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N ll d te ti ie t ta y ec A o n st o m n ab ti is if g te s p fi io at ad u ab st er c en y se n o o in o ev in o rs d ti n le u to g g id o g struck by u t sc h ro , n se co th en im k al en ad in South centers. In a mental d to ail Co ee e ethods low another m ce. ce living in a polic ern Californ and storiesp raising California Governoes early in the term oper. Threm several attack, and in nsw round of L ag Californiah. ealth facility in Pen1982, Cooper esca u n e h in r a iathat av w w o v Beach . eapons wer f the Reddit estie high expec hose suppo orn testimo ped from three attacker nsylvania b thAlexis P cofounder, Ohanian, has announced p o ro e li O g ce re e rt ra u ta ss O er n n se iv ti ffi g y, s d o e e on the poli s who were cer Th efore movin n Jo Duri Counboard. ty RegIisco-founded soammember tical Lef he is stepping down White. Heshua Ryen said hein the solve “DNA testing shs.o eone’s pofetthe g to could have been H ter he initiaomas gued that nCg his murder trial, t asFeb saw w later testified uld immed th h is en p e o p an o R ro th F p ic y se u . e er en . rt 1 @reddit 15 years ago to help people find community and cu ca k 9 h iate Ryen, th illed husb t darted ain lly th case . tors succ er that they Chiang sa e plaofcebelonging. front named Diacomplicating the pro id during thand finally ensurely taksense M to cG neighboreiCr 10-year-old daughand and wife Dougesansfully ar- ban re u th ir n se at e a ju cutions’ clai e campaign Roper cam says when h DNA eviden stice is serv elonging to te ssica an hristopher thhusband d Peggy e an e im . m e ed fo “N s, ce al g Serena Williams’ discussed his decision on his rw ,” b o a h o Hughes. rPJe ca d was bigger ut testing in t out to chec w mer former b t nly is it ar n h p law olice foundan 11-year-old inal. She turned th oyfriend wd with bloody clothoin provwrote, Animoverdue en rcemoen is case woel a hothing. en “It al Contr website and is long toodo theanright use ca the eviden the bloodie Even thoth t uld come fo so to lv l o an e ffi cr ce ugh Newso an ce over toho was a violent crimg is bold im d destroyed it. rscountry.” imfamily, es,for me, rushed tht.e al hospand doing this for my for my the police, , he is tread m’s decisioat no costI’m to it tr al th au African Am , ble w e m h state.” a. this as a father whoerneeds e it wtoasbe n but they issue that ericans, His “I’m writing diagnose Cocontinued, Californiaing carefully on a poin theHe o p D er panics and r. ca K se w ri v te atching. H sti Kraushe oters across nti ly pto other mino she exdaughter se, aasks:er‘What olaanswer e is keepin rizing his Black pects thewhen e politicalalable rities liv- C inariadid g his focuth 11-poundvet n, lls th sp b ec ac ontinued you do?’” tr k u in s m (5 to o are n fairness an -kilogramte the wild afte on page A dHejust r also posted his statement as an Instagram video, 2 M it cGuire visit regains stre ) cat to ice th n th. edbroken at if htoe help the bonation.” encouraging his followers “fixagour sees it bcat on Fgri n, he’llresigned issue a ti Olympia’s father continued, “Iaihave ascka day. member of the reddit board, I have urged them to fill myet for ja seat with a Black candidate, and I will use future gains on my Reddit stock to serve the Black community, chiefly to curb racial hate, and I’m starting with a pledge of $1M to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.”

Finally, Ohanian said, “I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop.”

Williams responded to her husband’s decision and tweeted, “Having diverse views on any boards is important.

So proud of you Alexis. I know Olympia will be too.”

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Bobcat Re Serena Williams’ cove A f t er Being H Husband Resigns i P o l i c e Car to Make Way for Black Candidate

More than a week into an anti-police-brutality movement that’s gone worldwide, Los Angeles saw its biggest organized gathering yet. (Photo: Samuel Braslow)

Protesters Come Out for Floyd and Others

By Earl Heath Contributing Writer It’s been a fiery two weeks since the death of George Floyd.

Protest have taken place in more than 75 cities around the country.

Floyd was handcuffed while lying prone on the ground when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck as two other officers had their knees on his back for nearly nine minutes causing his death.

The 46 year-old Floyd was arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit twenty dollar bill.

There is also the case of Breonna Taylor she was shot by police in her own home on in the early morning hours of March 20th by Louisville police as they entered her home as part of a narcotics investigation. She was shot eight times by police and died in the hallway of her home. LMPD were looking for suspects

that were already in custody.

The ER EMT would have celebrated her 27th birthday on June 5th.

Protesters marched in the hundreds not just in Metro area’s, they also spread to suburban area such as Glendale and Walnut Creek, California. Rev. Leslie Takahashi lead minister at the Mt Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church told the L.A. Times hat a demonstration had taken place there nearly everyday since May 31. It’s a city of 70,000 resident with 70 percent of them white.

“The Bay Area had a lot of protest for Ferguson and there may have been a few small protest in Contra Costa County and Walnut Creek, but nothing like this,” Takahashi a 13 year resident of the area told the Times.

The situation led to a wide range of marches from Compton to Hollywood to many other Cities and towns you would never think would be involved in such a thing as Black Lives Matter.

During early stages of demonstrations looting took place by many who had nothing to do with the protesters. On June 2 a thousand or so marched down Sunset Blvd in Hollywood peacefully. They passed Gower street and marched down Van Ness. While heading towards Santa Monica Blvd several cars filled with people unaffiliated with the march stormed into the stores at Gower Gulch plaza. They looted Rite-Aid, Kickin-Crab, and K-Daddy Restaurant.

There were several marches daily throughout Hollywood most of them peacefully the California national Guard was on hand to assist LAPD. The majority of protesters worked with them on cooperation and which way to go.

There were Black Live Matter in apartment windows along the route and plenty of support for police and injustice reform.

Sergeant Nelson (L) and Specialist Alvarado (R) both receive ice cream from seven year-old during protest at the corner of Sunset and Vine streets in Hollywood. They are members of Alpha Company Troop 1/18 Calvary in Los Angeles. (Photo: Earl Thousands marched on Sunset Blvd and around the nation in the death of George Floyd. (Photo: Earl Heath) Heath)

Bill Banning Police From Using Deadly “Sleeper Hold” Introduced in Assembly Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Last week, reacting to the violent death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man in Minnesota, California Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) introduced a new bill.

The legislation, AB 1196, bans law enforcement officers in the state from using carotid artery restraints to subdue and detain suspects. The chokehold — commonly called the “sleeper hold” among wrestling fans — is supposed to render victims unconscious, but it has proven to be deadly.

“The world watched as the 200-pound weight of a police officer was leveraged on the neck of George Floyd for over 8 minutes. Two other officers held him down and another watched as his body succumbed to the attack and went limp before expiring,” said Gipson, who co-authored the bill with other legislators who are members of California’s Black, Latino, Asian & Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ caucuses.

At a ceremony held at the state Capitol to unveil the bill Monday, Gipson said, “My bill creates a unified policy across law enforcement departments so that these methods can no longer be used here in the state of California.

“I also want to point out,” he continued, “Congresswoman Karen Bass, on the federal level, along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, introduced a similar piece of legislation.”

Carotid artery restraints are choking maneuvers that prevent blood from reaching the brain of the victim by compressing arteries in the neck. In 2014, New York City police officers used the tactic to kill Eric Garner, another unarmed African American man, on Staten Island in that city.

Last Friday, Gov. Newsom announced that he has ordered the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to stop using carotid artery restraints.

“Across this country, we train techniques on strangleholds that put people’s lives at risk. Now, we can argue that these are used as exceptions, but at the end of the day, a carotid hold, that literally is designed to stop people’s blood from flowing into their brain, that has no place any longer in the 21st-century practices and policing,” Gov. Newsom said during a news conference held at the California Museum’s Unity Center in Sacramento.

There are nearly 600 law enforcement agencies in California, including police stations, and almost 80,000 police officers, according to the United States Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Since Minneapolis Police Department officers killed Floyd on Memorial Day, protests calling for racial and economic justice have erupted in cities and towns in California, across the country and around the world.

“The deadly use of force technique can be performed using any object and can easily go wrong. This time it was a knee,” Gipson said, commenting on the legislation he authored.

Right after Floyd’s death, the San Diego, Davis, and Sacramento police departments officially announced that the agencies would immediately refrain from using the carotid artery restraint, also known as the “chokehold.”

Under California Senate Bill 1421, which went into effect in January 2019, the carotid artery restraint method is one of the practices law enforcement agencies are required to disclose in officers’ misconduct cases to increase accountability.

Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) authored SB 1421.

The city of San Francisco has also taken steps to prohibit the use of the deadly-force technique.

Dr. Lee T. Snook, one of the speakers at AB 1196 introduction in Sacramento, said various medical associations across the country have been asking, “What more can we do to end this systemic racism in the house of medicine and justice?”

Snook, is the president-elect of the California Medical Association (CMA), a professional organization founded in 1856 that currently has nearly 50,000 members. CMA supports Gipson’s bill.

“We believe this bill is small, but a significant step in that effort,” Snook said. “Carotid restraints have been routinely misused, abused, and have proven fatal. We see it in dozens of cases that go unnoticed by the press every single year.”

Fox News’ Graphic Was Insensitive LOS ANGELES (AP) – Fox News apologized Saturday for how it displayed a chart correlating the stock market’s performance with the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd, Martin Luther King Jr. and Michael Brown.

The graphic that aired Friday to illustrate market reactions to historic periods of civil unrest “should have never aired on television without full context. We apologize for the insensitivity of the image and take this issue seriously,’’ the cable channel said in a statement.

The chart included on “Special Report with Bret Baier’’ illustrated gains made by the S&P 500 index after King’s assassination in 1968; the Ferguson, Missouri, police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014, and the May 25 death of Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. It also measured the financial yardstick against the 1991 acquittal of Los Angeles police officers in the beating of Rodney King.

It was shown as part of a segment with Fox News and Fox Business reporter Susan Li focusing on the market rally that followed an unexpectedly lower number of jobless claims.

Other business publications and TV channels in recent days have compared the market’s performance to current and historic social upheaval, but with significant background and explanation.

Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Illinois, tweeted that the graphic makes it clear that Fox News “does not care about black lives,’’ while Michael Steele, former Republican National Committee chair and a MSNBC political analyst, posted, “This is how they mourn the loss of black men at (hash) FoxNews - by how much the stock market goes up.’

Baier retweeted Fox’s apology without further comment.

Later Saturday, on Fox’s “America’s News HQ’’ telecast, anchor and senior correspondent Eric Shawn said the graphic should not have been used.

“Last night, Fox News Channel aired an infographic attempting to show the stock market on occasion gained ground in the midst of turmoil, civil unrest and even tragedy,” Shawn said. “In trying to make that point, the program `Special Report’ failed to explain the context of the times we are living in and should not have used that graphic.’’

Second City CEO Steps Down Amid Claims of Racism LOS ANGELES (AP) – Andrew Alexander, the CEO and co-owner of famed The Second City improv theater, said he is stepping down after a former performer leveled accusations of racism against the comedy institution.

In a lengthy letter posted on the company’s website, Alexander said he “failed to create an anti-racist environment wherein artists of color might thrive. I am so deeply and inexpressibly sorry,’’ He vowed Friday that he will be replaced by a person of color.

The originally Chicago- and Toronto-based Second City was an early training ground for “Saturday Night Live’’ players including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and Chris Redd, among other comedy stars such as Keegan Michael-Key and the company produced “SCTV’’ TV series in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Alexander’s announcement Friday followed online criticism from Second City alumnus Dewayne Perkins, an actor, comedian and writer (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine’’). Perkins said the company had refused to hold a benefit show for Black Lives Matter unless half of the proceeds also went to the Chicago Police Department, and it also created obstacles for performers of color.

His tweets were in reply to a Second City tweet posted last week in support of Black Lives Matter amid protests around the country over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

In a tweet noting Alexander’s resignation, Perkins had a one-word comment: “Oop.’’ The London-born Alexander said he is “fully removing myself from overseeing The Second City’s operations and policies and will divest myself from the company as it stands.’’

A Second City statement Friday laid out steps the company planned to take regarding the hiring and training of artists of color, along with diversifying its theater audiences and making donations to fight oppression and support blackowned businesses and schools.

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ASK DR. KEVIN:

Thursday, June 11, 2020

World & Nation

Why Romney Marched

An Unfamiliar, Rare Disease Associated with Heart Failure in The path that led the senator to African Americans Republican march in a Black Lives Matter protest began half a century ago with his father.

With the disproportionate rates of heart failure, heart attacks, and other serious heart conditions in the African American community, it’s important to fully explore the underlying cause of these conditions with the help of a cardiologist. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

By Dr. Kevin Williams The Chief Medical Officer for Rare Disease at Pfizer The “Ask Dr. Kevin” series is brought to you by Pfizer Rare Disease in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) to increase awareness and understanding of ATTR-CM, or transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, and the risk to African Americans.

As you may already know, heart disease is a leading cause of death for all Americans, but certain minority groups face a greater risk than others. In fact, according to one study, African Americans were 45 percent more likely to die as a result of heart failure-related hospitalization compared to Caucasian populations in the United States. With the disproportionate rates of heart failure, heart attacks, and other serious heart conditions in the African American community, it’s important to fully explore the underlying cause of these conditions with the help of a cardiologist.

As the “Ask Dr. Kevin” series enters its fourth year, I want to turn my focus to a rare, but very serious form of heart disease known as ATTR-CM. ATTR-CM is a life-threatening, underdiagnosed disease associated with heart failure, but many people have never heard of it or don’t know what it is. In this article, I’m going to explain more about ATTR-CM, and answer some of the most commonly asked questions in hopes it will help raise awareness of the condition and the misunderstood symptoms that often delay diagnosis.

Who is Affected By ATTR-CM? There are two sub-types of ATTR-CM, wild-type and hereditary. Wild-type ATTR-CM is thought to be the most common form of ATTR-CM, is mostly associated with men over the age of 60 and is not caused by a mutation in a person’s genes.

Most wild-type patients are white.

Hereditary ATTR-CM is inherited from a relative and is due to genetics, affecting both men and women. In the United States, the most common genetic mutation associated with hereditary ATTR-CM is found almost exclusively in people of African or Afro-Caribbean descent. Symptom onset can occur in people as early as their 50s or 60s; however, people who have the mutation may never develop symptoms of the disease.

What Are the Symptoms of ATTR-CM? Since many patients and even some doctors are unfamiliar with ATTR-CM, the condition is highly underdiagnosed. Many people with ATTR-CM present with symptoms similar to those of more common causes of heart failure • such as fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling in the lower legs • or have symptoms that are not commonly perceived to be linked to a heart condition, like carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness, tingling, or pain in the fingers), bicep tendon rupture, gastrointestinal issues (constipation, diarrhea and nausea) and lumbar spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the open spaces in the lower spine). All of these factors can lead to delays in diagnosis or misdiagnosis.

If you’d like to learn more about hereditary ATTR-CM, including signs and symptoms, visit YourHeartsMessage.com.

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Mitt Romney—his face wrapped in a white mask, his sleeves rolled at the wrists—marches toward the White House alongside protesters chanting about police brutality. A reporter asks him what he’s doing there, and the Republican senator from Utah responds: “We need to stand up and say that black lives matter.”

When the video appeared on Twitter late yesterday afternoon, it drew a torrent of predictable reactions. Trumpites sneered and called him a loser. Leftists sneered and called him a poser. A small but vocal cheering section praised him for marching. And several people speculated—as they always do—that the 73-year-old senator was laying the groundwork for another presidential bid.

In reality, Romney’s path to yesterday’s Black Lives Matter protest began half a century earlier with his father—a man whose legacy has long shaped, and sometimes haunted, his son.

George Romney was the Republican governor of Michigan during the 1967 Detroit riots, which left 43 people dead and 2,000 buildings destroyed. In the aftermath of the violence, he addressed his constituents in a statewide broadcast.

“Some already are saying the answer is brute force such as would be used on mad dogs,” the governor said. “Others are questioning present social and economic programs because they claim Negroes don’t appreciate what has already been done … As citizens of Michigan, as Americans, we must unhesitatingly reject all these divisive courses.”

As the journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones has detailed, George went on to enact a fair-housing law in his state, and called for an end to discriminatory zoning practices. When white voters sent him angry letters, he would write back, “Force alone will not eliminate riots. We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.”

The elder Romney was well known for such acts of defiance.

Whether he was denouncing Barry Goldwater at the Republican National Convention or crusading against segregationist policies from inside the Nixon administration, he prided himself on putting principle over party—especially when it came to civil rights.

For Mitt, these heroic stories are never far away. He invokes them frequently in speeches and interviews—including several of my own conversations with him—and he seems to measure his own success by that of his father. In the 2014 Netflix documentary Mitt, Romney rhapsodizes to his family about the obstacles his

late dad had to overcome.

“He was the real deal,” Romney says. “The guy was born in Mexico. He didn’t have a college degree. He became head of a car company and became a governor … I started where he ended up.

I started off with money and education and Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School.”

“I’m standing on his shoulders,” he concludes.

For all his paternal admiration, Romney has seemed at times to define his political career in opposition to his father’s. When he ran for president in 2012, he instructed aides to study George’s short-lived presidential candidacy, which was torpedoed by an impulsive Vietnam War gaffe. As a candidate, Mitt Romney was cautious and calculating, and less than eager to confront the toxic forces that were taking over his party.

But the Trump era has had a liberating effect on Romney.

After Charlottesville, he said the president’s response “caused racists to rejoice.” After the impeachment trial—when he became the only Senate Republican to vote for Trump’s conviction—he

told me he’d been guided by a favorite scripture of his father’s.

And last week, as protests spread across the country, he tweeted a photo of his father marching for civil rights.

Like any self-aware politician, Romney is quick to deflect talk of how history will view him. (“Frankly, I don’t think I will be viewed by history,” he told me in an interview last year.) But press him on the question hard enough, and some truth peeks out from beneath the self-deprecation.

“I think of my dad,” he told me once. “My dad was an extraordinary man, but I don’t think history’s going to record George Romney’s impact on America … I don’t look at myself as being a historical figure.”

Maybe he’s right. But just because he’s not thinking about future historians doesn’t mean he’s unconcerned with his legacy.

His father set a high bar—and as Romney nears the end of his career, he wants to be seen reaching for it.

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The Stuff of Dreams —

MLK Goes Right on Marching More than 50 years later and still so much to be done

By Ray Curry Secretary-Treasurer, UAW “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Martin Luther King Jr. The citizens of this country are in the midst of a battle that we have been fighting for a very long time. A battle of racial inequality, systemic abuse, and injustice.

It is time to win this battle once and for all.

Across the nation over the past weeks, protesters are saying they have had enough. They are weary of the ongoing struggle for equality and equity, of the battle against systemic injustice, and the fear of being a person of color in America. The horrific, needless death of George Floyd on May 25 at the hands of four police officers in Minneapolis is tragically all too familiar. And we are seeing our nation cry out in pain. It is the pain of generations of inequality and the pain of a nation divided.

It is shocking that in 2020, mothers in African American and minority communities still have to worry about the safety of their sons and daughters when simply going off to the store, going out for a jog and or being stopped at a traffic light.

This must end.

Generations of misery George Floyd is sadly one of many, many African Americans who have been the victim of racial profiling and brutality. The larger tragedy of our society is that this criminal activity did not start with Mr. Floyd. Or with Breona Taylor or Tony McDade, who also lost their lives in the past month for similar reasons.

Nor did it start with Eric Garner, killed in 2014 due to a police strangle hold — or Rodney King’s brutal beating in 1991. The names and stories stretch back generations and are part of the ongoing racial disparity and injustice that permeates our system.

A product of 400 years of oppression, prejudice and fear.

How many stories like George Floyd’s must we hear? How many lives cut tragically, brutally short? At the UAW, we have been fighting for generations against systemic racism. Think back to August 28, 1963, when more than 200,000 demonstrators took part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the nation’s capital. Two men participating in that march — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and UAW President Walter Reuther — were dedicated to breaking the color lines and fighting for equality in wages, opportunities, housing, healthcare and fair societal treatment.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mathew Ahmann at the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. (National Archives)

A wound that will not heal The 1968 March on Washington succeeded in getting those in power to sit up and take action. It was successful in pressuring the administration to initiate a strong federal civil rights bill in Congress. It was a time that gave Americans — especially minorities — hope. But how far have we come since then if we still are marching, if we are still protesting?

Not nearly far enough.

It is time for this country to transform from the ways of the past. To turn our backs on the prejudices, fear and hate of our past. To vote in local and federal elections for leaders that will represent men and women of this country and no longer their self-interest.

I truly worry if we cannot do this, this wound will continue to tear our nation apart. In today’s marches across the country, we are seeing history repeating itself. Again, our community members are joining together, young people especially, and taking up the cause to demand change. And the UAW, with its long history of supporting and fighting for civil and human rights, is right beside them.

It is not just police brutality that affects the African American community. Because of socioeconomic and environmental factors — many due to continued disparity in opportunities — when COVID-19 struck this country it hit people of color especially hard.

Currently, the UAW is working with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office serving on the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities. The task force will act in an advisory capacity to the Governor and study the causes of racial disparities in the impact of COVID-19 and recommend actions to immediately address such disparities and the historical and

systemic inequities that underlie them.

We need real change But we cannot just talk about it. We must DO something about it. Just like we saw civil rights legislation that came out of the demonstrations in the past, this tragedy and these demonstrations and clashes will need to result in legislation and reforms passed.

PASSED and ENFORCED. And while I do not want to vilify all men and women in blue — we cannot not turn away from the horror of George Floyd’s death. An American citizen begging for his life on an American city street for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

This is not an on-the-sidelines hurt for me. I am an African American man born in raised in the south and now living in an urban center, but I am speaking here as an American, as a union member, and I am speaking to all of us.

When we look at the many tragic incidents over the past decades, most recently Mr. Floyd’s horrific death, I can only think that we as a nation failed this young man, as we have failed so many others. This cannot continue. As Americans, we need to serve a warning to all who have the power — our representatives, our law enforcement officers, our leaders, our detractors — we are watching. And we are all committed to the safety and personal rights of ALL Americans. We will hold those accountable, regardless of who they are, if they put any of us in peril. While doing so we must remember the legacy of two men, two friends, who worked tirelessly for so many years. We must honor that relationship, as well as our fellow men and women, as we address the challenges that we still face today.

But we must take action now — and we must make permanent change — for all of us.

Thursday, June 11, 2020

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A3

Entertainment

FILM REVIEW: Blue Story

By Dwight Brown NNPA NewsWire Film Critic “They act like guns are toys until they get shot.” That’s it.

Kids playing games and suffering grownup consequences. It’s a symptom of misguided adolescent gang life.

With a great feel for modern times and hip-hop music, Rapman (aka Andrew Onwubolu) mixes a bit of Boyz N the Hood, with Menace II Society. Seasons that with some Juice and New Jack City swag. Then tops it off with a touch of West Side Story and a twist of African/Caribbean culture.

The setting is bustling London, a city in a state of change.

What’s in store? Rapman gives it away in a lyric: “I ain’t tryna justify, but imma show you what these young boys are fighting for.”

They’re mates. Best mates. Timmy (Stephen Odubola) is shy and from the Deptford neighborhood. His nurturing parents have sent him to a high school in the “better” Peckham district.

Peckham is home to folks of African and Caribbean descent who fill convenience shops, hardware stores, butchers, boutiques and ethnic restaurants. The faces on the street represent the new England and increasingly multi-cultural capital city.

The African heritage interloper has become chummy with Marco (Michael Ward), a Caribbean student who has gang ties.

All is well between the two blokes, until Marco is jumped and pummeled by some of Timmy’s old friends. A fissure grows between the two guys. Tit-for-tat revenge leads to beatings, shootings and then murders. The escalation of violence and vitriol spirals out of control.

Wise as a hip-hop shaman, Rapman, a British rapper turned music producer, actor, writer, YouTube sensation (Shiro’s Story) and now a film director lays the groundwork. His script, with its autobiographical leanings, maps out the challenges that urban youth face and the futility of gang violence. The storyline becomes more engrossing by the minute. Lively characters, hardened rivalries, revenge subplots, sneaky betrayals and street mayhem mount to a fever pitch. Shakespearian? If Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar come to mind it’s because of the dramatic ill-fated love affairs and tragedy of theatrical proportions.

How do you send a message to impressionable adolescents that violence leads you nowhere and gang warfare is pointless?

Show them the folly firsthand, without being preachy. Just tell the story, show the negative results of bad choices and audiences can take the hint.

As a director Rapman injects an inexplicable verve in every scene of a film that never seems glossy or superficial and proudly flaunts its rough edges. This is grassroots filmmaking. Within the confines of its low budget, it brims with real emotions and a tangible inner-city atmosphere that films that cost millions more never achieve.

Surely, Rapman developed his low-to-the ground technique as he made his YouTube videos. He shoots candid scenes (cinematographer Simon Stolland, Shiro’s Story) that look like they could be uploaded to Facebook or Instagram. He cuts the footage with a sharp knife (editor Mdhamiri Á Nkemi), trimming it to 91 minutes. The sloppy action scenes are more reminiscent of a street gunfight gone viral or on a newsfeed than overly choreographed battle sequences. Conversely, Rapman is particularly judicious with love scenes. They’re erotic, not graphic. Steamy, yet loving. Like kids who are finding their way around the bedroom for the first or second time.

A natural and spontaneous feel is accentuated by the footthumping musical score by Jonathon Deering. Also, characters sing or rap in-between dramatic scenes with lyrics that augment feelings and plot points. Call it “rap narration.”

The leads are magnetic: Stephen Odubola as the African/

Stephen Odubola and Karla-Simone Spence costar in Blue Story. (Photo: Nick Wall)

English Timmy has a gentleness about him that makes you gasp when his behavior becomes more sinister. Michael Ward’s Marco brings that cool West Indian vibe to the party. The ensemble cast plays friends, bangers, siblings and love interests with equal authenticity. Eric Kofi Abrefa, Khali Best, Richie Campbell and Jo Martin are electrifying. Karla-Simone Spence as Leah,

Timmy’s lover, brings a humanity and vulnerability to her role.

Junior Afolabi Salokun shines as Madder.

Towards the end of this heartbreak and misfortune, a veteran thug shows some remorse: “I should never have gotten you into this gang bang thing in the first place.” It’s too late for the characters to reap any benefits from his confession. But not

for the audience.

Heads up. First-time feature filmmaker Rapman has schooled Generation Z with a cautionary urban tale that is both raw and affecting.

Visit NNPA NewsWire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

Otis Williams Talks Music, History, and the Temptations’ 60th Anniversary global superstardom, is chronicled in his acclaimed autobiography, “Temptations,” written with The New York Times best-selling author Patricia Romanowski, as well as “The Temptations,” an Emmy Award-Winning television mini-series.

Williams is unlike any other musical artist in American culture.

The cultural significance of his life achievements, along with his success musical career and longevity have ensured his status as an icon for millions of fans all over the world.

“I have to give accolades to the late great Paul Williams.

He started our choreography,” Williams shared during the live

interview. Cheryl Smith, publisher of the Texas Metro News and I Messenger Media, co-hosted the interview. Williams also graciously answered questions from the livestream’s viewers.

“Smokey Robinson got us started with ‘The Way You Do the Things You Do.’ He looked at us and said, ‘you guys are fantastic.

I love what you do on stage,’” Williams recalled.

His story is also chronicled in the Tony Award-Winning Broadway Musical, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.” Williams revealed that he isn’t among the millions who’ve watched the television min-series. “Too emotional,” Williams stated, noting that Robinson has encouraged him to

“Break out the Kleenex and watch it.”

This year, The Temptations plan to record and release a new album, and, in 2021, the group will mark its 60th anniversary with a tour and other celebrations.

“As I look back in the rear-view mirror of my life, Motown was no happenstance,” Williams stated about the famed record label responsible for the Temptations, Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and so many others.

“Motown sent its artists to school. They schooled us about being artists in show business. They took on another kind of dimension.”

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

It’s Important for Athletes to Speak Out in Wake of George Floyd Protest

The Temptations’ Otis Williams joined BlackPressUSA for an exclusive live interview to discuss music, history and social change.

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Otis Williams, the founding and only surviving original member of the legendary super-group, The Temptations, joined BlackPressUSA for an exclusive live interview to discuss music and social change.

Named the No. 1 R&B Artists of All-Time with hits like “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” The Temptations have sold tens of millions of albums, and they’ve earned four Grammy Awards.

The group has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and have earned stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Apollo Theater’s Walk of Fame.

Williams’ journey from Texarkana, Texas to Motown and

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is no stranger to social activism and protests.

Jabbar, the all-time leading scorer in NBA history who earned six world titles, boycotted the 1968 Olympics in the wake of social unrest and the aftermath of the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In a live interview with the BlackPressUSA, Jabbar said he believes the murder of George Floyd by police and the subsequent protests around the globe, signal a sea change.

“Across America, people of all descriptions got an understanding of what it means to be a Black American, to be singled out and discriminated against,” Jabbar said during the interview, co-hosted by Brandon Brooks, Managing Editor of the Los Angeles Sentinel.

“For so many Black Americans, it’s just a daily grind of possible bad situations that you come across just because of the color of your skin. And people are starting to realize that and understand that it can’t be tolerated,” Jabbar stated.

The Hall of Fame center has worked almost his entire life to help bring change. He said he even changed his name and became a Muslim because he sought ways to make a difference.

Jabbar commended his fellow athletes for their history of activism, including LeBron James, who has spoken out about Floyd’s murder.

“It is really important for athletes, especially those in AfricanAmerican communities and communities of color, to speak out because the young people in those communities look up to athletes as the people that set the tone and have the knowledge and courage to do what is right,” Jabbar insisted.

“They look upon athletes in a way that is just a little bit less than how they look at their own parents. So, athletes are very important to the hopes and dreams of young people in those communities.”

Jabbar commended fellow athletes for their history of activism, including LeBron James, who has spoken out about Floyd’s murder.

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Local

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Providing Health Care Coverage During COVID-19 Pandemic to Affected Californians Los Angeles News Observer via Covered California News Over 123,000 Californians have enrolled for health care coverage through Covered California since the COVID-19 pandemic crisis began in March.

Erik Wolford enrolled in early-April, and he got covered just in time.

Wolford, 49, is a cinematographer in Hollywood, enrolled right after coming back from filming a documentary in Africa. A few days after his return, he tested positive for COVID-19.

“I got diagnosed with COVID and had mild symptoms, which means I did not need to be intubated,” Wolford said. “This is not like the regular flu or a cold. I felt like a dump truck ran me over and when it saw I was alive, it came back to run me over again. Make no mistake: This is serious.”

The enrollment data covers the period from March 20, when Covered California opened the health insurance exchange to any eligible uninsured individuals who need health care coverage amid the COVID-19 emergency, through May 20. The pace of sign-ups during this eight-week period has been more than 2.5 times the level that Covered California saw during the same period in 2019.

“During this challenging time, Covered California continues to see tremendous interest, with thousands of people signing up for quality health care coverage each day,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We want to remind consumers that if they lost their health insurance, or were

uninsured when this crisis began, there is a path to coverage for them through either Covered California or Medi-Cal.” Wolford considers himself very lucky, as his doctor told him to stay home and monitor his symptoms. If his fever stayed under 104 degrees, and his oxygen levels were OK, he did not need to go to the hospital.

Wolford got an O2 meter, or “finger pulse oximeter.” He learned that if his oxygen levels were between 95-100 he was fine, but if it dropped between 90-94 or lower it was a concern. If his lips turned purple or blue and if he was not completing his sentences, he needed to call 911.

“I think I got COVID-19 on the plane,” Wolford said. “I was in Africa, shooting a feature in Tanzania. When I got back home to L.A., the first thing I did was to enroll in Covered California.”

He reached out to a certified Covered California agent because he had been enrolled previously in 2018. Wolford left the state marketplace when he got health insurance through his union, but he returned in time to be covered during this harrowing ordeal.

“Covered California allows me to take on passion projects where I am able to make a difference and to contribute to the world like filming wild animals in Africa, instead of staying in a union job because I need health insurance,” he said.

Wolford plans to stay with Covered California. He said he doesn’t know what the aftermath of COVID-19 will be on his health. He still looks a bit frail, even though he got a letter from the Health Department stating that he is now clear of COVID-19.

In May, he started working on another feature. This time he is staying in Los Angeles and as a sign of the times – his crew will be just one other person.

For Covered California’s current special-enrollment period, which allows any eligible individual who needs health insurance amid the COVID-19 emergency to sign up for coverage, the eligibility requirements are similar to those in place during the annual open-enrollment period, and consumers can sign up for coverage through June 30. Consumers can visit CoveredCA.com and find out if they are eligible for Covered California or MediCal, and see which plans are available in their area, by using the Shop and Compare Tool and entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage. People who sign up through Covered California will have their coverage begin on the first day of the following month. Also, when applying, those found eligible for Medi-Cal can have coverage that is effective retroactively to the first day of the month from when they submitted their application.

In addition to enrolling online, consumers who need health care coverage can visit Covered California’s Find Help page to get assistance over the phone from one of Covered California’s thousands of Certified Insurance Agents like Wolford did. Also, Help on Demand allows consumers to get a call back from a certified enroller.

Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can also call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

Scan over this photo using your “Observer Interactive” App to use Covered California’s “Help On Demand” feature.

Black Lives Matter in 2020

By Khaleb Johnson As most are aware, George Floyd has not been the only one.

Many people of color are oppressed by higher authority every day -- beaten, killed, arrested without cause, simply due to the color of our skin. I myself am a young black man who lives in America and knows all too well the disgusting racism and systematic oppression that my people are subjected to and have been victims of for hundreds of years.

I recall a personal experience, when I was in middle school as an eighth-grader. I went to my first high school football game in a town in the San Fernando Valley that was predominantly white. There were probably a total of four black kids that went to my school, including my sister. When I got to the football game, I looked around for my friends at the time. I was approached by a group of white kids who went on to continuously ask me racially insensitive questions: “Is your favorite food watermelon?,“ Why are your lips so big?”, “ What’s up, my ni**a?”, and a lot more.

I wasn’t comfortable with the situation, so I walked away and chalked it up to just a bunch of stupid ignorant kids, but then they proceeded to follow me and throw things at me. I ended up getting into a violent altercation with one of them and he told his mother. She confronted me, yelling at me, and when I told her that her son was being flat out racist, she refused to believe it and even threatened to call the police on me.

This is the type of thing that happens to so many of my people and to be quite honest, it makes me sick. The thing about this movement is that the world is coming to know and understand that we are being targeted and murdered by those whose job and purpose it is to protect us.

Black people around the world have been aware of and personally experienced this injustice for as long as we have been

“free” in America and long before we became aware of George Floyd. Black parents have to live with the fact that when their child is born, that child comes into the world with a target on their back. If you are young and black, you have probably had the talk that black adults have to have with you, about the fact that you may die for nothing but what you look like, by people who would rather kill you than understand you and see you as a threat.

We have lived and fought this reality for centuries. Not too long ago, racist law enforcement used to burn down black neighborhoods, lynch us, tie us to the back of horses by our feet and ride off. Now fathers and children are killed for looking suspicious, for driving at night, for simply living their lives.

Trayvon Martin was killed for getting a pack of Skittles at night and it wasn’t even by law enforcement. We live in a society where we have to fight tooth and nail to get one cop arrested for just one of these killings. We all sat there and saw George Floyd’s life leave his body right in front of our eyes and it took the entire country to protest, to burn and break to get one of the men responsible arrested. Those who saw the truth had to shake the entire world simply for the law to do its job and make sure that George Floyd was the last to have to endure that fate.

But to be honest, I don’t think he will be, not if we don’t do something about it. Cops are out there right now beating and brutalizing peaceful protestors, looking for any reason for them to put their hands on a protestor. Most don’t even look for a reason. Some of you have seen them, making up reasons, trying to incite purposeful violence by arresting hundreds of people.

No one should have to be physically assaulted for wanting to fight for those who want to live, to ensure their children, their friends, family, or even themselves aren’t the next one to get a bullet for being black.

So if you’re out there, fight, whether you’re black, white, Latinx, etc. It doesn’t matter, do whatever you can to stop this way of life that those with authority, that those in power and in charge of our country have gotten so comfortable with. We need every person in law enforcement, every person that has ever abused their power and killed innocent people to be arrested and prosecuted immediately. So help us, whether it’s on social media sharing what you’ve seen or holding up a sign and marching with everyone else. Voice your opinion, speak up, speak out. What you say matters. I also urge you to be careful about what you say as well, in terms of social media or maybe just out with your friends. This is a very serious matter. Please do not make jokes or take this lightly. This is not just another trend that will fizzle out with time; this is the lives of people and is a very sensitive subject.

If you don’t get it or understand and know police brutality is not something you will ever have to face, accept the fact that you do not and that many never will understand and support those who do.

You have a responsibility to uphold justice in a country you expect it from. Maybe you lean on the side of patriotism and anti-protesting. Do not assume for one second that justice is not a fight we all have to battle. This war needs everyone against it, even if you think you as one person can do nothing, despite your color or your background because this will take everyone. Police are not given the authority to choose whom they want to protect, in the same way that doctors are not given the authority to choose whom they want to treat. It’s not Whites vs. Blacks, it’s Everyone vs. Racism.

Khaleb Johnson is a junior at Venice High School.

(Courtesy Photo)

Rep. Maxine Waters, HACLA Deliver Masks & COVID-19 Testing Info to Avalon Gardens Public Housing Residents LOS ANGELES – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA43), Chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) distributed non-surgical, washable masks and the

location of local COVID-19 testing sites to residents of Avalon Gardens Public Housing Development on Friday, June 5.

Last month, Congresswoman Waters called for HACLA to provide masks for public housing residents in order to protect

For additional testing locations visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or call 211.

For additional testing locations visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or call 211.

the health and well-being of her constituents and vulnerable communities during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, HACLA received 25,000 masks to share with public housing residents. Avalon Gardens Public Housing Development, which is located in Congresswoman Waters’ district, is one of many public housing sites that will receive the free masks.

“It is imperative that all public housing residents have access to masks during the coronavirus pandemic, which has already impacted more than 64,000 Los Angeles County residents and caused the death of more than 2,600 members of our community,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters. “During this unprecedented crisis, we cannot forget about the needs of public housing residents. I am so pleased that the Housing Authority of

the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) heeded my request to distribute masks to its residents, and I was proud to join with HACLA President & CEO Doug Guthrie to safely distribute masks and the location of COVID-19 testing sites to my constituents in Avalon Gardens.”

“Resident safety remains one of our top concerns,” said Doug Guthrie, President & CEO of HACLA. “We are mobilizing quickly to distribute these masks to our various public housing sites and senior facilities as a part of our broader response efforts to COVID-19. We value our relationship with the Congresswoman and appreciate how she rolls up her sleeves. She’s not watching from the sidelines. She’s right there with us in the trenches.”

Thursday, June 11, 2020

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

Sports

Bubba Wallace and NASCAR in Movement

By Earl Health Contributing Sports Writer Bubba Wallace saw someone kneeling during the Anthem before last weeks NASCAR Race in Atlanta.

“It was such a powerful moment. It’s nothing against the flag,” Wallace told CNN. “I was blown away by what I saw.”

As he scanned the track after the anthem several drivers where holding up “I CAN’T BREATH” T-shirts. They were recognizing the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmad Arbery.

Wallace is NASCAR’s only African American Driver at the sports highest Level.

After seeing many drivers united over the recent death he wants the moment to go forward with another phase.

“My next step would be get rid of all the Confederate flags.

There should be no individual uncomfortable showing up at our events to have a good time with their family that feels some type of way about something they have seen, an object they’ve seen flying. No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR Race. They have no place for them.”

Wallace feels the voices of the drivers carry much more weight than the average citizen. He believes they should step up for everybody and say what they feel.

Before the race a group of retired and current drivers put together a video to send a message to educate and push for change while the unrest is going on in the country.

Driver Chase Elliott sent a tweet out a video that said, “I will listen and learn.”

An entire group of drivers sent out a video that stated: “The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others in the black community are heartbreaking and can no longer be ignored,” the drivers said. “The process begins with us listening and learning. Because understanding the problem is the first step in facing it. We are committed to listening with empathy and with an open heart to better educate ourselves.”

Bubba Wallace before last week race in Atlanta. (Courtesy Photo)

The NFL Condemns Racism and the Systematic Oppression of Black People

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com It’s been over two weeks since the world witnessed George Floyd being murdered by a Minneapolis police officer as his fellow officers, held down his legs down, while another stood as lookout. The Twin Cities began to protest, which erupted into riots. Within a week, countless cities around the world began to protest the police brutality which black people have endured in this country for centuries now. Would some of these senseless murders by the hands of officers have been prevented if the NFL hadn’t ostracized Kaepernick for his “peaceful protest’ raising much-needed awareness for these very crimes against American citizens?

I mentioned last week, the best thing to come of this heartless murder from our so-called protectors is that some white America gained a much better understanding of the repetitiveness of these horrific incidents. They’ve seen how unruly some officers can be, whether on their own or under direction. As law enforcement shot tear gas and flash bombs at peaceful protestors in our country’s capital to clear a path for the POTUS’ photoshoot; they’ve seen how unruly some officers can be – whether on their own volition as well as when following orders. In Minneapolis, they witnessed law enforcement push down and nearly trample a 75-year-old freedom activist who merely stood in their way. Both activities demonstrate the authoritarian nature of the men in uniform who are supposedly here to protect and serve our country!

NFL’s Commissioner Roger Goodell, all but admitted that he and many of the team owners around the league cowardly overlooked and brushed away Colin Kaepernick’s “peaceful protest” in 2016 in this statement last week, “We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people. We, the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe black lives matter.” He also committed himself to, “reach out to players who have raised their voices and others on how we can improve and go forward for a better and more united NFL family.”

Goodell’s speech appeared to have been prompted by a collection of prominent NFL players, from Michael Thomas, Sequon Barkley, Patrick Mahomes, Tyrone Mathieu, DeAndre Hopkins to Odell Beckham Jr., requesting to hear the NFL say, “We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people.” This powerful video, originally Tweeted out by New Orleans Saints Receiver, Michael Thomas, is an unforeseen sign of unity and strength amongst its players.

Thomas’ Quarterback Drew Brees found himself in hot water last week by refusing to acknowledge the reason for Kaepernick’s protest, which essentially ended his career, with his tone-deaf statement while being interviewed by Yahoo Finance: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.” Not only did Brees receive backlash for these insensitive comments, but his character as an NFL Man of the year was challenged.

After two apologies via social media, Brees, a staunch Republican, regained my appreciation with his response to President Trump, as Trump tried to goat Brees into taking his side in this ongoing divisive feud the President likes to engage in. Trump’s tweet praised Brees and condemned him at the same time, “I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high...”

Understanding the power he has to impact change in the NFL, on his team and in America, Drew Brees posted in an NFL Players untied to urge league leaders to condemn racism and systematic oppression in this country. (Bing Photos) Instagram post: “I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our Brees’ response was authentic? Kindly share your thoughts black communities.” Just as many white Americans have ignored on who’s word had the most impact by reaching out to me on and/or turn a blind eye to the impact of racism, this response Twitter @whatsgoodnsport or forward your thoughts to info@ from Drew Brees says he’s got the message and now understands whatsgoodinsports.com. Additionally, be sure to subscribe to our that it’s him, his peers, and others that look like them, that could weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast” which is available for you on and would have the most impact on ending racism in this county. most podcasting platforms; Apple and Google Podcasts including Were you impressed with the player’s video message to Spotify, TuneIn, and iHeart Radio. As always, Thank You for their commissioner and do you feel Goodell’s thoughts and making our voice, your choice!

PGA Tour to Hold Minute of Silence at 8:46 to Honor Floyd

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ The PGA Tour is leaving the 8:46 a.m. tee time vacant this week at Colonial as part of a tribute to George Floyd and to support efforts to end racial and social injustice.

In a memo to players Tuesday, Commissioner Jay Monahan said there would be a moment of silence in each of the four rounds at the Charles Schwab Challenge that will coincide with the 8:46 a.m. tee time.

The time reflects how long _ 8 minutes, 46 seconds _ authorities say Floyd was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer’s knee before the handcuffed black man died. ``It has quickly become a universal symbol for the racial injustice faced by the black community,’’ the memo said.

The PGA Tour has been shut down the last three months because of the coronavirus pandemic, and it returns at Colonial with attention shared among the health and safety concerns of running a tournament and the civil unrest sparked by Floyd’s death across the country.

Monahan and Harold Varner III, one of three PGA Tour members of black heritage, had a 10-minute conversation last week that the tour posted to its website to try to figure out ways

golf could do its part. ``I think there will be discussion. I think some will forget about it. I think so many people will move on,’’ Varner said Tuesday after arriving at Colonial. ``But the conversation I had with Jay when we weren’t being recorded, I think this week won’t be the last week. ``I’m just super fortunate to be able to say something and it matter, but also be a part of the change,`` Varner said. ``Everyone in this society right now is going to be a part of that.’’

Monahan had written a memo last week to staff and players in which he said while it was difficult to figure out what role he should play, ``we shouldn’t be deterred.’’

The memo said the vacant 8:46 a.m. tee time for the 148-man field was ``an effort to amplify the voices and efforts underway to end systemic issues of racial and social injustices impacting our country.’’

The moment of silence will start with three short blasts of the horn. The tour is asking players on the course, just arriving or in the practice areas to pause for one minute of reflection ``as we pay our respects to the lives lost and also commit ourselves to using the tour platform as past of the solution.’’

Monahan also said the tour was working on a long-term financial commitment.

A6

Local

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, June 11, 2020