Los Angeles News Observer 10.28.21

Rams Win Reunion Bowl

Chapelle Special Spurs Netflix Walkout; ‘Trans Lives Matter’

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Volume 36 Number 50

Serving Los Angeles County for Over 36 Years

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

Black Leaders Slam Newsom for Vetoing Civil Rights Bill Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Supporters of a bill that would have increased diversity among civil service employees at all levels across California state government are blasting Gov. Newsom for vetoing the legislation.

Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) introduced the legislation, which would have required all state boards and commissions to have at least one member from an underrepresented community. Called the “Upward Mobility” bill, supporters say the legislation would have also opened up pathways to Blacks and other minorities for promotions, higher salaries and recruitment for state government jobs.

According to Holden, there is documented evidence that some state agencies -- the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), for example – have passed over Black and other minorities for promotions.

For Black Californians, Assembly Bill (AB) 105, was particularly critical and historic, supporters say.

“We were asking for more diversity in the HR department of our state, which is the largest employer in California,” said Betty Williams, a well-known activist in Sacramento.

Williams, who is also a member of the African American Empowerment Community Council (AACEC), a coalition of Black leaders across the state, said she was especially taken aback by Newsom’s decision. Governor Newsom was aware of how important AB 105 was to the AACEC, she explained, and they had urged him to sign it.

“Governor Newsom wins 83 % of the African American vote in the recall election, and he vetoes major civil rights legislation in the state right after, is disappointing,” she added.

Currently in California, nearly 64 % of all state government employees -- including senior management positions -- are held by Whites, according to data from CalHR. Whites make up only 34 % of the state’s overall population of about 40 million people.

Supporters of the bill also explain that, for the first time in the history of the United States, there would have been a law that required state agencies to break down

and record the numbers of Black Americans employed in government who are direct descendants of enslaved people.

“I am very disappointed. Look at section six of the bill. We worked with the bill’s author to include language in AB 105 that would have disaggregated the Black or African American category and created a specific way for gathering information on Black folks who descended from U.S. Slavery and who experienced Jim Crow in the Deep

South and elsewhere,” said Chris Lodgson, a Sacramentobased community organizer for the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) and the American Redress Coalition of California (ARCC).

Lodgson and both organizations he represents have been at the forefront of the political effort in California to study the history of slavery and Anti-Black discrimination Continued on page A2

(Shutterstock Photo)

California Warns Businesses,

Landlords Using Felonies and COVID to Discriminate Edward Henderson California Black Media The California state government has been reminding businesses across the state that it is illegal to discriminate against job applicants because of they have committed felonies or misdemeanors in the past. Authorities in Sacramento have also taken steps to make sure businesses do not use COVID-related restrictions to deny entry to customers they do not want based on race or other factors.

So far, the state has sent more than 500 notices to businesses informing them that they have violated protections put in place to protect people seeking work.

“The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) announced a new effort to identify and correct violations of the Fair Chance Act, a pioneering state law that seeks to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal histories,” a statement the DFEH released last week reads.

The Fair Chance act, which took effect on January 1, 2018, was written to increase access to employment for Californians with criminal histories in an effort to reduce recidivism, among other goals. Employers with five or more employees are prohibited from asking a job candidate about conviction history during the hiring process or when advertising a vacancy.

The DFEH says it is implementing new technologies to conduct mass searches of online job applications that include unlawful statements. For example, some businesses explicitly state in hiring advertisements that they would not consider applicants with criminal records.

“Using technology to proactively find violations of the state’s anti-discrimination laws is a powerful strategy for our department to protect Californians’ civil rights,” said DFEH Director Kevin Kish. “DFEH is committed to preventing employment discrimination through innovative enforcement actions and by providing clear guidance to employers.” DFEH also released a toolkit to aid employers in adhering to the Fair Chance Act guidelines. The toolkit includes sample forms and guides that employers can use to follow required procedures; a suggested statement that employers can add to job advertisements and applications to let applicants know that they will consider individuals with criminal histories; answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Fair Chance Act and an informational video that explains the Fair Chance Act. In addition, DFEH plans to release an interactive training and an online app in 2022.

The DFEH also released guidelines for businesses that will be implementing COVID-19 related entry restrictions to protect against discrimination based on race, sex,

religious background and nationality.

While businesses have been encouraged to stay vigilant with mask mandates and vaccination verification for entry, the DFEH says it has also found it necessary to preemptively address refusal of entry that could be racially motivated masked as a COVID precaution.

“As Californians navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing has provided guidance to protect civil rights and mitigate risk of COVID-19 transmission in employment, housing, healthcare, and, in our guidance released today, businesses open to the public,” said Kish. “We can and must uphold civil rights while simultaneously disrupting the spread of COVID-19.”

DFEH encourages individuals to report job advertisements in violation of the Fair Chance Act or other instances of discrimination.

DFEH is also encouraging the public to report housing ads that include discriminatory language that exclude certain racial groups, immigrants, people with felonies, applicants with Section 8 or HUD vouchers; etc.

Visit the DFEH website to file complaints.

Moderna Covid Vaccine is Safe for Children Ages 6 to 12

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Company officials have announced that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine generated a robust immune response and was generally well-tolerated in children aged six to 11 years. The pharmaceutical giant plans to submit its findings later this week to federal regulators. Moderna reported that its two-dose vaccine generated virus-neutralizing antibodies in children, and safety was comparable to what was previously seen in clinical trials of adolescents and adults. “We are encouraged by the immunogenicity and safety profile of mRNA-1273 in children aged 6 to under 12 years and are pleased that the study met its primary immunogenicity endpoints,” Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said in a statement. “We look forward to filing with regulators globally and remain committed to doing our part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic with a vaccine for adults and children of all ages.” A panel of FDA advisers expects to determine on Tuesday whether to authorize Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid

vaccine for children aged five to 11. The Moderna vaccine has been authorized for adults over 18, and the company recently won approval for a third dose – or booster shot – in some Americans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration remains undecided on Moderna’s vaccine for those aged 12 through 17, with the doses reportedly resulting in cases of heart inflammation in young adults in Sweden. Moderna officials claimed that most of the side effects in the trial for kids were mild or moderate in severity, with fatigue, headache, fever, and injection site pain the most common. Approximately 4,753 individuals participated in the trial, and the company provided each with 50 microgram doses, or half the strength used in the primary vaccine series for adults. The 50-microgram dose also received authorization for use as a booster shot. “These results demonstrate strong immune response in this cohort of children one month after the second dose and met the co-primary immunogenicity endpoints for 6 to less than 12 years olds,” Moderna officials noted.

Moderna says its Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective in kids (Photo: Oasisamuel)

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Thursday, October 28, 2021

Judge Rules Certain California Prison Guards Must be Vaccinated BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) – A judge in California ruled Friday that state prison guards who work in and around facilities’ health care settings must be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Kern County Superior Court Judge Bernard Barmann’s ruling does not extend to all state prison employees, including guards who work in other settings.

The state Department of Public Health in August had ordered the guards, as well as other prison and jail employees who work in correctional health care settings, to get vaccinated.

The day before the deadline for shots last week, Barmann paused the state’s order for the guards, though not the other employees, as he considered arguments from the California Correctional Peace Officers Association against a vaccine mandate.

But the judge ultimately rejected the union’s arguments on Friday and denied them a preliminary injunction against the mandate, according to online court documents. The union can still appeal his decision. The Sacramento Bee first reported Barmann’s ruling on Friday.

“This is an unfortunate situation. We’re all dealing with this global pandemic which has gripped the planet for more than a year and a half now,” Barmann said, according to the newspaper’s report. “And the state of California is taking steps to address it, and unfortunately in the nature of such circumstances, something has to give.”

In a separate case, a federal judge last month ordered the state to mandate vaccines for all prison employees and incarcerated people who work outside facilities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the correctional officers’ union are fighting the federal order.

Officials are trying to avoid an outbreak like the one that killed 28 inmates and a correctional officer at San Quentin State Prison last year.

As of Friday, 241 incarcerated people and 46 employees across the state prison system have died from COVID-19, according to data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Sacramento Bee reports that 60% of state prison employees had been vaccinated by Oct. 7.

Town Pays $50K to Black Man for Racial Bias Stop CHESTER, Vt. (AP) – Officials in a Vermont town apologized and agreed to pay $50,000 to a Black motorist who was stopped by a police officer because of his race.

The Chester selectboard posted the apology to Obadiah Jacobs on the town’s website. The document was signed Oct. 1.

“The Town of Chester sincerely apologizes to Mr. Jacobs recognizing that no arrest or other action was take as a result of the traffic stop and that no basis was found during the stop to believe that Mr. Jacobs was engaged in illegal activity,” the statement said.

The apology and payment followed a finding earlier this year by the Vermont Human Rights Commission that there were reasonable grounds to believe the town discriminated against Jacobs on the basis of race and skin color.

The town and Jacobs went through a mediation process last month that wrapped up with the signing of the apology, Jacobs’ attorney Thomas Bixby said Thursday.

“We understand that officers have a job to do and it’s a very dangerous job and we respect that,” said Bixby.

“However, you can’t just pull somebody over based on the color of their skin. And so Obadiah stood up and he fought back.”

The investigation by the Vermont Human Rights Commission found earlier this year that Jacobs was stopped by a white Chester police officer on May 10, 2019, after another department issued an advisory about someone matching Jacobs’ description who had displayed a gun during what was described as a road rage incident several days previously.

The investigation found that Chester Police Sgt. William Frank followed Jacobs after spotting him at a convenience store and thought he matched the description of the person involved in the road rage incident. Jacobs pulled over and stopped on his own.

In ordering Jacobs out of the car, Frank displayed his firearm, searched Jacobs and his vehicle. No weapon was found. Jacobs was later released.

Chester Town Manager Julie Hance said in an email Thursday that while she does not condone actions taken by town police officers, she does support them.

She said police are called upon to make decisions in seconds.

“They know that any decision they make could potentially be called into question at any time, yet they make those decisions because they have to,” she said.

“They do not have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight at that moment.”

In addition to the apology and payment, the town agreed to review and update its police policies and procedures, including the possible establishment of a citizen’s advisory committee to help guide the community and its police department in “improving accessibility, communications, accountability, public awareness, transparency and best practices.”

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Los Angeles News Observer

World & Nation

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Some Experts Say Lawmakers Should Abolish RICO Act “When there is public pressure to prosecute high profile individuals or groups; federal, state, and local politicians have traditionally used their law enforcement agencies to score political points,” said Attorney Chris Parker of Hendry & Parker in Dunedin, Florida. “It would be naïve to believe that RICO’s significant breadth has not been utilized as an instrument to advance political agendas, and minority and other disfavored groups often bear the brunt of heavy-handed prosecutions.”

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Just two percent of federal criminal cases ever see the inside of a trial courtroom.

And, according to a Pew Research Center-funded study, at least 90 percent of federal defendants enter guilty pleas.

The primary reason: The RICO statute.

When used, the RICO statute can frighten the bravest of defendants into submitting to a federal plea deal.

The Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Practicing Act, more commonly known as RICO, can lead to up to 20 years being added to a sentence following conviction — up to a sentence of life behind bars. And because the statute is so broad, defense attorneys find themselves boxed in with little chance of success.

“In my career as a special agent, I handled a couple of RICO cases that were ultimately disposed of in other less draconian ways,” said Texas-based Attorney Joseph Gutheinz.

The former federal agent noted that RICO laws are designed to scare the public from engaging in a wide variety of conduct, from protesting in front of abortion clinics to participating in organized crime.

While lawmakers introduced and passed the RICO statute in 1970 primarily as a tool to deter organized crime, African Americans have predominately suffered under that law.

Prosecutors have used the tool in drug trafficking trials where the property and assets of defendants are automatically seized.

That seizure often makes it difficult for individuals to raise bail and pay for a defense.

U.S. Attorneys now use RICO to secure guilty pleas or verdicts in non-drug and non-mafia-related trials.

The government used RICO in successfully prosecuting singer R. Kelly, and now are using the tool to prosecute billionaire Peter Nygard for alleged sex crimes.

While lawmakers introduced and passed the RICO statute in 1970 primarily as a tool to deter organized crime, African Americans have predominately suffered under that law. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Prosecutors have not named co-conspirators in either case, making the use of RICO at least suspicious.

Because of that, legal experts have raised objections to what they see as government overreach.

“The federal government often picks and chooses which statutes it wants to enforce, and history has shown us that enforcement decisions are heavily influenced by the political agenda of the sitting President and the U.S. Attorney General,” remarked Attorney Chris Parker of Hendry & Parker in Dunedin, Florida.

“Historically speaking, the Office of the U.S. Attorney General has not exactly been even-handed when it comes to its decision to investigate and prosecute minority groups,” Parker asserted.

“When there is public pressure to prosecute high profile individuals or groups; federal, state, and local politicians have traditionally used their law enforcement agencies to score political points.”

He continued: “It would be naïve to believe that RICO’s significant breadth has not been utilized as an instrument to advance political agendas, and minority and other disfavored groups often bear the brunt of heavy-handed prosecutions.”

In contrast, Wendy Patrick, a career trial attorney in

California, suggested various reasons criminal investigations and prosecutions focus on specific individuals and not others.

While every case is different, even when investigators do not believe someone acted alone or is solely responsible, Patrick said there’s often more evidence, and a more significant number of witnesses lined up to testify about individuals who played a central role in criminal wrongdoing as opposed to those who enabled or facilitated criminal conduct behind the scenes.

“Sometimes, just like in some of the popular Hollywood crime dramas, bit players who are guilty by association are more useful as witnesses than defendants in the quest to catch the big fish. Once the ringleader is toppled, so too is the criminal enterprise,” Patrick insisted.

“In complex cases of drug or sex trafficking, even when a suspect is named and charged, the investigation usually continues behind the scenes,” she continued.

“It is not unusual to see additional suspects charged down the line as new evidence is uncovered along the way, both in the courtroom and within the court of public opinion – as concerned citizens on ‘public patrol’ share information and tips. But remember that as much as we would love to know all the details, crime-fighting often

continues under the radar to preserve the integrity of ongoing investigations.”

Many have insisted that RICO represents the worst the criminal justice system has to offer because of the arbitrary wielding of the government’s power to impose criminal sanctions.

“This RICO Act was designed to remove a structure of people, who were terrorizing individuals, communities, and businesses that refused to adhere to their mandates of drugs and extortion,” stated Andrew Wyatt, a crisis manager, and CEO of the Purpose P.R. Firm in Alabama.

“This [law] was given birth almost 51 years ago because crime families like the Italian-American Mafia, The JewishAmerican Mafia and the Russian-American Mafia was wreaking terror on American soil,” Wyatt noted.

“Today, those powerful ‘gatekeepers’ within the entertainment arena and political arena are using this RICO Act as a weapon of mass destruction to destroy those individuals who are trying to own the rights to their entertainment body of works and those billionaires, who are trying to develop stem cells to defeat the addiction that these trillion-dollar pharmaceutical companies are serving up.”

Wyatt continued: “This RICO Act should never be used has a punishment to destroy an individual, who deems, not to be a slave to a system.”

Recalling his role as a Special Agent in the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Gutheinz said his agency was primarily involved with the laws about contractors bribing or extorting officials involved in road construction contracts or colluding to offer targeted bids for contract work.

He said those cases have many requirements to prove and apply only to certain crimes like bribery, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering.

“They also require two separate felonies be committed over ten years. The federal government has a select number of assistant United States Attorneys who focus on prosecuting these cases and trying to imprison citizens for 20 years or life, depending on the offense or imposing huge fines,” Gutheinz said.

“I had serious concerns about this law as both a retired Special Agent and now as a criminal defense attorney. But first, the laws are used as a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel,” he declared.

“That is, the punishments are often disproportionately too severe for the crimes committed or that can be proved up. Second, proving these cases is very labor-intensive and takes away from other cases that are just important or more so.

“Finally, RICO laws have been weaponized to go after groups and individuals who may be in disfavor by the party in power. Any law that can be used as a tool to further one side’s agenda against another is too dangerous a law to keep on the books.”

News Observer Black Leaders Slam Newsom Los Angeles

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for Vetoing Civil Rights Bill Continued from page A1

and seek reparation for Black descendants of enslaved people.

“Right now, the category of ‘Black or African American,’ means – and this is from the legal definition the state uses – anybody with origin in the Black racial groups of Africa. That doesn’t specifically describe me -- whose family comes from slavery in the American South. That definition makes Black descendants of enslaved people invisible in the data. This bill would have changed that.”

Like Lodgson and Williams, other Black leaders in the state say they were surprised and let down by the governor’s decision.

“Please stop coming into our house asking for bread pudding and then when you get it, you don’t speak to us, or speak to our concerns, when you don’t need us anymore,” said Cynthia Adams, an education and civil rights advocate in Oakland. “This has to stop.”

Adams said government should not just include people who have the right skills set.

AB 105 defined the term “board member or commissioner from an underrepresented community” as an individual who self-identifies as Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Military veterans with a disability were also included in the definition.

Lodgson says, although the governor vetoed the AB 105, he is still “encouraged” because both the State Senate Assembly and Senate passed the legislation with “solid” two-third majorities.

There was also widespread support among Californians, he says.

“The governor’s veto message encouraged the bill’s author to work with his team to work through some of the issues during the budget process in January 2022,” said Lodgson. “So, he opened the door for the things in the bill that we are specifically concerned about to possibly be added as early as the first few months of 2022.”

Multi-Million Dollar Investment in Grassroots Organizing

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“It should level the playing field and reflect, as well as protect, diversity. This is achieved by recruiting and promoting qualified people who look like the racial, ethnic and cultural makeup of people in the state.”

Newsom said he “returned” AB 105 without his signature, because the bill may have had “unintended consequences.”

“While the goals of AB 105 are laudable, elements of the bill conflict with existing constitutional requirements, labor agreements, and current data collection efforts,” the governor said in statement after vetoing the bill.

“Furthermore, as AB 105 would cost tens of millions of dollars, these one-time and significant ongoing costs should be considered through the annual state budget process.”

Responding to the governor, supporters say funding for the bill would have come out of the $42 billion dollar state budget surplus, so cost is not a factor. Lodgson also pointed out that the Office of Legislative Counsel reviewed the bill and found no legal or administrative conflicts.

“Organizing has to go deeper than getting out the vote on the eve of an election cycle,” said Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. (Courtesy Photo)

NNPA Newswire American Bridge 21st Century Foundation announced the launch of BridgeTogether, a new c(3) and c(4) fund established to support year-round local grassroots organizing. Conceived by American Bridge 21st Century Co-Chair Gov. Deval Patrick, BridgeTogether will invest in local community groups that are doing critical work to build and sustain a lasting grassroots infrastructure in their states and regions – beginning with Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.

“Organizing has to go deeper than getting out the vote on the eve of an election cycle,” said Governor Deval Patrick.

“It has to be about forming relationships of trust and support year-round and about listening to and learning from local communities. Civic engagement is the foundation for lasting change and real political power. I want donors who support progressive politics to value and invest in that.”

“Our research has made it clear: women are key to winning elections, and they are exhausted after four years of Donald Trump and a global pandemic. And, we know Democrats wouldn’t have won in 2020 without numerous grassroots organizations led by women and people of color.

Grassroots outreach and community building is only more important than last year—not less—and it’s needed now,”

said American Bridge 21st Century President Jessica Floyd.

“Whether it’s people who don’t have voting booths in their neighborhoods or those who have never had someone knock on their door, BridgeTogether will invest in grassroots organizations that organize and mobilize their communities to ensure that people from every corner of America are represented.”

The first group of organizations to receive grants will include: • Vote Riders, which Howard University Professor Carol Anderson called “[an organization that] makes the difference in whether thousands of people get to vote or are disenfranchised” • 1K Women Strong, who contacted nearly 40,000 households through canvassing and phone banking in Georgia for the 2020 election • Fair Count, a group founded by Stacey Abrams, which ensures that historically overlooked communities are counted accurately in the U.S. Census • Unity in the Community, who recently helped thousands of people in South Philadelphia on Election Day by registering people to vote, giving rides to the polls, educating the community on candidates, and much more.

• VetsForward, a voting advocacy group based in Arizona that equips and mobilizes veterans to defend the ideals of our democracy.

Entertainment

Thursday, October 28, 2021

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Chapelle Special Spurs Netflix Walkout; ‘Trans Lives Matter’

By ALEX VEIGA and LYNN ELBER Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Netflix employees who walked out Wednesday in protest of Dave Chappelle's special and its anti-transgender comments were joined by allies who chanted “Trans lives matter,” getting pushback from counterprotesters who also showed up.

A pre-noon rally at a Netflix office-studio complex drew about 100 people, most on the side of an estimated 30 workers at the streaming giant that joined in afterward.

Some were willing to identify themselves as Netflix employees, but all declined to provide their names.

Joey Soloway, creator of the groundbreaking Emmywinning comedy “Transparent,” was among the speakers at the rally.

Chappelle's decision to share “his outrage as comedic humiliation in front of thousands of people, and then

broadcasting it to hundreds of millions of people is infinitely amplified gender violence,” they said.

“I want trans representation on the Netflix board, this (expletive) week,” the writer-director said.

Ashlee Marie Preston, an activist and the event's organizer, addressed the rally and spoke to The Associated Press afterward. She said that calling out Chappelle for his remarks wasn't enough.

“It was important to shift the focus to the people that sign the checks, because Dave Chappelle doesn't sign checks, Netflix does,” Preston said. “If we have companies like Netflix who aren't listening to their employees, who are forcing their employees to participate in their own oppression, that's unacceptable.”

“We're here to keep people accountable. We're not going anywhere,” she said, adding that efforts are underway to start a dialogue with Netflix executives.

There were a few moments of shoving and pushing among the competing demonstrators, but the conflict was mostly limited to a war of words.

Leia Figueroa, a student from Los Angeles, doesn't work at Netflix but said she wanted to back the walkout.

While the streaming service offers positive fare for the LGBTQ community, she said, it's having it both ways by also offering a show like Chappelle's that includes disparaging comments about trans women.

If Netflix wants to be “an apolitical platform then they should be that,” Figueroa said. “But they're saying things like `Black lives matter' and `We don't stand for transphobia.' If you say things like that, then you have to be vetting all of your content to reflect your values.”

As she spoke, a protestor shouted, “We like jokes.”

“I like funny jokes, and transphobia is not a joke,” Figueroa replied.

Belissa Cohen, a former journalist, said she was on hand to “support Netflix's decision not to pull” the special.

“We want to show that there isn't unanimous support about transgender ideology when it comes to Netflix viewers,” Cohen said.

She was among about a dozen people who carried placards reading “Free speech is a right” and “Truth is not transphobic.” Opposite them were those carrying signs that included “Black Trans Lives Matter” and “Transphobia is not Funny.”

Elliot Page, who stars in Netflix's “The Umbrella Academy” and is transgender, tweeted that he stands with the trans, nonbinary and people of color working at Netflix who are “fighting for more and better trans stories and a more inclusive workplace.”

Team Trans(asterisk), which identifies itself as supporting “trans people working at Netflix trying to build a better world for our community,” posted what it called a

list of “asks” being made of Netflix by trans and nonbinary workers and allies at the company.

They are calling on the company to “repair” its relationships with staff and the audience with changes involving the hiring of trans executives and increased spending on trans and nonbinary creators and projects.

“Harm reduction” is another demand, which according to the list includes acknowledgment of what it called Netflix's “responsibility for this harm from transphobic content, and in particular harm to the Black trans community.”

It also called for disclaimers to flag content that includes “transphobic language, misogyny, homophobia” and hate speech.

In a statement, the media watchdog group GLAAD said it salutes the Netflix's employees, allies and LGBTQ and Black advocates “calling for accountability and change within Netflix and in the entertainment industry as a whole.”

The employees who walked out uniformly referred reporters to the GLAAD statement.

Netflix ran into a buzz-saw of criticism not only

with the special but in how internal memos responded to employees' concerns, including co-CEO Ted Sarandos' assertion that “content on screen doesn't directly translate to real-world harm.”

Sarandos also wrote that Netflix doesn't allow titles that are “designed to incite hate or violence, and we don't believe `The Closer' crosses that line.”

In interviews Tuesday, Sarandos said he failed to recognize that “a group of our employees was really hurting,” as he told The Wall Street Journal, and that his comment about the effect of TV on viewers was an oversimplification.

Terra Field, who identifies herself on Twitter as a senior software engineer at Netflix and as trans, posted tweets critical of Chappelle's special immediately after it aired and the comments were widely shared.

In her posts, Field said the comic was being criticized not because his remarks are offensive but for the harm they do to the trans community, especially Black women. Field included a list of trans and nonbinary men and women of color who she said had been killed, adding in each case that the victim “is not offended.”

New this week:

Kaepernick, Sheeran and ‘Star Trek’ Spin-off

By The Associated Press Here's a collection curated by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists of what's arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES – “Army of Thieves,'' coming to Netflix on Friday, is set in a world where there are zombies but it's (asterisk) not(asterisk) a zombie movie. This prequel to Zack Snyder's “Army of the Dead'' invites viewers to join a new Europe-trotting heist. The safecracker Dieter (played by Matthias Schweighofer, who also directed) is just a smalltime bank teller who is recruited by “Game of Thrones'' alum Nathalie Emmanuel to pull off a series of robberies across the continent.

– If you missed Lin-Manuel Miranda's joyous musical “In the Heights'' in theaters earlier this summer (most people did) or during its limited time on HBO Max, worry not because the Jon M. Chu-directed adaptation is coming back to the streaming service on Thursday. AP's Jocelyn Noveck wrote in her review at the time that, “What shines are the inventive and joyous musical numbers _ like `96,000,' in that swimming pool, in which everyone imagines how they'd spend lottery winnings. Or `Carnaval del Barrio,' in which Daniela urges friends to celebrate amid a blackout.'' And star Anthony Ramos, Noveck wrote, “eases into leading-man duties with warmth, humor and charm.''

– A new documentary tells the story of Pulitzer Prizewinning photographer Nick Ut, the man who captured the horrors of the Vietnam War with a single black-and-white photo of a 9-year-old girl in 1972. Ut was only 21 at the time he took the “Napalm Girl'' photo and after the fall of Saigon was transferred to the Los Angeles bureau of The Associated Press, where he would take many thousands of photographs _ covering everything from the riots to celebrity trials _ before his retirement in 2017 (after 51 years). Ut gets the chance to tell his own story in “From Hell to Hollywood,'' available on VOD starting Oct. 26.

– AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr MUSIC – Ed Sheeran always equals something interesting.

The fourth full-length album from the singer-songwriter – titled “(equals)'' (and pronounced Equals) _ is due Friday and he has a lot to cover, including his marriage, fatherhood and loss. “I see it as my coming-of-age record,'' he said in a statement. The 14-track album includes the hits “Bad Habits'' and “Shivers.'' In a kind gesture, Sheeran recently took to Instagram to ask his fans to buy or stream

Elton John's new album and help the Rocket Man displace him atop the charts. “Who doesn't wanna be knocked off by Elton?'' he asked.

– The War on Drugs are back this Friday after four years with the 10-track “I Don't Live Here Anymore.'' The title song is a shimmering, `80s-influenced grand affair: “Is life just dying in slow motion/Or getting stronger every day?'' sings the band's frontman and guitarist, Adam Granduciel.

But there's versatility, too: The first single, “Living Proof,'' finds the band vulnerable and restrained. The album is described as “an uncommon rock album about one of our most common but daunting processes – resilience in the face of despair.''

– The weather's getting colder and the holidays are right around the corner. That can mean only one thing: Pentatonix with a new Christmas album. It's only sort of true this time. “Evergreen,'' the Grammy-winning a cappella group's sixth holiday album, out Friday, is timed for winter but the two songs revealed so far aren't especially Christmas-y: Jule Styne's “It's Been a Long, Long Time'' and Stevie Wonder's “I Just Called To Say I Love You.'' Perhaps they've run out of traditional songs, but they're sure to add their vocal magic to anything Christmas-adjacent. _ AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy TELEVISION – It's a wild ride for the young alien outcasts who swipe a starship in the Paramount+ animated series “Star Trek: Prodigy,'' debuting Thursday with a hour-long episode on the streaming service. The novice adventurers are off to a rocky start with the vessel they've commandeered and their

impromptu journey, but an introduction to Starfleet and its ideals is in their future. There's adult supervision in the form of a holographic Kathryn Janeway (voiced by _ who else? _ Kate Mulgrew), who tells the ragtag bunch: “I've seen my share of wayward crews and I can tell you this: You've got potential.'' The cast includes Brett Gray, Ella Purnell and Rylee Alazraqui.

– Colin Kaepernick and TV and moviemaker Ava DuVernay are the co-creators of Netflix's “Colin in Black and White,'' a six-episode, half-hour series inspired by the Black activist and former NFL quarterback's teen years.

Jaden Michael plays Kaepernick, adopted by white parents in a white community. Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Offerman co-star, with Kaepernick serving as the presentday narrator. In a statement, he said he hopes to inspire youth facing racism and other burdens to overcome them and see that they too could say, “`I've worked through

them, and I was able to be successful and come out the other end, keeping my dignity and my identity intact.'''

The series debuts Friday.

– How about classic chills with a modern vibe for Halloween? BYUtv is offering a contemporary version of “The Canterville Ghost,'' Oscar Wilde's short, comedylaced tale. The four-part series stars Anthony Head (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,'' “Ted Lasso'') as Sir Simon de Canterville _ or, more accurately, as Sir Simon's ghost, who's long rattled around his former English country estate. But there's an annoying new intruder: a U.S. tech billionaire who's bought the place. James Lance (“Ted Lasso'') plays the tech baron, with Carolyn Catz (“Doc Martin'') as his wife. The series debuts 9 p.m. EDT Sunday on the channel and on BYUtv's free streaming service.

– AP Television Writer Lynn Elber

A4

Features

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Justice Department Announces New Initiative to Combat Redlining NNPA Newswire WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced the launch of the department’s new Combatting Redlining Initiative today. Redlining is an illegal practice in which lenders avoid providing services to individuals living in communities of color because of the race or national origin of the people who live in those communities.

The new Initiative represents the department’s most aggressive and coordinated enforcement effort to address redlining, which is prohibited by the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. “Lending discrimination runs counter to fundamental promises of our economic system,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

“When people are denied credit simply because of their race or national origin, their ability to share in our nation’s prosperity is all but eliminated. Today, we are committing ourselves to addressing modern-day redlining by making far more robust use of our fair lending authorities. We will spare no resource to ensure that federal fair lending laws are vigorously enforced and that financial institutions provide equal opportunity for every American to obtain credit.”

“Enforcement of our fair lending laws is critical to ensure that banks and lenders are providing communities of color equal access to lending opportunities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“Equal and fair access to mortgage lending opportunities is the cornerstone on which families and communities can build wealth in our country.

“We know well that redlining is not a problem from a bygone era but a practice that remains pervasive in the lending industry today. Our new Initiative should send a strong message to banks and lenders that we will hold them accountable as we work to combat discriminatory race and national origin-based lending practices.”

Redlining, a practice institutionalized by the federal government during the New Deal era and implemented then and now by private lenders, has had a lasting negative impact.

For American families, homeownership remains the principal means of building wealth, and the deprivation of investment in and access to mortgage lending services for communities of color have contributed to families of color persistently lagging behind in homeownership rates and net worth compared to white families.

The gap in homeownership rates between white and Black families is larger today than it was in 1960, before the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

This Initiative, which will be led by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, will build on the longstanding work by the division that seeks to make mortgage credit and homeownership accessible to all Americans on the same terms, regardless of race or national origin and regardless of the neighborhood where they live.

The Initiative will: • Utilize U.S. Attorneys’ Offices as force multipliers to ensure that fair lending enforcement is informed by local

expertise on housing markets and the credit needs of local communities of color.

• Expand the department’s analyses of potential redlining to both depository and non-depository institutions. Non-depository lenders are not traditional banks and do not provide typical banking services, but engage in mortgage lending and now make the majority of mortgages in this country.

• Strengthen our partnership with financial regulatory agencies to ensure the identification and referrals of fair lending violations to the Department of Justice.

• Increase coordination with State Attorneys General on potential fair lending violations.

Trustmark National Bank Settlement In addition to the Initiative announcement, the Justice Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced an agreement to resolve allegations that Trustmark National Bank engaged in lending discrimination by redlining predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Memphis, Tennessee.

The parties’ proposed consent order was filed today in conjunction with a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

The complaint alleges that Trustmark National Bank violated the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit

Opportunity Act, which prohibit financial institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin in their mortgage lending services.

The complaint also alleges that Trustmark National Bank violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which prohibits offering or providing to a consumer any financial product or service not in conformity with federal consumer financial law.

Specifically, the complaint alleges that, from 2014 to 2018, Trustmark engaged in unlawful redlining in Memphis by avoiding predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods because of the race, color, and national origin of the people living in, or seeking credit for properties in, those neighborhoods.

The complaint also alleges that Trustmark’s branches were concentrated in majority-white neighborhoods, that the bank’s loan officers did not serve the credit needs of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, that Trustmark’s outreach and marketing avoided those neighborhoods, and that Trustmark’s internal fair-lending policies and procedures were inadequate to ensure that the bank provided equal access to credit to communities of color.

The department opened its investigation after one of Trustmark’s regulators, the OCC, referred the matter.

Trustmark has fully cooperated in this investigation and amicably resolved the allegations.

“Trustmark purposely excluded and discriminated against Black and Hispanic communities,” said Director Rohit Chopra of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

“The federal government will be working to rid the market of racist business practices, including those by discriminatory algorithms.”

“Home ownership is the foundation of economic success for most American families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr. for the Western District of Tennessee.

“Fair lending practices required by federal law — and the enforcement of those laws — ensure a better future for all Americans. Our office believes that enforcement actions of this type are essential to fair lending system that benefits everyone, and we will continue to prioritize these cases.”

“The OCC has had a long history of strong partnership with the Justice Department’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division, referring potential fair lending violations and sharing our extensive examiner, economist and legal findings, as we did in the Trustmark matter,” said Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu. “Today’s announcement is important because it signifies the unified and unmitigated focus that each of our agencies has placed on the enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. “Our collective efforts are critical to addressing the discriminatory lending practices that create and reinforce racial inequity in the financial system.”

Under the proposed consent order: Trustmark will invest $3.85 million in a loan subsidy fund to increase credit opportunities for current and future residents of predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Memphis area; dedicate at least four mortgage loan officers or community lending specialists to these neighborhoods; and open a loan production office in a majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Memphis.

Trustmark will devote $400,000 to developing community partnerships to provide services to residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Memphis that increase access to residential mortgage credit.

Trustmark will devote at least $200,000 per year to advertising, outreach, consumer financial education and credit repair initiatives in and around Memphis.

Trustmark will pay a total civil money penalty of $5 million to the OCC and CFPB. Trustmark already has established a Fair Lending Oversight Committee and designated a Community Lending Manager who will oversee these efforts and work in close consultation with the bank’s leadership.

In August 2021, the department announced a redlining settlement with Cadence Bank. Under the settlement, Cadence will invest over $5.5 million to increase credit opportunities for residents of majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Houston.

Individuals may report lending discrimination by calling the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-833-591-0291, or submitting a report online.

More Black Californians Taking COVID Shot as U.S. Reviews Vaccines for Younger Kids Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media Black Californians have joined Black Americans around the country in closing the COVID-19 vaccine equity gap.

As of Oct. 11, Black Californians were 4.2% of Californians that have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, up from 2.7% in February, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). 5.7% of the state’s population of nearly 40 million people are Black.

“Through our investments in targeted outreach and robust community-based partnerships, our work continues to reach the

hardest-hit communities. Vaccines are how we end this pandemic – I encourage all eligible Californians to visit MyTurn.ca.gov to schedule an appointment for their first dose or find a booster shot to keep themselves and their community healthy,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vaccine equity gap is narrowing across the United States as about 11% of the people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine are Black Americans, a group that makes up 12.4% of the U.S. population.

U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, spoke with California Black Media last week about the importance of equity in the nation’s pandemic response.

“The way we define success with the vaccination effort isn’t just how many people got vaccinated, but how equitably and

fairly we get the vaccine to people across our country,” Murthy said.

“We know that there are communities in our country that have been long underserved by the healthcare system and the victims of structural inequities and structural racism that have prevented them from getting the care that they need,” he continued.

Murthy spoke about some of the equity challenges leaders faced at the beginning of the pandemic. The approach the feds took to address some of those difficulties was similar to California’s strategy.

“Early on in the vaccination effort, we saw those disparities developing in the adult population with Black communities and Latino communities having lower vaccination rates than White communities,” Murthy said.

“But the good news is there has been a lot of effort over the last many months, which included a lot of outreach and partnerships with communities of color, with leaders and organizations in those communities, working hard to make sure we had mobile units out getting to communities to bring vaccines to where people are and getting vaccines directly to community health centers where we know a lot of folks get their care. All of these efforts together, along with making sure the vaccines are free and making sure as many doctors as possible have the vaccine in their offices, has helped us close a lot of that equity gap,” Murthy continued.

Even as vaccination booster shots are becoming more readily available around the country, the COVID-19 Delta variant remains a significant threat in the U.S. and around the world.

So, public health leaders are focused on expanding efforts get as many people as possible access to vaccinations and booster shots.

“California is leading the nation in vaccinations, with 52 million administered and 86 % of the eligible population having received at least one dose – today’s Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup recommendation on booster shots will help keep the momentum going as we enter the winter months,” Newsom said last week.

California, Oregon, Nevada and Washington state came together last year and created the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. The group, made up of scientists, medical professionals and public health experts, is charged with reviewing COVID-19 vaccine safety.

Last week, the workgroup recommended booster shots for vulnerable people and those who live or work in high-risk settings – if they have received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine prior.

“Recipients of the Moderna vaccine may receive a booster shot six months after completing their primary vaccination series, and recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may receive a booster shot two months after receiving their first dose,” the governor’s office said in a statement last week.

The workgroup also recommended a “mix-and-match” method, which means people who have received a Moderna vaccine can get a Johnson & Johnson booster shot and vice-versa.

Earlier this month, Newsom announced that California will be the first state in the nation to require children in middle school and high school to be vaccinated once COVID-19 vaccines for children are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA and the CDC will review data from Pfizer during the next two weeks to decide if COVID-19 vaccines are safe for even younger children, ages 5 through 11.

“Right now, what is happening is that the FDA is examining the data from Pfizer about clinical trials that concern kids 5-11 and they’re looking for two things: first is to understand if these vaccines work to protect our children from COVID and second, are they safe,” Murthy explained.

“Until they complete their review and make a decision on whether or not to offer the vaccine, we certainly won’t recommend them to the public or make a move to roll out vaccines. It’s all contingent upon the FDA’s review and the CDC’s recommendation,” according to Murthy.

Murthy also addressed the myth that young children are somehow immune to the effects of COVID-19.

“Even though kids do better than adults when it comes to COVID-19, it is not benign in children. We want to protect our children from the virus, and we also know that COVID has disrupted our kids’ lives in terms of making school difficult, interrupting youth sports, and making it hard to see friends and family members. So, getting our kids vaccinated is a big step

towards not only protecting their health but helping them get their lives back,” Murthy said.

Murthy stressed the importance of equity and said that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will continue to employ the same methods for children as they did for adults if the FDA and CDC approve vaccines for children in the 5-11 age range.

“We will bring the same commitment to vaccinating kids under 12. We are building on the great partnerships we have with community-based organizations and trusted leaders across the country. We are building on the access points that we’ve set up in the past and increasing those even further so there will be tens of thousands of places where people can get a vaccine for their children,” Murthy said.

California Black Media’s coverage of COVID-19 is supported by the California Health Care Foundation.

Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2021 179311 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: PICKWICK BOWL AND BANQUET at 921 W Riverside Dr., Burbank, Ca. 91506 Mailing Address: 1820 E Ray Rd. Suite A-110, Chandler, Az. 85225 County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): ASEC BOWLING LLC, CA, 1820 E Ray Rd. Suite A-110, Chandler, Az. 85225 The business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company SIGNED: KENDRA GIEFSKI, CFO The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 7/2021 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Aug 12, 2021 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: P. BARBER, Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Aug 12, 2026 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Aug 26, Sept 2, 9, 16, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2021 229852 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: LIMITLESS SKILLS TRAINING at 5552 S Corning Ave., Los Angeles, Ca. 90056 Mailing Same REGISTERED OWNERS(S): YESENIA ALICIA KNIGHT, 5552 S Corning Ave., Los Angeles, Ca. 90056 The business is conducted by: an Individual SIGNED: YESENIA ALICIA KNIGHT The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 10/2021 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: Oct 21, 2021 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: NICOLE THOMAS, Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on Oct 21, 2026 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Oct 28, Nov 4, 11, 18, 2021

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Features

Los Angeles News Observer A5

On the Ballot in Minneapolis is a Measure that Totally Changes Policing

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Attorney General Keith Ellison is All for It

Attorney General Keith Ellison is a proponent of overhauling the Minneapolis Police Department (Photo: Lorie Shaull / Wikimedia Commons)

More than 17 months after the murder of George Floyd by Police Officer Derek Chauvin, Minneapolis residents are headed to the polls to try and different form of policing.

Voters will go to the polls on November 2 to cast ballots on an initiative to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety.

The measure would amend the city’s charter, eliminate the police department, and put into place an agency that would provide a comprehensive public health approach to public safety.

The mayor and City Council would determine a commissioner and establish protocols for the department.

The most prominent supporter of the measure are groups like Yes 4 Minneapolis, a coalition of more than 100 organizations and businesses including the ACLU of Minnesota, Take Action MN, Showing Up For Racial Justice, and Reclaim The Block.

The organizations said public safety would improve by including law enforcement officers and mental health and substance abuse experts who would join cops on calls where needed.

The department would also employ violence interrupters in place of cops who usually handle potentially violent situations.

Organizers for Yes 4 Minneapolis have said the overall goal is to reduce police officers’ role in calls involving homeless individuals, mental health issues, and substance abuse.

“This amendment would create a Department of Public Safety combining public safety functions through a comprehensive public health approach to be determined by the Mayor and Council,” JaNaé Bates, a spokeswoman for Yes 4 Minneapolis, wrote in a statement.

“The department would be led by a commissioner nominated by the mayor and appointed by the Council.

The Police Department, and its chief, would be removed from the City Charter. The Public Safety Department could include police officers, but the minimum funding requirement would be eliminated.”

Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison, who successfully prosecuted Chauvin, have expressed support for the ballot measure.

However, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Gov. Tim Walz, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, all Democrats, have publicly opposed the measure.

Ellison told NBC News that the status quo in Minneapolis “is bad and problematic.”

“Do you want to let go of what you know is not great, but you know it? Or reach for something that’s uncertain because it’s in the future, and we haven’t done it yet? I’m saying: Let’s have some hope that we can figure this out together as a community. Let’s try something different,” Ellison stated.

The Attorney General pointed to police departments like Newark and Camden, New Jersey, which achieved similar changes to great success.

In his commentary, Ellison noted how the police department in Camden, where more than 90 percent of residents are Black or Hispanic, was disbanded in 2013 and rebuilt despite opposition from police unions and some residents.

“Those communities have said, ‘You know what, let’s reform,’” Ellison told the network. “But the thing about Newark is, Newark did its changes under a federal consent decree. So I’m saying to the people of Minneapolis, let’s not have the federal government make us reform. Let’s just choose it.”

The report noted that, in 2014, the Justice Department reached an agreement with Newark, the state’s largest city, to allow a federal monitor to watch over a police force that it found had repeatedly violated the rights of its citizens, especially Black people, who account for a majority of the population.

NBC News reported that Newark police officers did not fire a single shot in 2020 or issue any payouts to settle police brutality settlements. The murder rate has also dropped in Newark in recent years.

“The goal is to make long-term policies to reflect our values of safety, humanity, and dignity, not individual personalities or people,” Yes 4 Minneapolis officials wrote in a fact sheet.

“By voting Yes, you are voting for a funded, accountable, and expanded Department of Public Safety.

This means police are working with qualified professionals, like mental health responders and social workers, to make all our communities safer.”

Ribbon Cutting for HBCU National Center Set Because of the tight economics of interning in a federal office, particularly for Black college students, some have suggested that interns should be paid. Most internships in Congress went unpaid for several decades but after a great deal of lobbying in 2018 interns on Capitol Hill now earn at least $1,800 per month.

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor On November 11, the HBCU National Center will hold a ribbon cutting blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The center has been established by Jacqueline “Jackie” Lewis, who is also the Founder of WISH, LLC, which provides housing to interns in Washington, DC. The ceremony will feature Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) who is Chair of the Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Caucus in Congress.

Washington, D.C. is one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. to live in and has rents that can be north

of $2,000 per month. Internships on Capitol Hill are increasingly limited to those who are wealthy enough to afford to live in Washington and work for free.

Lewis has previously gained national recognition for her educational work as a federal appointee of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. She served on the President’s Intergovernmental Advisory Council on Education in both Administrations. Lewis, along with her late husband, Robert, created a way to provide safe affordable housing in Washington, DC after learning there were few properties available. They started buying vacant properties in Washington, D.C. that would house students at a price no more than back on their college campus.

Because of the tight economics of interning in a federal office, particularly for Black college students, some have suggested that interns should be paid. Most internships in Congress went unpaid for several decades but after a great deal of lobbying in 2018 interns on Capitol Hill now earn at least $1,800 per month.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and the host of the podcast BURKEFILE. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered.

She may be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Internships on Capitol Hill are increasingly limited to those who are wealthy enough to afford to live in Washington and work for free.

Reparations: How “Intentional” Gov’t Policy Denied Blacks Access to Wealth Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media When the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, the Black community owned less than 1% of the United States’ total wealth, the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans was told during its fourth meeting.

Mehrsa Baradaran, a professor at the University of California Irvine, School of Law, shared the statistics during the “Racism in Banking, Tax, and Labor” portion of the two-day meeting on Oct.13.

From her perspective, the power of wealth and personal income is still unequally distributed. And that inequality, in her view, has always been allowed, preserved and compounded by laws and government policy.

“More than 150 years later, that number has barely budged,” Baradaran told the Task Force, tracing the wealth gap from the period after the Civil War when President Lincoln granted formerly enslaved Blacks their freedom to the present day.

“The gap between average White wealth and Black wealth has actually increased over the last decades. Today, across every social-economic level, Black families have a fraction of the wealth that White families have,” she said.

Baradaran has written a range of entries and books about banking law, financial inclusion, inequality, and the racial wealth gap. Her scholarship includes the books “How the Other Half Banks” and “The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap,” both published by the Harvard University Press.

Baradaran has also published several articles on race and economics, including “Jim Crow Credit” in the Irvine Law Review, “Regulation by Hypothetical” in the Vanderbilt Law Review, and “How the Poor Got Cut Out of Banking” in the Emory Law Journal.

A 43-year-old immigrant born in Orumieh, Iran, Baradaran, testified that her work on the wealth gap in America was conducted from a “research angle” and she respectfully “submitted” her testimony “in that light,” she said.

In her research, Baradaran explained that she discovered an intentional system of financial oppression.

“This wealth chasm doesn’t abate with income or with education. In other words, this is a wealth gap that is pretty much tied to a history of exclusion and exploitation and not to be remedied by higher education and higher income,” Baradaran said.

According to a January 2020 report, the Public Policy Institute of California said African American and Latino families

make up 12% of those with incomes above the 90th percentile in the state, despite comprising 43% of all families in California.

In addition, PPIC reported that such disparities mirror the fact that African American and Latino adults are overrepresented in low-wage jobs and have higher unemployment rates, and African American adults are less likely to be in the labor force.

Many issues support these activities that range from disparities around education, local job opportunities, and incarceration to discrimination in the labor market, according to PPIC. “While California’s economy outperforms the nation’s, its level of income inequality exceeds that of all but five states,” the report stated.

“Without target policies, it will continue to grow,” Baradaran said of the wealth gap. “And I want to be clear of how this wealth gap will continue to grow. It was created, maintained, and perpetuated through public policy at the federal, state, and local levels. Black men and women have been shut out of most avenues of middle-class creations. Black homes, farms, and

savings were not given the full protection of the law. Especially as these properties were subjected to racial terrorism. The American middle-class was not created that way (to support Black communities).”

A June 2018 working paper from the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute written by economists familiar with moderate-to-weak Black wealth backs up Baradaran’s assessment.

Published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the authors of the report wrote that strategies to deny Blacks access to wealth started at the beginning of the Reconstruction era, picked up around the civil rights movement, and resurfaced around the financial crisis of the late 2000s.

Authored by Moritz Kuhn, Moritz Schularick, and Ulrike I. Steins, the “Income and Wealth Inequality in America, 19492016” explains a close analysis of racial inequality, pre-and postcivil rights eras.

The economists wrote that the median Black household has less than 11% of the wealth of the median White household, which is about $15,000 versus $140,000 in 2016 prices.

“The overall summary is bleak,” the report states. “The historical data also reveal that no progress has been made in reducing income and wealth inequalities between black and white households over the past 70 years.”

Baradaran recently participated in the virtual symposium, “Racism and the Economy: Focus on the Wealth Divide” hosted by 12 District Banks of the Federal Reserve System, which includes the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

There are some positives that are not typically included in discussions about the challenges Blacks have experience historically in efforts to obtain wealth, Baradaran said. Many African Americans, specifically in California, were able to subvert the systems that discriminated against them.

“Black institutions have been creative and innovative serving their communities in a hostile climate,” Baradaran said.

“I’ve written a book about the long history of entrepreneurship, self-help, and mutual uplift. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have provided stellar education and Black banks have supported Black businesses, churches, and families.”

California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, titled “The Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans,” created a nine-member commission to investigate inequity in education, labor, wealth, housing, tax, and environmental justice.

All of these areas were covered with expert testimony during the two-day meeting held on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13. The task force is charged with exploring California’s involvement in slavery, segregation, and the historic denial of Black citizens’ constitutional rights.

Fifty years after the federal Fair Housing Act eliminated racial discrimination in lending, the Black community continues to be denied mortgage loans at rates much higher than their White counterparts.

“Banks and corporations have engaged in lending and hiring practices that helped to solidify patterns of racial inequality,” Jacqueline Jones, a history professor from the University of Texas told the Task Force.

The Racism in Banking, Tax and Labor segment also featured testimonies by Williams Spriggs (former chair of the Department of Economics at Howard University. Spriggs now serves as chief economist to the AFL-CIO), Thomas Craemer (public policy professor at the University of Connecticut), and Lawrence Lucas (U.S. Department of Agriculture Coalition of Minority Employees).

The Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans will conduct its fifth and final meeting of 2021 on Dec. 6 and Dec.7.

Sports

A6

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Rams Win “Reunion Bowl”

Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, right, intercepts a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

exchanged pleasantries with coach Sean McVay, who slapped his former quarterback’s helmet after their hug. ‘’I didn’t think about it until after, but there’s a lot of guys I never saw after the trade,’’ Goff said. ‘’Being able to see them and say hello and catch up for two minutes was good. It was healthy.

And then once the game started, it was very as usual. It really felt like any other game.’’

That was bad news for the struggling Lions and good news for the Rams, who made a series oof mistakes.

The Rams led 25-19 when Goff drove the Lions to the Los Angeles 12 while converting four third downs. But Ramsey came up with his latest game-changing play while Goff was being hit

by Aaron Donald. ‘’Those two guys are the best at their position for a reason, and made a great play on us,’’ Goff said.

The Lions fell to 0-7 on the season and Goff still hasn’t won a NFL start without McVay as his head coach, to 0-14. McVay is 42-0 when the Rams lead at the half.

Cooper Kupp the league’s leading receiver 10 catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams, including the goahead score with 13:59 left. Van Jefferson also caught a scoring pass from Stafford, whose first TD pass to Kupp was the 300th of his NFL career. Robert Woods had six receptions for 70 yards.

McVay summed up the game. “It was a good win the defense came through at the end. We still have some things to work on.”

RAM NOTES: Earlier in the week the Rams traded Linebacker Kenny Young to the Denver Broncos for a 224 sixth round pick. Young was third on the team with 39 tackles.

UCLA defensive back Jay Shaw (1) intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for Oregon wide receiver Devon Williams (2) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Earl Heath ContributingSports Writer UCLA got off to a high-flying start at the Rose Bowl but could hang on as they fell to Oregon 34-31 in PAC-12 action.

After jumping out to a 14-0 lead it appeared the team was in takeover mode.

They took the opening drive and marched right down the field. When things did calm down and the Ducks had outscored the home team 27-3 during the second and third quarters.

Now the home team was at the wrong end of a 34-17 lead.

Trailing by three with just under four minutes left on the clock the Bruins (5-3, 3-2 PAC-12) had the Rose Bowl rocking and rolling after a Jay Shaw intercepted Ducks QB Anthony Brown for the second one of the fourth quarter.

Dorian Thompson–Robinson got a first down on a 4th and 7 to keep the drive alive. He then went out with an arm injury and in came Ethan Barbers who moved the chains with a 4th down completion to Kyle Phillips.

The freshman QB appeared to be driving the team to a tying field goal or winning TD but he threw an INT to CJ James to end the threat with 48 seconds remaining.

Just think they didn’t wave the flag. They were thirty plus yards from making a game changer.

“I’ve known this group for a long time and they’re an unbelievably a resilient bunch,” said Coach Chip Kelly. “People think the game is over but our players fight until the end.”

The Brittain Brown had 47 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

DTR went 22 of 41 passing for 220 yards. He also scored

on a two -yard run. He also rushed for 61 yards.

He had completions to seven different receivers.

Phillips led the way with 8 catches for 73 yards including a 17 yarder.

Greg Dulcich had 4 for 51 yards.

On the defensive side Jordan Genmark Heath led the Bruins in tackles with 8 and one interception.

“I was fortunate enough to be in a position to take it away,” said Genmark Heath. “That all starts with the rush up front our disguises and the play-call from up top. It the production of our defense and I’m happy I was the person to do that.”

Ale Kaho and Bo Calvert added six tackles apiece.

Kayvon Thibodeaux had a season high nine tackles for the DUCKS with 4-1/2 for loss including 2 sacks. The South Los Angeles native and Oaks Christian grad was all over the field.

“I was able to make the plays that came to me. It was not my best but a good game so far,” said Thibodeaux. “We still have some climbing to do.”

Brown completed 29 of 39 passes for 396 yards and was sacked once.

Travis Dye set an NCAA record by rushing for 4 touchdowns on 4 carries.

During the game Nicholas Barr-Mira kicked a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter that appeared to be good, but was ruled wide left. When asked was he looking for an apology from the PAC12 it Kelly said, “I’m not into that.”

He was again asked later what did he see on the replay? You ask Nick,” Kelly said. “Nick still thinks it was good but it was ruled differently.”

Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal (5) makes one of his nine tackles vs Purdue. (Courtesy Photo)

Sam Hartman of Wake Forest threw for a career-high 458 yards (23-of-29) and tying a school-record with five passing scores, he also rushed for 22 yards and one touchdown. (Photo: AP Photo)

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer It was a big anticipation of the two quarterbacks playing against their former teams. Jared Goff a former Ram and Mathew Stafford who spent some twelve years with the Lions.

They would meet at So-Fi Stadium and for a while Goff and the Lions had the upper edge as they were ahead in the third period 19-16 in the third.

Goff didn’t need a homecoming game to remind him it’s much easier to win when in LA. And Matthew Stafford is liking where he is being surrounded so much talent He completed 28 of 34 for 334 yards and three touchdowns against his former team, the Rams’ 28-19 victory.

Goff connected on 22 0f 36 for 268 yards one touchdown and two interceptions. One INT was by the Rams Jalen Ramsey

in the endzone with just under five minutes left to put the game away.

The pick was a present on Ramsey’s birthday.

Stafford and Goff both had high emotions in the first game since they switched uniforms in a blockbuster trade last winter.

Their postgame reunions with former teammates and coaches were uniformly warm, especially for the Rams’ (6-1) narrow win. ‘’Got a lot of great friends, got a lot of people that I care about that are on that team or from that city, and just glad to have this one over with,” said Stafford. “It was good to see them, I just haven’t seen those guys in awhile. I talk to them you know and all that kind of stuff, but its good to see their face. I spent a lot of time with a lot of those people over there and have some really good relationships.

Afterward, Goff chatted with his former teammates and

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Bruins Rally Falls Short by a Pick

Wake’s Hartman, Badgers Chenal Earn Walter Camp Award

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Sam Hartman of Wake Forest and Leo Chenal of Wisconsin were this week’s Walter Camp National Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.

Hartman accounted for six touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing) as 16th-ranked Wake Forest defeated Army, 70-56.

The sophomore from Charlotte, NC (Oceanside Collegiate) South Carolina - threw for a career-high 458 yards (23-of-29) and

tying a school-record with five passing scores, he also rushed for 22 yards and one touchdown as the Demon Deacons remained unbeaten (7-0).He is the first Wake Forest player to earn Walter Camp National Player of Week honorees since walk-on Nick Anderson did in October of 2020.

Leo Chenal had nine tackles (8 solo),as he stayed in the Perdue backfield all-day collecting 5.5 TFL’s, and a career-best 3.5 quarterback sacks as Wisconsin defeated 25th-ranked Purdue,

30-13, on the road.

The junior linebacker is the seventh Wisconsin player to earn Walter Camp National Player of Week honors, and the first since former Badger linebacker T.J. Edwards (Nov. 29, 2017).

The Grantsburg, WI. (Grantsburg High) native also was named Big Ten honors.

Walter Camp is known as “The Father of American football,” he first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp

– a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation (www.waltercamp.org, @WalterCampFF) –is a New Haven, Connecticut-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

Sports

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Los Angeles News Observer A7

Chargers Weekly-

Ekeler catches a pass against the Browns. (Photo: Jevone Moore Pictures)

Chris Rumph II runs down to cover a Cleveland Browns kickoff at SoFi. (Photo Credit Chargers Pillaofff)

Austin Ekler and Chris Rumph Share Their Time with Los Angeles Communities

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com Yet another consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic was the opportunity for local children across the country to participate in community events that professional sports teams typically host in the communities. Within the past couple of weeks, the Los Angeles Chargers have partnered with a couple of Southern California organizations to unite children and athletes. In each situation, the Chargers have arranged an opportunity for the local youth in Los Angeles to interact with their players and see them in an off-the-field setting.

Over 200 students from Bethune Middle School attended a pep rally hosted by Sleep Number and GENYOUth. Not only would each of these students receive a flag football kit with pillows from Sleep Number. Los Angeles Chargers 5th year running back and Western State Colorado graduate Austin Ekeler spoke to these children about the importance of proper sleep, being healthy, and remaining active, and how this impacts their overall health.

This would not be the first, or only, time Ekeler has chosen to interact with children and fans. Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he frequently hosted videos and at-home workouts on Twitch to engage with fans, helping them stay committed to physical fitness. He continues to post workouts to his social media accounts to motivate others to make physical activity a priority in their lives.

“Part of my NFL career and progression, I’ve understood what football means to the community and what we mean to the community. The most important thing is when it comes to the

youth is making sure you’re active. Make sure you’re doing things.

You won’t always understand what you’re learning from the things that you’re doing, but when you’re doing things, you are learning social skills, you’re learning out to work as a team. For all the youth out there, I would say go do things. Get involved with your friends, clubs, music, whether it’s hanging out in the park, playing basketball; just go out and do things.” This was Ekeler’s message to those kids present and those who were not present about being active.

Ekeler added, when talking about his upbringing growing up on a farm, “it was a lot of work, but it was a lot of sports as well. Learning how to work hard when came to building a fence.

Then learning how to work as a team when it came to athletics and working with different types of people. It wasn’t always fun when I think about it, but it was the skills I was learning, and the experiences I was going through that helped to shape who I was things.” This was Ekeler’s message to those kids present and those who were not present about being active.

“It takes people to help take care of people!” This was the most profound statement from Austin when talking about his personal growth and desire to help others! When explaining his new purpose he explained, “People are interested in people who have come a long way and had a long journey, I feel like I’ve done that in a really short period, and people are intrigued. So, I have a specific opportunity to show people how I’ve done it, what works for me, and this what’s it been.”

Later that same day, the Los Angeles Chargers in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles and Pet Space,

hosted First Down for First Books. At this event, 40 students from a local Boys and Girls Club attended the Annenberg Pet Space in Playa Vista. They were all provided an opportunity to meet Charger’s rookie Edge Rusher Chris Rumph II and engage with dog trainers and the pets available for adoption. After meeting Rump, the students from the Boys and Girls Club were able to rotate between multiple stations, where they would practice their reading skills and work with animals at Pet Space to help them practice their social skills.

“I give back! God has blessed me with this opportunity and the only thing I can do in this position is share my joy and happiness. I’m out here with kids; I am a professional football player, but at the end of the day, I’m a human being just like them, and hopefully, I’ll be a role model for them to follow in my footsteps.” Chris Rumph II said in regards to sharing his time with the kids from the local boys and girls club. He later added, “Me taking an hour, or two hours, out of my day to make their day, for weeks or months is something they will remember for a lifetime.

That’s a gift for me! So, I’m just blessed with opportunity.”

“Part of the special platform in the NFL is for these players to express themselves and what’s important to them. These guys have certain mission statements that they’re a part of that are important to them. They have the platform to help those initiatives in a big way. The communities they come from, their families, I think it’s important for these players that they’re able to do that. You have such a small window of time as a player, but you can take advantage of it in a big way that can set you up for the rest of your life.” This is how Chargers’ head coach Brandon Staley responded

when asked if he encouraged players to participate in community events. He also added, “That’s one of the special things about the NFL.” Anatole France famously noted, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” I have found this to be true and often time where we think we’re bringing them joy; yet they are bringing us the same amount of joy. These events were similar yet different signs of the Chargers reaching out to their community and creating future fans. I think their involvement in the community is certainly a good thing and their presence can be felt in many ways. Kindly share your thoughts on the Chargers community initiatives and the impact they can have by reaching out to me on Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or shoot me an email at info@whatsgoodinsports.com. I encourage you to forward any suggestions on what topics, angles, or players on this Los Angeles Chargers team you would like to read about this season.

Lastly, 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. On our Podcast, we have passionate banter about everything NFL while addressing current NBA topics, in addition to discussing multiple issues in and around the world of sports. Thank you, as always, for spending time with me and Making Our Voice, Your Choice!

A8

Local

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Flu Shots/ Pfizer COVID Vaccinations (Photo: Ricky Richardson) Erica Freeman, Junior Project Manager-West Angeles Community Development Corporation, Dina AndrewsSenior Field Deputy, Office of City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Council distirct 8, and Dr. Belinda Allen, Executive Director-West Angeles Community Development Corporation. (Photo: Ricky Richardson)

Soulful Health Fair for the Community

By Ricky Richardson Contributing Writer (Los Angeles, Ca.)- Several hundred people came out on a overcast, cool day to attend the South Community Health Fair on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at the West Angeles Cathedral, 3600 Crenshaw Boulevard.

West Angeles Community Development Corporation teamed up with UCLA Philipinos for Community Health to bring heath services to the community from 11:00 to 3:00pm in the parking lot of West Angeles Cathedral.

October 23rd wasn’t loss on the organizers of the Health Fair. This day is observed nationally as Make a Difference Day. Volunteers performed deeds that uplifted the lives of individuals or actions that improved or for the betterment of their communities.

Attendees were lined up in advance of the opening of the Health Fair. The sun came out to provide for another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Throughout the day, attendees had opportunities to meet up with health care providers and receive FREE medical screenings-blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, A1c/ glucose. Eye and hearing exams as well as flu shots and Pfizer COVID vaccinations.

DJ REGG was on deck, providing a soulful soundtrack of old school classics as attendees swayed rhythmically from booth to booth picking up valuable resources.

This was an inter-active event with multiple health education workshops, chair yoga, engaging resource booths to promote holistic well-being and quality of life.

The resource booth provided housing resources, entry-level job opportunities, chair yoga classes and a dentistry demonstrations for children.

Erica Freeman, Junior Project Manager of West Angeles Community Development Corporation served as Mistress of Ceremony for a brief program. Several guest speakers offered welcoming remarks and thanked the sponsors and volunteers.

Speakers included Dina Andrews, Senior Field Deputy, Office of

Dulan’s Soul Food (Photo: Ricky Richardson)

Eye Exams (Photo: Ricky Richardson)

Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Council District 8; Jan Perry, Interim Executive Director Shelter Partnership Inc, and Executive Director Infrastructure Funding Alliance and Dr. Belinda Allen, Executive Director, West Angeles Community Development Corporation.

Dulan’s Soul Food team members provided participants with a delicious soul food lunch. Dulan’s Soul Food is well known in the community for its mouthwatering soul food, desserts, catering services, customer service and serving portions. You owe it to yourself, family, friends, and co-workers to plan a visit to your local Dulan’s Soul Food restaurant. Visit https://www. dulans-sfk.com The mission of the West Angeles Community Development Corporation is to increase social and economic justice, demonstrate compassion and alleviate poverty as tangible expressions of the Kingdom of God through the vehicle of community development.

The West Angeles Community Development Corporation (WACDC), Community Health Fair was founded in 2019 by former UCLA Philipinos for Community Health (PCH) Health Care Directors, Kyle Fontelera, Gianna Apoderado, and Jonathan Tongonan to replace a longstanding health fair held at Holy Family Parish in Artesia. In the year, the WACDC Community Health Fair was established, the needs and concerns of hundreds of service recipients in the Crenshaw District were addressed through their collaborative health fair.

UCLA Philipinos for Community Health (PCH) strives for improvement in the health of the community and for the creation of opportunities for the community to get involved, empowered in the care of their own health. PCH work with medical professionals, other health related UCLA organizations, and businesses to hold health fairs for the Los Angeles community, and PCH is currently included in two major health fairs. PCH also works in local communities, it also raises funds through various projects that will allow PCH to send medical supplies to the Philippines.