Valley's News Observer 7.22.21 4C

Young Photographer Landed Shoots with Beyonce, Simone Biles

Let’s Talk with KBLA 1580

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News Observer The Valley’s

Volume 36 Number 36

Serving the San Fernando Valley for Over 36 Years

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

Company Will Pay You $125 to Participate in Research Project

Shakari Byerly (Courtesy Photo)

Manny Otiko California Black Media Evitarus, a Black-owned Los Angeles-based public opinion research firm, is surveying African Americans in California to gauge opinions on healthcare and racism. The goal of the project, the company says, is to gather data that can influence healthcare policy.

“We are conducting one of the largest scale studies of Black people in the US regarding their perspectives on health and experiences with health care,” said Shakari Byerly, partner and principal researcher at Evitarus.

“This research will be focused on Black Californians with the goal of changing both practice and policy as it relates to health care delivery and the elimination of racism in the health care system in California,” Byerly added.

People Evitarus select for the one-hour interview will be paid $125 for their time. Researchers plan to interview 3,200 people.

During the second phase of the survey, researchers will conduct interviews with African Americans to discuss their personal experiences with the healthcare system, healthcare disparities and the impact of racism.

Participants in the survey need a stable, high-speed internet connection since the interviews are all being conducted via Zoom. The researchers are also asking potential interviewees to make sure that they have access to a quiet room and a dedicated telephone, and that they should be willing to share their experiences and opinions

for approximately one hour.

Byerly, former director of the California Governance Project at the Center for Governmental Studies, is also a National Academy of Sciences Ford Foundation Fellow, a Rev. James Lawson Teaching Fellow at UCLA, and a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research.

She is also active in a number of African Americanfocused statewide and local civic and community-based organizations, including serving on the boards of Black Women Organized for Political Action, the African American Community Empowerment Council, and the Los Angeles African American Women’s Political Action Committee.

Byerly said, with the study, Evitarus intends to do a deep dive into the demographics of African Americans in California.

“We are especially interested in reaching Californians in harder to reach segments of our community, including those 70+ years of age, men of all ages, the LGBTQ+ community, lower income Black Californians, and those in key regions such as the Far North, Central Valley, Central Coast, and Orange County and San Diego counties,” she said. “That said, all Black Californians are encouraged to participate.”

For more information about participating in this project, visit https://evitarus.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_enXQ1qkDsWWQfau.

200 Black Wall Street Survivors Headed to Ghana Washington, DC—On the evening of May 31st, 1921, a vicious white mob from neighboring Tulsa, Oklahoma, descended on the prosperous African American community of Greenwood, intent on murdering, looting and burning that community to the ground.

In the aftermath of the nightmare that unfolded for Greenwood’s Black residents, every home and business was destroyed, at an estimated cost in 1921 dollars of $4.5 million dollars.

Those survivors who weren’t able to escape the conflagration, which included World War 1-era biplanes dropping gas bombs, found themselves being herded at gunpoint into concentration camps.

The number of killed and injured are believed to be in the thousands, a number that included many women and children.

Two of those children, Viola Fletcher, age 7, and her newly born brother, Hughes Van Ellis, now 107 and 100 respectively are survivors of those two terrible days in 1921.

Viola Fletcher – affectionately known as Mother Fletcher – will appear on the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s morning breaking news program, “Let It Be Known,” on Monday, July 19, 2021.

The program, which airs at 7:30 a.m. EST, can be seen live at Facebook.com/BlackPressUSA/Videos, YouTube.com/c/BlackPressUSATV, and on Twitter @ BlackPressUSA. Mother Fletcher, who witnessed most of the violence and horror, says that she’s been haunted every day of her long life with terrible dreams and memories.

“On that first night,” Mother Fletcher recounted, “I went to bed in my family’s home in Greenwood, a community that was rich, not only in terms of wealth, but in culture, community, and heritage. My family had a beautiful home. We had great neighbors, and I had friends to play with.

She continued: “I felt safe and had everything a child could ask for.

I had a bright future ahead of me there in Greenwood, a place that could have given me the chance to truly make a good life in this country. But within a few horrible hours, all of that was gone….”

The night of the Massacre, a young Viola Fletcher was roused with her siblings by her parents, Lucinda Ellis and John Wesley Ford, and were told they had to leave their home immediately.

When the family came out into the street, they were greeted with images of unspeakable violence resembling scenes from Dante’s Inferno!

The smell of acrid smoke and orange hot glow from burning homes, businesses and buildings created a horrific glow in the night sky. Worse of all, the children saw bodies of the dead lying in the streets as the white mob made its way through Greenwood.

“We were lucky. Many people weren’t. I will never forget the violence of the white mob as we made our escape, and to this day I still see Black men being shot, still smell smoke and everything around us on fire,” Mother Fletcher said.

“I still see airplanes flying overhead dropping firebombs. and still hear the screams of terrified people. I relive the Massacre every day.”

In May 2021, as the City of Tulsa, enriched with millions of dollars dedicated to the Centennial of the Tulsa Massacre, Mother Fletcher made an appearance before the United States Congress to give testimony regarding the hardships of her life.

“When my family was forced to leave Tulsa, I lost my chance at a good education. I never finished school past the fourth grade. I never made much money,” Mother Fletcher told Congress.

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Viola Fletcher, affectionately known as Mother Fletcher.

Reparations Task Force Needs Ideas, Input of Black Californians Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media On July 9, California’s Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans held its second meeting in a series of 10.

During the Zoom conference, the group’s nine members shared differing views on how to best get Black Californians involved in their deliberations.

But they all agreed on one key point: having voices and ideas of African Americans across the state influence their conversations would be the best approach to successfully accomplish their work.

“A lot of things that’s important is we as a task force not let ourselves operate in a vacuum,” said Dr. Cheryl Grills, a member of the task force and professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. “Not to assume that the public comments that happen at the end of our meetings are adequate to represent the community voice.”

Grills delivered a presentation titled “A Community Engagement Strategy for Taskforce Consideration.” In it, she put forth a plan to get Black Californians involved.

Grills suggested the task force hosts “listening sessions” across the state since it only has limited time to assess California’s role in slavery and Jim Crow discrimination -- and follow that work up with developing resolutions to compensate African Americans for past and ongoing racebased injustices.

Regions in the southern, northern, and central part of the state (where many Black farmers reside) should be involved in the process, said Grills. The “listening sessions would go beyond” formal task force meetings and would not infringe upon scheduled discussions, Grills added.

The intent, she said, would be to involve Black Californians from varying backgrounds.

“Black folks exist in an ecosystem and the system includes a diverse, cultural base of people, social class, education levels, etc.,” said Grills. “So how do we make sure that those people are impacted. They need to be at the table.”

Through news coverage, Grills also suggested the National Association of Black Journalists could play a role in keeping the ongoing discourse about reparations “in the forefront and minds” of the Black community.

Lisa Holder, Esq. a nationally recognized trial attorney and task force member, emphasized that the proposal she prepared was not “in conflict” with Grills’ outreach plan and that her proposal offered a framework within which the task force can draw up its strategy to move forward.

Holder told fellow task force members that she and Grills are on the same page.

“This plan, for a lack of a better word, is in alignment with the blueprint we just saw (presented by Grills),” Holder clarified. “Grills focuses a little bit more on the details of how we can implement the community engagement plan.

This outline I put together is a little bit broader and more of a concept.”

The meeting’s other seven participants were task force chair Kamilah V. Moore, a Los Angeles-based attorney, reparations scholar and activist; vice-chair Dr. Amos Brown, a civil rights leader and respected Bay Area pastor whose journey to leadership started under the tutelage of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in the 1960s; Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena); Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles); San Diego Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe; Dr. Jovan Scott Lewis, chair of the Department of Geography at the University of California Berkeley; and Attorney Don Tamaki, Esq. is an attorney best known for his role in the Supreme Court case of Korematsu v. the United States. Tamaki overturned the conviction of Fred

Korematsu who refused to be taken into custody during the imprisonment of Japanese Americans in World War II. After hearing Grills’ presentation, Brown raised concerns about transparency.

He also said that other groups around the state should have an opportunity to present a plan for community engagement.

“What will we do around this state without our giving due diligence to announce to everybody, that you can present a plan, too?” Brown asked. “Whether it’s northern, central California, whatever. We talk about transparency, but if we are going to be about it, then we should be about it.”

The task force voted 8-0 to consider both Holder’s and Grills’ community engagement plans. Brown opposed the motion and abstained, withholding his vote.

Bradford said he favored a “blending” of the two proposals. Both Grills and Bradford suggested that the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA and the Mervyn Dymally African American Political and Economic Institute at California State University Dominguez Hills could assist in facilitating the statewide listening sessions, possibly through the California Department of Justice. Both academic research institutes are located in Southern California.

Steppe expressed confidence in her colleagues and the process.

“The (Black) community is going to play a huge role in getting whatever we present across the finish line,” she promised.

The task force also agreed to move public comments during the meeting from the end to the beginning of the sessions. Public comments will also expand from two minutes to three, Moore announced.

Free!

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Black Drivers Likeliest To Be Stopped in Virginia

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – A newspaper’s analysis of state data shows that across Virginia, Black drivers are the only racial or ethnic group stopped by police at a higher rate than their share of the population.

Black drivers in Hampton Roads and across Virginia were also more likely to be stopped and searched by police than any other racial or ethnic group, according to The Virginian-Pilot’s analysis of data recently released as part of a law enacted by the General Assembly in 2020.

The Virginia Community Policing Act requires police to collect and report information on every traffic stop they conduct.

While Black people make up about 20% of the state’s population, Black drivers accounted for about 31% of traffic stops statewide, according to the data.

White drivers made up 63% of stops statewide; white people are 69% of the population.

Several Hampton Roads police agencies told the newspaper they regularly review data, including traffic stops, as a way to monitor and improve their practices.

NAACP Leader Praises MS Sheriff in Firing of Deputy McCOMB, Miss. (AP) – A local NAACP leader in Mississippi is praising a sheriff after he fired a deputy who was accused of acting disrespectfully toward people who were upset at a scene where the burned body of a Black man was found.

The Enterprise-Journal reported a Pike County deputy was recorded smiling and widening his eyes at people on the scene where the body of Derecus A. Conerly, 20, was found June 28 in a vehicle north of Summit.

A video clip gained attention online as family members and bystanders said the deputy’s behavior was disrespectful. The NAACP demanded the deputy resign.

After an internal investigation, Pike County Sheriff James Brumfield announced his termination. Brumfield and the former deputy, Kyle Huhn, are both white.

Before he was fired, Huhn told the EnterpriseJournal that he would like to defend himself but didn’t consider it wise to comment at the time.

Mamie Kettle is president of the McComb branch of the civil rights organization “I just want to commend the sheriff,” Kettle said Thursday at a county supervisors meeting. “He was between a rock and a hard place, and he stepped up and did the right thing.”

She thanked the public for giving the sheriff time to make his decision.

“I believe the community was satisfied with the results,” Kettle said.

The Mississippi Crime Lab said Conerly died of three gunshots in the head and neck. Kettle said the investigation into the killing continues. Kettle also said has a good working relationship with the sheriff.

“Hopefully we’ll continue to have an open relationship and be transparent,” she said. federal excessive force, wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit filed by Williams’ family this week. Wolfson said that though no charges were filed by his office, the case was “thoroughly reviewed,” but, “at the end of the day it is a very difficult decision to charge police officers and to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law that they committed a crime.”

Japanese Composer for Tokyo Olympics Sorry for Abuse

TOKYO (AP) – Keigo Oyamada, a Japanese composer whose music is part of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, has apologized for bullying a classmate during his childhood.

The reports of his abusing a child with disabilities, which surfaced online recently and got covered in Japanese media, are sparking a backlash on social media, demanding his resignation.

Oyamada, a well-known rock musician, had boasted about the abuse in detail in Japanese magazine interviews he gave in the 1990s.

“I apologize from the bottom of my heart, of course to the classmate himself whom I have hurt, and all my fans, friends and other people involved,” Oyamada, also known as Cornelius, said in a July 16 statement on his site.

Oyamada, who also apologized on Twitter, said he hoped to contact the person he had bullied and apologize.

He had been “immature,” he said, and it was guilt that had prevented him from coming forward before.

The scandal is the latest to plague the Games, already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, with just five days to go before opening. Surveys show the Japanese public remains worried about health risks, and some want the event canceled or postponed again.

IOC President Thomas Bach has faced protesters in Tokyo and Hiroshima, the site of the World War II atomic bombing. Criticism is also growing about “a welcome reception” for Bach set for Sunday evening at the state guesthouse. Tokyo is now under a government “state of emergency” over the pandemic, which asks people not to go out at night or gather in groups.

Earlier this year, Yoshiro Mori resigned as organizing committee president over his remarks perceived as sexist, about women talking too much. Hiroshi Sasaki stepped down as creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies for suggesting a Japanese actress dress as a pig.

Takayuki Fujimoto, professor of media studies at Toyo University, urged Oyamada to resign. The abuse, which extended while Oyamada was in elementary school through high school, violated the Olympic principles of diversity and human rights, he said in an online commentary.

“Otherwise, the Tokyo Games will have as its negative legacy, being told and retold, that a perpetrator of horrific bullying worked on the opening ceremony music. That is simply shame for our nation,” said Fujimoto.

World & Nation

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The Valley’s News Observer

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Jamaica Seeking $10.6 Billion in Slave Trade Reparations from Great Britain

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Jamaica has put a price tag on slavery and is sending the British government the bill.

State officials of the Caribbean nation said they are asking Great Britain to pay $10.6 billion (USD) in reparations.

The former British colony served as the center of the slave trade, where Africans were kidnapped, enslaved, and forced to work on sugar cane, bananas, and other plantations.

That free and inhumane labor greatly enriched the slave owners.

“We are hoping for reparatory justice in all forms that one would expect if they are to really ensure that we get justice from injustices to repair the damages that our ancestors experienced,” Olivia Grange, Minister of Sports, Youth, and Culture, told the Reuters news service.

“Our African ancestors were forcibly removed from their home and suffered unparalleled atrocities in Africa to carry out forced labor to the benefit of the British Empire.

Redress is well overdue.”

In the U.S., Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee has pushed H.R. 40, a bill to form a commission to study reparations for African American victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

“Has anyone addressed the question of slavery and its comprehensive impact on Black Americans in this country?

This is what H.R. 40 will do,” Jackson Lee remarked.

While H.R. 40 doesn’t place a specific monetary value on reparations, it does focus on investigating and presenting the facts and truth about the unprecedented centuries of brutal enslavement of African people, racial healing, and transformation.

The bill would fund a commission to study and develop proposals for providing reparations to African Americans.

The commission’s mission includes identifying the role of federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery, forms of discrimination in public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants, and lingering adverse effects of slavery on living African Americans and society.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee, who sits on numerous House committees, including the Judiciary, Budget, and Homeland Security, has made the reparations legislation her top priority during the 117th Congress.

“I think if people begin to associate this legislation with what happened to the descendants of enslaved Africans as a human rights violation, the sordid past that violated the human rights of all of us who are descendants of enslaved Africans, I think that we can find common ground to pass this legislation,” Congresswoman Jackson Lee pronounced.

In Jamaica, officials displayed shackles, coffles, slave collars, cotton screws, bear traps, branding irons, and other items used to control slaves as stirring evidence for the case for reparations.

“We need a sense of outrage directed at those who could do such things to other human beings,” Verene Shepherd, a Jamaican resident, wrote in a petition on the Facebook page of the country’s National Council on Reparations.

“Reparations now,” Shepherd declared.

According to the National Library of Jamaica, about

NNPA Newswire Reports Los Angeles – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (DCA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, will join a Congressional delegation to San Diego to participate in the Christening Ceremony for the USNS John Lewis, the first ship in the T-AO Fleet Oiler Program.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is leading the

Congressional delegation. The program is dedicated in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. The ceremony will take place July 17, 2021, one year after the Congressman’s passing.

“John Lewis’ legacy and impact on this world is undeniable and I am so pleased to join Speaker Pelosi for this Congressional delegation to honor our beloved friend and guiding light,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

“John Lewis was more than a fighter. He was a giant who looked injustice in the eye, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. He was an incredible and fearless leader of the Civil Rights Movement and worked tirelessly to make sure that the United States lived up to its promise of equality and justice for every person. I was very proud and honored to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama every year in recognition of the struggle that took place where John Lewis was almost beaten to death.”

“As we continue John Lewis’ fight against voter suppression legislation one year after his passing, the way in which he lived his life and advocated for an inclusive and fair democracy continues to be a source of inspiration during these trying times,” continued Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

“I hope that with the christening of the USNS John Lewis, Americans from every walk of life will join us in honoring his legacy and commit to doing everything in their power to protect the right to vote for all Americans.”

600,000 Africans landed in Jamaica during the slave trade.

“Seized from Spain by the English in 1655, Jamaica was a British colony until it became independent in 1962,” the Reuters report noted. “The West Indian country of almost three million people is part of the Commonwealth, and the British monarch remains head of state.”

Britain prohibited trade in slaves in its empire in 1807 but did not formally abolish the practice of slavery until 1834.

To compensate slave owners, the British government took out a 20-million-pound loan – or $27.7 million U.S.

– and only finished paying off the subsequent interest payments in 2015.

Slaves and their descendants have never received compensation.

“I am asking for the same amount of money to be paid to the slaves that were paid to the slave owners,” Mike Henry, a member of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, told Reuters.

“I am doing this because I have fought against this all my life, against chattel slavery, which has dehumanized human life.”

State officials of the Caribbean nation said they are asking Great Britain to pay $10.6 billion (USD) in reparations.

Congressional Delegation to San Diego for Christening of USNS John Lewis

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, will join a Congressional delegation to San Diego to participate in the Christening Ceremony for the USNS John Lewis, the first ship in the T-AO Fleet Oiler Program/Naval News

200 Black Wall Street Survivors Headed to Ghana Continued from page A1

“My country, the State of Oklahoma, and City of Tulsa took a lot from me and from so many others.

Despite this, I spent time supporting the country during the Second World War, working in California’s shipyards.”

She continued: “But for most of my life, I was a domestic worker serving white families. But to this day, I can barely afford my everyday needs, while the City of Tulsa has unjustly used the names and stories of victims like me to enrich itself while I continue to live in poverty.”

Recently, after years of being relegated as hidden history, the Tulsa Oklahoma/Black Wall Street Massacre has finally begun to gain its rightful place in the history of the United States of America, with news media interviews and entertainment programs (most notably 60 Minutes on CBS, and HBO’s The Watchmen series), and documentary films retelling the story of the events that took place so long ago in Tulsa, events most people in the United States, until now, had very little knowledge of, and when and if it was spoken of, was classified as a “race riot” which has very different connotations than a massacre.

“Imagine a long life where you saw men walk on the moon, and every conceivable accomplishment of this nation, including the Civil Rights Movement, and even the election of a Black President,” said Dr. Toni Luck, Chief Operating Officer of Our Black Truth, Inc. “And then you have people like Mother Viola Fletcher, who lived to see all of that, but who has been haunted for 100 years by painful memories of all she and others in the Greenwood community suffered those two days from May 30 to June 1, 1921.

“It’s for this reason that my organization and our

sponsors are taking Mother Fletcher and Uncle Redd to Africa. When we met her and her brother in Tulsa during the Centennial, she expressed a wish to finally and at last see Africa, a personal dream Mother Fletcher’s had for decades.

“And thanks to my partners, two young African American geniuses, Michael and Eric Thompson, founders of the new social media platform, Our Black Truth, she will, at long last make that wished for dream come true, replacing bad memories with what we know will be good ones in beautiful Ghana.”

In addition, Our Black Truth will also produce a documentary film to capture every moment of this historic occasion.

Mother Fletcher and her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, known in the community as “Uncle Redd”, will be traveling to Accra, Ghana, West Africa during the month of August, 2021, and will enjoy a spectacular itinerary and the great hospitality of the Ghanaian people, government officials, tribal chiefs and Nanas, tour Cape Coast to see the dungeons at the slave castles there, and stand in the “Door of No Return.”

They will also be greeted upon arrival by Our Black Truth’s on-ground partner, H.E. Ambassador Erieka Bennett, head of Mission at the Diaspora Africa Forum, the only embassy for the African Diaspora, and is located at the historic W.E.B Dubois Center in Accra.

“They will be feted by an adoring public here in Accra, and receive honors from Ghanaian chiefs and nanas and a delegation of nobles from Nigeria based here in Accra,” said Ambassador Bennett.

“They will also place wreaths on the grave of Dr.

W.E.B. Dubois and place names of 4 their ancestors on the Sankofa Wall, a memorial established here on the grounds of the Diaspora Africa Forum”.

They will also be welcomed at Jubilee House by the President and Vice President of the nation, the Ambassador continued.

“We believe every African American, in their heart of hearts, has a desire to see the Motherland,” said Ike Howard, grandson of Mother Fletcher.

“My Grandmother wants to see where she believes our history originated and at 107 years old has made visiting Africa a priority to be realized during her remaining years.”

Our Black Truth (OBT) is a recently launched social media platform that is designed to provide freedom of expression and respectful exchange that members of the African American community often do not experience on some social media platforms, finding themselves censored for strong and righteous opinions, and their personal data sold to corporations.

Our Black Truth is the 21st century gateway to reach and connect the African American community and African diaspora with a place of our own, said OBT’s CEO, Michael Thompson, a systems engineer who began his career in digital technology solving connectivity problems for America Online (AOL).

Along with Our Black Truth social media, some of the other sponsoring organizations on both sides of the Atlantic of this historic undertaking include The Diaspora Africa Forum, The African Communications Agency, The Africa Legacy Fund and United Airlines.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Entertainment

The Valley’s News Observer A3

Young Photographer Landed Shoots with Beyonce, Simone Biles

come to it with open minds, in a way that allows them to think through the photos.

“I feel like I want people to be gentle with it, I want people to ingest it and take time with it, not just when viewing my pictures, but in general,” Carter said. “I think it's rare that people actually take their time with a painting, I think this is across mediums, just like a painting, or reading someone's writing.”

Her dedication to portraying her subjects as they are goes sometimes means putting aside her own strong feelings and understandings when it comes to Blackness.

When she began to work with Biles for her Glamour photoshoot, the magazine wanted the photos to be strongly patriotic, given that Biles would be representing the United States in the Summer Olympics this month.

“In regard to my experience being an African American and what my patriotism looks like, mine personally is very apathetic given the experiences and the things that I've seen within the U.S.,” Carter said. “And I didn't want to place my apathy on to Simone because I did not know what, I don't know what her feelings are.”

Carter opted to portray Biles with red, white and blue ribbons for a more implied effect, rather than to dress Biles in an American flag, which was the original plan.

“It was just something that felt a little weird to me, about putting a Black woman in an American flag, it just felt a little strange, especially given the times that we're in,” Carter said. “So I felt like it was a little more alluring or interesting and more implied, if we were to have this set in her clothing centered around red, white and blue.”

The result was a cover that, like the Beyonce one, lit up social media with people praising Biles' look, but also that a Black woman had photographed another Black woman.

Mike Freeman, USA Today's race and inequality editor, wrote that the situation “isn't unprecedented in mainstream magazine history, but it's still unicorn territory and historical.”

“Black women are increasingly appearing on mainstream magazine covers after years of effectively being ignored,” he wrote in USA Today. “It's still rare for Black women to grace them and even rarer to have a Black woman like Carter shoot those covers.”

By AUBREY GULICK The News & Observer DURHAM, N.C. (AP) – Simone Biles exudes strength in the photograph – from her pose to her level chin to her long braid winding down her body, interwoven with red, white and blue ribbons.

The photo, featured on the June cover of Glamour magazine, reflects the Olympic gold medalist that's known for her strength and resilience. And in some ways, the photo reflects the photographer behind the camera _ Kennedi Carter.

In December, the Durham-based photographer earned the distinction at the age of 21 of being the youngest photographer to shoot a cover for Vogue of superstar singer Beyonce. British Vogue made three covers out of Carter's photos, each with a different Beyonce vibe.

Carter, now 22, has broken into the photography industry with a vengeance, building an impressive resume that features photos in national publications, including Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times.

Carter began taking photography as an elective at Jordan High School in Durham, hoping that the course would be an easy A. It wasn't. Although she struggled in the class, she was fascinated by her teacher who told stories about working with Warner Brothers, and of meeting multiple celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyonce and Rihanna.

“I thought her life was very interesting,” Carter said about her teacher in a recent interview with The News & Observer.

“I didn't necessarily see it as a blueprint, but I just found it interesting that this was a person that had full autonomy over their life – whether they wanted to meet with these people that are larger than life, or go and do the groundwork and work in a high school.”

After graduating from high school, Carter worked as a photojournalist with publications like The New York Times and The New Yorker, as well as doing smaller photoshoots, projects, and portraits.

That was just the beginning.

A PHOTO SHOOT WITH BEYONCE Carter has always been a fan of Beyonce and her music, so she was stunned when she was asked out of the blue to do a photoshoot with the singer for British Vogue in August 2020.

“Beyonce specifically requested a woman of colour for the shoot, and together with Vogue's editor-inchief Edward Enninful, she landed on Kennedi, a gifted young fine art photographer whose work highlights the `overlooked beauties of the Black experience,”' according to an article in British Vogue that accompanied Carter's photos.

The magazine noted that Carter’s chosen themes “certainly align with Beyonce's own focus in recent years from her visual album `Black Is King' to the shoppable list of Black-owned businesses she published on her website to mark Juneteenth.”

Carter's work with Beyonce put her on the international stage as more magazines discovered her portfolio. The commission opened the door for more highprofile assignments, as people on social media buzzed about Carter's history-making shoot and how well she captured Beyonce on film.

“I feel like, once you shoot with Beyonce, it's kind of like, there's nobody else,” Carter said.

Carter had been a student at UNC-Greensboro at the time but no longer is taking classes there. In recent months, she has been asked to do multiple photoshoots with celebrities, including actor LaKeith Stanfield for Entertainment Weekly, race car driver Bubba Wallace for GQ and Biles for Glamour.

As she has gained more experience with high-profile subjects, her perspective on capturing their photos has changed. She now focuses on the lasting impression her photos of them can make.

“I think, if anything, in the grand scheme of things, I've become more interested in how the work will age according to their legacy,” Carter said. “I think, and it seems really cool, that the images made of them now kind of define or give a visual as to who they are now to the people that will come after them.”

GETTING TO KNOW HER SUBJECTS For Carter, getting to know her subjects is a vital part of the process, and why she tends to gravitate towards people of color when choosing her subjects.

“I like to photograph what I know, and what I relate to,” she said. “And what I relate to is Blackness, I relate to wanting to be pictured in the best way.”

Kennedi Carter, 22, poses for a portrait in her apartment in Durham, N.C., on July 7, 2021. The Durham resident was 21 when she became the youngest photographer to shoot a cover for British Vogue. (Angelica Edwards/The News & Observer via AP)

She has always felt that people of color are misunderstood when it comes to photography and that they have been subjected to the photographer's understanding of them, rather than dictating the direction of the photos.

“I think wanting to look good in a picture, and being pictured well is something that is as simple as that,” she said. “So, I like making Black people feel good and look good within their images. Not making them feel subjected to a photographer.”

Carter's dedication to being intentional about the way

she portrays her subjects has permeated her work and has dictated her medium. She uses a film camera rather than a digital camera.

“I use it because of my teacher, that's what she taught us in high school. It's intentional. I feel like I'm, I don't know, a picture machine when I got a digital camera. So I don't like that too, too much,” she said.

Carter spends time with her subjects, attempting to get to know them, rather than her perception of them. She hopes that her work will invite people to slow down and

GROWTH IN THE INDUSTRY During her time in the business, Carter has seen significant shifts in who is commissioned to take photos.

She has noticed a growth in the presence of people of color in the industry, and feels excited for the change in prospects, although she's worried it could be a passing phase, rather than a permanent change.

“I feel like, if anything, when I was talking to editors about just the presence of Black photographers within the photo industry, five years ago, there were none,” Carter said. “Now there's been a total shift, and a lot of the work that's being booked now, is going to Black photographers.

I think it's a good thing, but it's also a scary thing, because stuff like that, it feels like it could be snatched away so fast.”

She also sees a lot of room for improvement within the industry, which she feels is subject to sexism. She has been frustrated when she sees men and women photographers treated differently in the industry.

“I feel like, if anything, a lot of the struggles that I have faced have been more informed by the fact that I'm a woman,” Carter said. “There were times where I had to struggle so hard to get images from a shoot, and the celebrity wouldn't send it to me.”

Carter credits her ability to see success in the industry both with her commitment to self-expression and her openness to being vulnerable with her work.

“It doesn't really matter where it is that you're working from, it doesn't matter what it is that you want to do. If you keep making the work that you want to make, there will be eyes that will be watching, and things will fall into place.”

As she looks to the future, she is happy to stay in Durham and dreams of following in her high school teacher's footsteps by benefiting her community. She'd like to spark a love of photography among another generation of students.

“I think one of these days, I'm probably going to end up going to the high school because I love kids, and I think teenagers especially are really interesting people,” Carter said. “I would love to have a community darkroom, I'd love to stay in Durham, or somewhere in the South. I love Durham a lot. .

“I'd like for my work to be in really neat archives, and for people that are actually going to love and cherish them for a long time to have access to them.”

Let’s Talk with KBLA 1580

By Ricky Richardson Contributing Writer Los Angeles – The African American community of Greater Los Angeles and the nation is rejoicing. Los Angeles welcomed it’s first and only “Unapologetically Progressive” talk radio station. You should have heard this exciting news that the station was launched at the stroke of midnight on June 19, 2021- Juneteenth 2021.7.16 KBLA 1580 sits amongst the Urban Radio Stations Platform throughout the Universe. It is available for the African American listening audience and progressives. You can listen live in Los Angeles on KBLA 1580 am. You can also tune in at KBLA 1580.com and best of all, it is a good idea to download the KBLA 1580 app. This will ensure that you can tune in and not miss the engaging topics of your favorite hosts.

KBLA 1580 is helmed by media personality, author and philanthropist Tavis Smiley and Tavis Smiley Audio Media Inc. KBLA is the only Black owned and operated talk station in Southern California.

The studios of KBLA 1580 are located in historic Leimert Park directly adjacent to Destination Crenshaw’s “Sankofa Park,” a 1.3-mile open-air museum along the new Crenshaw/LAX Metro Rail line, presently under construction.

Thursday, July 15th, KBLA invited the African American Press for a meet and greet and a conversation.

The event was entitled “Birth of a Station Media Day.” Elston Butler, President and General Manager, welcomed everyone after a delicious lunch. The guests included Publishers, Editors, Reporters, and Photographers. Mr. Butler offered to collaborate with African American Press in the future.

Tavis Smiley spoke about his career, from his early start working with the late Mayor Tom Bradley and his Radio/ TV career. He spoke candidly about the much-publicized legal issue with PBS. Tavis Smiley spoke fondly

Melina Abdullah, Don Amiche, Kiara Imani Williams, Tavis Smiley, Danny Morrison and Dominique DiPrima. (Ricky Richardson photo)

Continued on page A7

Legal Notices

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The Valley’s News Observer

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JULIA POUNDS CASE NUMBER: 21STPB06665 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JULIA POUNDS A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by EDWARD POUNDS in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, Ca. 90012 Branch Name: Metro THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that EDWARD POUNDS be appointedt as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval.

Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: Aug 12, 2021 Time: 8:30 a.m. Dept: Room: located at 1215 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, Ca. 93301 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by

your attorney.

IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the deceased, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided on Probate Code section 9100. The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above.

YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (for DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate code section 1250.

A request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Petitioner: The Law Offices of Young & Nichols 1901 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, Ca. 93301 Telephone: (661) 861-7911

CATHERINE SOOMIN CHUN Filed a petition with this court Proposed name ANDREA HOONG MORGAN-CHUN CATHERINE SOOMIN MORGAN-CHUN 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: Sept 10, 2021 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: June 30, 2021 Hon. Lawrence Cho COURT COMMISSIONER Marcos (Last Name Not Legible) DEPUTY Petitioner: Andrea Hoong Morgan 1610 Marine St. Santa Monica, Ca. 90405 Phone: (310) 570-0087 E-Mail Address: amorganchun@ gmail.com LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: July 15, 22, 29, Aug 5, 2021

NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2021 153643 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DAM ELECTRICAL at 332 Orange Grove Ave., San Fernando, Ca. 91340 Mailing Address: Same County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): DANIEL ANGELO MONTANTES, 332 Orange Grove Ave., San Fernando, Ca. 91340 The business is conducted by: an Individual SIGNED: DANIEL ANGELO MONTANTES, Owner The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 6/2021 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: July 7, 2021 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: (No Signature), Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on July 7, 2026 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: July 15, 22, 29, Aug 5, 2021

LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER (Y&N) PUB: July 15, 22, 29, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 21SMCP00303 Superior Court of the State of California, for the county of Los Angeles, 1725 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405 Branch Name: Santa Monica Courthouse PETITION OF: ANDREA HOONG MORGAN FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ANDREA HOONG MORGAN for a decree changing names as follows: Present name ANDREA HOONG MORGAN

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

Thursday, July 22, 2021

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Former State Official Charges State Treasurer With Sexual Harassment Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media Five months after Judith Blackwell was replaced as the head of two California state committees that oversee affordable housing bonds, she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Blackwell, who is African American, accuses Ma of inappropriate behavior, including revealing her bare posterior on more than one occasion. San Francisco’s attorney Waukeen McCoy filed the complaint on Blackwell’s behalf.

The11-page “complaint for damages” filed in Sacramento County Superior Court on July 13 lists four other allegations: racial discrimination, wrongful termination, disability discrimination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In an email to the Sacramento Bee, Ma said she will defend herself against the allegations.

“I am saddened and disappointed by these baseless claims,” Ma wrote. “I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support I’ve received today. To set the record straight, we have repeatedly refused to respond to the attorney’s attempts to settle.

We look forward to bringing the truth to light in court.”

Blackwell’s complaint alleges that Ma provided her with hotel rooms, dinners, jewelry, paintings, and “edible marijuana so that she could go to sleep.” Those charges are made in the “Statements of Facts” section of the complaint.

In September 2019, Blackwell was named Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC). CTCAC, and the closely related California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC), are chaired by Treasurer Ma. They are considered two of the state’s most robust affordable housing programs.

In the complaint, Blackwell also alleges that she was relieved from her position in January 2020, and that she was given no cause or reason. It also states that Blackwell was replaced by a “less qualified Caucasian female.”

“When (Blackwell) was hired, Ms. Ma assured (Blackwell) that she would have the job for the six years Ms. Ma was the State

Treasurer,” the complaint states.

In September 2020, Blackwell explains that she had a stroke and stayed home for two months. Upon her return to work in November 2020, two other individuals were “assigned to the role of Deputy Treasurer, which was the role Ms. Ma told the Plaintiff she would be promoted to,” the complaint stated.

Blackwell also claims that Ma was aware that she was recovering from a stroke and yet assigned her tasks that required two people to complete.

As the Executive Director for CTCAC, Blackwell said she increased housing by 30%. Court records also stated that Blackwell said she “developed and improved CTCAC regulations” and put together a suitable system to accommodate “an additional $500 million in State tax credits provided by the Governor and Legislature to pair with CTCAC’s 4% program.”

Blackwell also created a system to protect renters from being relocated in circumstances where CTCAC was providing funds for rehabilitation. “(Blackwell) also researched and found a way for CTCAC to provide workforce housing for individuals working in schools from K-1 through K-12. During the time the Plaintiff was in her role, CTCAC went from a $100 million per year program to a $700 million per year program,” the complaint said.

Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was elected on Nov. 6, 2018. She made history then as the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position.

Her office processes more than $2 trillion in payments within a typical year and provides oversight for an investment portfolio of more than $90 billion, approximately $20 billion of which are local government funds. Ma also is also in charge of $85 billion in outstanding general obligation and lease revenue state bonds.

Prior to being elected Treasurer, she was an elected member of the California Board of Equalization from 2014 to 2018.

Before that, she was a member of the State Assembly from 20062012, serving as Speaker pro Tempore from 2010 to 2012.

Treasurer Fiona Ma administers the oath of office to Judith Blackwell, the new Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC), as Chief of Staff Genevieve Jopanda and Deputy Treasurer for Housing & Economic Development Jovan Agee look on.

Blackwell has served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Port of Oakland, the CFO of the City of Atlanta, and as Purchaser and Director of Contract Administration for the City and County of San Francisco.

NO ONE GETS A DIPLOMA ALONE. If you’re thinking of finishing your high school diploma, you have more support than you realize. Find teachers and free adult education classes near you at FinishYourDiploma.org.

She began her career as a public finance attorney, specializing in infrastructure projects. She also served as the Executive Director of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Features

The Valley’s News Observer A5

Popular College Choice for Black Students Survives Lawmaker’s Shutdown Attempt Joe W. Bowers Jr. California Black Media When the California Legislature passed the state’s 2021-2022 budget last month, lawmakers voted to defund Calbright College, the only statewide completely digital community college.

However, after negotiations with Gov. Gavin Newsom, the college’s funding has been reinstated.

But Senate Bill 129, the budget trailer bill Newsom signed on July 12, contains language saying that any legislation passed that eliminates the college would be binding.

Calbright College is California’s 115th community college and it is currently tuition free.

The idea for a community college offering only online programs statewide was the brainchild of former Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. He believed increasing online course availability would make college more accessible and affordable for working adults. He envisioned it as another public option for Californians between ages 25 and 34 that would help them improve their work skills and allow them to earn certifications to move into better-paying jobs not requiring a college degree.

African American students are overrepresented in Calbright’s student body. About 23% of its students are Black. At traditional community colleges in the state, African Americans represent just 5.9% of students.

Black students are also overrepresented in the state’s forprofit institutions, where they are 18% of students. These institutions can cost up to nine times more per unit than a community college. Students incur higher debt and student loan default rates are higher. Course completion rates for students across these institutions are some of the lowest.

When the Legislature passed the California Online Community College Act in 2018, Calbright was given seven years -- from July 2018 through June 2025 -- to build a portfolio of programs and support infrastructure for adult students seeking to improve their job and financial

status. The Act appropriated $100 million in state funds for startup costs, and initially about $20 million annually was allocated for operating expenses.

Currently, Calbright offers four programs at no cost to California residents - Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platform Administration (Sales force Administrator), Information Technology Support (A+), Cyber security (Security+), and Medical Coding

State’s $10 Million Fund for Ethnic Media is

Great Start!

By Sunita Sohrabji Special to California Black Media In recognition of a mass communication sector that has been struggling from dwindling advertising dollars and intense competition from well-funded media conglomerates and a field of small niche publishers since the inception of the internet, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature appropriated $10 million in new funding for ethnic media in the state budget for 2021-22.

The funding was approved as part of the Asian Pacific Islander Equity Budget created to respond to the surge in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. It will be used to improve outreach to Asian and Pacific Islanders as well as other underserved California communities, including African Americans and Latinos.

The money will be channeled through state agencies working with Asian, African Americans, Latino and other ethnic media outlets who have audiences of monolingual and underserved communities, according to the governor’s office.

Advocates who have been fighting in the trenches for decades to include minority-owned media in state outreach programs say the funding is historic because it earmarks funds specifically aimed at expanding communications with ethnic and racial populations through ethnic-owned media with an eye to creating more racial equity in the state. They say these outlets play a critical role in preserving the country’s democratic system by holding institutions, public and private, accountable and informing the public.

“It recognizes the indispensable role ethnic media play to inform, educate and engage our communities about

critical issues that impact their lives, said Sandy Close, director of Ethnic Media Services (EMS).

“It also provides a template that can later be scaled for requiring state agencies to include the full spectrum of ethnic media -- including hyper-local outlets traditionally excluded in media buys by advertising agencies -- in their public awareness campaigns to our underserved communities,” she added.

Regina Wilson, executive director of California Black Media (CBM), applauded the appropriation, too, she also thanked ethnic press for always finding a way to crank out valuable and high-quality journalism even though many of them are under-resourced.

“This is an exciting news, she said.

Wilson said the murder of Minnesota resident George Floyd by a White police officer, Derek Chauvin, who has been sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison, alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, has served as an inflection point for communities of color. “It has made us look at our humanity. We are neighbors who must stand up for one another.”

Wilson said the funding is a good start, but more work needs to be done and is concerned that the two longest serving ethnic media advocacy groups in the state, EMS and CBM, were not included in the discussions that led to the allocation.

Close and Wilson say CBM and EMS will be convening a briefing with government and ethnic media leaders to make sure the funds truly benefit the full spectrum of minority-owned media in the state.

for Professional Services. These are competency-based education programs that are self-paced and not constrained by academic calendars like traditional community colleges.

Upon completion, students can take an industry recognized exam for a Certificate of Competency that would qualify them for jobs in their field of study.

To Calbright’s supporters, including Brown, Newsom, California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley and the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, the college has the potential to become the public solution to costly predatory for-profit institutions that target adults and low-income workers and saddles them with excessive student loan debt Since its inception, Calbright has had distracters.

Much of its opposition comes from the community college faculty union. Critics, including many Legislators argue that Calbright programs are duplicative of those offered at traditional community colleges and that the millions of dollars allocated to it would be better used by the state’s underfunded community colleges.

Although Calbright began offering programs in October 2019, by February 2020 its critics requested a legislative audit to assess its progress toward creating online programs, enrolling students, building relationships with employers and collaborating with other community colleges.

The results of the audit, which cost the state over $300,000, were published in May 2021. In the letter

accompanying the Calbright audit report, California State Auditor Elaine Howle revealed “It is behind in accomplishing key milestones and must act quickly to demonstrate its ability to achieve its mission.”

She explained, “A primary reason why Calbright’s progress is not on track is that its former executive team failed to develop and execute effective strategies for launching the college.”

Howle also said many Calbright executives left during its first year due to leadership failures.

“Calbright has struggled to adequately enroll the students it was intended to serve, took longer than it should have to develop a student support system, and did not adequately partner with employers in the development of its educational programs,” she added.

But, the audit also pointed out that Calbright’s new leadership has initiated actions to address the deficiencies that were uncovered.

Currently, Calbright offers African American students a tuition free alternative for gaining new job skills certificates. Unlike students taking courses at forprofit colleges, Calbright students who are unsuccessful in gaining sought-after credentials are not severely financially penalized.

Calbright’s critics have pushed back on Howle’s assessment that “Calbright’s potential value to the State is significant.” They also have failed to acknowledge that their most repeated complaint against the college is disputed in the audit’s finding that “Calbright’s pathways are not duplicative when compared to the other programs we reviewed.”

In February 2021, before the legislative audit report was released, Assembly Bill 1432, an act to make Calbright inoperative at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, was introduced by Assembly Member Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) and coauthored by Assembly Member Jose Medina (D-Riverside).

On May 6, before the audit report was published, the Assembly passed AB 1432 by unanimous vote (71-0).

The bill was sent to the Senate for approval, but the Senate Education Committee decided not to hear it at its July 14 meeting. That killed any chance for the bill to be enacted this year. No comment was provided by Committee Chair Senator Connie M. Leyva (D – Chino) when California Black Media reached out to find out why the bill was not heard.

According to the budget deal that Newsom accepted, if AB 1432 had been approved by the Senate, Calbright would be closed.

Although, Calbright survived this year’s Legislative attempt to close it, those who oppose it have not given up.

They emphasize that Calbright leaders must deliver on its mission on the timetable provided in the audit report and meet the milestones the Legislature established when the college was created.

“We need to see substantial progress for Calbright to earn our trust and show that this has not been a wasteful experiment coming at California taxpayers’ expense,” Low says.

Sports

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The Valley’s News Observer

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Dodgers Get a Good Start After All-Star Break

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher David Price works against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The Dodgers began the post All-Star break by taking two straight from the Rockies.

They routed the Rockies with a 10-4 as Will Smith had 2 hits and 4 RBI’s in jump starting the second half of the season.

Cody Bellinger had two RBI’s and scored a run.

Chris Taylor knocked in two with his 11 homer.

Jose Urias (12-3) went 5.2 innings giving up seven hits striking out two.

In game two Max Muncy went to “Rip City” with two homers (21) knocking in five runs and scored twice.

Mookie Betts homered (13) while going four for four and

scored three runs in a 9-2 Walker Buehler (10-1) got the win he went seven striking out eight walking just four.

In the series finale Veteran David Price went four innings for his longest outing in two years.

The bad news was Charlie Blackmon hit a solo walk-off homer against Phil Bickford in the bottom of the 10th.

NOTES: It was discovered ace Clayton Kershaw had no ligament damage to his arm and will return to the team in a few weeks. Corey Seager played in a simulated-games and had seven at-bats. A special Happy Birthday to Rachael Robinson.

Rams RB Cam Akers Tears Achilles Tendon, Out Indefinitely

By Greg Beacham AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) – Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers is out indefinitely after tearing his Achilles tendon in an offseason training session.

The Rams confirmed the injury Tuesday, one week before veterans report to training camp.

Akers was expected to be the Rams’ starter in the backfield after coming on late in his outstanding rookie season. Akers had 272 yards from scrimmage in the Rams’ two playoff games, capping his rookie year with some of his best play.

The injury is a blow to Rams coach Sean McVay’s plans to build an elite NFL offense around quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Detroit for Jared Goff early in the offseason.

Akers intended to play a primary role as an every-down back for the Rams after sharing carries as a rookie last year with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown in the team’s first season

following Todd Gurley’s departure.

Akers got 14 carries in his NFL debut, but didn’t get that many touches again until December. The Florida State product took over the primary ball-carrying role for four of Los Angeles’ final five regular season games, averaging 3.95 yards on 86 carries _ including a career-high 171 yards against New England.

Akers’ athleticism and explosiveness made him the clear top choice heading into the playoffs, where he rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ victory at Seattle. He added 91 yards and a touchdown in Los Angeles’ season-ending loss at Green Bay. Henderson is still with the Rams, while Brown left for Miami. Los Angeles also has Raymond Calais and Xavier Jones, who both have limited NFL experience, along with rookie seventh-round pick Jake Funk.

The Rams’ veterans will report to UC Irvine on Tuesday, July 27, with their first practice the next day.

The NFL Network first reported Akers’ injury.

In this May 27, 2021, file photo, Los Angeles Rams’ Cam Akers warms up during NFL football practice in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Akers is out indefinitely after tearing his Achilles tendon in an offseason training session. The Rams confirmed the injury Tuesday, July 20, 2021, one week before veterans report to training camp. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo, File)

Chargers Weekly-

Herbert, Bosa and Ekeler revisit Chargers Mini Camp & look ahead to Training Camp

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com As a reminder, the Los Angeles Chargers open Training Camp for the 2021 season next week at Jack Hammett Sports Complex at 2750 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626). Bolts fans can attend Training Camp by pre-registering for their free tickets at chargers.com/camp. Just weeks ago, the team finally met their new coaching staff in person during their Mini Camp. Players left Mini Camp enthusiastic about their upcoming season. This article will revisit the player’s thoughts from time with the new coaching staff and their takeaways from Mini Camp.

As you may have imagined, things change coming into a new season, not only will the Chargers have to get prepared for a new season, they have to get used to an entirely new coaching staff. For Justin Herbert, that means learning a new set of plays coming of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in the league’s history. When last season’s NFL Rookie of the Year, Justin Herbert, was asked about this new offense, he responded by saying, “There’s a lot about it. There are a lot of plays that are put on the quarterback going up there and making a call based on the defense. That’s something that we’re going to keep developing and keep getting better at — especially being able to go against the defense these past couple of weeks. I think it’s just an offense that takes advantage of the skilled players and getting the ball to [WR] Keenan Allen, [WR] Mike Williams and [RB] Aueler. That’s really important for us.”

Herbert was also asked about the installation of their new offense, “The plan was to kind of put everything in the first couple of days. It seemed like a lot. After a couple of practices, it really gets up on your back. I had a tough time going through that, but as the days go long and you get to go through it, it seems less and less. That mentality of everything is put on you, you get to battle through it, and you’re going to make mistakes, but you’re going to learn from it.”

Justin also talked about the flexibility of the offense he stated that “I think one of the advantages is being able to get to any play and knowing the personnel and the plays that you can get to — against a specific look, we’re not going to run this, we’re going to get to something else. Having that mastered, I think that’s huge because you can go against any defense. I think the tough part is memorizing and learning it all. That’s where it’s tough because you have to go in there and spend a lot of time watching the film, practicing and repping it.”

Herbert will have a lot on his plate coming into this season. He talked about how his relationship with the new Head Coach will be critical to the team’s development.

When asked about his relationship Justin talked about Coach Staley has gone about developing their continuity, “He’s done a great job of that. All of the defensives looks that they have; they hold their disguise so well, and they’re always showing [coverage] shell. It puts the offense in a tough position because everything looks the same, and you’re not able to pick up where the pressure is coming

Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa is seen during an NFL football practice Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

from, where to slide to and who to point. Just seeing all of that, it doesn’t get much more complicated than that, so I have appreciated that.”

Even though he had a Pro Bowl season, Joey Bosa suffered a couple of concussions and a tricep injury last season, yet he says confidently, “there are no effects that I’ve been dealing with or anything. I’m feeling good. Nothing, lingering from last year.” Chargers fans should be happy to hear this!

Bosa also talked about the relationships Coach Staley is building with his team and how their initial interaction went, “He gets to be the head guy and run things exactly how he wants to. He wanted us to know how confident he is in us as players and how much he trusts us. He’s open to talking and suggestions. It’s a great relationship that he’s building so far.”

Coming off his injury-riddled season where he’s played

the least number of games in his 4-year career, Chargers Running Back Austin Ekeler shared his thoughts on this new-look offense. “It’s been great. It’s been great to be just in an offseason. Last year we didn’t have this, so it’s been great to build and have an opportunity to build chemistry with the team, especially because we have a lot of new signees on the offense this year — especially the offensive line.

They all stick together, and they all have a lot of different personalities. It’s always a good time to be on the field with the boys, especially this year, too, with new faces, to meet new people and learn about some other people and what they’ve been doing.” About the new offense that they are implementing, Austin says, “It’s getting us, as playmakers, in spots to make plays — I love that. I can emphasize in trying to get me the ball, which I’m always on board for, getting me in a spot where I can make more plays, and putting our other players in spots to do the same. It’s been,

obviously, a learning curve just from being in a similar offense for the past four years and now trying to learn a new offense. That’s what the offseason is for.”

A common theme from the players and coaches alike this off-season has been the relationship-building process.

Ekeler commented on this aspect of his new Head Coach Brandon Staley and how it’s impacted him by stating, “the first time I spoke to him was a couple of days after he got hired, he called me and wanted to talk about, just, life. I thought that was special because getting to know someone and getting to see their values helps me connect, it helps everyone connect. As far as wanting to play for this person and care about what they are saying. I think that’s been a big emphasis for coach. I always see him on the field talking to players… creating that connection! Austin added, “We’re a team, and we’re going to be around each other a long time. If we can play and create that chemistry, it gives us more of a reason to play for each other!”

Once again, the Chargers report for Training Camp on July 27th camp and will take the field for the first time at 9:00 am Wednesday, July 28th. On July 31st, the Bolts will celebrate NFL Training Camp: Back Together Saturday. Which will include a special giveaway for fans in attendance. Additionally, fans will enjoy expert commentary on practice from members of the Chargers’ radio broadcast team. Be sure to pre-register for free tickets at www.chargers.com/camp.

For those paying attention, Head Coach Brandon Staley is giving team leaders all across Southern California and the National Football League a lesson on team building and gaining the confidence of his team. Though we’ve yet to see this team building put up notches in the win column, one thing is for sure, it is tough to win anything, at any level, if your team is not unified and working together.

It’s going to be very intriguing to see how this newfound unity plays out on the field.

Players speaking on Coach Brandon Staley’s focused on his investment in them as people, in this team-building process is evident in the how the player feels. We’ve now have heard Bosa and Ekeler speak on this part of the process. Kindly share your thoughts on Coach Staley and how this team building will improve this franchise in the immediate future. You can reach out to me on Twitter @ whatsgoodnsport or shoot me an email at info@whatsgoodinsports.com. I encourage you to forward any suggestions on what topics or angles about this new version of the Los Angeles Chargers you would like to see discussed this season.

Lastly, be sure to subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans Podcast,” which is available for you on most podcasting platforms; Apple and Google Podcasts, including Spotify, TuneIn, and iHeart Radio. On our Podcast, we have passionate banter about everything NFL while addressing current NBA topics, in addition to discussing multiple issues in and around the world of sports. Thank you, as always, for spending time with me and Making Our Voice, Your Choice!

Thursday, July 22, 2021

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Let’s Talk with KBLA 1580 Continued from page A3

about each of the on-air personalities in attendance and about the unique gift/talent that they bring to the station.

Dominique DiPrima, Don Amiche, Danny Morrison, Melina Abdullah, and Kiara Imani Williams passionately and joyously spoke about how honored they are to be a part of the station with its magnificent potential for growth.

Tavis Smiley and Dominique DiPrima received award Special Achievement/Recognition from Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, 8th Council District.

The day concluded with Photo Ops and tours of the studio.

KBLA Talk 1580 boast an all-star lineup of host who speak candidly and passionately to the challenges of people of color face daily trying to navigate life and realize their California hopes and dreams. KBLA serves an audience long ignored by talk radio in Los Angeles- people of color and progressives.

KBLA Talk 1580| The Line Up

Dominique DiPrima (Ricky Richardson photo)

Elston Butler and Tavis Smiley. (Ricky Richardson Danny Morrison (Ricky Richardson photo) photo)

First Things First With Dominique DiPrima|M-F, 6 to 9am Tavis Smiley|M-F, 9am to 12noon Middays with Danny Morrison|M-F, 12-2pm The DL Hughley Afternoon Show|M-F, 2 to 4pm Alonzo Bodden: Who’s Paying Attention? |M-F, 4 to 7pm Let’s Get Intimate with Dr. Jeshana Johnson|M-F, 7-9pm Don Amiche vs. Everybody + Crysta and Kiara|M-F, 9pm to 12am Midnight The Best of KBLA Talk 1580|each night/overnight from 12am midnight to 6am Weekends will be anchored by Black Lives Matter “This Is Not A Drill,” featuring Melina Abdullah along with “the Best of State of the Black Union,” heard exclusively on KBLA Talk 1580.

Stay Connected on a Social Note: Follow & Holla on Instagram: @KBLA1580 Follow & Holla on Twitter: @KBLA1580 Follow & Holla on Facebook: facebook.com/KBLA1580 Subscribe on YouTube: KBLA 1580 Download the KBLA Talk 1580 app.

Kiara Imani Williams and Don Amiche. (Ricky Richardson photo)

Melina Abdullah (Ricky Richardson photo)

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Thursday, July 22, 2021

Campaign Launched to Increase Vaccination Rates Within the Antelope Valley First public event to be held on July 31 (Antelope Valley, CA) – The California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (www. caaasa.org), along with Antelope Valley (AV) school districts and community based organizations will launch a campaign to increase vaccination awareness among African Americans and other at-risk groups living in the AV. Entitled, “Let’s VAX, THEN Relax, “the campaign, funded by the Centers for Disease Control Foundation, will run through mid-April of 2022 and will utilize schools, churches, communitybased organizations and businesses as information hubs about COVID-19, its impact on the community and the need to get vaccinated.

Outreach activities will be held throughout the AV, including five Town-Hall-style meetings, enabling residents to

listen to the facts about COVID, ask questions of trusted medical professionals and hear stories from residents of all ages, who have been vaccinated or impacted by COVID-19. The first public

meeting will be held on Saturday, July 31, 4p.m. at Living Praise Christian Center, 2320 East Ave R in Palmdale.

“The number of unvaccinated African American and Latinx residents is significant, and lags behind those in other communities, according to LA County Department of Public Health statistics,” said Dr. Michele Bowers, CAAASA’s PresidentElect and Superintendent, Lancaster School District. “We see this new vaccine awareness campaign as an extension of ongoing efforts within the AV are to provide at-risk residents with valuable information to protect themselves from the virus. We are hopeful the “Let’s Vax, THEN Relax” campaign, will help undecided residents understand the need to take COVID-19 seriously, even though many of the facets of everyday life have reopened.

“We are happy to partner with CAAASA in this effort to raise awareness of COVID-19,” said Rev. Braggs, Pastor of Peoples A.M.E Zion Church. “Congregations throughout the AV have indicated a willingness to do whatever they can to reduce vaccine hesitancy.”

About CAAASA Founded in 1993, CAAASA, an education equity and advocacy organization, works through collaboration, networkbuilding and direct community engagement to promote the success of African American, Latinx and other underserved California K-12 public school students and families. CAAASA’s members include school superintendents, administrators, teachers and other educational professionals from throughout California; many of whom live and/or work in the AV area.

Although its primary focus is education, CAAASA has been at the forefront of numerous issues impacting the health of the African American community. As soon as vaccines became available within LA County, CAAASA hosted a webinar with noted medical professionals, to address the concerns of African American students, families and education stakeholders.

Larry Elder Fails to Make List in Recall Race Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media On Saturday, California elections officials announced 41 candidates have filed the required paperwork to appear on the ballot Sept. 14 in the election to recall and replace current California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 21 of them are running as Republicans.

But Larry Elder, the most prominent African American vying to replace Newsom, is not on the official list of candidates, according to state officials.

The Los Angeles-based nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host and newspaper columnist, who announced his candidacy for California Governor July 12 isn’t on the list released this past weekend that California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber is expected to certify next week.

However, Ying Ma, an Elder campaign spokesperson, said she expects Elder to be on the final list of certified candidates.

“Our campaign submitted every document required by the Secretary of State and the Los Angeles County Registrar,” she said in a statement Saturday.

Elder is among 70-plus candidates who have announced that they are vying to unseat Newsom, including former Olympian Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, former United States Congressman Doug Ose and 2018 GOP gubernatorial nominee John Cox. Elder formally launched his campaign to Recall Newsom outside the Los Angeles County RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk office.

“I’m running for governor because the decline of California isn’t the fault of its people,” he said. . “Our government is what’s ruining the Golden State. Our schools are closed to both students and their parents. Our streets aren’t safe from rising violent crime or the disaster of rising homelessness. And the scandals of Sacramento aren’t going to stop on their own. It’s time to tell the truth. We’ve got a state to save.”

Since filing his candidacy, Elder has been using social media platforms to express his views on homelessness in

California, education, and the city of Los Angeles’ mandate to wear face masks indoors, including for individuals who are fully vaccinated.

“As Gov, I will not tell, much less order, people to wear masks. I will not falsely claim that mask wearing protects kids. The reason I wore a mask when I signed the application to run is that Newsom will not allow entry into that govt building without one,” Elder posted to his Twitter account July 14.

On July 16, he followed with another tweet, “If Gavin Newsom had sense or spine he would reverse LA’s mask order, which flies against both CA and CDC rules. He has the power to free LA residents of this madness. When I’m governor, there will be NO mask mandates at state or local level in California.”

Elder, 69, was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. His father, who served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, moved to California from Georgia and opened a restaurant -- Elder’s Snack Bar. Elder’s mother, who was once a clerical worker for the U.S. Department of War (now the U.S. Department of Defense), raised three boys as a stay-at-home mom.

Elder earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Brown University in Rhode Island and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan School of Law. His daily radio program, “The Larry Elder Show,” is heard every weekday in all 50 states, on more than 300 stations, according to his campaign website.

Newsom backers have blasted the recall effort as a Republican attempt to steal an election they cannot legitimately win.

“This recall is a partisan power grab – nothing more, nothing less — a cynical attempt by national Republicans to force an election, and to try to seize control in California,” said U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, former California Secretary of State and the state’s first Latino U.S. Senator. “This Republican recall effort is powered by the same forces who still refuse to accept the results of the presidential election in 2020. They are pushing voter suppression efforts in statehouse after statehouse across the country.”