If Black voters are the base, it should be Black vendors telling the story,” a participant on the call told NOTUS. Yet despite pressing the issue, many left the conversation with no clear resolution. Johnson and other leaders reportedly vowed to escalate their concerns, demanding transparency on how the campaign allocates its funds and why there appears to be a lack of equitable spending with minority-owned firms. One point of contention is Harris’ underinvestment in the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing more than 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies collectively known as the Black Press of America. In June, the Harris campaign signed a modest $1.5 million advertising and partnership deal with NNPA, which pales compared to the near-billion-dollar fundraising total. The Black Press, which has been a trusted voice in Black communities for nearly 198 years, has long played a crucial role in informing and mobilizing Black voters.Founded in New York in 1827, before the end of slavery, the Black Press of America remains a cornerstone of communication within Black communities. As the NNPA prepares to celebrate the Black Press’ 200th anniversary, many argue that a stronger investment from Harris, who has publicly vowed to support Black businesses, is warranted and necessary.A Long-Standing Issue for Democrats
woman to lead a major party ticket, faces calls to align her campaign’s spending with her historic candidacy.
One Democratic consultant close to the campaign told NOTUS, “It’s not just the media. It’s the get-outthe-vote operations and grassroots efforts too. Every time we push for more Black spending, it’s met with resistance, and the amounts we’re talking about are just a fraction of what’s being spent on the general market. It’s getting pretty insulting.”
Internal Campaign Friction Frustration has also been mounting within the campaign itself. NOTUS reported that sources close to
State Leaders Urge Employers to Address
Persisting Racial and Gender Pay Gaps
By Antonio Ray Harvey California
Black Media State leaders concerned about the persisting gap between the incomes of Black and White Californians are urging the state to take steps to address the problem.
On Sept. 18, International Equal Pay Day, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released new pay and demographic data that show Black workers are more likely to be found in the lowest pay range in the state, earning, on average, $32,239 a year or less.
“While I am proud that California has one
Continued
California Governor Signs Law Banning Medical Debt From Credit Reports
By Molly Castle Work
Californians with medical debt will no longer have to worry about unpaid medical bills showing up on their credit reports under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, adding the nation’s most populous state to a growing effort to protect consumers squeezed by unaffordable medical bills.
The bill, by Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and backed by Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, will block health care providers, as well as any contracted collection agency, from sharing a patient’s medical debt with credit reporting agencies. At least eight states have banned medical bills from consumer credit reports in the past two years. In June, the Biden administration proposed similar federal protections, but it’s unclear when the rules will be enacted — or, if former President Donald Trump is elected again, if they will be at all.
“Nobody chooses to get sick, and then your credit gets ruined,” said Chi Chi Wu, a senior attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. “That’s why we encourage states to keep adopting laws. In case something goes wrong at the federal level, the states could protect their own consumers.” When California’s new law goes into effect in January, it will extend these protections to credit reports used for employment and tenant screening, Wu said. This is in addition to the proposed federal ban on reporting to credit agencies that inform credit card companies and mortgage lenders. California lawmakers noted that medical debt — unlike other kinds of debt — isn’t an accurate reflection of credit risk, and its inclusion can depress credit scores and make it hard for people to get a job, rent an apartment, or secure a car loan. But California lawmakers have left a glaring loophole. Patients who pay hospital bills using medical credit cards
won through late-in-the-game “hostile” amendments, which “influential entities opposed to the measure prevailed” in including, Limón said. In a 2022 KFF poll on medical debt, 15% of adults said they had used a medical credit card.
Kelly Parsons-O’Brien, legislative chair of the California Association of Collectors, which represents collection agencies, said the exemptions were essential because medical credit card holders can buy nonmedical items and medical loans can be refinanced with nonmedical debt, making it “impossible” for creditors to know what’s actually a medical charge.
“More consumers will get into situations where they cannot afford to pay, and lenders will be operating in the dark,” Parsons-O’Brien said. The three largest U.S. credit agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — said they would stop listing some medical debt, including paid-off debts and those less than $500, but millions of patients were left with
bigger medical bills on their credit reports. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported in April that 15 million Americans still had medical bills on their credit reports. About 4 in 10 Californians report carrying some type of medical debt, which disproportionately affects low-income, Black, and Latino patients, according to the California Health Care Foundation.
Dozens of states have enacted legislation to protect consumers from surprise billing and medical debt, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Newsom, a Democrat, also signed legislation on Tuesday banning hospitals from using liens on all real property owned by Californians who typically earn less than 400% of the federal poverty level. It expands current state law that protects a patient’s home from debt collectors.
A KFF Health News analysis found that credit reporting is the most common collection tactic used by hospitals to get patients to pay their bills. A credit score ban might make it more difficult for hospitals to collect.
When Sacramento resident Sonia Hayden and her boyfriend applied for a home loan last year, she discovered her credit score had dropped about a hundred points. It had been downgraded because of an approximately $200 emergency room charge after a car accident years ago.
The 44-year-old said her insurance covered tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills but that the hospital miscoded the $200 charge and she never received a bill for it. That, she said, should also have been charged to insurance. Hayden tried unsuccessfully for over a year to resolve the issue with her health insurer. It’s still on her credit report. She was eventually able to get a home loan, but her interest rates were higher because of her credit score.
“Medical bills, they’re not on purpose, you know?” said Hayden, who testified in support of the legislation. “It was already a super traumatic accident. I almost died. And then to have this super stressful medical bill — nobody’s asking for that. It shouldn’t affect your credit.”
Campbell Barred from Being Charity Trustee in England and Wales
Following a three-year investigation into the financial activities of “Fashion for Relief,” the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, said it had found “multiple instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement,” and that only 8.5% of the charity’s overall expenditure went on charitable grants in a six-year period from 2016. For example, it said that thousands of pounds worth of charity funds were used to pay for a luxury hotel stay in Cannes, France, for Campbell as well as spa treatments, room service and even cigarettes. The regulator sought explanations from the trustees but said no evidence was provided to back up their explanation that hotel costs were typically covered by a donor to the charity, therefore not costing the charity. Campbell, 54, said she was “extremely concerned” by the findings of the regulator and that an investigation on her part was underway.
“I was not in control of my charity, I put the control in the hands of a legal employer,” she said in response to a question from the AP after being named a knight in France’s Order of Arts and Letters at the country’s culture ministry for her contribution to French culture. “We are investigating to find out what and how, and everything I do and every penny I ever raised goes to charity.”
The commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, also found that fellow trustee Bianka Hellmich received around 290,000 pounds ($385,000) of unauthorized funds for consultancy services, which was in breach of the charity’s constitution. She has been disqualified as a trustee for nine years. The other trustee, Veronica Chou, was barred for four years.
“Trustees are legally required to make decisions that are in their charity’s best interests and to comply with their legal duties and responsibilities,” said Tim Hopkins, deputy director for specialist investigations and standards. “Our inquiry has found that the trustees of this charity failed to do so, which has resulted in our action to disqualify them.”
The charity, which was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, was dissolved and removed from the register of charities earlier this year. On its website, which is still active, the charity said that it presented fashion initiatives and projects in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, raising more than $15 million for good causes around the world.
The charity had been set up with the aim of uniting the fashion industry to relieve poverty and advance health and education, by making grants to other organizations and giving resources towards global disasters.
The commission said that around 344,000 pounds ($460,000) has been recovered and that a further 98,000 pounds of charitable funds have been protected. These funds were used to make donations to two other charities and settle outstanding liabilities.
“I am pleased that
Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Democratic
Marcellus Williams’ Death: Political Execution of a Black Man Carried Out by the Supreme Court
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
In a damning display of justice gone wrong, Marcellus Williams, a Missouri death row inmate, was executed, despite overwhelming evidence suggesting his innocence. His death by lethal injection has sparked outrage, with the blame falling squarely on the shoulders of former President Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, and the conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices who refused to halt the execution. Williams, 55, was convicted in 2001 for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle in her St. Louis apartment. However, no DNA evidence ever tied him to the crime. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which urged a stay of execution, had supported his legal team in its tenacious fight for clemency. The victim’s own family had requested Williams’ sentence be commuted to life without parole, writing, “Marcellus’ execution is not necessary.”
Yet, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court—Chief Justice John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett—voted to deny Williams a stay. Their decision condemned an innocent man to death, and it is a stark reminder of how deeply broken the justice system has become under their influence. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, recognizing the glaring miscarriage of justice. This execution didn’t happen in a vacuum. It is a direct result of the political power play that Trump and McConnell orchestrated. Trump’s appointment of three ultra-conservative justices—Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett—solidified a Supreme Court more interested in ideology than fairness. McConnell’s refusal to consider Barack Obama’s 2016 nominee, Merrick Garland, to replace Justice Antonin Scalia was a pivotal move in ensuring this conservative stronghold. He later rushed through Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation weeks before Trump’s election loss, fully aware of the long-term consequences.
Gov. Mike Parson, a staunch MAGA Republican, ignored every plea for mercy, including those from the prosecutor’s office and over a million citizens and faith leaders who called for clemency. Despite abundant evidence
of Williams’ innocence, Parson’s decision to carry out the execution was viewed by many as cruel and motivated by bloodlust.
“This was a lynching. Make no mistake, this was statesanctioned murder of an innocent Black man,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson declared. “Governor Parson had the responsibility to save a life, and he didn’t. When DNA evidence exonerates a man, capital punishment is not justice—it is murder. Trump, McConnell, and the conservative Supreme Court justices now have blood on their hands.”
Johnson added that Williams’ final moments were a tragic reminder of the human cost of this injustice.
Reportedly, Williams lay conversing with a spiritual advisor as the lethal injection took effect. His chest heaved a few times before he went still, as his son and two attorneys watched helplessly from another room. No one from Gayle’s family was present to witness the execution—likely because they had asked for his life to be spared.
Cori Bush, Missouri’s Democratic Representative and staunch opponent of the death penalty, minced no words in condemning Parson’s role. “Governor Parson didn’t just end Marcellus Williams’ life—he demonstrated how the death penalty is wielded without any regard for innocence, compassion, equity, or humanity,” Bush stated. “He ignored the facts, the evidence, and the pleas from all sides. The so-called ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ standard was tossed out, because Marcellus was a Black man in a system rigged against him.”
Many also said the hypocrisy of the so-called “pro-
New York City Mayor Eric
Indicted
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been criminally indicted, becoming the first sitting mayor in the city’s history to face such charges. Federal prosecutors announced the indictment late Wednesday, September 26. NBC News reported that the charges mark a pivotal moment in Adams’s tumultuous tenure, which high-level resignations and a series of federal investigations have plagued. Adams allegedly sought and accepted illegal “nominee” or “straw” contributions. By “smuggling their contributions” to Adams’ campaign through the straw donors and actors from overseas, Adams “defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections,” according to the indictment.
In 2018, when Adams had announced his plans to run for New York City mayor, he allegedly accepted and sought illegal campaign contributions to his upcoming mayoral campaign, the indictment says.
Businesses also circumvented the city’s ban on corporate contributions “by funneling their donations through multiple employees,” according to the indictment.
In a video statement posted online, Adams fiercely denied the allegations, calling the charges “entirely false” and “based on lies.” He asserted that federal authorities
BakersfieldNews Observer
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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.
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had targeted him because of his commitment to standing up for New Yorkers. Adams vowed to fight the charges in court. He made it clear he had no plans to resign.
The indictment follows months of escalating federal scrutiny. Earlier this month, federal agents searched the homes of several of Adams’s top officials and seized phones, including that of Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who resigned on September 12. Authorities also confiscated the phone of Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who now runs a nightclub security business. Investigators reportedly are looking into whether bars and clubs in Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to act as a police liaison and if those establishments received special treatment from local precincts.
The indictment adds to a series of ongoing federal probes into Adams’s administration, which has already seen numerous high-ranking officials come under investigation. These probes began last year when federal agents seized the mayor’s electronic devices after searching the home of his chief fundraiser. Calls for Adams to step down have intensified after the charges. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who have launched campaigns for next year’s mayoral race, have publicly called for the mayor to resign. “The hardworking people of New
York City deserve a government and leadership they can trust. Right now, they don’t have it,” Lander posted on X.
The New York Working Families Party, a major progressive group, also demanded Adams’s resignation, stating that “he has lost the trust of the everyday New Yorkers he was elected to serve.”
Adams, a former NYPD captain, was elected in 2021 on promises to restore public safety and reinvigorate the city post-COVID-19. His administration, however, has been criticized for handling issues like the migrant crisis and subway safety, as well as for his late-night socializing and disputes over city spending, particularly on education. Despite these challenges, Adams has maintained a defiant stance, denying all wrongdoing.
Several news outlets reported that Adams is expected to have several days to turn himself in, and is not expected to appear in court on Thursday. Prosecutors have informed his attorneys that he will be summoned to surrender later.
In his video statement, Adams remained resolute: “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers, I would be a target—and a target I became. If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
life” conservatives was laid bare. A U.S. Army veteran and activist, Charlotte Clymer blasted the justices responsible, saying, “These people don’t care about life. They only care about control.”
Williams’ case, much like so many others involving Black men and the death penalty, exposed the deep racial bias embedded in America’s legal system. His attorneys had raised significant concerns about racial discrimination during jury selection, and the lack of credible evidence— especially DNA that didn’t match Williams—only underscored the injustice of his conviction. Yet, the political machinery of Trump, McConnell, Parson, and the Supreme Court moved forward without pause, ensuring his death. As Bush and others stated, Williams’s death wasn’t just an issue of a broken justice system—this was a political execution. Like Parson, the U.S. Supreme Court chose to ignore the evidence, the pleas, and the humanity of Williams. A litany of social media users posted comments demanding that Williams’ blood is on the hands of Republicans, and the country must reckon with the brutal truth that our highest court, and the leaders who enable it, can no longer be trusted to protect the innocent. Williams’ execution, despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence, is a searing indictment of a broken system where political power and racial bias outweigh truth and justice, Bush noted. ‘This was not just an execution,” she railed. “This was a state-sponsored lynching, and every person responsible for it must be held accountable.’”
State Leaders Urge Employers to Address Persisting Racial and Gender Pay Gaps
housing, businesses, and state-funded programs, and from racial-motivated violence and human trafficking.
According to the CRD’s data, Black (45%), multiracial (45%), Latino (44%), and Native American (43%) workers were among those in the lowest pay range. In contrast, about a quarter of White workers (25%) and close to onefifth of Asian workers (19%) were in the lowest pay range.
In addition, the report explains that less than 1 in 20 Latinos, and 1 in 10 Black and Native American workers were in the top-earning positions, whereas nearly 1 in 4 White workers and 1 in 3 Asian workers were employed in the highest pay range. White workers were almost twice as likely to be senior executives (62%) as compared to workers of color. California ranks third in the country for difference between men’s and women pay (13.3%), according to the report.
CRD Director Kevin Kish stated that gender pay gaps can have an ongoing effect “over the course of a single person’s lifetime,” and that difference in income can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost wages “The data underscores the need for action. “We all need to do our part to build on our hard-won progress,” Kish stated. “From corporate boardrooms to small, familyowned businesses, I urge employers to look at their own practices and work with us in the fight to ensure equal opportunity on the job.”
Data about workers hired through labor contractors is not included, the CRD points out. The findings in the
report do not reflect California’s entire employed workforce, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated to be 18.4 million at the end of 2022.
Under state law, private job creators of 100 or more employees or workers hired through labor contractors are required to report pay, demographic, and other workforce data annually.
“We all share the responsibility to address the persistent inequality that affects communities up and down our state,” Moss emphasized.
Kellie Todd Griffin, President and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Institute Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), said Black women’s pay in California has not only stagnated – it is decreasing.
A CBWCEI report released earlier this year reveals that Black women’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) fell three percentage points between October and December of 2023. Although, Black women’s LFPR remains higher than the LFPR of women of other races, the decrease points to job insecurity and instability in the labor market. It is also a sign that conditions could get worse for the Black women overall.
“Several economic factors contribute to the fluctuations and potential decline in Black women’s labor force participation rates,” CBWCEI report stated. “Structural issues such as persistent wage gaps, limited access to quality education and job training programs, along with systemic barriers to career advancement disproportionately affect
Black women.”
As a result of the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 973 in 2020, the state collects pay data to encourage employers to conduct self-assessments of pay disparities in their organizations, promote self-policing around equal pay compliance and support meaningful state and private enforcement of civil rights and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace.
On June 19, the CRD announced that it reached a $15 million settlement with Snapchat to resolve a more than three-year investigation over claims of employment discrimination, equal pay violations, and sexual harassment and retaliation. CRD alleged that despite its growth from 50 employees in 2015 to over 5,000 in 2022, Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, failed to set up measures to create an environment to ensure that women were paid or promoted equally. Instead, women were held under a glass ceiling and were told to wait in line.
“The gender wage gap is not just a statistic, it’s a lifetime of missed opportunities for women — especially women of color — who face the compounded impacts of racial and gender inequities,” stated California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “The wage and wealth gaps rob women and their families of financial security, career advancement, and the ability to build wealth for future generations. In California, we’re working through our Equal Pay Pledge to close the gap and normalize pay equity.”
Black Operatives Reportedly Furious Over Kamala Harris
Campaign’s Spending Decisions
her value system.” Yet, many Black operatives feel the campaign is not meeting those values. Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks has come under fire for being unresponsive to internal and external requests for more equitable spending. Fulks is reportedly quick to reject proposals related to Black outreach efforts, frustrating many in the campaign with his budget handling. Some have even accused Fulks of downplaying the need for Black-owned firms, arguing that using white-owned firms with Black associates on the project should be seen as equivalent to hiring Black-owned vendors—an assertion that has only deepened the frustration among Black operatives.
A Lack of Investment Could Cost Support The underinvestment in Black-owned firms goes
beyond finances; it’s a problem that could threaten Harris’ standing with Black voters. In 2020, Black voters overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden, with 92% backing his candidacy, according to Pew Research. However, that support has softened in 2024. A recent poll from Howard University showed that Black voter support for Harris had dropped to 82%. An even more troubling sign for the Harris campaign comes from a recent NAACP poll showing that one in four Black men under 50 now support Donald Trump. This shift is deeply concerning for Democrats, who have relied heavily on the Black vote in past elections. For many Black operatives, the solution is clear: Harris must direct more resources to Black-owned firms that know how to mobilize Black voters effectively. Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, which targets Black voters, told NOTUS that while Harris has a compelling story, the real question is whether the campaign will spend enough to reach skeptical voters. “They very clearly understand the need to increase communication with Black voters,” Shropshire said. “But can they reach enough voters to turn enthusiasm into actual votes?”Calls for Urgent Action With only weeks left until Election Day, many operatives across racial lines call for swift course correction. While the Harris campaign has added some Black-owned firms, including HIT Strategies and Walton Isaacson, overall spending with minority-owned vendors remains significantly lower than with
T.I. and Tiny Harris Win $71 Million Lawsuit Against MGA Over L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Dolls
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Rapper T.I. and singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris have emerged victorious in a major lawsuit against toy company MGA Entertainment, securing a $71 million judgment. The couple, alongside their music group OMG Girlz, accused MGA of violating their intellectual property rights by copying the group’s image and style for the company’s popular L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls.
The case, which spanned over three years, concluded when a jury ruled in favor of the Harris family. According to People Magazine, Tiny, 49, was elated as she shared her thoughts in an Instagram Live video outside the Santa Ana, California federal courthouse. “We did this for the city. We did this for the culture,” she said. Reflecting on the yearslong legal battle, she added, “It was a hell of a fight. We couldn’t be more happy.”
Tiny expressed profound gratitude to the jurors, who delivered a unanimous verdict. “They heard our story and they knew we wasn’t lying. It’s amazing,” she said, thankful for their belief in the group’s claim.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2020, focused on more than a dozen L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls that strongly resemble the OMG Girlz, a group Tiny formed in 2009 with her daughter, Zonnique Pullins, along with Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack. According to the court, MGA had “infringed on the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image, and likeness” of the group, particularly their outfits and hairstyles.
People Magazine noted that the jury awarded $53.6 million in punitive damages in addition to the initial settlement, an outcome that surprised even Tiny. “I mean, wow. They did more than I thought they would,” she told Rolling Stone after the verdict. “I would have been happy with whatever. They blessed us more than beyond.”
The OMG Girlz themselves testified during the threeweek trial, recalling specific public events and photos where the dolls copied their unique wardrobe and style. Womack shared her emotional reaction, telling Rolling Stone, “I’m so grateful and overwhelmed with joy.” Pullins added that when the jurors unanimously recognized the group’s memorable style, “We all silently cried.”
T.I. also reflected on the case, criticizing MGA for attempting to dismiss the lawsuit as a “money grab.” “That kind of condescension comes from when you’re not really in touch with the reality of culture,” he said in an interview with Rolling Stone. The rapper emphasized that MGA’s actions were exploitative, stating, “They were the ones that came and ripped us off, and [they] expected us to not have the audacity to stand up and speak for ourselves.”
Despite MGA’s founder, Isaac Larian, calling the claims baseless and referring to the Harris family as “extortionists,” the jury’s decision firmly supported the OMG Girlz, reinforcing the importance of protecting creative and cultural expression.
“We did this for the culture,” Tiny said outside the courthouse, a resounding declaration of their victory.
MC Lyte Returns with Highly Anticipated Album “1 of 1”
By Stacy M. Brown
Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The wait is over for hip-hop fans and music lovers— the iconic MC Lyte has dropped her highly anticipated album, 1 of 1, marking her triumphant return after a decade-long hiatus. The album, whose producer is Grammy Award-winning Warryn Campbell, is a celebration of hip-hop, harmony, and artistry. The starstudded project features collaborations with some of the biggest legends in the industry, including Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah, Common, Mary Mary, Big Daddy Kane, Salt, and Raheem DeVaughn, among others.
Lyte, known for her pioneering role in hip-hop, promises that 1 of 1 will be a powerful, uplifting, and inspiring body of work that blends her signature style of love, braggadocio, and storytelling. Her return to the forefront of the music scene comes with a renewed sense of purpose, showcasing her versatility as an artist, actress, and advocate for social justice.
“It’s been a journey of love, gratitude, and unity,” said
Lyte in a statement. “This album is a reflection of hiphop’s power to bring people together, and I’m honored to have such incredible artists join me for this project.”
Campbell is the executive producer of 1 of 1, bringing legendary producers like King of Chill, Easy Mo B, Knottz, and DJ Scratch to create a dynamic sound that pays homage to Lyte’s iconic hits while infusing fresh energy. The album also introduces newcomer Koncept from IE, who adds a modern twist to the project. Fans can expect a range of tracks that honor Lyte’s groundbreaking legacy and push the boundaries of the genre.
Lyte’s influence extends far beyond music. Over the years, she’s solidified her presence as a formidable actress in television and film, with recent roles in Hip Hop Family Christmas, Favorite Son’s Christmas, SWAT, Power, and Queen of the South. She has also taken on the creator and executive producer role for AMC/ALLBLK TV’s sitcom Partners In Rhyme. Earlier this year, she made her directorial debut with Break Up In Love, a feature short
film that garnered awards on the festival circuit. In addition to her music and acting achievements, MC Lyte has been recognized for her philanthropic efforts. Her nonprofit, Hip Hop Sisters Foundation, has presented over $1 million in student scholarships. She continues to be a leader and trailblazer in the industry, recently receiving honors such as the Pioneers of HipHop Honor from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the 2023 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Culture Icon Phoenix Award, presented by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
1 of 1 is more than just an album—it’s a testament to Lyte’s enduring impact on music and culture. “I’ve always believed that hip-hop is about more than just beats and rhymes—it’s about unity, storytelling, and empowerment,” Lyte stated. “This album is a celebration of those values, and I hope it inspires the next generation of artists to carry that torch forward.”
Cat Glover, Iconic Dancer and Collaborator with Prince, Dies at 60
and
the
and
worldwide as Cat, the extraordinary
Purple Genius, particularly during his creative peak in the late 1980s. As a key figure in his band, she contributed her energy and talent to unforgettable albums like “Sign o’ the Times” and “Lovesexy,” helping shape the visual and performance styles of the era. Her most memorable contribution may have been providing the rap on Prince’s hit single “Alphabet St.,” but her influence stretched far beyond that. Born in Chicago on July 23, 1964, Glover was one of six children. She began dancing at age five and attended Esmond Elementary and Morgan Park High Schools. Her love of dance was immediate and undeniable, but her admiration for Prince ignited her professional dreams. “The only thing that got me through my depression from everything was listening to Prince’s album Dirty Mind,” she told The Chicago Crusader in 2016 after the legendary music maker’s shocking death. “I knew I had to meet him. That was me talking to my inner self.”
Determined to carve out a path to stardom, Glover’s big break came through the hit television show “Star Search,” where she performed as part of the dance duo Pat and Cat alongside Patrick Allen. Their dynamic routines earned them seven victories and two perfect scores, though they ultimately lost in the finals. The exposure, however, skyrocketed Glover’s reputation. Rock icon David Bowie took notice, but her musical hero, Prince, would change her life forever when he invited her to join his band in December 1986.
Glover’s talent and Prince’s vision meshed perfectly. She choreographed and danced in the 1987 groundbreaking concert film “Sign o’ the Times.” She became a central figure on the “Lovesexy tour,” where she also famously rapped on “Alphabet St.” The partnership cemented Glover’s status as a powerhouse in the entertainment world. Yet, the connection with Prince was nearly fateful. “I had actually run into him a few times – I remember when he was touring ‘Dirty Mind,’” Glover recalled in an earlier interview. “I was getting into an elevator at a Holiday Inn in Los Angeles just as he was getting out of it.”
Her real introduction to Prince came through mutual friends, she said. “I was on ‘Star Search,’ and I made friends with a young dancer called Devin DeVasquez, who went on to work for Playboy,” Glover recalled. “One night, she called me and said, ‘Hey, there’s a little dinner going at Prince’s place, and if you want, you can come with me.’” That dinner changed everything. “He played this brand-
new song that he wanted us to hear—it was ‘Housequake,’ and he had just come from the studio and recorded it. It was amazing.” That evening culminated in a trip to a Beverly Hills club called Voila. Glover recalled that despite the celebrityfilled room, she danced freely and wildly. “I got out of my seat, did my ‘Cat Scat,’ got down on
OMG LOL Surprise Dolls/Ebay
OMG Group Members
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Prince fans
those in the late icon’s sphere knew well
tantalizing
provocative dance moves and background vocals of Catherine Vernice Glover. Recognized
dancer, choreographer,
NNPA
We strongly embrace and respect the diversity and positive contributions of everyone who calls the United States home. This is a core tenet of our values. Let’s be clear — what Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have done by sanctioning and attempting to normalize assaults on immigrants has provided fertile ground for breeding a new generation of hate-mongers.
“We Can’t Normalize the Demonization of Our Haitian Brothers and Sisters.”
“We can’t normalize the demonization of our Haitian brothers and sisters.”Bobby R. Henry Chairman, NNPAThe National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing more than 200 Black-owned print and online media outlets, is outraged by the demonization and blatant lies being spread about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance. This purposeful defamation and dehumanization of people
legally seeking a better life, like so many immigrants before them, has no place in a country that built its success on the backs of enslaved people and immigrants.We strongly embrace and respect the diversity and positive contributions of everyone who calls the United States home. This is a core tenet of our values. Let’s be clear — what Donald Trump and J.D. Vance have done by sanctioning and attempting to normalize assaults on immigrants has provided fertile ground for breeding a new generation of hate-mongers.
The NNPA will join forces with, and add our voice to, any organization that denounces and takes action against this kind of open bigotry, hate, and violence.Today, in a country whose foundation rests on a system of true democracy, we must never vote for those whose self-interests
Prescription Drug Price Hikes Hit Black Americans Hardest as Biden Pushes for Reform
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The fight to lower prescription drug prices is hitting African Americans especially hard. A recent report by Patients for Affordable Drugs reveals that pharmaceutical companies have increased prices on more than 1,000 prescription drugs this year, nearly half of those price hikes exceeding the inflation rate. For many Black and Latino patients, especially those aged 65 and over, the rising costs are becoming unbearable.
Black Americans are more likely to suffer from conditions like diabetes, chronic pain, and high blood pressure, which means that these skyrocketing prices have a disproportionately negative impact on them. Enhertu, a drug used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer, has seen its price rise eight times since 2019. This is especially alarming for Black women, who are more likely to die from HER2positive tumors than white women. Meanwhile, the price of Revlimid, used to treat multiple myeloma, has jumped to over $89,000 per month. Black Americans are more likely to suffer from multiple myeloma and experience worse outcomes.
Price hikes force patients to make life-threatening decisions, officials said. Carrol Olinger, a 54-year-old from North Carolina with Type 1 diabetes, described to NBC News a harrowing period when she couldn’t afford her medications. Without insurance for five months, she resorted to rationing her insulin and taking blood pressure pills every other day to cut costs. “I had a headache every day,” she said. “I just felt drained and tired—and then on top of all of that, I was just, like, emotional for no reason.”
The business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who negotiate drug prices with manufacturers and insurance companies, exacerbate this financial strain on patients. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Express Scripts, OptumRx, and Caremark, accusing these PBMs of inflating the cost of insulin and other drugs by prioritizing higher-priced options on insurance formularies while pocketing rebates from drug manufacturers. The FTC’s complaint suggests these practices unfairly raise patient costs and violate antitrust laws. Pharmacy benefit managers argue they are not the sole cause of high drug prices, but the FTC is increasingly focused on their role. Express Scripts has denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit “unsubstantiated.” However, the FTC’s action signals a growing push to reform the industry’s practices. A Salt Lake City pharmacist, Benjamin Jolley told NPR that he views the lawsuit as a potential turning point. “Is this overall system of rebates broadly legal or illegal?” he asked. “The FTC is alleging that, no, it is not.” While lawsuits and regulatory actions move forward, advocates like Margarida Jorge, executive director of Health Care for America Now, point to the long-standing racial inequities in healthcare that contribute to the crisis. She cites the lack of affordable treatment for conditions like sickle cell anemia, which affects 1 in 13 Black babies born in the U.S., as a clear example of systemic racism.
“There hasn’t been much attention to really getting down to the business of trying to cure sickle cell anemia with a drug that is affordable to regular people,” Jorge said in an NBC News interview.
The Biden administration has taken steps to address the issue through the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $2,000 annually by 2025. President Biden also announced that Medicare will begin negotiating lower prices for some of the most expensive and widely used drugs. In his statement, Biden emphasized the stark contrast between his administration’s actions and the opposition from Republicans in Congress, who he said have consistently tried to repeal these reforms.
“For too long, millions of Americans have faced the impossible choice of paying for their prescription drugs or being able to afford other basic needs,” Biden said. “While Big Pharma made record profits, Americans footed the bill for the industry’s price hikes. Not anymore.” Starting in October, seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in Medicare will pay less for 54 Part B prescription drugs, Biden announced. “That means more money will go back into the pockets of people with Medicare – including some of the 822,000 seniors and people with disabilities who use these drugs annually to treat conditions like cancer, osteoporosis, and pneumonia, and some seniors will save more than $3,800 per day,” he stated.
“These lower costs are only possible because of the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed with the leadership of Democrats in Congress, and with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote in the Senate –without a single Republican voting for it,” Biden added. “While Republicans in Congress try to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act which would mean high drug costs for seniors, Vice President Harris and I will keep fighting to ensure all Americans can pay less for prescription drugs.”
Ally Celebrates 6th Consecutive Year of ‘Moguls in the Making’ Pitch Competition with Return to Detroit
More than $1 million in scholarships and prizes awarded to foster HBCU student entrepreneurship, empowerment For the sixth year, Ally and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the largest organization exclusively representing the Black College community, are hosting Moguls in the Making, a pitch competition offering 50 students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities the opportunity to learn vital business skills, while competing for valuable scholarships and paid internships. Ally, the nation’s largest all-digital bank, has awarded more than $1 million through the program since 2019.
“Moguls in the Making is an ongoing commitment to increase social capital among HBCU students, while also providing access, exposure, and opportunities to elevate their success,” said Natalie Brown, Senior Director of Corporate Citizenship at Ally. “As of this year, we will have hosted more than 300 HBCU students during the span of this program, and each year the bar is raised higher. We’ve been amazed by each team’s ingenuity and creativity, time and again.” During the Moguls in the Making competition on Oct. 2 - 6, 50 students, grouped into teams of five from 10 HBCUs, will be asked to develop and pitch business ideas that promote economic mobility. This year’s program will return to its roots and be hosted in Detroit, the site of the original pitch competition in 2019. Detroit-area business leaders will serve alongside Ally and TMCF team members as judges and mentors.
“These Moguls stand out among their peers – they’re hungry for new experiences, to learn about potential career paths, and to make a big impact in the community,” said Reggie Willis, Chief Diversity Officer at Ally. “They always bring insightful ideas and perspectives to showcase in their pitches, and it’s exciting to see their growth in just a few short days. As an ally to HBCU students, we’re here to demonstrate what their future could look like in business and then provide the tools, mentorship, and support they need to make their way. Moguls in the Making is a fun and inspiring weekend for all of us who get to participate.”
Gov. Newsom Signs Black Caucus Bills;
Advocates Question “Reparations” Description
By Antonio Ray Harvey California
Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills included in a priority reparations package introduced by the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), including Assembly Bill 3089 -- which formally apologies to Black Californians for the harms caused by slavery, discrimination and other historical injustices.
However, some advocates say they do not consider the legislation reparations. Newsom signed the historic bills into law before members of CLBC in the State Capitol Annex Swing Spaces’ press room. The bills address key issues such as housing disparities, maternal health, economic inequality, and educational access --issues that have long disproportionately impacted Black Californians.
“Today’s bill signing represents a promise for the future based on years of hard work and dedication from the CLBC and our allies,” stated Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City). “Together with Gov. Newsom, we are sending a powerful message that California is leading the way in repairing the harm done to Black communities. Today marks a victory, but only the first in the continued fight for justice.” AB 3089 passed the Legislature with unanimous bipartisan support. It acknowledges California’s historical role in the perpetuation of slavery and its enduring legacy.
A Sept. 26 statement issued by Newsom states that the “signing event marks a significant milestone in California’s ongoing efforts to promote healing and advance justice.” “As we confront the lasting legacy of slavery, I’m profoundly grateful for the efforts put forward by Chair Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson and the members of the California Legislative Black Caucus,” Newsom stated. “The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities.”
Authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), AB 3089 requires the state to install a plaque memorializing the apology in the State Capitol.
Additionally, the bill imposes different duties on the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Joint Rules Committee (JRC) relating to the installation and maintenance of the plaque. Both entities will receive money from grants and private donations to finance the upkeep of the plaque.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA
Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The latest FBI data on Monday, September 23, 2024, revealed a significant drop in national crime rates from 2022 to 2023, contradicting widespread public perception of a crime wave. According to the FBI’s annual “Summary of Crime in the Nation,” violent crime fell by 3%, while property crime decreased by 2.4%. The most severe offenses saw particularly dramatic declines: murder and non-negligent manslaughter dropped by 11.6%, marking the most significant single-year decrease in two decades. Rape also declined by 9.4%. These decreases represent a clear shift as the U.S. continues to recover from the instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had previously exacerbated certain criminal activities.
On Sept. 26, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills in a priority reparations package introduced by the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC). In this photo (from left to right): Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles); Sen. Lola
wood);
The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) – a statewide grassroots advocates, organizers, and mobilizers for reparations and reparative justice - say they do not recognize AB 3089 as reparations.
On Sept. 27, the organization’s members posted their thoughts about the bill on the X platform formerly called Twitter. CJEC members describe the reparations package as “racial equity bills.”
“An apology is not #Reparations, nor is it a first step toward
Reparations. It’s a step backward. We don’t need any more words. We demand action. We demand Reparations,” CJEC posted.
The following bills in the package were also signed by Newsom:
AB 3131, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) -- Provides Equity Multiplier funding to school districts funding for education.
AB 1815, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La
Mesa) -- Prohibits discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles.
AB 1896, Assemblymember Issac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) -- Eliminates banning books without oversight and review in prisons. Senate Bill (SB) 1089, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) -Addresses grocery stores and pharmacy closures. Other reparations bills signed into law are SB 1348, Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) designating specific public universities as California Black-serving institutions; AB 1984 (Weber), requires systematically review of pupils’ suspensions and expulsions data; and AB 51, Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), which supports Early Childcare and Education: California State Preschool. Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 8 was part of the package, but it will be on the ballot as Prop. 6. The ballot measure would amend the state constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime if passed by voters.
Two reparations bills were vetoed by Newsom.
The first, Bonta’s AB 1975 would have required the Department of Health Care Services to make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions a permanent benefit under the Medi-Cal program. Newsom stated that the bill would result in important and continuous General Fund costs for the program.
“I encourage the Legislature to explore this policy next year as part of the annual budget,” Newsom stated on Sept. 26. Bradford’s SB 1050 was also vetoed. The bill would have addressed racially motivated eminent domain and restore property taken from its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation. Newsom said he did not sign SB 1050 because the bill “tasks a nonexistent state agency to carry out its various provisions and requirements.”
That “nonexistent agency,” the California African American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAAFAA), would have been created by SB 1403, a bill introduced by Bradford. However, the Legislature did not bring that bill up for a vote on the Assembly floor during the last legislative session. “I thank the author for his commitment to redressing past racial injustices,” Newsom said in a Sept. 25 statement. “However, this bill tasks nonexistent state agency to carry out its various provisions and requirements, making it impossible to implement.”
National Crime Plummets, Defying Perception of a Crime Wave
Property crime followed similar trends, with burglary down by 7.6%. However, motor vehicle theft surged by 12.6%, while shoplifting incidents spiked from 999,394 in 2022 to over 1.1 million in 2023 — a return to prepandemic levels. Experts suggest that these upticks may reflect the reopening of businesses and the return to more typical consumer behavior following the pandemic’s restrictions and security measures. While the nation as a whole is experiencing a steady decline in violent crime, the gap between reality and public perception persists. Social media, doorbell cameras, and neighborhood apps have all contributed to increased awareness, which has increased the visibility of individual incidents and created an exaggerated sense of widespread danger.
Despite this, FBI data shows a consistent downward trend, with the violent crime rate falling from 377.1 per 100,000 people in 2022 to 363.8 per 100,000 people in 2023. The data also refutes claims by former President Donald Trump, who in a recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, dismissed the FBI’s numbers as fraudulent and painted a picture of a nation gripped by chaos. Trump claimed that major cities were excluded from the FBI’s data, but the bureau clarified that it accounted for reporting gaps in its estimates and included data from every city with a population exceeding one million.
The FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) gathered data from over 700 additional agencies in 2023 compared to 2022, covering more than 315 million people—94.3% of the U.S. population.
President Joe Biden responded to the FBI report by highlighting the success of his administration’s efforts to combat crime and bolster public safety. In a statement, Biden noted, “Americans are safer today than when we took office. None of this happened by accident. Vice President Harris and I made historic investments in public safety, and the results are clear.” Biden emphasized the role of the American Rescue Plan, which provided over $15 billion to help state and local governments fund critical public safety measures, including preventing cuts to police budgets and supporting violence intervention programs. “We’ve taken decisive action to stop the illegal flow of guns and strengthen community policing. As the numbers show, we’re making progress in keeping our communities safe,” Biden added.
Winning in Corporate America: Black MBA Assoc. Event to Offer Insights
By McKenzie Jackson California Black Media
Black professionals and business leaders will discuss challenges and share insights on how to spearhead positive change in their communities and workplaces at the National Black MBA Association’s MPowered Leadership Summit on Oct. 12 at the Capitol Event Center in Sacramento.
The National Black MBA Association San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President and CEO Myisha Robertson said the summit will be a place where Black professionals can learn and exchange ideas on leadership.
“We want to make sure our community -- who is always underserved knows they have a space to develop critical skills they need to get to the next level of their career,” she explained.
“We want to continue Black excellence through learning because the world keeps telling us to stop learning. Leadership is always developing yourself and continuous learning, to develop who you are, to continue Black excellence when outside forces are trying to push us down.”
The keynote speaker of the 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. event is Sacramento State President Dr. J. Luke Wood.
The list of the summit’s panelists and speakers includes representatives from Bay Area and Sacramento businesses and government entities.
They are California Deputy Secretary of State LaKenya M. Jordan, California Deputy Treasurer Khaim Morton, Greater Sacramento Urban League Director of Development Stacey Towles, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office Assistant District Attorney Alana Matthews, Sacramento Municipal Utility District Chief Diversity Officer Jose Bodipo-Memba, Improve Your Tomorrow CEO Michael Lynch, Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce CEO Azziza Davis, and Primos Beverage Company Founder and CEO Melanie M. Shelby.
Other panelists include Adaptive Strategies Consulting Founder Dr. Nkiruka Ohaegbu, PRIDE Industries Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Adrienne
S. Lawson, San Francisco State University Director of DEI Leah Pimentel, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Director of DEI Dionne Adams, SAFE Credit Union Vice President of Communications and Government Relations Micah Grant, Gilead Sciences Vice President of Clinical Development Anu Osinusi and Dignity Health Mercy Medical Group Chief Administrative Officer William Jahmal Miller.
Some of the panel themes are policy and leadership, empowering leadership, higher education and leadership, and overcoming barriers in corporate America, said
who will also be a panelist. The summit will allow attendees to network, she said, as well as brainstorm strategies for personal and professional development. It will also highlight the importance of Black leadership in creating systemic change.
“Of course, tidbits on leadership will abound,” Robertson noted, adding that components of leadership are continuous learning, being adaptable and knowing how to communicate effectively.
“Empowering others is the biggest one for me,” she said. “A lot of people get leadership and management mixed up. In leadership, you are really not trying to develop someone’s skills. They are coming to the table with the skills. You are empowering them to use those skills so they can further develop themselves and see where they can shine.”
Previous convenings of the MPowered Leadership Summit were held in the Bay Area. But, this year, Robertson said it is important to hold this fall’s event in Sacramento to show that the Bay Area Chapter of the National Black MBA Associates is available to aid and empower Black professionals throughout California.
“We recognize the importance of fostering regional opportunities for Black professionals to connect, grow, and lead,” she said. “With its rich political and civic landscape, Sacramento offers a unique platform for conversations on leadership, policy, and equity.”
Get more information or register to attend.
Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Ingle-
Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley; CLBC Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City); Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson); Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland); and Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento).
Political Playback:
California Capitol News You Might Have Missed
By Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media California Issues Formal Apology for State’s Role in Slavery
On Sept. 26, Gov. Gavin Newsom ratified an official apology from the State of California to Black Californians for the harm caused by slavery and centuries of discrimination that followed. The apology, issued in Assembly Bill (AB) 3089, authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) was approved by the Legislature last month.
Newsom was joined by members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) in Sacramento as he signed the apology and other reparations bills, regarding the legacy of racial discrimination statewide.
“The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities. Building on decades of work, California is now taking another important step forward in recognizing the grave injustices of the past – and making amends for the harms caused,” said Newsom.
AB 3089 is one bill in a CLBC package of reparations legislation written to provide restitution for the state’s role in the perpetuation of slavery and the impact of its legacy on Black people in California.
“Healing can only begin with an apology,” said JonesSawyer in a statement.
“The state of California acknowledges its past actions and is taking this bold step to correct them, recognizing its role in hindering the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness for Black individuals through racially motivated punitive laws,” Jones-Sawyer added.
Among the reparations bills that Newsom signed, include laws that address maternal health disparities and a ban on discrimination based on hair texture. CLBC Chair, Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) acknowledged the package of legislation is a meaningful foundation to address the historic injustices faced by Black residents statewide.
California is the first state in the nation to create a reparations task force that was commissioned to study the impact of slavery and Jim Crow discrimination that followed it and the state’s role in it. and the and issued a formal apology for slavery.
State Controller Malia Cohen Releases Report Providing “Best Practices” for Charter Schools
On Sept. 25, State Controller Malia Cohen released the Multi-Agency Charter School Audits Task Force (Task Force) report listing recommendations that reflect best practices to be adhered to -- and implemented by -- charter schools and local education agencies (LEAs). The report titled “ Audit Best Practices for Detecting and Curtailing Charter School Fraud” includes 20 recommendations applicable to school districts and county offices.
“I was surprised to learn, although charter schools brought us to this work and brought us to this table, a majority of the recommendations apply to all public
schools. So, there is an added benefit to everyone.”
There are 1,300 charter schools operating in the state, according to Cohen.
The Task Force was assembled by a court order after 11 individuals affiliated with charter schools charged by the San Diego District Attorney were convicted of multiple counts of fraud. The case turned out to be the largest fraud scheme committed against California since the state adopted public charter school legislation in 1992, according to San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan.
“Controller Cohen didn’t hesitate to take action to seal the cracks that were exposed by our successful prosecution of this widespread charter school scam,” Stephan said.
“Thanks to the task force, we are ensuring that moving forward, criminals will not be able to perpetrate largescale scams that previously took advantage of California taxpayers, parents, and students.”
The task force report is broken down into four categories. Cohen and task force members recommended a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) authorization, qualifications, training, and K-12 Audit Guide Compliance; rotation of CPAs and notifications of late audit reports; K-12 audit guide; and disclosures of audit reports.
As the chief fiscal officer of California, Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The Controller has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds.
“This accomplishment and the next actions that will be taken ensure accountability, transparency, and the significant investment in education that the state of California makes to our children,” Cohen said of the task force’s duties.
California Sues ExxonMobil for Dishonest Recycling Claims
Last week, California filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil. On Sept. 23, Attorney General Rob Bonta accused the company of deceiving the public for decades, claiming that the plastic it produced was being recycled to reduce its impact on the environment.
ExxonMobil is the world’s largest producer of chemical compounds that make plastic.
In the complaint filed in the San Francisco County Superior Court, the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that ExxonMobil caused and worsened the global plastic pollution crisis. For decades ExxonMobil created marketing campaigns and public statements promising that recycling would address the large amount of plastic waste the company produced.
Bonta aims to stop the company’s deceptive practices that threaten the environment and the public. He also seeks to secure an abatement fund, disgorgement, and civil penalties for the harmful impact of plastic pollution on the environment and communities statewide.
“Plastics are everywhere, from the deepest parts of our oceans, the highest peaks on earth, and even in our bodies, causing irreversible damage -- in ways known and unknown -- to our environment and potentially our health,” said Bonta.
Bonta argued that ExxonMobil lied to the public to further its record-breaking profits at the expense of the planet and jeopardize people’s health. The state claims that only 5% of plastic waste was recycled nationwide, and the company’s recycling rate has never exceeded 9%. In the lawsuit, the state urges the court to hold ExxonMobil accountable for its role in actively harming the environment.
Lauren Kight, a spokesperson for ExxonMobil, argued that the state is responsible for harming the environment and is looking to pass on the blame.
“For decades, California officials have known their recycling system isn’t effective,” said in a statement.
“They failed to act, and now they seek to blame others. Instead of suing us, they could have worked with us to fix the problem and keep plastic out of landfills,” she said.
In addition to the DOJ’s lawsuit, non-profit organizations such as Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, and Baykeeper filed a separate lawsuit regarding ExxonMobil’s role in causing the global plastics pollution crisis.
Climate Week 2024: Newsom Announces New California Initiative
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an environmental campaign at Climate Week NYC to encourage 1 million state residents to take daily actions to help tackle climate change. The campaign urges residents to pledge that they
will fight global warming with “everyday actions” such as composting, using public transit instead of driving, and planting trees or native plants. State officials launched the campaign at Climate Week in New York City, a gathering of climate leaders from government, industry, as well as activists that seek to promote solutions to conserving the environment.
The climate pledge aims to motivate residents to live sustainable lives, reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and overcome the feeling of anxiety and helplessness due to the impact of climate change.
The campaign is based on the California Climate Action Corps, a climate change volunteer program that the state launched four years ago. Over the years, the program has grown to 400 members and helped model American Climate Corps across various states and the White House.
Josh Fryday, the chief service officer with the governor’s office, stated the campaign has mobilized thousands of volunteers to have a real impact on the environment.
The Governor’s office also plans to partner with local organizations in various communities statewide to expand the climate change campaign.
“Together, we can create collective impact,” said Fryday, “and our partners, by organizing people on campuses and in the workplace and in their cities, are going to demonstrate that we can do this.”
State officials serving in the governor’s administration stated that they have shifted their focus from discussing environmental issues to inspiring action that tackles climate change in communities statewide.
Biden-Harris Gun Safety Executive Order Reinforces California Gun Laws
On Sept. 26, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced an executive order that directs federal agencies to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat the rising threat of violence from 3-D printed and converted firearms.
The directive aims to advance the Biden-Harris administration’s agenda to reduce gun violence and save lives. The agenda aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal to strengthen gun laws and prevent traumatic incidents of mass violence. Two days before the White House announcement, Newsom signed 24 bipartisan bills enacting new measures that increase protections against gun violence and domestic violence, as well as mass shootings.
“California won’t wait until the next school shooting or mass shooting to act,” said Newsom.
“Data shows that California’s gun safety laws are effective in preventing gun-related deaths -- which makes the ongoing inaction and obstruction by politicians in the pocket of the gun lobby even more reprehensible,” he said.
The executive order stated that President Biden is establishing an Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force that consists of federal leaders from key departments and agencies. The task force is required to issue a 90-day report assessing the threats posed by unserialized 3-D guns and machinegun conversion devices and the capacity of federal agencies to detect and intercept the creation of these devices. The task force will provide an interagency plan to combat the threats. Congress will grant funding and authority to federal agencies to help the task force achieve the mandated objectives.
The Biden-Harris administration says, “Congress must act” and acknowledges that there is more work to do regarding gun violence prevention actions that can save lives.
Newsom commended the Biden-Harris Administration’s “leadership in advancing – yet again –life-saving policies to make up for Congress’s continued failure to protect our communities from gun violence.”
New California Law Will Protect Students During Extreme Weather
On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will protect students from extreme weather conditions by requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to implement during weather patterns harmful to student health.
Authored by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), “Yahushua’s Law” or Senate Bill 1248 addresses an extreme heat-related fatality in Lake Elsinore. During the summer of 2023, a student died after participating in physical education suffered extreme heat-related illness.
“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Sen. Hurtado stated
last Spring. “I commend the family of Yahushua Robinson, the twelve-year student who lost his life due to heat related illness during on-campus physical education, for lending their emotional strength and compassion for others in order to help ensure that no other student loses their life this way.”
Supporters of the legislation say the lack of uniform guidelines and protocols across schools and school districts in California intensifies the issue, creating an urgent need for safeguards to ensure student safety during extreme weather conditions.
“This law symbolizes a commitment to child safety and the embodiment of Yahushua’s values in recognizing our shared humanity within every student,” stated Christina Laster, a Robinson Family Representative and Advocate. “It is an actionable promise to prioritize student well-being, honor the life of Yahushua, and prevent future tragedies.”
More Than
1.2
Million Youth Pre-Registered to Vote, Secretary of State Weber Announced
Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced on Sept. 26 that more than 1.2 million young people between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old have pre-registered to vote since the state launched the initiative in September 2016. The state program automatically activates voter registration for pre-registered youth when they turn 18 years of age. Weber, who has visited dozens of high schools across the state to promote voting initiatives, said that students are eager to vote and look forward to casting their first ballot, and “the numbers back them up.”
“Young Californians want to be engaged, active participants in our democracy and they can position themselves to do so by preregistering to vote,” said Weber. Weber said that she is committed to encouraging young people to pre-register to vote, adding that she looks forward to partnering with the California Department of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, school officials, and leaders of communitybased organizations to expand this effort. According to Weber’s office, approximately 42% of young voters are registered Democrats, while over 13% are registered Republicans. Another 35% of young voters registered as having “no party preference.” For more information, Californians can visit the online pre-registration website at www.RegisterToVote. ca.gov. Registration is open to residents who are 16 or 17 and meet all the following criteria:
• A United States citizen and a resident of California.
• 18 years old or older on Election Day.
• Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
• Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. More information about pre-registration for California youth can be found at sos.ca.gov/elections/pre-register-16vote-18.
Upcoming key deadlines and dates for the November 5, 2024, General Election can be found at here. Plus, see a complete California General Election Calendar for more voting details and updates.
By Joe W. Bowers Jr.
California Black Media
Vallejo City Unified School District (VCUSD) has repaid its $60 million state loan, ending 20 years of state oversight that began in 2004. The loan, caused by severe financial mismanagement, placed the district in state receivership, stripping the local board of control.
On Sept. 5, State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tony Thurmond joined district officials to celebrate the milestone and reflect on the lessons for other struggling districts.
The $60 million VCUSD borrowed in 2004 grew to $68.5 million with interest. Reflecting on the district’s journey, Superintendent Rubén Aurelio called the repayment “a milestone of resilience and collaborative efforts.”
VCUSD Board of Education President Latyna Young, celebrating the district’s accomplishment, stated, “I was here when we took out the loan, and I’m here when we paid it back in full. It’s a blessing. We made it through the storm, and now we can see the rainbow.”
In a prior statement, SPI Thurmond praised the district’s progress, saying, “This significant milestone reflects the hard work and dedication of the district’s leadership and community, paving the way for a brighter future for all students.”
The receivership process for districts like Vallejo typically involves a loss of local control when severe financial mismanagement or insolvency occurs. A district must request a state loan, formalized through a bill passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. Once the loan is received, the district enters receivership, with an appointed trustee assuming control. The local board loses total authority over its budget and operations until the loan is repaid. Difficult choices, such as school closures and staff reductions, are overseen by the trustee.
VCUSD’s recovery involved closing or repurposing eight schools and addressing a 53% decline in enrollment over two decades. While the loan is paid, challenges such as declining enrollment and fiscal constraints remain.
Vallejo’s experience reflects the financial struggles of other districts across California, several of which are either currently in receivership or experiencing severe financial distress.
Inglewood Unified School District, for example, entered state receivership in 2012 after borrowing $29 million. The loan amount, attributed to overborrowing under state-appointed administrators, is why the district is still under state oversight. While it has made progress toward regaining local control, challenges like declining enrollment and rising operating costs persist.
Oakland Unified School District has been under state financial oversight since 2003 after borrowing $100 million. The district has implemented major cost-cutting measures, including school closures, as it works toward financial stability.
South Monterey County Joint Union High School District is still repaying a state loan, while facing budgetary constraints that require careful management and ongoing oversight as it strives for financial recovery.
Sacramento City Unified and San Francisco Unified are both facing budget deficits, rising pension costs, and declining enrollment. To help stabilize San Francisco Unified, Mayor London Breed has allocated millions and appointed a team of education and budget specialists. Meanwhile, West Contra Costa Unified recently failed to approve its Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), leading the Contra Costa County Office of Education to temporarily take over budget planning for the 2024-25 school year due to a projected deficit. SPI Thurmond, a former West Contra Costa school
board member from 2008 to 2012, shared his personal experience with receivership during the press conference. “I remember being a school board member during the Great Recession and being told that we could not do anything of financial consequence,” he said. “It was gratifying to return control to that district, and it is gratifying to see Vallejo regain that control.”
Dr. Ramona Bishop, who served as VCUSD Superintendent from 2011 to 2017, was instrumental in turning around the district with a student body that is 23% African American. During her tenure, the district met key Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) requirements, which helped return local control to the Board of Education. Her leadership played a crucial role in setting the district on a path to financial recovery.
Looking back on her tenure at VCUSD, Bishop who is CEO of ELITE Public Schools recalled finding a district where the board played a ceremonial role while a state administrator made key decisions. “I worked alongside many of the individuals that are still there, to establish an organizational structure that removed the state administrator and set the stage for the eventual payoff of the loan. I lead the team as we worked to implement FCMAT recommendations, established a strong organizational structure, and eventually the state granted the board its governance power. It is because of our work that the current board has the right to make decisions and can celebrate the payoff of the loan. I join all district board members, and staff members in celebrating this outstanding accomplishment.” Solano County Superintendent Lisette EstrellaHenderson also commended the district’s
“Congratulations on the repayment of this
loan. It’s a huge milestone on your journey to continue excellence.”
While VCUSD celebrates its repayment, its story serves as a reminder of the consequences of financial
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond speaks at a ceremony held in Vallejo September 5 at the administrative offices. (Vallejo City Unified School District)
State Controller Malia Cohen speaks at a press conference alongside Task Force members and San Diego County District Attorney Stephen Summers (left) to present findings from the Multi-Agency Charter School Audit Task Force Report, which outlines strategies to strengthen fiscal accountability and prevent fraud in California’s charter schools and the entire K-12 public school system.
Yahushua Robinson
Is Your Child Going to Kindergarten a Year From Now?:
Make the Move Together
Submitted by Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
Congratulations, your child is going to kindergarten a year from now! Making the transition to kindergarten is a big event for every child and family. You and your child may feel excited and proud about the next big step. You both may also experience some worry about the unknown and wonder how it will be at a new school.
Good news! You can start preparing for your child’s move into kindergarten with these insights from the Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. Think about what would be best for your child and family as you make this transition. Consider how you can work with your Head Start program to help your child feel ready. Talk with your family service worker or child’s teacher about how your program supports the transition to kindergarten. Consider the ideas below as you and your family get ready for this big change.
During the Year Before Kindergarten Fall and Winter
Talk with your child’s current educator or your family service worker about the process—what to expect and what to do. Share your questions and make a plan to learn more about kindergarten.
Ask about kindergarten transition activities offered by your Head Start program. Find out when to start talking with your child about kindergarten. Make a list of what you want to tell the new school about your child. Think about sharing your child’s
strengths, interests, and favorite activities.
Find out if the new school offers any special events or kindergarten visits for new students and their families.
Learn as much as you can about the new school or schools in the district. Talk to parents and attend meetings of parent-school, cultural, and community groups, parentled networks, and the school board.
Ask about the opportunities for parent and family engagement. What volunteer and leadership possibilities does the new school offer?
Examples may include helping with reading and homework, volunteering, or joining a school or community organization.
Spring
Arrange to visit the new school and take a tour with your child. Many Head Start programs arrange this experience for families. Use this time to ask questions and share your concerns. Make a list OF your child’s new teacher and school, including questions such as:
How do I register my child?
When will we meet my child’s kindergarten teacher?
What will the teacher expect my child to know and be able to do?
What is the school and kindergarten schedule?
Is there a dress code or are uniforms required?
Are school supplies provided?
Where are the bathrooms and the cafeteria?
What are visitor sign-in policies and safety precautions?
What other questions would you like to ask? Make a
list! Spend time in the kindergarten classroom and let your child explore. You can talk about what is the same and what is different from your Head Start program. Ask your child if there are questions about starting kindergarten.
Work with your child’s current educator to express in your own words what you see as the strengths and needs of your child.
Be prepared to share your child’s records with the new school. If your child receives special education or health services, such as an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, ask how to ensure these services will continue.
If your child will be taking the school bus, find out if the new school offers a practice bus ride for entering kindergarteners.
Work with your child’s current educator to plan a “good-bye” event or special keepsake from the early learning program.
Summer
Plan fun activities with your child. Spend time outside, visit the library and local museums, and take advantage of free events, like a farmer’s market or summer festival.
Find out if the new school has an Open House at the end of summer to visit the classroom again.
Spend time having fun at the school’s playground, if available.
Create and practice routines for the morning and evening that you will follow during the school year.
Read with your child, including books about going to kindergarten.
Encourage your child to speak with other children to learn what kindergarten is like.
Gather supplies for kindergarten. Be on the lookout for free school supplies in your community.
A Week Before School Begins
Talk with your child about clothes and supplies for the first day of school. Ask if your child has any questions about the first day of kindergarten.
Talk about the school routines (e.g., lunchtime, recess, the bus ride, and others).
Continue reading with your child, including books about going to kindergarten.
Help your child learn the names of the teacher, secretary, principal, and other staff at school.
Review the family schedule and routine.
Who will take your child to school or bus stop?
Who will pick up your child?
What might your child have for lunch?
Begin working toward a reasonable bedtime.
The Night Before Starting Kindergarten
Aim for an early bedtime.
Talk with your child about the morning routine and what to expect.
Pack a school bag or make lunch, if your child needs to bring lunch or snacks.
Think of ways you can offer comfort to your child while you’re apart. For example: Put a family photo in their school bag
Leave a kiss on your child’s hand to press on their cheek when they miss you
Ask your child to draw a picture for you to share at the end of the day First Week
Talk with your child about the routines for bedtime, waking up, and getting ready for school in the morning, and what to expect. Get up in time to get ready and have breakfast unrushed—or be at the school for breakfast—each morning. Plan to arrive at the bus stop or school early. Do you see any of your child’s friends from the Head Start program? Point them out! Give lots of hugs to start the new day. The first days and weeks in a new classroom can be exhausting, so spend extra time relaxing together at home afterward. Check-in with your child about how he or she felt and what happened at school each day. Kindergarten is a fun time, and these guidelines will help make it a success for all!
On Your November Ballot: Prop 33 Will Allow Calif. Cities and Counties to Enact Rent Control
By Edward Henderson California Black Media
Many cities in California limit the amount a landlord can raise rent each year. However, for nearly 30 years the state has imposed its own limits on the authority of local governments to enact rent control policies.
Landlords across California are currently allowed to set their own rental rates when new tenants move in. Prop 33 would repeal the state law (the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act) prohibiting cities and counties from capping rents on single-family homes, condominiums and apartments built after 1995.
By repealing the act, the initiative would allow cities and counties to limit annual rent increases on any residential housing and limit the initial rent for a first-time tenant. Any local laws currently inoperative under CostaHawkins would take effect upon its repeal. The initiative would also add language to California’s Civil Code prohibiting the state from limiting “the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.”
Justice for Renters, which is sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is leading the campaign supporting the ballot initiative. Proponents of the proposition focus
their campaign on a popular slogan, “the rent is too damn high.” Nearly 30% of California renters spend more than half their income on rent – that percentage is higher than that of any other state except Florida and Louisiana. Representatives from the Yes on Proposition 33 campaign could not be reached for direct comment.
However, Presidential candidate Kamala Harris recently showed her support for the proposition in an ad earlier in August.
“We applaud Vice President Harris’s support of rent control. Here in her home state, voters have a golden opportunity to expand rent control by voting Yes on 33 this November,” said Susie Shannon, campaign director for the Yes on Proposition 33 campaign in a press release. “Kamala joins the California Democratic Party and over a hundred California elected officials in the movement for relief for renters. Her embrace of rent control definitely increases the momentum for Prop. 33.”
Opponents of Prop 33 argue that rent control would worsen the state’s housing crisis by lowering property values and disincentivizing developers from building new housing. This would also drive prices up for existing rental units, they point out. California Black Media (CBM) spoke to Nathan Click of Click Strategies on why he opposes the proposition.
“We’re in a housing crisis as a state, and this is the exact wrong way that we should go about addressing it. Prop 33 has already been rejected twice by California voters, by nearly 60% in 2018 and 2020. They’ve rejected nearly identical measures. Non-partisan researchers at MIT
have shown that measures like Prop 33 will result in an average reduction of home values of up to 25%.”
NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference President Rick L. Callender also opposes the proposition due to the impact he believes it will have to communities of color.
“Proposition 33 will hurt communities of color and exacerbate our homeless and housing crisis,” said Callender in a release. “Homeownership has been an essential path to wealth generation for Black and Brown families, and Proposition 33 will simply hurt individual homeowners, making it harder for Black and Brown families to build generational wealth.”
A “yes” vote supports: Repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995), thereby allowing cities and counties to limit rent on any housing and limit the rent for first-time tenants and Adding language to state housing law to prohibit the state from limiting “the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.”
A “no” vote opposes repealing Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibits rent control on single-family homes and houses completed after February 1, 1995.
Parent Teacher Conference