Los Angeles News Observer 5.20.21 4C

Walk a Mile for Malcolm X Street Naming Campaign

COVID 19: My Personal Battle from a Positive to a Negative Result Page A5

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Los Angeles

Volume 36 Number 27

Serving Los Angeles County for Over 36 Years

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

Kobe & Friends Enter Hall of Fame

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer We all knew it was coming but we didn’t know the particulars on the day. The enshrinement of Kobe into the basketball Hall of Fame. Bryant and his daughter Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash last year shortly after he had already been selected to join this year’s HOF class which includes some of his contemporaries like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. They were competitors on the court but were relatable off the court.

After being escorted to the podium by Michael Jordan, Vanessa Bryant stood before thousands wearing a purple Laker colored dress at the Mohegan Sun Arena in in picturesque Uncasville, Connecticut.

“If my husband were here tonight he’d have along list of people to thank that helped inspire him and equip him to be in the Hall Of Fame,” said Vanessa.

“Right now he’s probably laughing in heaven because I’m about to praise him in public,” she added. And praise she did. She took us behind the scenes of a superstar and his family. She took us beyond the jump shots and slam dunks.

Bryant not only was a five-time NBA Champion, an 18-time All-star, he also was League MVP while he and Laker Legend Bob Pettit are the only players to be All-Star game MVP four times.

He also was the first NBA player to win an Academy Award.

“Thank you for getting up at 4am, thank you for putting our family first, thank you for your sense of humor,” she stated.

“There will never be another Kobe, he was humble off the court, but bigger than life.”

“You always told me if you’re going to bet on someone, bet on yourself. You’re a true champ You did it, your in the Hall of Fame, your not just an MVP you’re an all-time great. I love you forever and always Kobe Bean Bryant.” On the previous day his oldest daughter Natalia was presented his Hall of Fame jacket by Vanessa. She wore it proudly. She was accompanied by her sisters Bianka and Capri. There were moments when Vanessa became emotional during the speech, but she made it through.

She received a rousing ovation and many in the Crowd shouted, ”KOBE, KOBE, KOBE.” Jordan gave her a kiss on the forehead then escorted her off stage.

“It was a beautiful thing to see Vanessa put the jacket on their daughter,” said LeBron James.

Duncan, Garnett, and Bryant were joined in the class by two-time NBA Champion Coach Rudy Tomjonavich, four-time Olympic Gold medalist Tamica Catchings, three-time Final Four coach Eddie Sutton, 1,000-win coach Barbara Stevens of Bentley College, and FIBA Secretary General Patrick Bowman.

Duncan a multi Champion had Head Coach Greg Popovich present and missing a game to see Tim get this honor.

“This is the most nervous I’ve been in my life,” said Duncan.

“Been through Finals, game sevens, this is officially the most nervous I’ve been in my life. I’ve been pacing my room all-day so let’s see what we get.”

Three-time NCAA champion coach Kim Mulkey is the only

person male or female to win College Championships as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

Mulkey with her kids McKenzie and Kramer present, said one of the most interesting lines of the night.

“As a coach,” said Mulkey. “You can’t promise them they’ll be drafted, you can’t promise them a Championship but the one thing you can promise them when you sit in their home is they will walk away with a degree in their hand.”

Michael Wilbon received the Curt Gowdy Award for Print Media. Mike Breen (Electronic inside) and Jim Grey also were recipients. Wilbon spent 20 years as a journalist for the Washington Post.

He’s now known for his ESPN PTI (Pardon The Interruption) with co-host Tony Kornheiser.

In para phrasing Kornheiser, Wilbon stated: “Basketball

of all the sports may be the closest thing in society to a true meritocracy where a person of color can go from playing to coaching to being hired again to having a valued voice on a platform. It’s fitting that men and women of this particular sport are leading this social revolution.

“In recent months the game has lost men that have meant so much to my development as a sportswriter- Gale Sayers and Bobby Mitchell, are Hall of Famers from other sports but several belong to this group (Basketball) John Chaney, John Thompson, Wes Unseld, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant who we honor this weekend.”

In a year of oddities and unexpected things it’s good to see some normalcy come back to the world by way of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. When able everyone should make it a point to visit.

Gustavo F. Velasquez & Tunua Thrash-Ntuk Special to California Black Media Partners Due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, paying rent has become a real struggle for millions of Californians. But help is available to renters and landlords through the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program.

Based on income level, qualified applicants can receive assistance with unpaid rent and utilities and with future payments.

Funding comes from the $2.6 billion in federal emergency rental assistance provided to support both state and local rent relief programs in California. The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program isn’t the sole resource for rent relief for California renters and landlords; many cities and counties are either currently administering their own rent relief programs – or launching one soon.

Cities and counties with populations greater than

200,000 are employing one of three rent relief options: option A) the state-administered CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program; option B) a local city- or countyadministered program using the same eligibility criteria as option A; and option C) a local city-or county-administered program using different eligibility criteria, in some cases, in combination with a portion administered by the state.

While the programs vary, the goals are the same: Keep people housed and provide quick assistance to those at the highest risk of eviction. To simplify access to rent relief programs in California, the state launched HousingIsKey. com. The website directs renters and landlords to the programs that they may qualify for, based on where they live. After applicants provide the address of their rental property (landlords) or their residence (renters), they are sent to a website where they can review eligibility criteria and complete an application. Applicants can also call the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center (833-430-2122)

to find out which program to apply for and get help in a variety of languages.

Who’s eligible for the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program Renters who have suffered a financial hardship because of COVID-19 and are behind on rent or utilities (or need help paying upcoming bills) are eligible to apply. They must have an Area Median Income (AMI) below 80% for the county they live in (this amount is calculated for the applicant during the application process). Either a renter or a landlord can initiate an application, online or through the call center, and both are encouraged to participate to maximize the amount of assistance received. The state’s program is prioritizing applications from households at the highest risk of eviction – those under 50% of the Area Median Income.

Landlords participating in the program receive 80%

Vanessa Bryant presents her late husband’s Hall of Fame jacket to their daughter Natalia during a Hall of Fame tipoff event. (Kathy Willens / Associated Press)

Rent Relief in California Understanding the State’s Program and How You Can Apply Continued on page A4

Family of Black Doctors Has Social Media Buzzing

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Dr. Herbert Oye is a Board Certified Endovascular and Vascular Surgeon, specializing in invasive and noninvasive treatment of vascular diseases.

Dr. Oye received his medical degree at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, according to his official biography.

His General Surgery residence was performed at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, an

Dr. Herbert Oye and his children, who are also all doctors

affiliate of Albert Einstein Medical Center.

Dr. Oye completed his fellowship training in advanced vascular and endovascular surgery at the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

Perhaps, most impressive is that each of Dr. Oye’s four children followed in their father’s footsteps.

David, Monique, Michelle, and Melissa Oye, each said they were inspired by their father and all have become doctors.

“Our dad, Dr. Herbert Oye, is a Nigerian immigrant.

Upon moving to the United States, he attended medical school and has worked tirelessly to build his own Vascular Surgery practice,” the young physicians wrote in a statement on Facebook.

“Dad has since opened a hospital back in Nigeria and splits his time between the United States and Nigeria. We are all currently in the medical field as a second-, third- and fourth-year medical student and a first year Internal Medicine Resident.”

Each are attending or have attended the West Virginia School of Medicine. Monique, the eldest of the family, graduated in 2018. Michelle is in her fourth year, while Melissa is in her third year.

David, the only son of Dr. Oye, is in his second year. Their success has social media buzzing.

“Sending congratulations to your amazing family of wonderful world citizens,” Kathryn Stollmeyer Wright, wrote on Facebook.

Another Facebook user, Patricia Combs, wrote: “Well done. Congratulations for excellence in your drive, motivation, and ability to accomplish such great and momentous feat. You all are wonderful and blessed,” Combs stated.

Free!

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Video Shows San Diego Police Repeatedly Punching Black Man

SAN DIEGO (AP) – A video shot by a bystander shows San Diego police officers repeatedly punching a man in the face, head and leg after tackling him to the ground in the upscale neighborhood of La Jolla, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Thursday.

Nicole Bansal told the newspaper she witnessed the arrest around 9 a.m. Wednesday and decided to record it with her cellphone.

“It’s so excessive and unnecessary,’’ Bansal told the newspaper.

San Diego Police Department spokesman Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said in a statement the officers saw the man urinating in public and asked him to stop.

One officer he said struck the man “several times’’ after he would not comply with orders.

“The man would not stop to speak with officers therefore an officer held the man to detain him,” Takeuchi said. “Despite the officers repeatedly telling the man to `stop resisting,’ the man would not comply. One of the officers struck the man several times.”

He said department officials are aware of the cellphone video and the internal affairs unit is investigating the incident, including reviewing bodyworn camera footage.

In the video, an officer is seen tackling the man to the ground as another officer holds the man’s arm. The officer then punches him in the face repeatedly. Bansal, who was parked across the street, can be heard gasping and yelling, “Stop!’’

The man can be seen yanking a radio off one officer’s belt and throwing into the street, then punching or swiping at the face of the officer who had hit him.

The man, who is Black, is shoeless and wearing a faded orange life preserver around his neck.

Bansal told the newspaper she often passes the man while walking her dog and that he usually talks to himself. She said he has never made her feel threatened.

For the next 21/2 minutes, the officers keep the man pinned to the ground as they shout commands for him to stop resisting. The two officers strike the man several more times before other officers arrive.

The man was taken to a hospital before being booked into county jail on suspicion of resisting arrest and battery on a police officer, Takeuchi said.

In an email to Chief David Nisleit, Francine Maxwell, president of the NAACP San Diego branch, wrote that “to yell `stop resisting’ and to continually punch and slap this man was clearly not conducive to calming the situation.’’

Maxwell cited the department’s de-escalation policy, implemented last June amid protests following George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis.

“This man posed no obvious threat, had no apparent weapons and no one else was near. We want to know that this incident of violence will be properly investigated, and be assured that these officers will not be exonerated for this assault on an unarmed black man,” she wrote.

Woman Says $26 Million California Lottery Ticket Destroyed in Wash

NORWALK, Calif. (AP) – The winner of a $26 million California Lottery prize may have literally washed the chance of a fortune down the drain.

The winning SuperLotto Plus ticket for the Nov. 14 drawing was sold at an Arco AM/PM convenience store in the Los Angeles suburb of Norwalk. Thursday was the last day to redeem it.

Nobody did.

Store employee Esperanza Hernandez told the Whittier Daily News that a woman came in Wednesday and told workers that she had put the ticket in her pants and it was destroyed in the laundry.

The store’s manager told KTLA-TV that surveillance video showed the woman who bought the ticket, and she’s known to store workers.

A copy of the surveillance video was turned over to California Lottery officials, the manager said.

The claim will be investigated, lottery spokeswoman Cathy Johnston said.

Lottery officials say someone who believes he or she is a winner must complete a claim form. But if someone loses a ticket, they must provide evidence that they owned it, such as a photograph of the front and back of the ticket, the officials said.

The winning numbers were: 23, 36, 12, 31, 13, and the mega number of 10. The $26 million prize can be taken in annual installments or as a $19.7 million cash option.

If the prize isn’t claimed, the $19.7 million will go to California public schools.

The store that sold the ticket will receive a $130,000 bonus.

It’s uncommon for large jackpots to go unclaimed, officials said.

Four prizes of $20 million or more haven’t been claimed since 1997, including a $63 million prize from 2015, lottery spokesman Jorge De La Cruz told the Los Angeles Times.

World & Nation

A2

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Federal Hate Crimes Lodged Against Three in Ahmaud Arbery Murder Having already been indicted on a series of state charges that include felony murder and aggravated assault, Georgia, Travis and Gregory McMichael now face a host of federal crimes. Each were hit with one count of interference with Arbery’s right to use a public street because of his race and one count of attempted kidnapping. The McMichael duo also faces one count each of using, carrying, and brandishing a weapon.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent As Ahmaud Arbery jogged on a public street in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, Travis and Gregory McMichael armed themselves with firearms.

The men got into a truck and chased the young African American man through the neighborhood while yelling at him, using their vehicle to cut off his route, and threatening him with firearms, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday, April 28.

Having already been indicted on a series of state charges that include felony murder and aggravated assault, the men now face a host of federal crimes.

Each were hit with one count of interference with Arbery’s right to use a public street because of his race and one count of attempted kidnapping.

The McMichael duo also faces one count each of using, carrying, and brandishing a weapon.

Authorities identified Travis McMichael as the individual who shot Arbery.

William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., the man who recorded the shooting death of Arbery, faces charges that he struck the 25-year-old with his pickup truck during the February 23, 2020, encounter.

Bryan also faces charges of interference with rights and attempted kidnapping.

Each has pleaded not guilty.

“In addition to the hate-crime charges, Count Three alleges that all three defendants attempted to unlawfully seize and confine Arbery by chasing after him in their trucks in an attempt to restrain him, restrict his free movement, corral and detain him against his will, and prevent his escape,” the DOJ said in a news release detailing the charges.

“Counts Four and Five allege that during the crime of violence charged in Count One, Travis used, carried, brandished, and discharged a Remington shotgun, and Gregory used, carried, and brandished a .357 Magnum revolver.”

Having already been indicted on a series of state charges that include felony murder and aggravated assault, Travis and Gregory McMichael now face a host of federal crimes.

Gov. Newsom Plans to Invest in Black and Brown Communities with California Comeback Plan News Observer Los Angeles

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Bo Tefu California Black Media California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week announced a $100 billion economic recovery plan to support small businesses and public schools, as well as Black and Brown families that were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We here to make sure we’re there for the most vulnerable who were impacted by this pandemic and that’s low-income individuals disproportionately represented in the Latino and African American communities,” said Gov. Newsom.

The California Comeback Plan includes a $12 billion state tax rebate and additional funds for stimulus checks and rent relief programs. Although the state expanded stimulus checks to middle-class families, state officials say the recognize that Black and Brown communities were the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsom says his plan includes targeted investments in diverse communities to promote health equity, secure housing, a holistic education system, and public safety.

“Operating surpluses are not the new norm, we’re not naive about that,” Gov. Newsom.

“That’s why we want to continue our prudent fiscal practices by building up our reserves and our resiliency, across the spectrum, and use one-time money for one-time purposes,” he said.

The plan proposes the following key investments in Black and Brown communities the governor’s office says will address major challenges accelerated by COVID-19.

Broadly, they include support for small businesses; improving access to healthcare; investments in vocational education; expanding affordable housing and housing assistance programs; increased financing of higher education; enhancing worker protection, and more.

The state has also allocated $8.1 billion in stimulus funds for families including middleclass families earning less than $75,000 in annual household income. Based on the recent expansion, two-thirds of people in California will receive $600 stimulus checks and families with children will receive an additional $500.

The proposed plan will provide $5.2 billion in rent relief for low-income renters to pay back 100 % of their rent from previous months. The funds also include $2 billion for unpaid utility bills and legal assistance for tenants across the state.

The homeless crisis is one of the many persisting problems in California the governor’s Republican opponents say have propelled them to launch a recall effort.

Newsom’s plan will invest $12 billion to address homelessness by building 46,000 housing units expanding Project Homekey, a California grant program that funds counties and cities to acquire hotel rooms as housing for people who are unhoused. Recall efforts have raised questions about accountability measures to k e e p track of government spending to fix homelessness. However, Newsom emphasized that the state is working to provide accountability measures to ensure that local governments are spending money effectively.

Small businesses will receive

$4 billion in direct grants as part of a relief program to help rehire workers displaced by the pandemic. The budget allocates $35 million for the California Dream Fund with $10,000 grants for small businesses serving Black and Brown communities including immigrant populations.

Approximately $1 billion will be set aside for job creation and youth employment opportunities to promote economic resilience in Black and Brown communities.

“We want to invest in our small businesses that are really the backbone of our economic recovery,” said Gov. Newsom.

Advocates for racial and health equity shared concerns about the limited access to healthcare for vulnerable populations in Black and Brown communities. The state plans to expand Medi-Cal to people 60 years and older irrespective of their immigration status. Medi-Cal will also cover services offered by doulas and community health workers who work primarily with Black and Brown patients. A total of $70 million will be allotted for educational programs and language services, including $50 million for new graduate medical programs and $20 million to eliminate language barriers in health programs.

Ronald Coleman, the managing director of policy for the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, said that Gov. Newsom should do expand Medi-Cal coverage for all undocumented immigrants.

Health advocates emphasized that the governor

missed an opportunity to properly invest in racial equity within the healthcare system and public health. All Black and Brown immigrants would benefit from the federal government resources through the American rescue plan, and the $22 billion state surplus.

“It’s mind-boggling to us that the governor did not take the opportunity to do more to invest in communities of color, particularly really related to health equity, to ensure that we can reduce healthcare disparities while improving health outcomes in our communities,” said Coleman.

The racial justice movement also intersects with health equity during the pandemic since the majority of essential workers are Black and Brown people.

“Black communities have been hit harder as it relates to those who’ve gotten sick from the Coronavirus, those who’ve lost their jobs from Coronavirus, and also those who’ve lost their lives,” he said.

Coleman noted that another proposal missing from the California Comeback Plan is the California Health Equity Fund. The Public Health Institute partnered with several community-based organizations requesting $180 million to implement strategies for policy, systems, and environmental change that will mitigate the health and social impacts of COVID-19.

Gov. Newsom announced the highest level of funding ever for public education to transform K-12 education and doubled down on funding for state colleges and universities.

The state aims to create universal transitional kindergarten for all children. An additional $3.3 billion is included for student support and grants for certified teachers in highneeds schools. Additional funds will be allocated to summer and after-school programs to take care of vulnerable students from underserved communities. A lump sum of $4 billion will be allotted over a span of five years to treat behavioral health issues for minors and young adults between the ages of 0 to 25 years.

Students enrolled in higher education, including immigrants, will have access to financial aid, secure housing, and resources for textbooks and learning materials. Approximately $4 billion will be allocated to support student housing projects to help curb the high cost of housing.

College service programs will receive $285 million for college scholarships and stipends.

An additional $100 million will be dedicated to student support services and learning materials such as textbooks. English language courses and vocational programs will receive $50 million in funding to help students receive credentials at community colleges.

The state’s efforts to encourage environmental health include a $500 million to clean up contaminated sites across California.

An additional $500 million will be allotted to fund community-based violence prevention initiatives, recreational and outdoor activities, youth development programs, and emergency response networks.

State officials continue to partner with community-based organizations to build trust and resilience in Black and Brown communities to help promote equity. (shutterstock photo)

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Entertainment

Los Angeles News Observer A3

New Award Named After Six-Time NBA Champion and Civil Rights Activist The award is named after six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has dedicated his life to the fight for equality. The recipient will have advanced Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to drive change and inspired others to reflect on injustice and take collective action in their communities over the previous year.

NEW YORK – The NBA today announced the creation of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award, a new annual honor that will recognize a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and upholding the league’s decades-long values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

The award is named after six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has dedicated his life to the fight for equality. The recipient will have advanced Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to drive change and inspired others to reflect on injustice and take collective action in their communities over the previous year.

The winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion honor will select an organization to receive a $100,000 contribution on his behalf. The other All 30 NBA teams will be eligible to nominate one player from their roster to be the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar four finalists will each select an organization to receive a Social Justice Champion. The finalists and winner will be selected by a seven-member committee composed $25,000 contribution. of NBA legends, league executives and social justice leaders.

“I’m honored and grateful to be associated with this award that will recognize the dedicated and selfless people said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “With this new selected by a seven-member committee composed of NBA fighting to promote social justice for all marginalized award, we are proud to recognize and celebrate NBA legends, league executives and social justice leaders.

Abdul-Jabbar has been a champion of inclusivity people,” said NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. players who are following Kareem’s lead by using their “To me, it’s another giant step in the right direction for the influence to make a profound impact around important dating to his youth. At 17, he met Dr. Martin Luther issues of equality and social justice.”

King Jr. in Abdul-Jabbar’s hometown of Harlem, N.Y. country and all people who value equality.”

All 30 NBA teams will be eligible to nominate one Inspired by King’s message, Abdul-Jabbar committed to “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar exemplifies the values of the NBA and the long history of social activism in our league,” player from their roster to be the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar using his influence as a visible athlete to be an activist Social Justice Champion. The finalists and winner will be during the Civil Rights Movement. He attended the

1967 Cleveland Summit where Bill Russell, Jim Brown and other prominent Black athletes gathered to discuss Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in the Vietnam War, one of several important moments in the history of Black athlete activism. Abdul-Jabbar has continued to promote equality and combat discrimination in the decades since his retirement from basketball. In 2016, former President Barack Obama awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2009, Abdul-Jabbar created the Skyhook Foundation, aimed at providing educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities.

One of the most accomplished players in NBA history, Abdul-Jabbar holds league records for regular-season MVP awards (six), All-Star Game selections (19) and career points (38,387). He played 20 seasons in the NBA after leading UCLA to three consecutive national championships.

Additional details regarding the inaugural award will be announced at a later date.

About the NBA The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League.

The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2020-21 season featured 107 international players from 41 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.9 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

The Underground Railroad

By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic For anyone who tunes into The Underground Railroad on Amazon Prime Video, it’s important to understand the genius of what you’re watching. It’s equally important to understand that you may notlike what you see—to the point of revulsion.

The award-winning novel by Colson Whitehead has been adapted for the screen by screenwriter Jihan Crowther with an assist by director Barry Jenkins, Jacqueline Hoyt, Nathan Parker Allison Davis and Adrienne Rush. On the earth, there is constant drama and strife centered around the institution of slavery. Cora (Thuso Mbedu) is a runaway slave in a perpetual state of escape. She’s hunted by an evil white slave tracker Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton, Loving) and his diminutive, 11-year-old Black sidekick Homer (Chase Dillon). The three are involved in a violent catand-mouse game that plays out through Georgia, South

Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Indiana in the 1800s. During this chase, Cora’s psyche resides in an inner netherworld filled with PTSD and her incessant trauma is charted in 10 episodes.

For many viewers, especially during the first five chapters, determining how long they will stick with the streaming series depends on their threshold for sadistic images, killings, child abuse, beatings, attempted rape, extremely racist language, lead characters unable to see what’s coming next and forced slave breeding. Says Cora to her mate: “We better have sex or master gonna be mad.” So, beware. Grit your teeth. Take the gut punches. Or don’t.

Experiencing this sadistic slave/master dynamic is like watching The Birth of a Nation on an endless loop. Not the tragic but inspiring one made by Nate Parker in 2016 that eventually displayed enough valor to leave behind a spirit of empowerment. Closer to the hopelessly cruel silent movie made by

Thuso Mbedu in The Underground Railroad. (Photo by Kyle Kaplan)

D.W. Griffith in 1915 that marveled at white supremacy and blacks suffering like it was predestined.

Seemingly the images of corpses standing in cotton fields, people floating down holes and slaves gathering to watch other slaves lashed and burned to death may have an ulterior motive. As if dragging viewers’ emotions through a living hell will lead to epiphanies. That may be a social, psychological goal of the book and the film, but it will be curious to see if viewers feel that the emotional debt they’re ringing up ever has a justifiable payoff. There are scenes and plot devices where Blacks have created sanctuaries for runaways and opportunities for the maligned to tell their stories. But still is the crass humiliation on view ever equally balanced enough by human payback or divine retribution?

Bullwhips cracking on black skin start the movie.

Bullwhips cracking on black skin practically end the movie.

Yes, there are incidents in this film that were probably routine in the slave era and the filmmakers may be trying to make an honest attempt at exposing that harsh past. But don’t be surprised if some skeptical viewers may feel like they’re watching over-the-top slavery porn. The storyline is fiction, the characters too and the railroad train barreling through an underground tunnel is a metaphor. What is done for realism and done purely for effect is a creative decision. Nothing more.

Regardless of anyone’s trepidation, a great reason to

Janet Jackson’s Outfit from “Scream” Video Sold for $125K BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) – Janet Jackson's ensembles she wore in the “Scream'' music video opposite of her brother Michael Jackson are among the items up for bid in a three-day auction.

Julien's Auctions says her black circular bubble textured fabric long-sleeve shirt, black patent leather pants and black patent leather over-the-ankle boots sold for $125,000 Saturday. The auction called “Iconic Treasures From the Legendary Career and Life of Janet Jackson'' will be held until Sunday, the singer's 55th birthday.

Jackson partnered with Juilen's Auctions to sell more than 1,000 items from her career and personal treasures.

The auction was held live in Beverly Hills, California, and shown on Julien's website.

A portion of the proceeds will go toward Compassion

International, an organization that helps children escape from poverty.

Jackson's floor-length metallic silver coat with lambskin shearling lining, cuffs and collar, designed by Helen Storey, was bought for $50,000. Her silver string bikini and a pair of matching pants worn underneath the coat by Jackson sold for $25,600.

On Friday, Jackson's original jacket from her 1990 Rhythm Nation Tour along with a black “1814'' cap and black satin gloves with metal plaque decoration was sold for $81,250.

Other items such as Jackson's silver-tone hoop earring suspending a key worn at the 1987 Soul Train Awards and her Rhythm Nation Tour sold for $43,750.

at least peek in on this series is the incredible work of the gifted artists who give this allegory their best effort. Chief among them is director/writer Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk). He keeps a consistent tone and pulls the finest performances from his entire cast. His style, eye and sensibility are less like a filmmaker, more like a painter.

Every frame of this film is astonishingly beautiful, eerie or dreamy. Cinematographer James Laxton ((If Beale Street…) is Jenkins’ brush. Art director Richard L. Johnson is the paint. Production designer Mark Friedberg (If Beale Street…) provides the canvas. Set decorator Lisa Scoppa arranges the objects. While costume designer Caroline Eselin (If Beale Street…) adds clothes to the subjects and Nicholas Britell’s score haunts every crevice.

The cast exhibits impeccable ensemble acting, shedding light on the sympathetic and/or despicable characters. With special accolades to the three leads. Equal praise to Aaron Pierre and William Jackson Harper as Cora’s lovers. Peter Mullan for playing Ridgeway’s father and Fred Hechlinger for portraying the young Ridgeway. Sheila Atim makes Cora’s mom bright but enigmatic. While Amber Gray and Peter De Jersey embody the ultimate power couple lording over a Black utopian homestead.

Says De Jersey interpreting the role of John Valentine in Episode 8 in one of the few instances of fiery rhetoric: “I would rather burn it (the farm) to the ground than give it away. If you give a white man a piece, he’s coming for all of it.”

The Underground Railroad is not like Harriet or Twelve Years A Slave, where there is a clear reward for watching misery.

It’s not shallowly exploitative or shamelessly titillating like Tarantino’s Django.

This ingeniously crafted ode to the enslaved is meant to share pain and enlighten. How successful it is at doing either will spark a lot of conversations. As will the debate about whether the crass humiliation on view is ever fairly balanced by any human payback or divine retribution.

Sheila Atim in The Underground Railroad. (Photo by Kyle Kaplan)

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Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 20, 2021

News

CA Opens Vaccination Appts for 12-15 Group SACRAMENTO – California parents and legal guardians can schedule appointments for young people in their families aged 12+ to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine using the statewide booking system starting Thursday morning.

“The more Californians who are able to get vaccinated, the better we can protect our communities and slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Our efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of Californians are paying off, as we’re now leading the country with over 32 million vaccines administered and some of the lowest positivity rates in the entire country.

Having vaccines expanded to teenagers is the next step in California’s path to safely reopening next month.”

This expanded eligibility comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine safety review panel and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommended on Wednesday that the vaccine is safe and effective in protecting this age group against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. On May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

amended the Pfizer vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization to allow administration for 12- to 15-year-olds, following clinical trials that proved it safe for this age group with only non-serious side effects like fatigue and headache.

“Protection from COVID-19 is available for so many Californians already and now our 12- to 15-year-olds can join others in getting vaccinated,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Young people have shouldered a significant burden during this pandemic. We look forward to now providing protection for this group to return to activities, especially as we look forward to the state fully reopening on June 15.”

About 2.1 million Californians are in this next eligible age group. California’s vaccine provider network has the capacity to administer about 6.6 million doses a week overall, including 2.5 million doses through providers who service this younger population. That is in addition to the doses available at local pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other providers who receive allocations from the federal government.

“California is ready to safely deliver vaccines to

young people aged 12 and up. We have streamlined the enrollment process to include more clinics and providers that can administer vaccines to this next age group where they can also catch up on other vaccines that may have been missed over the course of this pandemic,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan. “It’s important to remember that young people need protection against the severity and ongoing threat of COVID-19. California has had more than 500 cases of serious health outcomes among young people resulting from this virus, and cases are increasing among younger Americans and Californians who have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated. I am grateful to be able to protect my own teenagers now.”

The Pfizer vaccine is administered in two doses taken three weeks (21 days) apart. It has already been safely administered to millions of California adults, including more than 30 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds.

Pfizer was the first vaccine manufacturer to submit clinical trial data on the 12-15 age group to the FDA for authorization. Moderna is expected to submit trial data for the same authorization in the coming months. Johnson &

Johnson is currently conducting clinical trials for the 12-17 age group.

Clinical trials and approvals of vaccines commonly begin with older, more vulnerable populations and then extend to younger ages. Pfizer and Moderna have ongoing clinical trials in people younger than 12. Depending on the outcome of those trials, authorization for this next age group could happen later this year.

Parents, legal guardians or emancipated young people can check vaccine availability and book an appointment at MyTurn.ca.gov or by calling California’s COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255. They can also contact their family doctor, local community health clinic or public health office for more information.

Please visit covid19.ca.gov for answers to questions on vaccinations for the 12+ age group. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit VaccinateALL58.com.

New Racial Justice Bureau at Cal DOJ Will Support

State’s Reparations Task Force Tanu Henry California Black Media Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he has created a new bureau within the Department of Justice (DOJ) dedicated to fighting discrimination and investigating hate crimes.

Bonta said the new Bureau of Racial Justice, which will be housed under the Civil Rights Enforcement Section, will also support the California task force that the state has charged with studying the impact of slavery and Jim Crow and coming up with reparations recommendations for Blacks in California and around the country.

In September last year, Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 3121 into law. The legislation, introduced by current California Secretary of State Shirley Weber when she served in the Assembly, requires the state to set up the task force.

Bonta has not yet spelled out how the bureau will contribute to the state’s reparations efforts, but he stressed the urgency of creating it.

“Throughout California’s history, too many of us have felt the sting of hate and discrimination,” said Bonta.

“The fact is: No part of California is immune to hate.

Too many Asian, Latino, Black, Native American, people with disabilities, LGBTQ, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh Californians all across the state are hurting.”

According to the DOJ, the bureau will focus on six areas: hate crimes and organizations; implicit and explicit bias in policing; law enforcement best practices; campus climate issues; and the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

Bonta says the DOJ will work with the Big City Mayors, a group of officials from the state’s 13 largest cities, on its anti-discrimination and anti-hate crime initiatives.

The cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San José, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Stockton.

At the end of this month, the DOJ says Bonta will host a virtual meeting with the Big City Mayors.

“Drawing on the expertise of local elected leaders, the virtual convening will seek to raise awareness around regional concerns involving hate crimes, support those who have been impacted by hate, and secure commitments for direct action across California,” the DOJ said in a statement.

The California Legislative Black Caucus welcomed the news. The group comprised of African American members of the State Legislature says, “California, after its acceptance into the union in 1850 until the end of slavery in 1865, actively supported the enslavement of Blacks.”

The CLBC says the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations will increase understanding among Californians at a time when racial and political divisions divide Americans.

“As Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, I am humbled to be a part of this groundbreaking task force and look forward to having the difficult but necessary conversations on the age of enslavement here in California and across the nation,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), who is also chair of the CBLC and a member of the reparations task force.

“The remnants of slavery and Jim Crow are still alive and well today and need to be addressed. We have found ways to not only apologize but also provide reparations to every group wronged in America and around the world except for African American decedents of slavery,” Bradford pointed out.

Rent Relief in California

Understanding the State’s Program and How You Can Apply Continued from page A1

(shutterstock photo)

of an eligible tenant’s unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, if they agree to waive the remaining 20% of unpaid rent. Renters whose landlords choose not to participate in the program can apply directly, and receive 25% of unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, which can help protect them from eviction under SB 91 if they pay that 25% directly to their landlords. Renters can also apply to receive financial assistance with future rent. They may also qualify for assistance with unpaid or future utility payments.

Applicant information is kept private. Renter’s information will not be shared with the landlord, and vice versa. Applicants may be eligible to participate in the program regardless of immigration status and proof of citizenship is not required. Rent relief assistance does not count as earned income and will not interfere with eligibility for any other state benefit assistance programs such as CalFresh.

The CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program is supported through a $3 million public education and outreach campaign, which includes radio, digital media, out-ofhome, and print advertising. Thousands of statewide community-based organizations, trade and industry groups and businesses have been enlisted to assist with outreach to communities most in need. The state has also allocated $24 million to support on-the-ground organizations to work directly with applicants in communities throughout the state. To make an appointment with a local organization, applicants are encouraged to call 833-687-0967.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Los Angeles News Observer A5

Features

Black, Latino and Female Officers Use Less Force than Whites

The trends “uncovered in this case study do provide compelling evidence that diversifying police departments is an important part of any comprehensive effort at police reform,” stated David Sklansky, a law professor at Stanford University who was not involved in the work. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent African American police officers made more than 15 fewer stops, about two fewer arrests on average than their White counterparts, ScienceNews.org found in a new study.

The study revealed that throughout 100 shifts, African American officers used force 0.1 fewer times.

The numbers correspond to a 29 percent reduction in stops, 21 percent reduction in arrests, and 32 percent reduction in force among Black officers than the average enforcement rates among their White peers.

“When I got the paper, I literally at one point said, ‘hot damn,’” says Phillip Goff, a behavioral scientist at Yale University who wrote a commentary on the study published in the same issue.

“I was a skeptic about demographic reform previously, and now I am a convert.… Demographics reform in policing actually has the potential to dramatically change behavior.”

The study arrives as police traffic stops, and shootings continue to grab headlines.

It also comes less than a week after a jury convicted former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin of three counts of murder in the death of George Floyd.

“George Floyd was approached by the police for the allegation of a $20 alleged fraudulent counterfeit bill, which is a misdemeanor,” Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Floyd family, remarked in a statement.

“They could have given him a ticket. But when it is marginalized minorities, especially Black people, the police have the tendency to always do the most and engage in the most excessive use of force. And so George Floyd literally was tortured to death for 9 minutes and 29 seconds for what would have amounted to a minor misdemeanor,” Crump concluded.

The ScienceNews.org report concluded that Black and Hispanic officers tend to stop, arrest, and use force against civilians less often than White officers.

According to a Chicago Police Department study, female officers of all races use less force than their male

colleagues.

Further, Bocar Ba, an economist at the University of California, Irvine, told ScienceNews.org that diversifying law enforcement is one of the oldest, most frequently proposed police reforms.

“Over three years, Ba and colleagues peppered various city and state agencies with open-records requests and appeals to collect data on officers in the Chicago Police Department,” the outlet reported.

Those data included officers’ race, gender, and daily patrol assignments, as well as timestamped and locationtagged records of when those officers stopped, arrested, or used force on civilians, they reported.

In total, the researchers examined 2.9 million officer shifts and 1.6 million enforcement activities performed by nearly 7,000 officers from 2012 to 2015.

The team looked at how officers of different backgrounds behaved while patrolling the same neighborhood at the same time of day, day of the week, month, and year.

This study is “one of the most comprehensive and sophisticated” examinations of how officer demographics affect policing to date, Robin Engel, a criminal justice researcher at the University of Cincinnati who was not involved in the work, told ScienceNews.org.

“We now have rigorous, robust evidence that suggests there are differences in behavior across racial and gender groups within our police departments, and that’s important for a whole host of things. It’s important for recruitment, and it’s also important for our training of officers.”

The trends “uncovered in this case study do provide compelling evidence that diversifying police departments is an important part of any comprehensive effort at police reform,” stated David Sklansky, a law professor at Stanford University who was not involved in the work.

“It’s not just that Black and Hispanic officers conduct fewer stops – it’s that they conduct fewer stops of Black suspects in situations not involving serious crime,” Sklansky explained.

“That’s clearly an improvement.”

COVID 19: My Personal Battle from a Positive to a Negative Result Jeffrey L. Boney Shares His Story about Surviving the Coronavirus and Dealing with the Emotional and Mental Anguish of the Journey to Overcome the Virus

By Jeffrey L. Boney NNPA Newswire Contributor “Jeffrey, unfortunately, your test came back positive for the Coronavirus.”

Hearing those words from the doctor, March 27th, 2020, shook me to the core.

Was that a death sentence for me?

Was it a coincidence that my mom years earlier had died in the same month of March?

Was this really how my life was going to end?

The news reports I had been watching and reading reported dire results relative to those who had contracted the virus. Death tolls were rising. Governors began searching for beds and ventilators for people who were being impacted by this virus.

Honestly, I felt like the odds were stacked against me.

The journey for me started with a very slight cough.

On March 17th, I started experiencing internal digestive symptoms that I initially assumed was a result of me not eating anything that day. It was a Tuesday, which meant it was Press Day at the Houston Forward Times, where I serve as the Associate Editor. Now, it wasn’t uncommon for me to skip breakfast and skip lunch in order to remain laser focused on getting the newspaper done. When I started feeling faint, however, it was then I decided to get something to eat.

I made my way down to the Reggae Hut around 5:30 pm and ordered the oxtails, rice and peas and the vegetables, along with a beef patty and a Kola Champagne to drink. I made my way back down to my office with my plate and I ate a little bit of the rice and peas; a little of the vegetables; and barely ate one of the oxtails, before closing the container and putting the plate in the refrigerator. That was the last time I saw that plate or my office.

The next day, I not only had a continuous loss of appetite, I also had stomach pain and was experiencing heavy and unusual bouts of diarrhea. I even had an episode where I went to the bathroom and while on the way, I passed out and was disoriented. I woke up lying on the floor in a sweat, trying to figure out what happened to me.

I drank lots of water, tried natural remedies and ceased all of my normal activities. None of that worked or changed my situation.

I self-quarantined and self-isolated for eight days from Tuesday, March 17th to Wednesday, March 25th.

During that time, I contacted my primary care physician, who informed me that continuing to self-quarantine was probably the best option at the time, considering the symptoms I was experiencing.

I decided to reach out to my good friend, State Representative Ron Reynolds to express my concerns about my health status, as well as get his advice on whether he thought I should go through one of the drive-thru testing sites that had recently opened. I desperately wanted to get tested, primarily for my peace of mind, but also because I was concerned for my family. They were still living in the same house as me.

I saw the news. I read the media reports online and on social media. It was clear, based on those reports, that I was not displaying the type of respiratory symptoms that the majority of COVID-19 patients were reported to have been experiencing, such as shortness of breath or having a heavy cough. There were also reports that the only way a person could be tested was if they were elderly or a first responder. I was deeply concerned.

A few days after my call with Rep. Reynolds, I received a call on my cell phone from U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on Wednesday, March 25th. She had heard I was experiencing a health challenge and asked me some questions. Congresswoman Jackson Lee then immediately informed me that she wanted me to come down to United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) on Tidwell to get tested right away. I wasted no time. I asked the Congresswoman for the address and immediately got dressed to make my way to UMMC. As I was driving to the hospital, Congresswoman Jackson Lee told me that she had already spoken to the Chief Medical Officer for United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC), Dr. Joseph Varon, and that he was prepared to receive me and administer the test.

I was so relieved that I would be able to get tested and get a definitive on whether I had contracted the COVID-19 virus or not.

I arrived to UMMC and was met by Dr. Varon. He walked with me inside to the place where I was to be tested, and he immediately tried to put me at ease. I was told by Dr. Varon that my test results would take anywhere from 24-48 hours to come back, so I waited patiently and eagerly.

As anxious as I was to find out the results on the following day, I decided to give it another day.

On that Friday, March 27th, things took a drastic turn for the worse, as it relates to my health. I began to cough, and what I thought would be regular phlegm coming out, turned out to be a significant amount of bright red blood.

As this continued to happen, I made the decision to call Dr. Varon and share my update. After hearing my status, Dr. Varon implored me to come to the UMMC Emergency Room (ER) immediately, which I prepared to do.

Before I got off the phone with him, however, he hit me with the update I was anxious to finally receive, but with some news I was definitely hoping and praying not to hear.

Dr. Varon informed me that I had tested “POSITIVE” for the Coronavirus.

I was shook. My family was stunned. I am a married father of three. My family is everything.

Upon my arrival, there were two large signs that said STOP. My wife, who had followed me to the hospital, was not allowed inside. I was met by medical staff and they ushered me into a room in the ER. She stood outside awaiting word. The nursing staff immediately went to work, initially drawing blood and then taking some vitals at the order of Dr. Varon.

As events would unfold, Dr. Varon would turn out to be one of the primary angels of medicine that made the difference relative to my Coronavirus recovery efforts.

One of the first things Dr. Varon ordered his medical staff to do with me upon my arrival to the ER was to do a CT Scan. For those who may not know, a CT Scan is more detailed than a regular X-ray, and allows doctors to see inside your body by using a combination of X-rays and a computer to create images of your organs and other things inside your body.

Of course, I didn’t know why a CT Scan was being performed on me at the time, nor did I know what the end result would be. Let me just say that performing that CT Scan on me was the best thing that could have ever happened to me, because it revealed something major that was going on inside my body that couldn’t be seen by looking at me from the outside. The CT Scan revealed that my lungs showed a severe case of pneumonia, as well as other issues involving my vital organs that came as a result of the Coronavirus.

It was decided at that moment that I needed to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) right away. It was then that I realized how serious things were, and it was the moment that I knew that I was going to have to rely on my faith in God. I called my wife to tell her I was being admitted and informed her that I was not going to be able to have any visitation throughout my time in the ICU. I was on a mental and emotional roller coaster at this point. I didn’t know how long I would be in ICU, but more importantly, whether I would make it out alive. I could not help but think about the time in 2003 when my wife and I took my mom to the ER because she was ill. It was a life-altering experience for me.

After being seen by doctors in the ER, the medical staff informed us that my mom would need to be admitted to address her serious health condition, which turned out to be worse than believed. Both my wife and I decided to stay with her, but my mom kept telling us to go home, get some rest and come back the next morning. We stayed anyway. They moved her in the wee hours of the morning to a different floor. It was then that I told her that I was not be going very far, as I chose to sleep at my mother-in-law’s house because it was closer to the hospital than my house was. As reluctant as I felt leaving my mom at that hospital, nothing compares to the phone call I received from the hospital, no more than five minutes after I laid my head

“Jeffrey, unfortunately, your test came back positive for the Coronavirus.” Hearing those words from the doctor, March 27th, 2020, shook me to the core. (Photo: Jeffrey L. Boney is pictured with his doctor, Dr.Joseph-Varon, and his nurse Jerusha Brown Harshman)

down on the pillow. The nurse on duty called to inform me that my mom had stopped breathing and had slipped into a coma. I mean, right after I left. They told me that there was a shift change and that my mom had been given a specific medication, and by the time the new nurse on duty went to check on my mom, they became aware of the situation.

I was devastated. I felt guilty. I felt as if I was there, I could’ve possibly done something. Several months later, my mother passed away and I never forgot that moment.

As I was being prepared to go to ICU myself, I was reminded of my mom’s experience, and I was instantly bombarded with memories and emotions about what she endured. I also struggled with the mental anguish of worrying about a virus that reportedly has no cure or vaccine to fight it. I knew I needed to draw on something greater than myself to get through this ordeal.

On Friday, March 27th, the journey towards fighting the Coronavirus had truly just begun.

Not only did I have a severe case of pneumonia when I entered ICU, my liver and kidneys also needed to be protected from the virus; my heart rate was through the roof; my heart condition worsened and I was headed to the point of potential heart failure; my blood pressure was high; I had a sharp pain in my right side; I continued to have heavy diarrhea episodes; and I still had a loss of appetite. Things were not looking good for me and I felt horrible. I began to wonder if I was ever going to get better.

From the very beginning, I had to rely on my faith in God, as I continued to deal with the mental anguish of being in this Coronavirus-specific ICU area, particularly knowing that there were people around with breathing issues and hearing machines go off all day and night, and as I regularly looked at the news and read reports showing the number of people dying on a daily basis as a result of the virus.

I needed a miracle.

Because I didn’t have any respiratory issues, just digestive issues, it caused the doctors to develop a treatment plan for me that was different than other patients they had been treating prior to my arrival to the hospital. Dr. Varon and Dr. Joseph Gathe, Jr. oversaw my care. They created a whole Coronavirus cocktail, which included heavy doses of Vitamin C, which was specific to my treatment. Per Dr. Varon, my case taught them that they must use high dose blood thinners on every Coronavirus patient admitted to the hospital.

After several days, my symptoms began to subside, and my appetite came back in a major way. I longed for my breakfast, lunch and dinner, and couldn’t wait to eat it. Dr. Varon eventually informed me that all of my vital organs had returned to normal and that my blood work and vital signs were solid.

Finally, I felt like I was turning a corner and getting better. That was until a second CT Scan was performed, which revealed more shocking and devastating news regarding my health condition.

When the results of my second CT Scan came back, it revealed that I had been diagnosed with a pulmonary

embolism in my right lung. A pulmonary embolism occurs when blood clots block the flow of blood to the lungs. A pulmonary embolism can be fatal and life-threatening, which is why Dr. Varon and his team promptly took the necessary steps to address the blood clot and reduce my risk of death. I was immediately placed on blood thinner medication.

I continued to follow the instructions of the doctors until I received that wonderful news that on Sunday, April 5th, I had made significant and miraculous improvement, and subsequently was being discharged to go home to my family. I was so thrilled, yet still deeply concerned because I still didn’t know whether I was still “POSITIVE” with the Coronavirus. I was concerned about my family and praying they would be fine. Prior to being discharged, I had another COVID-19 test done and was awaiting the results. I self-isolated once again, until I got my second test results. After several days, I got the results and tested “NEGATIVE” for the virus. Because I wanted to be completely sure before interacting with my family again, the doctors administered another COVID-19 test and those results came back “NEGATIVE” as well.

This was a long and faith-filled journey, to which I still am slated to have to deal with this blood clot in my right lung for the next six months or so. I will continue to fight and do what I am supposed to do. In the meantime, I am encouraging everyone, especially my African American brothers and sisters, to get tested. I believe everyone should be tested immediately, regardless of whether you have symptoms or not. This is NOT a drill. This virus is unrepentant and aggressive and can spread quickly to anyone who comes in contact with it. Listen to your local leaders and medical professionals to help stop the community spread. I am a living witness that you can contract this virus and how it impacts you. Don’t ignore your symptoms and don’t ignore the seriousness of this virus. Don’t be selfish and just think about yourself. Think about your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, loved ones and those you don’t know. Stay safe!

Giants can be intimidating. The fight can many times be tough. Sometimes we lose. Sometimes we win. The common thread in winning versus losing is giving it all you have when you are in the midst of a fight. In the Bible, David showed us that giants can indeed fall. This was my journey and this is my testimony. I am forever grateful to God and to everyone who uttered a prayer, shared an encouraging word, providing any resources or sent positive energy my way.

My family and I greatly appreciate each and every one of you. God bless you, and let’s do everything in our power to defeat this horrible and vicious COVID-19 virus.

Jeffrey L. Boney is a political analyst and international correspondent for the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com and serves as Associate Editor for the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey is an award-winning journalist, dynamic international speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development strategist and founder and CEO of the Texas Business Alliance.

Follow Jeffrey on Twitter @realtalkjunkies.

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Features

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Safe Gates Help Save Lives – Check Your Pool Gate HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA: Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children aged 1 – 4 years and the majority of the children that drown in swimming pools most commonly gain access to the pool area when there is no fence or through a faulty fence or gate. One important step to a solution to this issue is as simple as physically checking and maintaining your pool gate regularly to ensure it self-closes and self-latches at all times. You should not be able to open a gate at all without activating the release mechanism which should be out of the reach of toddlers.

D&D Technologies®, the inventor and manufacturer of the MagnaLatch® Pool Safety Gate Latch and the world leader in high-performance gate hardware, has partnered with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) to establish a Check Your Pool Gate Month campaign kicking-off Memorial Day Weekend and continuing through the month of June. The initiative was created to remind pool owners of the vital need to ensure pool fences, gates, latches and hinges are secure and in top working order. Every pool owner should be confident they have a safe swimming zone.

“Our aim with Check Your Pool Gate Month is to educate pool owners about pool safety and to encourage them to check their pool surroundings not once a year, but regularly,” says Jim Paterson, D&D’s VP of Sales and Marketing.

Even though checking a pool gate is vital for child safety, only a limited number of pool owners check the safety of their pool gates even once a year. A few minutes is all it takes for pool owners to check that their pool fences and gates, including latches and hinges, are in good working order. This simple routine done regularly could save the life of a child.

Safety checklist for pool gates Should open outwards, away from the pool Height of latch release mechanism is least 54” from the bottom of the gate (check local codes) • Must be self-closing and self-latching • Hinges should be rust-free and bind-free • Hinges should be reliable and tension-adjustable for closing speed • Latch must be adjustable horizontally and vertically to accommodate gate movement • Gate will latch when latch is in the locked or unlocked position • Latch cannot be disengaged using implements (e.g. garden or pool tools) • Latch cannot be shaken or jolted open • Gate will shut and latch securely from any open angle or force • Complies with all applicable standards, codes and legislation for pool safety

For more information on pool safety and compliance visit: www.us.ddtech.com/pages/pool-safety-compliance and www. ndpa.org It’s critical to check your local pool codes for compliance, as local codes may vary.

D&D Technologies gate hardware can be purchased on Amazon or at Home Depot or Lowes.

• •

Five Points to Know About the FDA Menthol Ban

We will not lose another generation

By Carol McGruder, Co-Chair African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they are banning menthol cigarettes. My organization, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), sued the FDA last year to force them to fulfill the public health mandate given when the 2009 Tobacco Control Act was signed into law. The lawsuit prompted the FDA to respond to a 2013 citizen’s petition which called on the FDA to ban all menthol-flavored cigarettes and cigars. On April 29, the FDA finally responded with its historic announcement and would begin the rulemaking process to ban the manufacture of menthol cigarettes, thus marking a critical and historical step toward reducing tobacco deaths, especially among Black Americans.

We understand the proposed menthol ban raises many questions and concerns in African American and Black communities. Below is information to help navigate this topic.

1. Why is banning menthol products necessary?

Menthol is an ingredient added to tobacco products to give them a mint flavor. It is an analgesic that cools and numbs the throat, resulting in smokers inhaling longer and more deeply.

Menthol also increases cell permeability allowing toxins to travel deeper into the lungs, which makes it harder to quit smoking1.

For decades, the tobacco industry has been allowed to maliciously market their products to the Black community with impunity due in large part to our government’s benign neglect.

Smoking continues to be the leading preventable cause of death for African Americans.2 In the past 20 years, almost a million Black sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents are gone due to tobacco-induced diseases. One study estimates that a ban on menthols in 2010 would have prevented 633,000 deaths, including 237,000 African Americans, by the year 2050.3 Even though we are 10 years into that projection, there are still many lives and families that won’t be lost to tobacco — and that’s what we fight for.

2. What does a federal menthol ban mean for California?

Banning menthol will save the lives of Californians, particularly California’s Black communities.

A federal ban means these products will no longer be manufactured and sold in the U.S., making it more difficult for Californians to purchase menthol infused tobacco products online or across state borders.

This action will also reduce the number of youth who take up smoking and increase quit attempts among current smokers.

3. How can more deaths and harm be prevented from menthol, since it may be years before menthol cigarettes are finally off store shelves?

The FDA estimates that in the first 13 to 17 months after a ban is implemented, roughly 923,000 smokers, including 230,000 African Americans, will quit smoking.4,5 Nearly a million lives can be saved if we put in the hard work. We must continue to call out the tobacco industry on its lies about menthol and support

commercial tobacco control laws and policies that are in the works. We must also work harder and not think the FDA ruling will solve all our problems. No one loves Black smokers more than the AATCLC, and now is the time for our community to shower our Black smokers with love, encouragement, and PROGRAMS that provide support in helping them to “Kick It.” 4. How would the ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes be enforced when there are concerns in the Black community about fines and altercations with police?

The banning of these deadly products will not be enforced by local law authorities and does not involve fines or civil penalties.

It will not be illegal for individuals to possess or use these products. This ban is directed at the manufacturers of menthol cigarettes, and not individual consumers. Though our country is painfully grappling with the undeniable need for police reform, we are appalled that the tobacco industry cynically exploits our legitimate concerns but they remain the biggest killer and profiler of Black people.

5. How can individuals and organizations play a role in ending tobacco use?

There are many different ways individuals and organizations can be engaged in the fight, such as “No Menthol Sunday,” an annual day dedicated to educating religious/spiritual congregants and community members about tobacco, vaping, and the role of flavors like menthol.

We also know that the tobacco industry is expected to fight the ban in the courts and their advertisements. We must continue to loudly raise our voices and educate the public so that we all understand that we have a right to good health and that getting these products out of our communities is a social justice issue. We will not lose another generation.

Carol McGruder is Co-Chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and she understands the proposed menthol ban raises many questions and concerns in African American and Black communities. (Courtesy Photo)

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Los Angeles News Observer A7

Sports

Lakers Get Healthier Before Playoffs

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The Lakers will begin their playoff run with a play-in game against Golden State at Staples Center Wednesday night (At Press Time). On the way to the round they reeled off five straight wins three of them without LeBron James.

James returned after missing six games recovering from a right ankle sprain. He was making sure it was close to normal as possible. Earlier in the season he missed 20 games from the same injury on March 20 against Atlanta.

While playing in Indianapolis, James took a lob pass from Dennis Schroder and threw down a one-handed slam.

He was full of energy and that spread to his teammates as he finished with 24 points and 8 assists and 7 rebounds to go along with 3 steals in a 122-115 win over the Pacers.

“I feel pretty good, a lot better than the last time I suited up,” said James on a video conference. “Just putting in a lot of work obviously off the floor, just getting my ankle right, getting my foot right. The last game (Toronto) I played I think the half time break it kind of stiffened my leg up and stiffened my ankle up on me. Today was a complete 180, it allowed me to still play the game that I wanted to play. So I think every game I’m going to get better and better but it was a good first time out.”

Schroder had been in the league’s health and safety protocol.

He had missed some seven games in a two-week period. This was

the second time he’s had to sit due to COVID-19 issues. The first was in February due contact tracing. He had 14 points and 4 assists in the win.

Andre Drummond has been a big plus grabbing 15 boards to go with 10 points. Since arriving he been averaging 12 rebounds ad 10 points per game.

The team followed that with a win in New Orleans. James came away with 25 points leading five teammates in double figure scoring. He added six assist and three steals in 27 minutes on the floor.

Anthony Davis had 14 and five rebounds while Drummond added scored 13 and added 13 boards in 21 minutes making it his fourth straight game with a double-double in a 110-98 win over the Pelicans.

The Lakers and Portland finished the season with the identical 42-30 record, however the Blazers get the tie breaker as they won the season series 2-1 leaving them in the 7th spot forcing a one game playing against the Warriors.

A Laker win over the Golden State leads to a seven-game series against Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns.

The team has rebounded well winning five straight after losing 8 of 10 games a couple weeks back Head Coach Frank Vogel stated, “I just wanted to make sure our guys stayed confident in where we were going and where we were going to be.”

Bruins Host NCAA Softball Regionals

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer After the cancellation of last years season the NCAA tournament UCLA will host the NCAA Regionals at Easton Field. The Double elimination tourney is set to be played Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Bruins finished the season with a 41-4 (19-2, PAC-12) record. They will play Long Beach State in the Friday nightcap set for 7:30 on ESPN2. During the regular season UCLA defeated the Lady 49er’s 5-1 and 10-2. Despite the losses LBSU went 30-9 and 22-2 Big West play. They won a three-game series last weekend over four-time defending Conference Champs Cal State Fullerton to claim the title.

Fresno State and Minnesota open the tourney at 5:00PM, the game can be seen on ESPN2. The Bulldogs who are the #3 seed fell to the UCLA 7-0 in the season opener February 12. They then went on to a 36-10 record and claim the Mountain West title with a 20-4 Conference record. It’s the Bulldogs first post season bid since 2017. They are led by Keahilele Mattson MWC Player of The Year. The Alta Loma high grad was also named CoFreshman of the Year batting .406 with 7 homers and 22 RBI’s.

Adriana Noriega first team All MWC selection.

UCLA is one of six PAC-12 teams in the 64-team field.

Number 6 Arizona and #11 Washington will host regionals while Oregon is playing at #12 Texas and Stanford in at #6 Arkansas.

The pairings did not sit well with some in the PAC-12 who have had teams in the top 15 all year but were give road trips Oregon travels to Texas.

“In all the years of being part of this, to have the PAC-12 disrespected at this level I’m shocked,” said UCLA head coach

Kelley Inoyue-Perez. “There were four or five teams in the top eight the majority of the year and we played each other and we played each other and we actually played more games to strengthen our schedule.”

Arizona is hosting Ole Miss, Villanova and UMBC a regional.

Number one Oklahoma is hosting a regional that includes Morgan State, Texas A&M, and Wichita State.

The Sooners they are led by freshman Tiare Jennings of St. Anthony’s Long Beach. She’s batting close to .400 and was the California 2019-2020 Gatorade Player of the Year.

The Bruins took three of four from Arizona 36-13 (12-10 PAC-12) to close out the regular season.

In the final regular season game Kensley Washington went to “Rip City” with a three-run shot to highlight a 7-run fifth inning-helping the Bruins a 7-2 win.

“Before the at-bat coach told me to use my legs,” said Washington. “Our success comes from our confidence and our hitting coach Don Slaught, he definitely knows what the pitchers are going to throw, the trained us all week long and we were able to see it pay-off today.”

Maya Brady had 2-hits and 2 RBI’s. Rachel Garcia (14-0) scattered six hits striking out 5 on 106 pitches. Megan Feraimo tossed the final two frames having 4 K’s allowing one run. Alyssa Denham 0-1 took the loss for the Wildcats.

In 2020 the National Champion Bruins started off the season with a 25-1 record then the PAC -12 and NCAA cancelled the rest of the season which proved to be a ‘bummer’ to many and “disappointing” to Bruin head coach Inouye-Perez. This is the chance to repeat. It’s a time to defend their title.

By Cameron Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com 5/13/21 (46-22) Los Angeles Clippers vs (44-22) Charlotte Hornets Clippers came into this game leading the NBA in 3-point

shooting thus far in the season by shooting over 40% from deep.

Just as expected they made 21 of 45 shots from beyond the arc against the Hornets. This would be the fourth time this season and eighth time in franchise history that the Clippers have made at least 20 three-pointers.

Indianapolis, In. - May 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on May 15, 2021 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo Credit: Ron Hoskins/Justin Casterline/Rohan Ali/NBA E/ Getty Images)

Rachel Garcia and the Bruins will host the NCAA Regionals this weekend at Easton Stadium. Garcia was named PAC-12 Player of the Year for the third time. (Photo:UCLA Athletics)

Courtside with Clippers – Week 19

LA natives Kawhi Leonard (left) and LaMelo Ball (right) in the Clippers 113-90 victory at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo: Los Angeles Clippers/NBA)

After a dismal 13 points second quarter the Clippers exploded with a 40 point third quarter. Surprisingly Nic Batum, former Hornets forward, was booed by Charlotte fans during the game. Even more so after he knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers late in the third quarter that would give the Clippers an 84-77 lead, which they would not relinquish.

Though Batum would finish with essential 11 points would say post-game, they were key buckets. “I just let the game come to me,” Batum would say post-game. “I don’t care if I take six or eight shots. I’m just trying to take the correct shot.” The Clippers bench outscored the Hornets’ bench in this game 52-32.

When asked about how encouraged he was with the team shooting three-point shots this evening Kawhi Leonard stated, “We have been shooting it great all year; I’m just happy guys are being aggressive and making the right play. (The Hornets) were packing the paint and we had a lot of double teams, so once we kicked it out, we were knocking down shots.”

Also in this game, Clippers’ rookie Jay Scrubb was able to score the first points of his career, finishing with four. It was only his second game this season as he spent the season recovering from foot surgery, which he had after the 2020 NBA draft.

The Clippers improve to 13-0 when holding their opponent to less than 100 points. As they position themselves for the playoffs, they have 2 more games remaining in the regular season.

They will face the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder before returning home to officially begin their playoff preparation.

5/14/21 (47-23) Los Angeles Clippers vs (16-54) Houston Rockets Coming into their match with the Houston Rockets the Clippers have a 6-4 record in their past ten games. In this time frame, they have allowed opponents to shoot 44.6% from the field and score 103.4 points per game. All the while shooting 47.2% from the field and averaging 108.5 points themselves.

During this time, they would grab 44.6 rebounds, dish out 24.3 assists, manage 6.5 takeaways per game.

The Rockets over that same period of time are allowing their opponents to score 127.8 points per game and shoot 52.7% from the field on route to a 1-9 record. They have also shot 46.7% from the field and are averaging 116.5 points, yanking down 42.8 rebounds with 26.5 helpers, and 7.9 steals and per game.

While welcoming back Serge Ibaka back into their rotation, after missing 30 games. Yet the Clippers have decided to rest their players for the final stretch of the season. In this game, Jay Scrubb would get his first start of the season, and he would be lined up at tipoff alongside Rajon Rondo, Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris Sr., and Ivica Zubac. While Kawhi and Paul George would be out with rest, Patrick Beverly would sit out to allow his injured hand to heal, Terance Mann would be out for personal reasons, and Reggie Jackson would sit out with a sore left Achilles.

As the Clippers lead the NBA in the three-point shooting percentage this season, their “iron man” center Ivica Zubac refused to be held out of the fun. After weeks of pressing for a chance to get a three-point shot up, Coach Ty Lue acquiesced by calling his number on the second play of the game. “I told him I was only playing him two to three minutes, I told him the second play was going to be for him. A step/ slash, take the step back and shoot a three (point shot).” Having seen practice a similar shot, during his pre-game warm-ups, he comfortable put up his only three-point shot on the season… and bang, bang, bang Zubac for three!

Earlier in the season, Veteran Forward Serge Ibaka said, “I’ve been playing with back pain since the beginning of the season.”

He would then describe it as a “pinched nerve. It’s been a tough year for me this season I wanted to try to play through the pain”.

Coach Ty Lue said of Serge’s return, “I thought he moved well.

He got to the offensive rebounds, got some put backs, rolled to the bucket. I thought he looked good being out for 30 games.”

Even in losing fashion, Rajon Rondo would show his value by lead the team in assists against the Rockets. Rondo’s 13 assists were the most by any player on the Clippers all season. Though they would lose this game largely because they couldn’t recover from allowing the Rockets to score 75 points in the second and third quarter, with most of their firepower (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George) in street clothes on the bench.

5/16/21 (47-24) Los Angeles Clippers vs (21-50) Oklahoma City Thunder In their final regular-season game the Los Angeles Clippers once again have chosen to rest many of their key players. Clippers Head Coach Ty Lue would state that he would prefer “health over rust, any day,” as they plan for the post-season, in his pre-game media availability. However, we will see how that translates to their post-season rhythm when the playoffs start next weekend.

Coming into their final game of the season the Clippers accrued a drab 5-5 record over their last ten games. In this stretch of games, they have allowed their opponents to shot 45.4% from the floor and averaged 105.1 points per game. At the same time, they have shot 47.5% from the floor and have been averaging 108.3 points per game. Additionally, they’ve averaged 43.8 rebounds, 24.4 assists, seven steals, and 3.7 blocks per game in this time frame.

The Thunder have been even worse in their final stretch of the season. They have amassed a 1-9 record while averaging 101.9 points and shooting 41.5% from the field. In addition to pulling down 46.4 rebounds, passing out 21 helpers, and getting 7.4 rips per game. But on the flip side of things, they are allowing their opponents to shot 50.1% from the field and averaged 121.3 points per game.

Having beaten the Thunder in consecutive games earlier in the season, this would be their third matchup of the season.

Thought this game would have a much different appearance than their previous matchups as they would start Patrick Beverley, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Patrick Patterson, and Ivica Zubac. They would proceed to get Ivica Zubac out of the game at the first allowing him to continue his consecutive start streak.

The Clippers were down 0-7 before Reggie Jackson hits a three-pointer to score the teams’ first points. OKC took an 18-8 lead in this game before Clippers HC Ty Lue would take a time out, in an attempt for the team to recollect their thoughts. The Thunder would still end up winning that initial quarter 35-26.

The Clippers would erase a 13 point deficit as Terance Mann would give the Clippers the lead on a step-back jumper.

After taking a brief lead in the second quarter despite getting dominating on the boards in the first half, the Clippers would go be down by two points going into the locker room for halftime.

Lead by Terance Mann and Yogi Ferrell’s combined 28 points, the Clippers would win the third quarter and take a narrow 88-86 lead into the fourth quarter. The Thunder would have three players to score over 24 points and go on to win this game by a narrow margin 117-112. The Thunder would dominate the points in the paint 78-44, in addition to tallying 12 block shots to the Clippers 3 and they outrebounded the Clippers 54-44 on the way to their win.

On the season, the Clippers finish 2020-21 with the highest 3P% and highest FT% in franchise history. Impressively, their 83.9 Free Throw percentage this season is the highest FT% in NBA history. The Clippers also finish the season with nine players shooting 40% or better from three (min. 15 attempts). This is the most players on a single team to shoot better than 40% from three in NBA history.

The culture and atmosphere established by this new coaching staff have seemingly improved the temperament of the players across the board. For the most part during the season the Clippers have stayed among the top of the Western Conference. Obtaining the 4th seed will have them matched up with the 5th seed Dallas Mavericks, in a rematch of last season’s 1st round matchup.

Kindly share your thoughts on how the Clippers finished out the regular season. What are your predictions for this team as they head into the playoffs? I look forward to hearing from you and feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward any suggestions on what additional topics or angles you’d like to see discussed to info@whatsgoodinsports.com.

If you haven’t done so, be sure to subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast,” which is available for you on most podcasting platforms. Apple and Google Podcasts including Spotify, TuneIn, and, iHeart Radio to name a few. On our Podcast, we have passionate banter about various NBA storylines, while addressing the multitude of NFL topics.

A8

Local

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Walk a Mile for Malcolm X Street Naming Campaign

By Ricky Richardson Contributing Writer (Los Angeles, Ca.)- FAMLI, Inc presented Walk a Mile for Malcolm in the hopes of honoring the legacy of human rights advocate Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), by adding his name to a 5-mile stretch of Crenshaw Blvd.

Torrence Brannon-Reese, Founding Director and Board Member, FAMLI Inc, was joined by a broad coalition of local businesses, leaders, property owners, educators and residents for a Press Conference to urge Los Angeles City Councilmembers to join them in adding Malcolm X Blvd. to a five mile stretch of Crenshaw Blvd.

The dynamic array of speakers spoke encouraging and uplifting words of support for the Malcolm X. Blvd co-naming petition. This list of speakers featured Dr. Michael Datcher, Author, Poet, Professor, and Engaged Scholar; Dwight Trible, musician and Executive Director The World Stage; Brother RW Akile, President Kwanzaa People of Color, Organizer of the Annual Kwanzaa Gwaride and Festival; Channing Martinez, Director of Organizer Labor-Community Strategy Center; Rev. Dr. Mello R. Desire, Intelligence Matters Alliance; Tia Lopez,

Founder/Director- Crenshaw Entrepreneur Academy; Laneay L. London, MSW/CEO- Serenity Village Developments.

The Press Conference got underway with welcoming remarks from Torrence Brannon-Reese, followed by Brother RW Akile honoring our ancestors with Libation.

Michael Khalfani- Disco Daddy, aka, MEGA-byTE and Thelma Davis Martin surprise Mr. Reese with a special Certificate of Achievement/Recognition for his commitment and dedication to uplifting the youths and community as a whole. Disco Daddy was the first DJ, MC and rap recording artist on the West Coast and is referred to as the Father of West Coast Hip Hop. Disco Daddy is the Creator/Founder of “The World Famous L.A. Breakers Break Dancing Company. Disco Daddy and Thelma Davis Martin are members of ‘original Soul Train Gang.’

Volunteers fanned out to various businesses along Crenshaw Blvd. to drum up support as part of the signaturegathering campaign.

The program concluded with an exciting, engaging and entertaining concert featuring Torrence Brannon-Reese and the New Orleans-style “Everything is Soul” band. As the name states, the crowd were groovin’ and vibing on the People’s Street Plaza,

Connie Williams, Dr. Michael Datcher, Dwight Trible and Torrence Brannon-Reese. (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

in front of the historic Vision Theater.

Starting at the I-10/Rosa Parks Freeway, Malcolm X Blvd, will advance south intersecting Obama Blvd, West Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Nipsey Hussle Square (at Slauson Avenue) ending at 79th Street. “Martin Luther King Jr, representing the dream, Obama, the progress and Nipsey Hussle, the promise in our youth, all connected by Malcolm’s strength and dedication” state Torrence Brannon-Reese.

“We are aiming to rename the street. Just like it was done in Harlem, we are adding the name Malcolm X to it. This

honors one of our greatest heroes, acknowledges the deep cultural significance of the area, now being rebranded as Destination Crenshaw, while fully embracing the iconic symbol Crenshaw Boulevard has become” stated Shaka Satori, President, AfricanAmerican Legacy Network.

Increase awareness about who Malcolm X really was, his global legacy, current tools such as social media, recent economic revitalization and a changing political climate has prompted the group to move forward with the effort.

Michael Khalfani, Torrence Brannon-Reese and Thelma Davis Martin. (Photo By Ricky Richardson)