Los Angeles News Observer 12.23.21

Breakthrough Entertainer: ‘Snowfall’ Star Damson Idris

From the Staff of the Los Angeles News Observer

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News Observer Los Angeles

Volume 37 Number 6

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Utah State Defeats Oregon State 2413 in Inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl

Utah State quarterback Cooper Legas (5) is hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates after they won the LA Bowl 24-13 over Oregon State in Inglewood, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

So Cals Akili Arnold of OSU has athletic interception vs. Utah State. (Photo: Sara Medina)

Jimmy Kimmel, host of television show Jimmy Kimmel Live, performs with the Oregon State marching band before the LA Bowl NCAA college football game between Utah State and Oregon State in Inglewood, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer Cooper Legas came off the bench and completed 11 of 20 passes for 179 and two touchdowns as Utah State of the Mountain West Conference beat Pac-12’s Oregon State 24-13 in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

Devin Thomkins caught six passes for 115 yards and a TD that helped him claim the MVP award for the Aggies (11-3) The Aggies Calvin Tyler JR had a great day leading all rushers with 120 yards rushing on 26 carries and scoring a TD. Kimmel brought a sense of humor to college football this weekend with the the College Bowl game.

Right before the coin toss on the sideline Kimmel was asked how do you get a Bowl game named after you? His Response: “Never stop trying,” he said with a smile.

Earlier the Emmy Award winner, 54, hit the field with his clarinet and the Oregon State University marching band.

There was only one incident during the stay players got a chance to be guest on the show. They visited SoCal and Hollywood including Universal Studios.

“These are good distractions to have,” said OSU coach. “You realize there are some good distractions that are going to take place during a Bowl Game.”

The Beavers (7-5) rolled up 346 Yards of offense as BJ Baylor ran for 78 yards on 18 carries to lead the team in rushing.

OSU QB Chase Noland connected on 21 of 30 passes for 263 yards while connecting with nine different receivers on the day.

The Beavers were mistake prom with three turnovers and 13 penalties for 91 yards.

A bright spot was Akili Arnold who had an athletic interception in the endzone while falling to the ground.

“I was running my man,” said Arnold from Mission Viejo, “and we both looked back and I just grabbed the ball.”

“I never imagined that we’d be here, in front of a sold-out crowd — and I was right, it’s not even close to sold out,” Kimmel joked to the crowd, which was at less than half capacity, but still an energetic bunch. Although SoFi Stadium can hold 75,000, attendance about 29,896.

Coach Anderson is the only first year coach to have 10 wins as he lead the Aggies to the MVC title with a win over San Diego State in the title game.

Feds, State Take Steps to Ease Burden on Student Loans

Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Lillian Lewis earned multiple degrees from California State University Sacramento (also known as Sac State University).

Lewis said, before the pandemic began, paying down the high student loan debt she accrued to cover her tuition and living expenses while in school put a strain on her monthly budget.

Those arrears (“in the thousands”) with growing interest made it difficult for her to make ends meet.

But last month, Lewis and about 30,000 other American student loan borrowers across the United States received some unanticipated good news. The Biden administration announced a $2 billion relief program that expanded the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

“It took a huge load off my finances and will improve my credit, which was not bad anyway,” said Lewis, who works in social work and now lives in Las Vegas. “It was taking forever to pay off. Now, I don’t have to worry anymore.”

The PSLF wipes out student loan debt for borrowers who commit to public service careers or work full-time for public or nonprofit organizations.

The relief program launched about three months before the federal government lifts a freeze on student loan payments on Jan. 31, 2022. In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country, the feds paused monthly payments for Americans who owe student loans, stopped all collection activity, and applied a temporary zero-interest rate to all debt.

In California, there are thousands of African Americans like Lewis: saddled with huge balances stemming from loans they took to pay for tuition not covered by scholarships, living arrangements, textbooks, and other expenses.

In November, highlighting one borrower’s story, United States Education Secretary Miguel Cardona tweeted, “we are just getting started” to provide student debt relief for millions of Americans.

According to a report by California Student Loan and Debt Service Review Workgroup (CSLDSRW) -- established under the state’s Budget Act of 2020 -- and the National Center for Education Statistic (NCES), 84.9% of Blacks who earned bachelor’s degrees from 2015 to 2016 owed an average of $34,000 upon graduation.

CSLDSRW’s study also found that Californians of color default more on their student loans. Neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area with the largest percentages of Black and Latino residents had 19.9% of borrowers in delinquency and 15 % in default.

In Los Angeles, borrowers living in ZIP codes with high minority populations had double the amount of default rates than borrowers in ZIP codes that are predominantly White.

U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) told the media at an event hosted by the American Federations of Teachers earlier this year that she, too, had defaulted on her student loans.

Black women carry 20% more in student debt than White women, according to the American Association of University Women, an advocacy faction that fights for fair pay and economic opportunities for women.

“Like 85% of Black students, I had to borrow; and like so many of those students, I had also defaulted on those loans. We know that Black and Brown students are five times more likely to default for those loans than our White counterparts,” said Continued on page A2

Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley speaking about cancellation of student debt Dec 5, 2021. (Courtesy Photo)

Take One!

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Mural on University Campus Defaced by Vandals

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Washington University officials said a mural on campus that depicts prominent Black people was vandalized this weekend with racist symbols.

Four top university officials, including Chancellor Andrew Martin, sent a letter to students and staff Sunday about the vandalism.

“This is horrifying and distressing. We’re shocked and saddened by this hateful act on our campus,” they wrote in the letter.

University officials said there are cameras in the area near the mural that is painted on the wall of a pedestrian tunnel that connects several dorms to the rest of campus.

They said they hope investigators will be able to identify the people who defaced the mural.

Local artists painted the mural before the start of fall classes in 2020. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that several of the faces on the mural were painted white and stamped with the logo of a white supremacist group.

Indiana Bank Settles Housing Discrimination Lawsuit INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – An Indiana-based bank has agreed to direct more housing loans to majorityBlack neighborhoods in settling a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by a fair housing organization.

Evansville-based Old National Bank faced allegations in the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana’s October lawsuit that the bank engaged in housing discrimination against Blacks in Indianapolis in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The settlement agreement calls for Old National to originate more than $27 million in loans to qualified Black applicants and contribute more than $3 million to create programs to help Black home seekers secure mortgages and to invest in majority-Black neighborhoods, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.

Fair Housing Center executive director Any Nelson said the agreement will provide more mortgage opportunities, bank branches, neighborhood stabilization grants and fair lending education.

Old National denied any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement and said it will work toward strengthening underserved and low-income neighborhoods.

Under the terms of the settlement, Old National will invest a minimum of $1.1 million into a loan subsidy program which will provide borrowers with up to $10,000 to help cover down payments, mortgage insurance premiums and closing costs.

McDonald’s to Pay Black Store Owner $33.5M to End Bias Suit CLEVELAND (AP) – McDonald’s will pay $33.5 million to a former baseball player who owns multiple franchises to end a lawsuit he brought against the company accusing it of racial discrimination.

Herb Washington, who is Black, owned more than a dozen restaurants in Ohio and Pennsylvania when he filed a lawsuit in February that said the company has treated white owners more favorably and denied him the opportunity to buy restaurants in more affluent communities.

McDonald’s said in a statement Thursday that the amount it was paying Washington for 13 franchises was “no more than what we deem a fair price for the value of the restaurants,” Cleveland.com reported.

“While we were confident in the strength of our case, this resolution aligns with McDonald’s values and enables us to continue focusing on our commitments to the communities that we serve,” the company said, adding that “discrimination has no place at McDonald’s.”

Washington agreed to drop the lawsuit and to no longer be a franchisee as part of the settlement agreement.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Youngstown said McDonald’s sought to steer Washington toward stores located in poorer neighborhoods and that “Black owners average around $700,000 less in annual sales per store than white owners.”

The news outlet reached out to attorneys for Washington in Cleveland and New Orleans for comment.

Last week, the company announced it would spend $250 million over five years to recruit and support franchise owners from minority communities, the news outlet reported.

In September 2020, more than 50 Black former franchise owners sued the company with similar allegations. That suit said the Black owners were offered to buy stores in poor areas that had higher security and insurance costs and were denied things like rent assistance during renovations that they said white owners were given.

Washington is a former Michigan State University track star who played for parts of two seasons with the Oakland Athletics in the mid-1970s.

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Thursday, December 23, 2021

World & Nation Congress Passes Measure to Raise Debt Ceiling, Avoiding Government Default

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Congress has approved legislation to raise the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion, a move that preempts any threat of a federal default until at least 2023.

The federal government has never defaulted on debt payments.

One Republican and all Democrats in the House voted to approve the hike, which passed in the chamber by a 221-209 vote.

In the Senate, the measure passed strictly along party lines with a final vote tally of 50-49.

President Joe Biden expects to immediately sign the bill, which gained traction only after using a so-called special pathway that allowed for a simple majority vote.

Lawmakers had to use the special pathway before the middle of January, or it could have faced a filibuster and other hurdles that would have allowed Republicans to block the measure.

“The debt limit amount has been modified 98 times since 1945, including for increases and suspensions. It was necessary to modify it once again to maintain a healthy economy, as well as our country’s reputation as a trustworthy borrower,” Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green stated.

“At stake were the livelihoods of working families, who would have had to suffer drastically higher borrowing costs for financial obligations such as mortgages, student loans, credit card

bills, and car loans,” Congressman Green remarked.

“Now more than ever is the time to strengthen the American economy, not make decisions that will cripple it. Moreover, emerging technologies and geopolitical forces demand our nation’s stability and preparedness so we can overcome any challenges that may head our way.”

Using the special pathway to pass the debt ceiling bill also raised questions about creating exceptions to the filibuster to push through significant voting rights legislation and President Biden’s Build Back Better bill.

Grassroots leaders of the West Virginia Poor People’s Campaign marched in a picket line outside Joe Manchin’s office in Washington, D.C., demanding that their senator meet with them about his refusal to support Build Back Better and voting rights protections.

Sen. Manchin (D-WV) has refused any changes to the filibuster and effectively has blocked critical legislation that the President and most of Manchin’s constituents wish to see passage.

On Tuesday, December 14, the Poor People’s Campaign demanded answers from the senator.

“Everybody knows ours is one of the poorest states in the country. So, it’s a shame that the senior senator, a Democrat, cannot support his state and the people in his state,” said Stewart Acuff from Jefferson County, West Virginia.

The state leaders marched in a picket line outside the Hart

Building, the location of Sen. Manchin’s office. After several people spoke, police officers warned that their voices were too loud, so they continued with the silent picketing.

“We’re here today because we know that Sen. Manchin not only lied to West Virginians. He lied to the nation,” Bishop William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, explained.

“He not only lied to West Virginians. He lied to the nation,” Bishop Barber said. “And I’m using that word intentionally because it’s provable. And his inaction and his lies about scarcity – he’s saying he’s taking these positions because we don’t have enough – that’s a lie.”

The Bishop called Manchin’s action a “form of political violence against the 140 million poor and low-wealth people in this country and especially to people who have suffered during COVID, regardless of their color or their geography.”

“He has engaged in a form of political policy violence. As a result, people will stay sick, people will die, people will not be able to recover,” Bishop Barber continued.

“He also never asks these questions about scarcity when it comes to the military or corporate America. He’s never seen a corporate tax break he didn’t want to pass or a military budget he wouldn’t fund.”

Virginia Police Officer Who Shot Donovon Lynch Will Not Be Charged

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor A grand jury has ruled that a Virginia Beach Police Officer who shot Donovan Lynch in on March 26 will not face charges.

Lynch was shot to death by Virginia Beach Officer Solomon Simmons. Lynch is a cousin of musician and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams. Lynch’s death has been under investigation since his shooting.

Lynch’s father recently filed a $50 million lawsuit against Officer Simmons. Simmons is Black. The wrongful death suit is likely to be in court next year if it survives a motion to dismiss filed by the city of Virginia Beach.

Lynch was armed with a gun at the time of the shooting which occurred on a night of violent activity by other individuals at Virginia Beach’s oceanfront.

During a lengthy news conference on November 30, Virginia Beach prosecutors said Officer Simmons was justified in protecting himself after Lynch allegedly cocked his gun and pointed it towards a parking lot.

Officer Simmons’ body camera was turned off during the moments when he shot Lynch. Media reports reveal that there are conflicting witness statements regarding how Donovan Lynch was killed.

Lynch’s funeral earlier this year was attended by Rev. Dr. William Barber and many local politicians. His death re-ignited debate around the policy question of qualified immunity and how liable police officers should be for death and injury they may cause while on duty.

Over the last ten years there have been several deaths in police custody shootings that have gained national attention.

Most of them have involved video footage. They include the police shootings of Eric Garner, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Philando Castille and Walter Scott.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist and

Donovan Lynch’s death re-ignited debate around the policy question of qualified immunity and how liable police officers should be for death and injury they may cause while on duty.

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

White House Announces the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Globally, an estimated 25 million people are subjected to human trafficking and forced labor, which is responsible for an estimated $150 billion annually in illicit profits.

In a fact sheet released by the White House on Friday, December 3, administration officials said human trafficking and forced labor “erodes the safety and health of our communities and transportation networks, the security of our borders, the strength of our economy, and the rule of law.”

They said the Biden-Harris administration is committed to keeping the fight to end human trafficking at the forefront of America’s national security agenda by releasing the new National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.

“Human trafficking disproportionately impacts some of the most vulnerable and underserved members of our society,” the fact sheet noted.

The updated National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking responds to this predatory behavior by addressing the needs of underserved individuals, families, and communities.

As such, officials said it reflects the administration’s commitments to gender and racial equity by taking action against the systemic injustices that communities experience, including underserved populations.

“The anti-trafficking efforts outlined in the National Action Plan are directly linked to our broader efforts to address inequities for marginalized groups,” the administration officials stated further.

These communities often experience overlapping social and economic inequities, and individuals may suffer multiple forms of abuse.

As a result, individuals from these communities may be more vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking.

The fact sheet noted that the National Action Plan also reflects the administration’s commitment to workers’ rights and ending forced labor in global supply chains, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated due, in part, to job insecurity, supply chain disruptions, and exponential demand for essential medical supplies and services.

The National Action Plan also serves as an important component of advancing the administration’s priority of ensuring safe, orderly, and humane migration.

“As we continue to address the acute and long-term drivers of irregular migration, we must ensure our legal immigration pathways provide safe alternatives,” the White House stated.

“We must also reaffirm trust in the U.S. government’s commitment to protect individuals who have experienced human trafficking, including noncitizens.”

Administration officials said the National Action Plan retains a central focus on the foundational pillars of U.S. and global antitrafficking efforts – prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships.

It contains strategic prevention programs which are wide-ranging, from educating vulnerable populations and mitigating risk factors to seeking to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering U.S. markets.

It also serves to accomplish the following: • Enhance education and outreach efforts, including for at-risk populations.

• Enhance community-coordinated responses to human trafficking.

• Strengthen efforts to identify, prevent, and address human trafficking in global supply chains.

• Build capacity to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor.

• Address aspects of nonimmigrant visa programs that may facilitate the exploitation of visa applicants and visa holders.

Further, the plans protection encompasses the interventions, services, and supports needed to protect and assist victims of human trafficking.

The White House noted that protection starts with robust outreach and proactive identification efforts, and includes providing comprehensive victim services and applying victimcentered, trauma-informed strategies, including the following:

• Identify and engage with victims in a victimcentered, trauma-informed, and culturally competent manner.

• Support survivor-informed interventions, in which survivors of trafficking are essential partners and help to improve service delivery and inform victim assistance policy decisions.

• Seek to protect victims of human trafficking from incarceration, fines, or penalties for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being subjected to trafficking.

The White House said effectively combating human trafficking requires collaboration to complement and support the other pillars of prevention, protection, and prosecution. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

• Improve access to immigration benefits to help provide assistance to victims of human trafficking.

• Expand and improve assistance to victims of human trafficking encountered by law enforcement agencies.

• Seek financial remedies for victims of human trafficking.

• Increase access to social services for victims of human trafficking to increase short- and long-term stability.

They also outlined prosecuting perpetrators, which involves holding individuals and entities engaged in human trafficking accountable and dismantling human trafficking networks.

Prosecution also would: • Improve coordination among law enforcement to increase accountability for human trafficking.

• Build capacity of Federal, state, local, Tribal and territorial law enforcement to investigate and prosecute human trafficking and its illicit proceeds using a traumainformed, victim-centered approach.

• Enhance efforts to bring traffickers to justice by deploying a broad range of tools, including, where appropriate, financial sanctions, federal contracting suspension and debarment, and travel restrictions.

• Increase efforts to investigate and prosecute forced labor.

Finally, the White House said effectively combating human trafficking requires collaboration to complement and support the other pillars of prevention, protection, and prosecution.

In doing so, they would also accomplish the following: • Deepen our understanding of human trafficking networks that primarily impact or operate in the United States.

• Enhance information sharing to inform a strategic outcome.

• Strengthen Federal anti-trafficking efforts through external partnerships, including with the private sector, civil society organizations, and survivor input.

• Cooperate with allies, including trade partners, bilaterally and in regional and multilateral fora to address and combat human trafficking and forced labor.

• Continuously reevaluate the authorities and resources of the U.S. Government to combat human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is an evil practice that contradicts who we are as Americans and the rights we cherish. With this National Action Plan, we reaffirm our commitment to preventing and punishing human trafficking in all its forms and to addressing the social and economic conditions that can create greater vulnerabilities for marginalized groups,” said Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz SherwoodRandall.

“We recognize and express our gratitude to the community leaders, service providers, businesses, grassroots activists, and individuals with lived experience of human trafficking across the United States and around the world who continue to forge innovative anti-trafficking strategies and push various forms of government to improve their response to human trafficking.

“This includes addressing the ways in which policies and actions may have contributed to disparities that marginalize certain communities, jeopardized safe, orderly, and humane migration, or emboldened traffickers.

“This administration will continue to partner with a growing cadre of interagency, civil society, and international partners – to include those who have experienced human trafficking – to improve our collective efforts to comprehensively address human trafficking.”

Feds, State Take Steps to Ease Burden on Student Loans Continued from page A1

Pressley.

CSLDSRW’s reported that among all borrowers, Black women accrued more student debt, an average of $37,558, from their undergraduate studies than any other group.

According to EducationData.org, a website that addresses the rising cost of higher education, Black college graduates owe an average of $52,000 in student-loan debt – nearly $25,000 more than their White counterparts.

In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 424, the Private Student Loan Collection Reform Act, which places new documentation requirements on private student loan lenders before activating any collection activity. AB 424 becomes

law on July 1, 2022.

“We’re turning commitments into reality by ensuring that our students have more access to high-quality educational opportunities, creating a change of course for generations to come and bolstering California’s innovation economy,” said Gov. Newsom said when he signed the legislation.

“Californians have thrived at our world class universities for decades, but not everyone has had similar access – today that’s changing,” he continued. Everyone deserves a shot at the ‘California Dream” The U.S. Department of Education expects thousands more to benefit in the coming months from more federally funded

debt relief programs.

Over 45 million Americans have a total of $1.7 trillion worth of student loan debt. Progressive lawmakers have pushed Biden to wipe out all federally held debts up to $50,000 and they are making efforts to stop repayments of loans.

“89% of student borrowers say they aren’t financially ready to resume student loan payments & 27% will be spending at least a third of their income on payments when they resume,” tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “Student debt is dragging down our communities and economy@POTUS should #CancelStudentDebt.”

Tweet from Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) December 11, 2021.

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Entertainment

Los Angeles News Observer A3

Breakthrough Entertainer: ‘Snowfall’ star Damson Idris

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) –_ Damson Idris transformed from his real life British-speaking Nigerian persona into a canny drug kingpin character with a West Coast accent on FX’s popular crime drama “Snowfall.”

Idris made his presence felt as Franklin Saint, a young street-minded entrepreneur who was educated in an upper-class neighborhood, but determined to get into the drug game to take care of the people around him. Through the critically acclaimed show, his popularity has grown exponentially over the past four seasons.

Along with serving as a co-producer of season five due next year, Idris’ breakthrough role landed him other opportunities on other projects such as television shows “The Twilight Zone” and “Black Mirror” along with films including “Farming” and Netflix’s “Outside the Wire,” starring him with Anthony Mackie.

“It’s the foundation of my career,” Idris said of “Snowfall,” which was co-created by John Singleton, who died in 2019.

The series focuses on the genesis of how crack cocaine became a rampant epidemic in Los Angeles’ inner city neighborhoods in the 1980s.

“Sometimes, I talk as if I’m already 90 years old and I’ve seen my career,” he said. “It’s so weird. I think in 40, 50, 60 years, people will talk about and refer to (the series) and be like ‘Oh man, I remember when he did that and look what he’s doing now.’ I think that’s a remarkable thing. I love the show for that.”

For his career-defining work, Idris has been named among The Associated Press’ breakthrough entertainers of the year alongside Rachel Zegler, Simu Liu, Adrienne Warren, Rauw Alejandro and more.

The Nigerian actor grew up in Peckham, south London, but he didn’t know anything about the drug epidemic in the United States until he visited Los Angeles for the first time and saw Skid Row _ an impoverished area inhabited by the homeless. He

auditioned so well for the role that he said Singleton didn’t know he was from London until “way later in the process.”

Before Idris’ rise, he said Singleton gave him advice about humility _ a lesson that still sticks with him.

“Everyone you meet on the way up, you’re going to meet on the way down,” he said. “So just be nice to everyone. That’s something I’m learning and mastering today. I’m fortunate not

only to be the lead of the show, but also be a young producer.

That could come with a lot of ego and a big head. But if anything, I’m even nicer now to everyone. That’s something John taught me. He empowered people. That’s something I strive to do. I’m learning so much every day.”

In preparing for “Snowfall,” Idris said his upbringing in Peckham helped him relate to the plight of Black people’s struggle

in South Central Los Angeles.

“There are so many categories that correlate: From single fathers (and mothers), to poverty, to drugs to crime to police brutality to racism,” he said. “I definitely feel in the U.K. that there are similarities between Black British culture to African American culture. I feel like my upbringing assisted with me understanding and having empathy towards people of that lifestyle in South Central.”

For Idris, doing impersonations has been his calling card since he was a kid. His acting career unknowingly started when his family made him perform in front of them.

“You remember at the beginning of Eddie Murphy’s ‘Raw’ and Samuel Jackson says ‘That boy got talent’? That was literally my upbringing,” he recalled. “I didn’t know what acting was, but I was impersonating these people from Martin (Lawrence) in ‘Bad Boys’ to whatever since I was 5 years old.”

Idris, 30, is a part of a long line of British Black actors who have found success on American soil including Idris Elba, Daniel Kaluuya, David Oyelowo and John Boyega. He said acting is embedded at an early age for their culture by them going to the theater when “we’re babies.”

“I think when we see you guys on the screen, we are instantly locked in because we feel a connection,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that you guys don’t get the opportunity to see our stuff, too. Most of the time when we come here, Americans think ‘Oh, he’s all tea and crumpets.’ They think I live next door to the Queen. I don’t.

But that’s changing.”

In the future, Idris said he would love to someday portray Eddie Murphy or Sidney Poitier on screen and maybe a musician.

He said next year will be a pivotal moment for his career.

“My career could either skyrocket or I’m going back to Peckham,” he jokingly said. “In 2022, I’m really excited about playing a lot of real people from the past and producing.”

YE-AP Breakthrough Entertainers-Damson Idris -

Rapper Drakeo the Ruler Fatally Stabbed at a Los Angeles music festival he was to perform at LOS ANGELES (AP) – A West Coast rapper known as Drakeo the Ruler was fatally stabbed in an altercation at a Los Angeles music festival where he was scheduled to perform, leaving fans of the young musician heartbroken.

A publicist for the rapper, Scott Jawson, confirmed his death on Sunday to the New York Times and Rolling Stone. The artist’s real name was Darrell Caldwell.

Caldwell, 28, was assaulted Saturday night at the Once

Upon a Time in LA concert, which was expected to feature several artists, including Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and Ice Cube. Organizers called off the festival after the stabbing.

A fight broke out behind the main stage shortly after 8:30 p.m., leaving one man severely injured by a suspect wielding an edged weapon, the California Highway Patrol said in a bare bones news release that did not name Caldwell. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Fire Department also responded.

LAPD spokesman Officer Luis Garcia told the Los Angeles Times that no arrests had been made as of Sunday.

Music journalists and fans delighted in Caldwell’s unique sound and boundless creativity. His death highlighted the violent demise of other talented young Black musicians, including fellow LA rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2019 and the highly influential

Drakeo the Ruler was killed during an altercation backstage at a music festival in his hometown of Los Angeles. He was 28 years old.

LeVar Burton Joins Scripps National Spelling Bee as Host

By BEN NUCKOLS Associated Press LeVar Burton has been hired as host of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, giving the competition a celebrity headliner who’s also a longtime literacy advocate as Scripps takes over production of the bee telecast.

Burton, who played Geordi La Forge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation’’ and was the longtime host of the children’s educational program “Reading Rainbow,’’ told The Associated Press ahead of Thursday’s announcement by Scripps that he said yes immediately when approached about the hosting role. Burton comes from a family of educators and said the bee represents “the inspirational, aspirational ideal of education.’’

“I want to normalize the pursuit of knowledge in this culture. That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?’’ Burton said.

“Not just making stuff up and calling it a fact. Achievement through knowledge, scholarship, putting in the work to gain the reward.’’

Burton described the opportunity as one of many that have come his way since his unsuccessful public campaign to become the permanent host of “Jeopardy!’’ (He will also serve as grand marshal of the upcoming Rose Parade.) His bid to succeed the late Alex Trebek attracted plenty of goodwill online while the show’s producers were roundly criticized for their decision to hire Mike Richards, who stepped down shortly thereafter when his past insensitive comments were revealed.

The 64-year-old Burton described himself as an above-

average but hardly distinguished speller who’s as impressed by the bee winners as any other fan.

He cheered for this year’s champion, Zaila Avant-garde _ the first African American winner in the bee’s history _ and said the recent dominance of South Asian spellers should also be celebrated. Until this year, the bee had an Indian-American champion or co-champion every year since 2008.

“Zaila was a surprise, and a bit of an anomaly,’’ Burton said.

“I’m big for rooting for the underdog. As an underdog myself, I really identify.’’

Burton’s hire comes at a time of transition for the bee, which has undergone several major changes since executive director J. Michael Durnil took over early this year. Scripps announced this fall it has ended its 27-year partnership with ESPN, which brought the bee to millions of viewers and promoted it like a major sporting event.

The bee will air next year on the Scripps-owned networks ION and Bounce and will stream online. According to Cincinnati-based Scripps, those networks are each available in nearly 120 million U.S. households.

Burton’s exact duties as host are to be determined. Various ESPN hosts served as lead announcer for the bee over the years but were only heard on the telecast and had no interaction with the spellers during the competition. Watching the bee on TV is different by necessity from watching it in person because the TV hosts can share with the audience the correct spelling of a word before it’s spelled onstage and analyze its tricky components.

Burton said he expects to serve as a bridge between the kids and the audience and highlight their accomplishments.

“Helping to tell the stories of these kids, that’s something that I know I can bring to the proceedings,’’ he said.

Other familiar faces from the bee will return in their usual roles: pronouncers Jacques Bailly and Brian Sietsema and head judge Mary Brooks. And the bee will return to its usual venue, a convention center outside Washington, after the COVID-19 pandemic led to its cancellation last year and a mostly virtual format this year, with the in-person finals limited to a dozen spellers at an ESPN campus in Florida.

Scripps plans for the bee to be contested entirely in person during the week after Memorial Day, with more than 200 spellers participating _ “back as much to normal as possible,’’ Durnil said.

“Reading Rainbow’’ went off the air in 2009, which means the current generation of spellers _ kids compete through the eighth grade _ grew up without Burton celebrating the written word on public television. However, he has gained some younger fans who’ve discovered his work on “Star Trek’’ through streaming.

Burton’s name recognition, though, isn’t universal.

Told by the AP that Burton would be the host, Chaitra Thummala, the 2021 runner-up who hopes to compete again next year, was hardly star-struck.

“I think it’s great. I think it’s good to have the bee have some publicity. I think it’ll be fun,’’ said Chaitra, a seventh-grader from Frisco, Texas. “I don’t know him, I don’t know who he is at all, so I can’t say much on it.’’

Tupac Shakur in 1996. Both men were shot.

Snoop Dogg posted on social media condolences to Caldwell’s family and prayers to those affected by the tragedy.

“I’m praying for peace in hip hop,” he said.

Caldwell, who started releasing mixtapes in 2015 and this past February debuted his first album “The Truth Hurts,” has been called “the most original stylist on the West Coast” for his darkly comedic lyrics and deadpan delivery. His mixtape “Thank You for Using GTL” contains verses recorded at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.

He grew up listening to acts like Hot Boyz, Boosie, Webbie and Dipset, but said it was a battle rapper named Cocky who influenced him to rap.

“He was so smooth and calm while rapping, despite saying some of the craziest stuff,” he told Billboard earlier this year. “It showed me you didn’t have to yell or be loud to get your point across.”

Caldwell pioneered a type of rap called “nervous music,” with songs that were cryptic and dark, the Los Angeles Times wrote in 2018: “His cadences run counterclockwise to the drums, somehow both herky-jerky like a stickshift and swift and smooth like a luxury sports car it controls.”

Caldwell was released from jail in November 2020 after reaching a plea deal with LA County prosecutors who wanted to try him on conspiracy charges in the 2016 killing of a 24-yearold man. Previously he had been acquitted of felony murder and attempted murder charges in the man’s death.

The Once Upon a Time in LA Fest confirmed in an Instagram post that the event had been called off early, and did not give a reason.

The festival was organized by Live Nation, the Beverly Hills-based live events company that was behind last month’s Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas.

Ten people were killed and hundreds injured when a large crowd surged during a performance by the rapper Travis Scott.

An email message seeking comment from Live Nation on Sunday has not been returned.

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Features Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, December 23, 2021

First Anti-Critical Race Theory Complaint in Tennessee Targets Martin Luther King, Jr. Book Though “critical race theory” is a part of college level curriculum at law schools, the term has become a wide-ranging catch all in conservative circles. Many have loosely defined to mean any curriculum that includes efforts towards greater diversity and equity as well as discussions about how exclusion and bigotry has played a role in the shaping of American history and present-day events.

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor A group called Moms for Liberty has filed an 11-page complaint alleging that the book “Martin Luther King Jr and the March on Washington” is “anti-American.”

The complaint is the first to be filed under Tennessee’s new anti-critical race theory law. The new law specifically targeted a book about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement, calling it “anti-American.”

The group Moms for Liberty is in Williamson County, Tennessee. The complaint would forbid the book to be used by teachers at Williamson County Schools, a district south of Nashville, Tenn.

The Tennessee Department of Education refused the request.

The department declined to investigate the allegations because the lessons referenced were not taught during the 2020-21 academic school year.

“The relentless nature of how these divisive stories are taught, the lack of historical context and difference in perspective, and the manipulative pedagogy all work together to amplify and sow The state chapter of Moms for Liberty added a cash reward of $500 for those reporting violations. (Photo: feelings of resentment, shame of one’s skin color, and/or fear,” the complaint from Moms for Liberty read. iStockphoto / NNPA)

Moms for Liberty protested a photo of segregated water fountains and images showing Black children being blasted with water by firefighters during the civil rights movement.

Though “critical race theory” is a part of college level curriculum at law schools, the term has become a wide-ranging catch all in conservative circles. Many have loosely defined to mean any curriculum that includes efforts towards greater diversity and equity as well as discussions about how exclusion and bigotry has played a role in the shaping of American history and present-day events.

“Critical race theory” gained energy as an answer to the publication of the New York Times’ 1619 Project by journalist Nicole Hannah Jones. That project greatly centered the history of African Americans and the impact of slavery in American history, politics and culture.

On November 19 in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Department of Education made it easier for citizens to help enforce a law passed during the summer that restricts how teachers can discuss race with an online questionnaire to prompt investigations.

The state chapter of Moms for Liberty added a cash reward of $500 for those reporting violations.

President Biden Announces New Tactics to Defeat COVID

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent President Biden on Tuesday, December 21, announced new actions aimed at protecting Americans and helping communities and hospitals battle Omicron.

Among the actions are plans to distribute 500 million free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests beginning in January, which the White House called another attempt to double down on the spread of the new variant.

According to health officials, Omicron now accounts for about 75 percent of all cases.

The President’s announcement builds on the robust plan he announced earlier this month to get people maximum protection ahead of the winter and prepare for rising cases driven by the new variant.

“We know how to protect people from severe illness, we have the tools needed to do it, and thanks to the President’s Winter Plan, already 73 percent of adult Americans are fully vaccinated

– up less than 1 percent before the President took office – and we are getting about 1 million booster shots in arms each day,” The White House said in a Fact Sheet.

Vaccines are free and readily available at 90,000 convenient locations, and there’s clear guidance on masking and other measures that help slow the spread of COVID-19, officials stated.

Further, the administration said federal emergency medical teams are ready to respond to surges nationwide.

“Our vaccines are the most powerful tools we have – they work to protect people from serious illness and death, and boosters provide people optimal protection,” administration officials remarked.

The Fact Sheet continued: “While cases among vaccinated individuals will likely increase due to the more transmissible Omicron, evidence to date is that their cases will most likely be mild. In contrast, unvaccinated individuals are at high risk of getting COVID-19, getting severely ill, and even dying.

“[The President’s] actions will mitigate the impact unvaccinated individuals have on our health care system, while increasing access to free testing and getting more shots in arms to keep people safe and our schools and economy open.”

• Included in the President’s actions are: • Increased Support for Hospitals.

• Deploying Additional Medical Personnel.

• Mobilizing an Additional 1,000 Troops to Deploy to COVIDBurdened Hospitals.

• Deploying Federal Medical Personnel Available to States Immediately.

• Expanding Hospital Capacity.

• Activating FEMA Response Teams to Help States and Hospitals Add Capacity Now. • Providing Ongoing Support to States to Help Hospitals Create and License More Beds.

• Deploying Hundreds of Ambulances and Emergency Medical Teams to Transport Patients to Open Beds.

• Providing Critical Supplies.

• Pre-Positioning Critical Supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile.

• Deploying Ventilators to States.

• Robust Access to Free Testing.

• Standing up New Federal Testing Sites.

• Distributing Free, Rapid Tests to Americans.

• Utilizing the Defense Production Act to Further Accelerate Production.

• Expanding Capacity to Get Shots in Arms.

• Standing Up New Pop-Up Vaccination Clinics.

• Deploying Additional Vaccinators.

• Allowing Flexibility to Surge Pharmacy Teams.

• Continuing to Scale Pharmacy Capacity

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 21SMCP00664 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES 1720 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 Branch Name: WEST PETITION OF: RINA ESTHER DALY TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: RINA ESTHER DALY for a decree changing names as follows: Present name RINA ESTHER DALY aka RINA ESTHER MALLINGER aka RINA MALLINGER DALY aka RINA ADIGESS DALY Filed a petition with this court Proposed name RINA ESTHER DALY-GOODE THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at

the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Feb 25, 2022 Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept: K The address of the court is: Same as noted above.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER Date: November 23, 2021 Hon. Lawrence Cho JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Victoria Yonker DEPUTY PETITIONER: Rina Esther Daly 12713 Dewey Los Angeles, Ca. 90066 Phone: (310) 600-6639 In Pro Per LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Dec 23, 30, 2021, Jan 6, 13, 2022

Thursday, December 23, 2021

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Los Angeles News Observer A5

Profile: Rev. Amos Brown Brings Wisdom, Guidance to Cal’s Reparations Task Force Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media The Rev. Amos C. Brown is vice-chair and the senior member serving on the nine-member California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

Brown, 80, says he is “extremely pleased” with what the committee has accomplished after four meetings.

The task force held its fifth and final two-day meeting session of 2021 on Tuesday, Dec. 7 and Wednesday, Dec. 8. As written in Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, the group has until 2023 to present a set of recommendations to the state for consideration.

“The task force has been extremely focused and substantive.

We have some of the best minds – people who know the history, psychology, and sociology of the pressure Black folks in this country have felt,” Brown told California Black Media.

The task force was created after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 3121 into law in September 2020. California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber authored the bill while she served in the State Assembly representing the 79th District in San Diego.

The law calls for the state to set up a task force to study slavery, Jim Crow segregation and other injustices African Americans have faced historically in California and across the United States.

The group will then recommend appropriate ways to educate the Californians about reparations and propose ways to compensate descendants of enslaved people based on the task force’s findings.

The members of the task force come from diverse professional backgrounds. So far, the panel has heard testimony from a range of experts and witnesses, including descendants and representatives of people or families the government denied justice in the past; as well as historians, economists and academics.

“We’re about balance, inclusion, and stating the case precisely so that it doesn’t face paralysis of analysis or become just another study,” Brown said. “We have had too many studies of Black folks in the past. Now is the time to show us that we are serious about being one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

According to Brown, African Americans in his hometown of San Francisco, need to overcome decades of psychological damage imposed by racism, discrimination and unfair government policies, including some urban renewal programs that hurt Black families more than they helped.

On Nov. 22, Brown joined, actor Danny Glover, other local Famers Market in the Fillmore district in San Francisco (Photo Caption: Shutter Stock)

Dr. Rev. Amos Brown (Courtesy Photo)

Black leaders, and members of the San Francisco Reparations Committee, to ask the city to donate the historic Fillmore Heritage Center to the African American community.

Many have referred to the Fillmore neighborhood as the

“Harlem of the West” in the 1940s, Brown said. By 1945, over 30,000 Black Americans lived in the historic area.

Today, around 6% of San Francisco’s population of nearly 875,000 people are Black or mixed-race African Americans.

“San Francisco City leaders have a moral obligation to right the racist wrongs that destroyed that culture and that community and allow the Fillmore Heritage Center to live up to the full meaning of its name,” Glover said in a statement.

In 2007, the center became a venue for Jazz and Blues, reminiscent of the culture and Fillmore night clubs that attracted musical greats Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and others.

Last May, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint a 15-member African American Reparations Advisory Committee.

“That building, that land, represents the disenfranchisement, redlining of Black folks in this town, and the redevelopment agency not being fair,” Brown said. “The Fillmore, 12 blocks, itself was the hub of Black entertainment, Black culture, Black businesses and Black life. You just can’t wipe out our history or our heritage.”

Born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1941, Brown says he was delivering JET magazine when the popular weekly published graphic photos of 14-year-old Emmett Till murdered by a White racist mob in August1955 in Money, Mississippi, a rural area known for the cultivation of cotton. The lynching of Till ignited the civil rights movement.

“Emmett and I were the same age,” Brown said. “When I picked up a copy (of Jet magazine), I saw that mutilated head. It horrified me. I remember it vividly.”

Brown first arrived in the city of San Francisco in 1956 with Medgar Evers, who was a state official of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter in Mississippi.

Evers brought the 15-year-old Brown to the Bay Area to attend the NAACP’s national convention where he first met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A year before, Brown had started the NAACP’s first youth council.

Brown later studied under King at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

In 1961, he was arrested with King at a lunch counter sit-in and joined the Freedom Riders, a group of activists who protested segregation in the South.

“In 1960, before I joined the Freedom Riders, the NAACP

Malia Cohen Elected BOE Chair – for the 2nd Time Tanu Henry California Black Media Last week, the California Board of Equalization (BOE)

Malia Cohen Board of Equalization (Courtesy Photo)

elected Malia M. Cohen its chair. She is the first African American woman to serve on the Board.

It is the second time in four years, Cohen -- a San Francisco native -- has been elected chair of the five-member body responsible for representing taxpayer interests and “equalizing” county-by-county tax assessments across the state.

BOE is comprised of four members that are elected to represent a region of the state, and California’s Controller Betty Yee. “It is a privilege and honor to serve again as Chair of the California State Board of Equalization,” she said. “In these unprecedented times, with the daily challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we must remember that our first duty is to the People of California who deserve our continuing dedication, resolve, and service.”

Besides, providing “direct representation” to Californians on their property assessments and other tax-related issues, the BOE directs an estimated $75 billion in annual revenue to the state’s schools and local governments in all 58 counties.

Before her election to the BOE in 2018, Cohen served as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. From 2011 to 2019, she was a member of the board, representing the city’s second district, which includes neighborhoods along the southeastern shore of the Bay like Hunters Point-Bayview, the Central Waterfront and Sunnydale.

On the BOE, Cohen represents the Second District. It spans 23 coastal counties from Santa Barbara County (about 95 miles north of Los Angeles) to Del Norte County on the Oregon border.

As chair of the BOE, Cohen says remaining accessible is her priority.

“For Californians who have struggled during these most difficult times, please know that my door is always open to you,” she says.

Cohen has announced she is a candidate for State Controller in the 2022 election.

Youth Council actually organized the first ‘sit-down protest’ in Oklahoma City in August 1958,” Brown said “The first sit-down movement did not start in Greensboro, North Carolina. It began in Oklahoma City, Wichita (Kansas), and Louisville (Kentucky) under the auspices of the Youth Council of the NAACP.” Brown earned a Doctor of Theology from United Theological Seminary in Ohio and a Master of Theology from Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania.

Brown has been the Pastor of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco since 1976. From 1996 to 2001, he served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is president of the

San Francisco Branch of the NAACP and a member of the organization’s national board of directors.

Brown said he is monitoring reparation legislation and conversations across the country to see if proposals being put forward are in sync with California’s efforts.

“What I want to accomplish is: Black people being and knowing that something was done about their pain -- that can be done in the state of California,” Brown said. “Things can never be perfect, but at least collectively people of conscious and good will can stand up and say, ‘this is what we must do to right this wrong.’”

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Sports

Los Angeles News Observer

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Rams Get Win After Covid Hits

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer After a week of hits and misses with Covid-19, activations and deactivations roster moves that included more than 30-players. They even had the game moved from Sunday to a Tuesday as the Rams came away with a 20-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks. in front of an early arriving crowd of 71,565 at So Fi Stadium.

Dealing with Covid has been going on for the past few weeks as the team was blind sided with last minute test that caused five players including Jalen Ramsey and tight end Tyler Higbee to miss the game versus the Arizona Cardinals.

Players were moving in and out of different slots all week.

There were several adjustments made by players and staff. “We have to trust Sean (McVay) he’s the leader,” said Matthew Stafford.

“He put a plan in place to handle this and we have to trust him.”

Stafford was 21 of 29 for 244 yards and two touchdowns to Cooper Kupp who had 9 catches for 115 yards. He became the team’s all-time leader in single season receptions pulling ahead of Tory Holt (117) and Isaac Bruce (119).

“Obviously it’s a great honor considering the receivers that have come through the organization,” said Kupp. I have so much tremendous respect for the receivers that have come before us.

They have set a pretty incredible legacy and just continue to be around to be a part of this organization moving forward.”

It was also the tenth straight game Kupp totaled at least 90 yards in receptions. For his seasonal efforts he was voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time.

Sony Michel led the ground attack busting his way for 92 yards on 18 carries for a 5-yard average. The first year Ram had a 39-yard scamper and also caught a pass for 24 yards.

The Rams got help from an old friend as Jarred Goff and the Lions knocked off the Cardinals (10-4) in a big way on Sunday so that leaves the Rams (10-4) tied for the lead in the NFC west with three games left to play. They are at Minnesota, and Baltimore before finishing at SoFi against the San Francisco.

“This was a heavy week of navigating through all the things we went through,” said McVay. “This is a big-time win.

The defense only allowed Russell Wilson 134-yards passing as he completed 17 of 31 passes. He was chased around all night.

He was sacked by three different Rams Leonard Floyd, Von Miller and Aaron Donald all Had one each.

It was Miller’s first sack in five games playing with the Ramsit was a nine-yard loss and one of his six on the night. Donald had his 15th career sack on Wilson.

Linebacker Ernest Jones had 11 tackles 5 of them solo to lead the team.

The return of Jalen Ramsey and Miller out due to COVID protocols. But it was Taylor Rapp with the lone interception Of Wilson in the end zone with under a minute left that sealed the game.

RAM NOTES: Kupps 14 TD catches this season lands him in second place in franchise history behind Elroy ‘Crazy Legs” Hirsh 17 (1951).

Sony Michel (#25) eludes Seattle defenders. (Brevin Townsell/LA Rams)

Angel City Games Give Chances to Many

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer There were oohs and aah’s in the gym at Los Angeles High recently as many looked on at the air rifle portion of the Angel City Games. Dr. Christina Kimm looked on while sitting in her wheel chair waiting for her target sheet to be returned to her.

When it arrived from some thirty meters away her and Tim Boumgarten (rifle overseer) reviewed it.

“Hey that’s really good” said Boumgarten. “That is really something.” Kimm had ‘stole the show’ in the event in a big-time way. Her thirty pellets fired twenty-nine had hit the all or part of the bullseye.

“I can’t believe I did that good,” said Kimm. “I haven’t event practiced,” she said excitedly.

Kimm is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. When she was young there was a rifle in the back yard of the family home.

Sometimes her and her two brothers would put cans, bottles, jars or whatever they could fine on a rock in the back yard and practice shooting. “After awhile I guess I became good at it. It was just something for fun.”

She is a professor in Divisional of Special Education and counseling at Cal State LA. She has authored several book on autism and those with disabilities.

Today she was just one of some 300 or so athletes participating in the Seventh Annual Angel City Games- Presented

by The Hartford. It is the premier adaptive sporting event in the Western United States The event are for those who have a physical disability or movement impairment for those of any age.

Boumgarten in a volunteer in charge Rifle and some water sports. He retired after working 38 years for Arizona Game and Fish as Watercraft coordinator.

“We’d like to get more veteran involved in these games,” said Boumgarten. “We feel this could help them out a lot because many of them still love to compete,” added the former member of the USAF. Samuel Nehemiah came looking to play wheelchair basketball. Instead he found a football game.

“I saw an opportunity to compete and I took it,” said Nehemiah. They need ed someone for football and I got a spot

and had a great time.

Nehemiah was joined by his wife Courtney and son Samuel who cheered him on. There are part of a great support system. He has play in wheelchair games in Sacramento, Vegas and Toronto.

He has high competitive juices.

“I could never do this in my country,” said the native of Nigeria. When you have a disability, they look at you differently there. Today I have an overwhelming feeling I feel great, when I do this I don’t feel alone. There are people just like me doing the same thing,” he said with a smile.”

Events include are 16 sports. Goalball Rowing Bocci, Judo, Amputee Soccer, Sitting volleyball. Golf, Wheelchair Tennis and Archery just to name a few.

The goal is to celebrate the talents and strengths of adaptive athletes, also create a community of sports and understanding around sports. It brings people together and helps change the mind -set of those who have had their lives altered in a different way.

Danny Gomez had an active lifestyle and an energetic personality.in 2016 he had a biking accident that changed all that and put a damper on him as he ended up in a wheelchair.

“When you become paralyzed or have an accident you feel completely alone,” said Gomez. “You don’t have a sense of community, then you never want to do anything.”

Gomez had this attitude until he found Angel City Sports by attending an event. The organizations provides free clinics, equipment and organized competitive games.

“When I found Angel City Sports and came to my first Clinic I saw other people in wheel chairs and other people with disabilities and it put me at ease.”

ADD ANGEL CITY: A monumental thanks goes out to Carmencita Solidum a special person of LA High School who gives her time to this event and reached out to many to let them know of its happening. There is no greater venue to have it than Los Angeles high it is the oldest high school in the City haven opened in 1873. Some of it famous Alumni include Mel Torme, Dustin Hoffman (actor) Dahna Hall (educator) Clyde Robinson, George Takei (actor) Felicia Richard (educator) Bessie Love (actress) and Ray Bradbury (Author).

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Dr Christina Kimm participated in Rifle shoot during the 7th annual Angele City Games. the Marksman has written several books on Special Education and disabilities. (Photo: Earl Heath)

Thursday, December 23, 2021

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Thursday, December 23, 2021

Actors Jaleel White, Akbar Gbajabiamila Share COVID-19 Vaccine Experiences and encourage Black and African Americans to Protect Themselves by Getting Vaccinated

Actor Jaleel White (Courtesy Photo)

SACRAMENTO – Actor and producer Jaleel White and former NFL player and host of “The Talk” and “American Ninja

Warrior” Akbar Gbajabiamila, are partnering with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The well-known celebrities are sharing their COVID-19 vaccine experiences through candid conversations to help reduce hesitancy in Black and African American communities across the state.

The partnership is part of the state’s Vaccinate ALL 58 campaign, which aims to provide safe, effective and free COVID-19 vaccines to all Californians, regardless of immigration or insurance status.

“We must acknowledge the distrust and skepticism that exists between many African Americans and people of color and the medical community due to historic injustices,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “It is important to create a safe space for the community to discuss and address concerns they have around COVID-19 vaccines. We are so grateful to Jaleel and Akbar for their commitment to honest conversations about what it personally has felt like to overcome long-held fears around vaccines, and finally making the decision to get vaccinated. These candid discussions help get to the heart of the matter in a thoughtful way while reducing vaccine hesitancy in their community.”

When White and Gbajabiamial first heard about vaccinations for COVID-19, they were admittedly hesitant.

Now, both are fully vaccinated and feel safer knowing they have protection against COVID-19. In their conversation, both men share their reasons for hesitation, why they chose to receive the vaccine, and the steps taken to become vaccinated with the hopes of encouraging those who have not yet received the vaccine to do so, specifically in the African American community.

“Growing up in Los Angeles, there was this belief that society didn’t care about what happened to Black people medically,” said Gbajabiamial.

“Now that I’m vaccinated, I want to keep it real with my community and encourage everyone to protect themselves.”

The four-part conversation details their vaccination journeys, including their experiences with mild side effects, getting a booster, and why getting the facts is important for someone to make their decision on getting vaccinated.

“No one should be shamed or condemned for being hesitant and this is exactly why I want to share the story of how I came to be vaccinated,” said White. “None of us have ever had to navigate through a pandemic before. So, helping people get the facts, with understanding for their personal experiences, and doing that with grace, is how we are going to get through this together. I hope my story will inspire and help others get to a place where they feel good about getting vaccinated.”

TV host Akbar Gbajabiamila (Courtesy Photo)

A²Mend Inspires African American Men to Enroll and Succeed in California’s Community College System

Dr. Edward Bush, A2MEND Founder (Courtesy Photo)

By Taliah McGuire Contributing Writer As the community wraps up 2021, the idea of new beginnings, success, and wealth all look brighter than ever in the upcoming new year. But with the ongoing pandemic continuously knocking down doors, many find it much harder than usual to achieve their future goals.

With over a decade of trailblazing under their belts, the progressive nonprofit African American Male Education Network & Development (A²MEND) organization has been successfully guiding Black male students in to and through the California community college system. And for the past two years, A²MEND has been fighting the pandemic and pushing even harder to get underserved Black men the education they deserve.

A²MEND matches students with trained mentors based on compatibility and similar career paths in order to maximize success rates. During covid, over 70% of male have stayed in

A2MEND Student Mentees Conference (Courtesy Photo)

Dr. Amanuel Gebru, A2MEND President (Courtesy Photo)

college, and most transferred to a Cal State, a UC, or an HBCU. Dr. Abdimalik Buulm, Vice President of A²MEND, explained how dating all the way back to the Central Park Five, there has been a systematic denigration of the existence of Black men. He says, “Black men are always being targeted, [but] who’s educating Black men? The stats show the proof.”

Statistically, Black male student entrance and graduation rates have declined as the years progress. “The mission is to charter a new path to show Black men what they can be, not what they’re predestined to be,” Buulm states.

When asked about young Black men being motivated to thrive in community college during these times, Buulm answered, “Yeah, that’s the challenge… I think the motivation is there, but [the question really is] are we able to remove the barriers that prohibit them from succeeding? We have to get them to see their true potential so they can believe us when we say, ‘You are a king’

impact.

“We all just want to support Black males and really leverage their opportunities to succeed… We want thousands [of new mentees] not hundreds… We have charters embedded with over 20 colleges… There’s a mentorship academy that we’d love to expand… We’d love to show kids from Inglewood and from Compton that we can have more.”

A²MEND is holding the nation’s largest annual African American Male Summit March 2-4, 2022 in Los Angeles, CA. There will be many honorable guest speakers appearing and A²MEND invites all educators and community members to come out and support with 1,000+ other students and professionals.

More information is available at their website (http://www. a2mend.net/) and their Instagram (@a2mend).

and ‘You have a bright future ahead of you’.” “[Getting students in to the program and getting students to finish the program] are not mutually exclusive, they are both the goal… We have to find retention… Ask what’s making them come back? What’s making them not come back? [We need to] establish resources and push them through to finish line… We can’t just recruit people without having a clear eye of the end goal, you know? Whether it’s financial aid, food pantries, basic need resources, internships, tutoring… We want to do what’s going to be the best for them in the long run.”

A²MEND has given over $500k in scholarships, offered many networking opportunities, and even presents study abroad opportunities by taking students to Africa so they can learn about their ancestors and “tap in to their genius.”

If Dr. Buulm and the rest of A²MEND could receive anything, they would ask for more funding to broaden their