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Menthol Cigarettes are One of the Worst Health Dangers Facing Black Women

Barbershop Study Checks Black Men’s Blood Pressure

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Volume 33 Number 20

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2018 Newsmaker of the Year WASHINGTON, D.C.—(NNPANewswirePR)—The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) will honor Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) with the 2018 Newsmaker of the Year Award during the NNPA’s 2018 Black Press Week. The Newsmaker event will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building on Wednesday, March 14 at 7pm.

“The Honorable Kamala Harris, the second African American woman and first South Asian American senator in U.S. history, is an outstanding choice for the NNPA’s 2018 Newsmaker of the Year Award,” said Dorothy Leavell, the chairman of the NNPA and publisher of the Crusader Newspapers in Chicago and Gary, Ind. The NNPA will also celebrate the senator’s efforts to raise wages for working people, reform the criminal justice system, and expand healthcare access for all Americans.

“In all of my years of covering news in our community, Senator Harris has been one of the smartest, most fearless, steadfast and caring politicians that I have come to know,” said Amelia Ashley-Ward, the new NNPA Foundation chair and publisher of the San Francisco Sun-Reporter. “She has a lot to offer the world…we are so fortunate to have her advocating on our behalf.”

The theme of this year’s Black Press Week is “Celebrating 191 Years of the Black Press of America: Publishing Truth to Empower.” Black publishers, media professionals, civil rights leaders and lawmakers from across the country attend the annual event, taking place March 14-16. On Friday, March 16, Democratic strategist and author Donna Brazile will deliver a keynote address on the state of the Black Press in America.

“When John B. Russwurm and Samuel E. Cornish printed that first issue of Freedom’s Journal they sought to empower Black people to determine their own destiny and to define themselves,” said Leavell. “How iconic, that in 2018, our theme still rings true: ‘Publishing Truth to Empower.’”

Black Press Week will also feature sessions on business development, education reform, and sickle cell disease. Outstanding leaders in the Black community will be honored during the Torch Awards Dinner.

The Torch Award recipients are: Dr. Amos Brown, the pastor of the San Francisco Third Baptist Church; Rep. Barbara Jean

Barbershop Study Trimmed Black Men’s Hair and Blood Pressure

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Trim your hair, your beard, your blood pressure? Black men reduced one of their biggest medical risks through a novel project that shows the power of familiar faces and trusted places to improve health.

The project had pharmacists work with dozens of Los Angeles barbershops to test and treat clients. The results, reported Monday at a cardiology conference, have doctors planning to expand the project to more cities nationwide.

“There's open communication in a barbershop. There's a relationship, a trust,” said Eric Muhammad, owner of A New You Barbershop, one of the barbers who participated.

“We have a lot more influence than just the doctor walking in the door.”

Black men have high rates of high blood pressure _ a top reading over 130 or a bottom one over 80 _ and the problems it can cause, such as strokes and heart attacks.

Only half of Americans with high pressure have it under control; many don't even know they have the condition.

Churches, beauty salons and other community spots have been used to reach groups that often lack access to doctors, to promote cancer screenings and other services.

Dr. Ronald Victor, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, wanted to reach black men.

“Barbershops are a uniquely popular meeting place for African-American men,” and many have gone every other week to the same barber for many years, he said. “It almost has a social club feel to it, a delightful, friendly environment” that makes it ideal for improving health.

Victor did a study in 17 Dallas barbershops a few years ago. In that one, barbers tested patrons and referred them to doctors. Improvements were modest.

In the new study, “we added a pharmacist into the mix” so medicines could be prescribed on the spot, he said.

The new work involved 303 men and 52 barbershops.

One group of customers just got pamphlets and blood pressure tips while they were getting haircuts. Another group met with pharmacists in the barbershops and could get treatment if their blood pressure was high.

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Lee (D-Calif.); and James Farmer, a senior consultant for General Motors.

Ken Barrett, the global chief diversity officer for General Motors, said that “Jim” Farmer dedicated his career to transforming the automotive industry through diversity and community service.

“I am proud of the invaluable support Jim continues to provide GM and he is truly most deserving of this prestigious honor,” said Barrett.

Chairman Leavell agreed.

“The NNPA Foundation, under the leadership of Chairman Amelia Ward, the publisher of the Sun Reporter in San Francisco, Calif., has chosen some of the most outstanding leaders and trailblazers in the Black community to receive Torch Awards, this year,” said Leavell.

The 2018 Black Press Week partners include the Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Reynolds American (RAI), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. The 2018 Black Press Week sponsors include AARP, Amerihealth, Comcast, Koch Industries, Wells Fargo, AT&T, and Volkswagen.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA, said that the NNPA and the NNPA Foundation have joined together to celebrate the 191-year anniversary of the Black Press in America.

“This year, Black Press Week convenes at a time of profound opportunity and responsibility to ensure a record turnout for Black American voters in the upcoming midterm elections across the nation,” said Chavis. “The new strategic alliance between the NNPA and the NAACP bodes well to advance civil rights and the economic, political, and cultural empowerment of Black America.”

Tuskegee Airman Floyd Carter Sr. Dies; He was 95

NEW YORK (AP) _ Floyd Carter Sr., a Tuskegee Airman who was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, has died at the age of 95, according to the New York Police Department.

In addition to his service with the fabled Tuskegee Airmen, Carter spent 27 years with the NYPD, where his duties included guarding visiting heads of state, including Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Soviet head Nikita Khrushchev, the Daily News reports.

The native of Yorktown, Virginia rose to the rank of Air Force lieutenant colonel years after joining the group of African-American pilots at Tuskegee, according to the Daily News. It was there that he met his wife Artherine, who was working as part of an all-female repair crew.

Carter wooed her on several dates in his plane, and they were married at the air base in 1945.

Carter was honored in 2007 with the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush.

In 2012, Carter joined “Star Wars” filmmaker George Lucas for a screening of his film “Red Tails” about the Tuskegee Airmen _ the first black aviators in the U.S. military, trained in Alabama as a segregated unit.

In addition to serving during World War II, Carter flew during the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Carter died last Thursday. Survivors include his wife; their children, Floyd Jr. and Rozalind; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Vote by Mail Ballots Mailed for the April 3rd Special Elections

The NNPA will honor Senator Kamala Harris with the NNPA’s 2018 Newsmaker of the Year Award during Black Press Week. (Official Photo)

No Black Progress in 50 Years

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor Late last year, “The Washington Post” wrote that African Americans were the only group that showed no economic improvement since 2000. They based their conclusions on Census data. This year, there was even more sobering news in a report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The new study issued found “no progress” for African Americans on homeownership, unemployment and incarceration in 50 years.

Much of what was included in the EPI study was stunning data on African American economic progress.

Fifty years after the famous and controversial Kerner Commission Report that identified “white racism” as the driver of “pervasive discrimination in employment and education” for African Americans, EPI concluded that not much has changed.

The EPI study stated the obvious and pointed to glaring statistics.

Regarding the justice system, the share of incarcerated African Americans has close to tripled between 1968 and 2016, as Blacks are 6.4 times more likely than Whites to be jailed or imprisoned. Homeownership rates have remained unchanged for African Americans, over the last 50 years. Black homeownership is about 40 percent, which is 30 percent behind the rate for Whites.

Regarding income, perhaps the most important economic metric, the average income for an African American household was $39,490 in 2017, a decrease from $41,363 in 2000.

A press release about the report said that, “Black

Thursday, March 15, 2018

workers still make only 82.5 cents on every dollar earned by white workers, African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be in poverty than Whites, and the median White family has almost ten times as much wealth as the median Black family.”

In 2017, the Black unemployment rate was 7.5 percent, up from 6.7 percent in 1968, and still roughly twice the White unemployment rate. In 2015, the Black homeownership rate was just over 40 percent, virtually unchanged since 1968 and trailing a full 30 points behind the White homeownership rate, which saw modest gains over the same period.

President Trump has bragged about the Black unemployment rate has reached record lows and homeownership has reached record highs under his presidency. What Trump leaves out is the overall statistical data over many years.

Much of what the data shows is connected to systemic policy problems that have been persistent for decades.

In the press release about the EPI report, EPI economic analyst Janelle Jones said that it’s clear that structural racism is the root cause of the economic inequality between Blacks and Whites.

“Solutions must be bold and to scale, which means we need structural change that eliminates the barriers that have stymied economic progress for generations of African American workers,” said Jones.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) mailed 323,854 Vote by Mail (VBM) ballots for the April 3rd Special Elections.

Voters can still request a Vote by Mail ballot online, or by using the back of the Official Sample Ballot.

Check the status of your VBM ballot by visiting lavote.net.

Voters who would like to drop off their VBM ballot in-person may do so at one of three VBM Drop-Off sites, find the nearest location to you.

VBM voters who choose to vote at their polling place on Election Day must bring their ballot to surrender, or they will be asked to cast a Provisional Ballot.

Early voting is now available at our office in Norwalk on the 3rd floor. Weekend Early Voting will also be available in Sylmar, Reseda and Culver City on March 31 and April 1 (Saturday and Sunday) from 8am-4pm.

All VBM ballots postmarked on, or before, Election Day will be counted if received within three (3) days by the RR/CC (E.C. § 3020).

The mission of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is to serve Los Angeles County by providing essential records management and election services in a fair, accessible and transparent manner. For more information, visit lavote.net and follow us on Twitter@LACountyRRCC.

Affleck, Damon’s Production Company to Adopt Inclusion Rider

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Prominent producers and celebrities like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Paul Feig are jumping on the inclusion rider bandwagon following Frances McDormand’s best actress Oscar acceptance speech.

Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni said late Monday on Twitter that Damon and Affleck’s production company Pearl Street Films would be adopting the inclusion rider in conjunction with USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.

Early Tuesday, “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig followed suit saying on Twitter that his company is also going forward with the inclusion rider for all film and television productions.

“Black Panther” actor Michael B. Jordan was one of the first to lend his public support to the concept after the Oscars for his company.

McDormand brought new attention to contract addendums requiring studios to hire a diverse crew and cast for a project.

Interior Dept.

Announces Civil Rights Grants

A recent Economic Policy Institute study revealed that Blacks haven’t made any progress in homeownership, unemployment or incarceration in 50 years. (Pixabay)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ Four Deep South states are getting nearly $6 million to preserve sites and highlight stories related to the African-American struggle for equality in the 20th century.

The Interior Department says Alabama is getting $2.3 million for nine projects, Mississippi is getting $1.3 million for four projects, and Louisiana and Georgia will each get about $1 million for four projects.

In all, about $12.6 million in African American Civil Rights Grants will go to 51 projects in 24 states.

World & Nation

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Black Women You Should Know

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Newswire Columnist All too often, our “history” month turns into a tribute to the past. And while the past is an important place to lift up it is, indeed, a tributary, a stream that flows into the larger stream of an unbounded future. The future must always be greater than the present, or there has been no progress. And, in the words of Frederick Douglas, “progress concedes nothing without a demand.”

I spend much of Women’s History Month thinking of those who have come before me; I stand on their shoulders. I claim Women’s History Month for Black Women and love to call our roll of luminaries that, for me, includes Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, the first Black woman to get a Ph.D. in economics, Dr. Phyllis Ann Wallace, the first Black woman to get a Ph.D. in economics from Yale, and the first to attain tenure at MIT. There are more, but I also want to speculate about the future role of luminaries and reflect on that fact that many Black women have made it possible for us to bask in a new generation of leadership.

The past has laid a foundation, but the future is far more important than the past.

Thus, Leah Daughtry (who managed the 2016 Democratic National Convention), Minyon Moore (who had a key role in the Clinton campaign), and Yolanda Caraway (an amazing political operative who has worked for Rev. Jesse Jackson, President Bill Clinton, and candidate Hillary Clinton), put a footprint in the sand for future leadership with their HYPERLINK “http://www.powerrising. org/” Power Rising conference in Atlanta, last month. They gathered more than a thousand Black women from around the country to develop a “Black Women’s Agenda,” deliberately mixing up the seasoned with the sassy, established leaders with those who are eager to make their mark.

Symone Sanders, the CNN commentator who made her mark supporting Bernie Sanders, and who does not back down from a fight around principles and issues, led a panel of young women who spoke of the challenges in their work. Amanda Brown Lierman, a new mom and the political director of the Democratic National Committee, was among those on another panel about life in politics. Others on that panel included LaDavia Drane, who led Black outreach for Hillary Clinton and is now chief of staff for

Congresswoman Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.) and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who is now running for Congress. These young women aren’t playing! They are calling out their elders, but also calling out the rules. They aren’t trying to toe a line, they are trying to make a difference.

Ayanna Pressley, as an example, is challenging an incumbent Democrat in a Congressional primary. Tired of being told to “wait her turn”, she has decided that now is her time. Even though she has always garnered support from Emily’s List, the fact that she is challenging a prochoice Democratic man in Boston has not won her support from the political establishment. Yet the 42-year-old sister says she will not be constrained by tradition. The Power Rising conference represented an example of that unfettered and passionate energy.

One of the most promising young leaders is Tamika Mallory, one of the four co-leaders of the Women’s March.

Tamika is a protégé of Rev. Al Sharpton (her parents were among the founders of the National Action Network, and she served as its Executive Director for several years).

Because of her amazing work, Mallory earned a Phoenix Award from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in 2017. With appropriate humility, she accepted her award “for the people,” and the most important thing that one gets from Tamika Mallory is that she loves humanity, loves Black people, and especially Black women. She, like the others mentioned, is a leader for our future. She is the future of Black Women’s History. We all know that because she is a leader, she will attract negative energy and still, she rises, walking through life with her shoulders back, head held high, an unapologetic lover of her people.

The Akan (Ghanaian) word SANKOFA translates as “go back and get it”. It is associated with the proverb “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi,” which means “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” The Adinkra symbol for Sankofa is either that of a bird with its head turned backward carrying a precious egg in its mouth, or a stylized heart shape.

The precious egg is the history of our leadership, the women like Mary McLeod Bethune and Dorothy Height and Sadie Alexander and Phyllis Wallace. Even while looking backward, though, the Sankofa bird is moving forward,

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Associated Press Better Business Bureau President: Ellen Coley Operations Manager: Jon Coley Editor: James Luckey Credo - The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

Julianne Malveaux says that the past has laid a foundation, but the future is far more important than the past.

just like Tamika Mallory, LaDavia Drane, Amanda Brown Lierman, and so many others. In the paraphrased words of the poet Mari Evans, “Look on them and be renewed.”

Mexico Seizes Mezcal Bottles with Snakes and Reptiles Inside MEXICO CITY (AP) - Forget the worm at the bottom of your bottle of mescal. Mexican environmental inspectors have found whole boas and iguanas stuffed into bottles of mezcal at a market in the southern state of Oaxaca.

The wide-mouth bottles were filled with “artisanal, wild agave” mezcal that was apparently meant to be drunk, albeit probably on a bet.

The federal office for environmental protection said Tuesday it seized 15 bottles with species including a blood snake, ridge head snake, yellowbelly snake and a whip snake.

For decades, college students have been downing the maguey worm found at the bottom of some bottles of mescal. The worms were originally added either for taste or to prove the drink's authenticity. The sale of wildlife - even pickled - is strictly regulated in Mexico.

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are soleley the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editiing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

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Barber Eric Muhammad, owner of A New You Barbershop measures the blood pressure of customer Marc M. Sims in Inglewood, Calif. Black male customers at dozens of Los Angeles area barbershops reduced one of their biggest health risks through a novel project that paired barbers and pharmacists to test and treat customers. (AP)

Trimming Black Men’s Hair, Beard and Check Blood Pressure Continued from page A1

At the start of the study, their top pressure number averaged 154. After six months, it fell by 9 points for customers just given advice and by 27 points for those who saw pharmacists.

Nearly two-thirds of the men who saw pharmacists lowered their pressure to under 130 over 80 _ the threshold for high blood pressure under new guidelines adopted last fall. Only 12 percent of the men who just got advice dropped to that level.

“This is a home run ... high-touch medicine,” said one independent expert, Eileen Handberg, a heart researcher at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Most drug trials only dream about such good results, yet they were achieved in a regular community setting, she said.

Nineteen of Muhammad's customers finished the program, and “all their blood pressures were down, every single one of them,” he said.

Marc Sims, a 43-year-old records clerk at a law firm, is one. He didn't know he had high pressure _ 175 over 125 _ and the pharmacist said he was at risk of having a stroke.

“It woke me up,” said Sims, who has a young son. “All I could think about was me having a stroke and not being here for him. It was time to get my health right.”

Medicines lowered his pressure to 125 over 95.

Treatment doesn't always mean medicines; healthier lifestyles can do a lot. Poor diets, lack of exercise and other bad habits cause most high blood pressure.

The National Institutes of Health paid for the study.

Results were discussed at an American College of Cardiology conference in Orlando and published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

The cost of doing this isn't really known. Victor now aims to do a study of 3,000 men in many cities around the country that will include a look at that. He also hopes to tackle high cholesterol with a similar approach.

The results show that “you don't need cardiologists” to improve things, said Dr. Willie Lawrence, an American Heart Association spokesman and blood pressure specialist in Kansas City, Missouri. “We can partner with others in the community and get this epidemic under control.”

BORN TO BE GREAT To be ready for the jobs of the future, students need learning experiences that meet them where they are, engage them deeply, let them progress at a pace that meets their individual needs, and helps them master the skills for today and tomorrow. To learn more about ESSA and how you can get involved, visit www.nnpa.org/essa.

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Features

Former Denver Bronco Defensive Back Aqib Talib is now a Los Angeles Ram. (Steve Mitchell/USA Today Sports Photo)

“The Grind” is a Socially Relevant Slice of Life

Meet New Ram Aqib Talib

By Cameron Buford Contributing Sports Writer Whatsgoodinsports.com Each year we see players change teams via Free Agency.

Whether they have been cut, released, or their contract expired the NFL players use their free agency an opportunity to resign with a new team of their choosing. Similarly, the teams around the league use this time as an opportunity to improve their squads by adding veterans to their team.

This Richardson, Texas native he garnered All-District and First Team All-City Honors as a defensive back at Berkner High School. As a two-star recruit Talib was recruited by multiple schools though ended up on the campus of the Kansas Jayhawks.

As a junior for the Jayhawks Talib was recognized as a unanimous first team All-American defensive back.

Having played for multiple teams since being drafted with the 20th pick of the 2008 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Talib made a name for himself with his tough, hard nose play at the corner back position. He was suspended by the NFL, for four games, for violation of the leagues policy on performance-enhancing substances. He ended up serving his suspension on his new team after being traded to the New England Patriots in November of 2012.

After being named to the 2013 All Pro team, Talib also made the Pro Bowl team for the first time in his career. On the first day of Free Agency in 2014, Aqib signed a six-year deal with the Den-

ver Broncos. Talib was an integral part of the 2016 Broncos and their run to a Super Bowl championship as the defense was led by long term defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Any football fan may remember the in-game feud between himself and Michael Crabtree which ultimately resulted in the two of them being ejected from the game after Talib snatched the gold chain of the neck of Crabtree. This led to a two-game suspension that was then reduce to one game after being appealed.

None of that keep Aqib from being named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl.

The Los Angeles Rams have reunited their Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips with one of his prized pupils in Talib. After trading for Marcus Peters, this Rams defense now has a pair of lock down corners that should allow for their pass rush to make their opposing quarterbacks anxious and nervous in the pocket.

After their 11-5 record last season the Rams have mixed things up with their off the field acquisitions. These acquisitions should increase the relevance of these Rams as they look to get deeper in the playoffs this season. What do you think about these recent moves by the Los Angeles Rams? Might these acquisitions vault the Rams to the top of their competitive NFC West? Please let me know What’s Good by commenting in the comment section at www.whatsgoodinsports.com.

“Hero’s get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.”

The Sandlot (movie)

Health Insurance Is More Than an Insurance Card: Their love of skating, Hip

Hop music, and cutting-edge technology are the ties that bond this unique foursome.

Tips for Using Your Coverage You enrolled in health insurance through Covered California, and now you have a pathway to receiving the health care you need and deserve.

So what comes next?

“Health coverage means more than just having an insurance card from the carrier you’ve chosen,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “It means you can get real care, at the right time and at an affordable price. We want people to use it.”

Here are a few things to know: - After you enroll and pay your first premium, your health insurance company will send you a welcome packet with important information about your coverage and a member ID card.

- If you have not chosen a primary care physician within the first 60 days of coverage, one will be chosen for you to get you started on the path to wellness. Contact your health insurance company to find an in-network provider. It will cost you less than a provider not in your network would.

- Make an appointment to see your doctor and bring your member ID card with you.

- Your health plan includes free preventive services for you and your family, helping you detect and prevent small problems before they become big health risks. Free services include blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, tests for common diseases like Type 2 diabetes, mammograms and cervical cancer screenings, and breastfeeding support and equipment. For children, vision and hearing screenings and common vaccinations.

- There may be additional costs for some services. At doctor’s visits, you could be responsible for a copay. This is your share of

the costs for the care. Contact your health plan to learn more.

“Because of the Affordable Care Act, and through Covered California, health care is no longer a privilege but a right,” Lee said. “And the time to use your coverage is now.”

For more information about your health coverage and how to use it, please go to https://www.coveredca.com/members/using-your- plan/.

Open enrollment ended recently with 423,484 plan selections, which represents a 3 percent increase over last year. Since 2014, more than 3.4 million people have purchased health insurance through Covered California, and nearly 4 million have enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal program. Together, the gains have cut the rate of the uninsured in California from 17 percent in 2013 to a historic low of 6.8 percent as of June 2017.

Although open enrollment for coverage in 2018 has ended, you or someone you know may still qualify to enroll in a quality, affordable health plan through Covered California if you’ve experienced a qualifying life event.

Qualifying events include losing your Medi-Cal coverage or losing your employer-sponsored coverage, exhausting your COBRA coverage, turning 26 years old and no longer being eligible for a parent’s plan, moving to or within California, or having a baby or adopting a child. For other qualifying events, visit: https://www.coveredca.com/individuals-and- families/getting-covered/special-enrollment/qualifying-life- events/.

Medi-Cal enrollment is year-round, so you’re encouraged to shop any time.

The production company for the Grind Show is proud and excited to announce the launch of our Kickstarter campaign for our newly created 3D animated series “The Grind”. In today’s world teens face ever increasing challenges in their day-to-day grind. This fresh, hot, series follows four main male characters who meet at a skate park in the urban surroundings of Hot Atlanta. The old south mentality that has been associated with Georgia has been ground out with the ATL being one of the hippest spots to make your mark. Traversing this urban highway rife with daily struggles highlights the social realism prevalent for most young people in an ever-changing unforgiving urban landscape. Viz, A1, Austin, and Books are the main characters that achieve success in their adult life in the diverse technology of the entertainment industry, but it is in exploring their Grind on the way up that we witness the truth of their eventful journey in all its meaningful and compelling aspects. Their love of skating, Hip Hop music, and cutting-edge technology are the ties that bond

this unique foursome. The dynamic vibe of their kinship empowers them with the tools to adapt and reshape influences that surround them. Together with the help of their family and friends; their radically combined strengths flow lyrically to tackle social pitfalls in their daily hustle that will propel them to unforeseen heights. “The Grind” is a socially relevant slice of life representing the joyful, painful, funny, and often poignant navigation from childhood to adulthood inhabited in vivid, unique, and inspired characters that resonate the adolescent experience in all its raw and edgy essence.

This new animation series comes with an A-List creative team with animation credits consisting of Kung Fu Panda Showdown of Legendary Legends, Pacman and the Ghostly Adventures 1 & 2, Ben 10 Omniverse. The music producer credits include work with K. Michelle​, Trey Songz, Nelly, Tank, Keke Palmer and more. Everything is in place and ready to launch. We just need support in our visionary quest at Kickstarter.

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Thursday, March 15, 2018

News Your Brakes May be Trying to Tell You Something

Deacon Jones had a decorated 14-year NFL career, 11 of which he spent with the Los Angeles Rams (1961-1971).

Los Angeles Rams to Introduce ‘Deacon Jones Scholarship Award’ (NAPSI)—If your brakes are trying to tell you something, you should pay attention. A properly operating brake system helps ensure safe vehicle control and operation and it should be checked immediately if you suspect any problems.

“While an annual brake inspection is a good way to ensure brake safety, motorists should not ignore signs that their brakes need attention,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Knowing the key warning signs that your brakes may need maintenance will go a long way toward keeping you and others safe on the road.”

What To Watch Out For Motorists should look for the following warning signs that their brakes need to be inspected: • Noise: screeching, grinding or clicking noises when applying the brakes.

• Pulling: vehicle pulls to one side while braking.

• Low Pedal: brake pedal nearly touches the floor before engaging.

• Hard Pedal: you must apply extreme pressure to the pedal before brakes engage.

• Grabbing: brakes grab at the slightest touch to the pedal.

• Vibration: brake pedal vibrates or pulses, even under

normal braking conditions.

• Light: brake light is illuminated on your vehicle’s dashboard.

Because brakes are a normal wear item on any vehicle, they will eventually need to be replaced. Factors that can affect brake wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type and the quality of the brake lining material. Be sure to avoid letting brakes get to the metal-to-metal point as that can mean expensive rotor or drum replacement.

The Car Care Council offers a free custom service schedule and e-mail reminder service to help car owners remember to have their brakes inspected and take good care of their vehicles. It’s an easy-to-use resource designed to help motorists drive smart, save money and make informed decisions.

The Car Care Council is also the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers.

Learn More For a copy of the council’s “Car Care Guide” or for further information, visit www.carcare.org.

You Can Read the News Observer Online

Winners to receive $1,000 college scholarships for community stewardship and academic excellence WHAT: In support of the National Football Foundation’s mission to grow the game of football and celebrate community stewardship and academic excellence, the Los Angeles Rams are pleased to introduce the “Deacon Jones Scholarship Award” to recognize local student-athletes for their achievements in-and-out of the classroom while supporting the continuation of their education.

To launch the program, the Rams will honor five student-athletes from Southern California.

The award will recognize student-athletes who have made significant contributions on the field and in the community while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above. The athletes also must be accepted to a community college or university. Each chapter’s award winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and a personalized Rams-branded football listing the student’s name, school and cumulative GPA. All honorees are selected by each chapter’s Board of Directors and Rams Football Engagement executives KYLE EVERSGERD and JOHNATHAN FRANKLIN. The team also will provide an additional donation of $1,500 to each Southern California chapter.

Deacon Jones had a decorated 14-year NFL career, 11 of which he spent with the Los Angeles Rams (1961-1971). He was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary AllTime Team and the 1960s All-Decade Team. Jones was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1980. However, with all his on-field accolades, his success and character was often measured by his willingness to give of himself for the betterment of his community. He visited troops in Iraq several times and was a recipient of: The Gale Sayers Life Time Achievement Award, NFL Alumni Spirit Award, and The Junior Seau Legend of the Year Award. In 2013, the NFL also created the Deacon Jones Award to recognize the season leader in sacks.

Founded in 1947, the National Football Foundation has a mission to promote and develop amateur football on all levels

while cultivating leadership, sportsmanship, and the drive for academic excellence among America’s youth. The foundation has 120 local chapters distributed among 48 states, six of which are located in the Southern California region. Each year, the six SoCal chapters host banquets to celebrate the success of senior highschool athletes.

WHO: Rams Football Engagement Executives Kyle Eversgerd & Johnathan Franklin Elizabeth Jones (Deacon Jones’ wife) to attend the OC Chapter Banquet on Thursday, March 15 40-50 student-athletes from each respective Chapter WHEN & WHERE: Orange County Chapter Monday, March 12 at 6:30 PM Great Wolf Lodge located at 12681 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92840 Note: Deacon Jones’ wife, Elizabeth Jones, will speak and present the award Pasadena Chapter Tuesday, March 20 at 6:30 PM Pasadena Convention Center located at 300 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 San Fernando Chapter Thursday, March 22 at 6:00 PM The Odyssey Restaurant located at 15600 Odyssey Dr. Granada Hills, CA 91344 Riverside Chapter Sunday, March 25 at 5:00 PM The Country Club at Soboba Springs located at 1020 Soboba Rd, San Jacinto, CA 92583 LA Chapter Friday, March 30 at 6:30 PM DoubleTree Hotel located at 6161 W Centinela Ave, Culver City, CA 90230-6306

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Graham Volume 33 Number 18 Billyl Rights Civi

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Thursday, March 1, 2018

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Los Angeles Rams Host Cheerleader 2018 Auditions

The Valley’s

March 1, Thursday,

ers of Southern

Volume 33

Number 18

HS) ONG SISTA PIRING STR (KEEP INS at

tre Women’s Re k rban Held in Bu

2018

Rams Los Angeles ader Host Cheerle ns itio 8th at Aud 8 through March 201 May Register Candidates cheerauditions cheerleader

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Group Newspap Observer

wife, enawson, to singers Tina Knowles-L (Carr, and mother trepreneu& Solonge Knowles. News os Angeles Beyoncé rington Prichett/L Photo) Observer

March Rams are hosting attherams.com/2018 The Los Angeles season starting Sunday, perform the 2018 ers not only and at auditions for Rams Cheerlead Coliseum 11. Los Angeles at the LA Memorial also participate service at home games in Mexico City, but community Estadio Azteca internaes, events and nationally and in public appearanc Angeles region, t the year. or oldacross the Los must be 18 tionally throughou online by looking to audition Candidates March 1, and must register n is not availer by Thursday, 8. Walk-up registratio y auditions Thursday, Marchfrom last year’s preliminar r/videos. able. Coverageat therams.com/chee Rams Cheerleaders can be viewed Los Angeles prior to auditions the In addition,voluntary workshops t the LA region. four Choare hosting Fitness locations throughou dance led by one hour of by a presentation at 24 Hour includes ing DiEach workshop PETERS, followed per the Rams Cheerlead reographer JOHN A segment with. Workshops cost $40.00 last and a Q & FIMBRES . Footage from candiavailability rector KEELY have limited viewed here. Interested rperson and can be at therams.com/chee year’s workshops up for workshops dates may sign leaders/workshops.

(KEEP INSPIRING STRONG SISTAHS) Female First Black to Nominated Fame of State Hall

Women’s Retreat Held in Burbank

Tina Knowles-Lawson, wife, entrepreneur, and mother to singers Beyoncé & Solonge Knowles. (Carrington Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

By Darlene L. Williams Los Angeles Contributing Beat Writer BURBANK, CA- The K.I.S.S. (Keep Inspiring

Exotic Dance Coach, Makeda Smith leading the audience in a dance practice. (Carrington Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

pe of HoWomen’s Strong retreat was held Saturday, FebgeSistahs) Messa ruary, 24th at the Ramada- Burbank Airport Hotel from The CSU’s

Tina Knowles-Lawson further empowered the energetic group with an open question and answer session in relation to operating successful businesses.

1 p.m. to 9.m. The one-day event geared towards inspir“The best businesses are services people need. You ing and empowering women to love themselves, featured want to have a product that people need,” explained dia Keynote Speaker,rn and Winner, TinaasCampBlack Me Knowles-Lawson. iaMulti-Award Tex Woman the lifo famed sister duo, Mary Mary and Qtes andin Pants “Find a couple of people you can trust, she said. t toof Ca anbell Defaeca gs PG&E’s Gr A session with entrepreneur, designer, philanthropist, to Hide Dru Knowles-Lawson along with husband, Actor Richmotivational speaker, and mother of iconic daughters ard Lawson successfully operates and owns WACO Beyonce’ and Solange; Tina Knowles-Lawson.

(Where Art Can Occur) Theater Group in Los Angeles, The event also included a One-Woman Stage play, where they mentor inner-city youths. an All Male Panel Discussion (What Men REALLY “I’ve always dreamed of mentoring young girls”, she Want?) hosted by Fox 11 News Reporter, Leah Uko; and said.

Flying Over 50 Exotic Dance Coach, Makeda Smith.

Event founder, producer, life-coach, and celebriCampbell, spoke to a group of about 70 women ty hairstylist, Stephanie Singleton told The Bakersfield about the importance of faith, forgiveness, and healing.

News Observer; that the overall message intended “I’m a person of faith, Campbell said. Jesus is for women is that they embrace their “outer and what I do”. inner beauty”.

Campbell, spoke about her marriage to Robert Coats and Brandon Ellis both husband, Teddy Campbell. “I dealt with his inflew out from Akron, Ohio to support Singlefidelity very publicly and it almost destroyed ton and the K.I.S.S. retreat.

“I’m here my marriage. I’ve overcome the opinions of to support the movement people,” she said. and brand. It’s power“God has your life fully orchestrated, Campful for bell told the attentive group, as she began to the womsoftly sing her hit song, “Destiny” an culture. This “I’ve got a destination in my view/ is a great time to push the road may be bumpy getting there/ for the woman, it’s so importBut I’m pressing through/ I will enjoy ant,” Coats said. this journey/ No matter come what “It’s a nice atmosphere; it’s nice what may/ I’ll become better and she’s (Singleton) doing for the women. stronger/ and wiser every It’s important to make women feel powerday.” ful, Ellis said. We are kings and queens.” “ W h y Additionally, Veteran Entertainlook good er and Flying Over 50 Exotic Dance when you can be Coach, Makeda Smith encouraged the good,” Campbell women in attendance to move their said. hips and to “awaken the sleeping goddess within.” “When was the last time Exotic Dance Coach, Makeda Smith leading you shook your hips? Smith asked. the audience in a dance practice. (Carrington Soon the energetic and funny Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

Billy Graham Civil Rights Regrets Page A4

Page A6

News Observer K.I.S.S.

By Darlene L. Williams Los Angeles Contributing Beat Writer BURBANK, CA- The K.I.S.S. (Keep Inspiring Strong Sistahs) Women’s retreat was held Saturday, February, 24th at the Ramada- Burbank Airport Hotel from 1 p.m. to 9.m. The one-day event geared towards inspiring and empowering women to love themselves, featured Keynote Speaker, and Multi-Award Winner, Tina Campbell of the famed sister duo, Mary Mary and a Q and A session with entrepreneur, designer, philanthropist, motivational speaker, and mother of iconic daughters Beyonce’ and Solange; Tina Knowles-Lawson.

The event also included a One-Woman Stage play, an All Male Panel Discussion (What Men REALLY Want?) hosted by Fox 11 News Reporter, Leah Uko; and Flying Over 50 Exotic Dance Coach, Makeda Smith.

Campbell, spoke to a group of about 70 women about the importance of faith, forgiveness, and healing.

“I’m a person of faith, Campbell said. Jesus is what I do”.

Campbell, spoke about her marriage to husband, Teddy Campbell. “I dealt with his infidelity very publicly and it almost destroyed my marriage. I’ve overcome the opinions of people,” she said.

“God has your life fully orchestrated, Campbell told the attentive group, as she began to softly sing her hit song, “Destiny” “I’ve got a destination in my view/ the road may be bumpy getting there/ But I’m pressing through/ I will enjoy this journey/ No matter come what may/ I’ll become better and stronger/ and wiser every day.” “ W h y look good when you can be good,” Campbell said.

Mayors California Billion Seek $1.5 eless to Help Hom

Continued

Candidates May Register through March 8th at attherams.com/2018cheerauditions The Los Angeles Rams are hosting cheerleader Bill Cosby’s auditions for the 2018 season starting Sunday, March Daughter Ensa Dies at 44 11. Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders not only perform at home games at the LA Memorial Coliseum and The at Valley’s Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, but also participate in public appearances, events and community service across the Los Angeles region, nationally and internationally throughout the year.

Candidates looking to audition must be 18 or older by Thursday, March 1, and must register online by Thursday, March 8. Walk-up registration is not available. Coverage from last year’s preliminary auditions (KEEP INSPIRING STRONG SISTAHS) can be viewed at therams.com/cheer/videos.

Women’s Retreat In addition, the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders Held in Burbank are hosting four voluntary workshops prior to auditions at 24 Hour Fitness locations throughout the LA region.

Each workshop includes one hour of dance led by Choreographer JOHN PETERS, followed by a presentation and a Q & A segment with the Rams Cheerleading Director KEELY FIMBRES. Workshops cost $40.00 per person and have limited availability. Footage from last year’s workshops can be viewed here. Interested candidates may sign up for workshops at therams.com/cheerleaders/workshops.

Volume 33 Number 18

the enerempowered awson further and answer session in L. Williams Tina Knowles-L question .

By Darlene ng Beat Writer (Keep Inspiring getic group with an open You female Febsuccessful businesses Los Angeles Contributi people need.

CA- The K.I.S.S. _ The first black to operating was held Saturday, BURBANK, Conn. (AP) is being nominated to from relation best businesses are services need,” explained Women’s retreat people Airport HotelinspirHARTFORD, “The General Assembly Fame.

Strong Sistahs)the Ramada- Burbank a product that towards at member of theut Women’s Hall of was first elected to said. want to have event geared ruary, 24th can trust, she The one-day to love themselves, featured Knowles-Lawson. the ConnecticMargaret E. Morton served four Actor Richof people you Camp1 p.m. to 9.m. in 1972. She ng women The late Dem“Find a couple along with husband, Winner, Tina Representatives t. She later won a then owns WACO ing and empoweriand Multi-Award Mary and a Q and the House of Knowles-Lawson y operates and in Los Angeles, g Bridgepor pist, t senator and court Keynote Speaker, sister duo, Mary successfull Group terms, representin famed designer, philanthro ard Lawson against an incumben after a lengthy Occur) Theater bell of the entrepreneur, ocratic primary the general election of iconic daughters (Where Art Can inner-city youths. girls”, she s.

A session with young and mother mentor went on to win awson. t Democrat Senate, eventually bespeaker, they mentoring where redreamed of motivational Solange; Tina Knowles-L the an Stage play, battle with Bridgepor “I’ve always six terms in tempore in 1990. She and celebriBeyonce’ and also included a One-WomMen REALLY She served life-coach, Bakersfield president pro (What said.

The event Discussion coming deputyand died in 2012. told The founder, producer, nominated Leah Uko; and Panel Event Singleton Male Reporter, legislators intended an All message tired in 1992 black women

by Fox 11 NewsCoach, Makeda Smith. “quiet determihairstylist, Stephaniethat the overall their “outer and Four current of fame, citing her Want?) hosted 70 women ty embrace News Observer; 50 Exotic Dance the hall group of about is that they and racism. are accepted on Flying Over Morton to s, and healing. spoke to a for women both fame fight prejudice of to Tina Campbell. forgivenes Ellis Campbell, hall scholars faith, is PhoArtist, nation” the e of for inner beauty”. Coats and Brandon Gospel Observer said. Jesus Nominationsand reviewed by a consulting my Winningos Angeles News about the importanc Robert to support Singleof faith, Campbell basis Akron, Ohio n Prichett/L “I’m here Multi-Gram “I’m a person an ongoing to (Carringto flew out from m e n t to) her marriage K.I.S.S. retreat. committee. what I do”. ton and the the movespoke about dealt with his inhad powerCampbell, erGetsOld, to support Campbell. “I almost destroyed is #SexyNev It appeared as It’s ful for it husband, Teddy and brand. whose motto of moving. publicly and the wom- 57 year-old,up on their feet and been awakened, as the fidelity very I’ve overcome the opinions had women sultry This a the to side to my marriage.said. an culture. sleeping goddesses ed, Camphips from side to push if all the inspirational people,” she to life fully orchestrat swayed their Smith used for the is a great time as she began “God has your it’s so import- women blues tune attentive group, event and soulful for the woman, Actress and Calbell told the hit song, “Destiny” view/ said. _ Mayors from state Author, Aspiring for self-love and e; it’s nice what moment. softly sing her a destination in my ant,” Coats Calif. (AP) looking y asked Bridgett LaRe’, “I’ve got BNO, “I was I knew it was God.” the women.

“It’s a nice atmospher getting there/ SACRAMENTO, cities on Wednesda what be bumpy largest ) doing for feel power- attendee, told the event retreat; to help with the road may through/ I will enjoy $1.5 billion me about the at church, said another ifornia’s eleven she’s (Singleton to provide to make women a friend told what a flyer I’m trying to lawmakers growing homeless crisis. would require the But I’m pressing It’s important We are kings and queens.”

“I was handed No matter comeand of Los Angeles, billion they say is a backing legislation that this journey/ ful, Ellis said. lly, Veteran Entertain- attendee, LaToya Towner creating a $3 tempomovebecome better Dance They are Additiona place; it’s a that may/ I’ll matching funds, wiser every Over 50 Exotic the find myself.” affordable housing, from a personal to know cities to provide stronger/ and er and Flying Smith encouraged outreach. leaders to be spent on “K.I.S.S. stems I’m helping women us if you pot of money supportive services and to move their day.”

Coach, Makeda to legislative $6.1 Singleton said. love and someone robbed attendance rary shelters, in an earlier letter “ W h y the state’s women in “awaken the sleeping god- ment, all born with were They said should use a quarter of time to good we last and the hips look love yourself.”

“When was be can’t say you that lawmakerssurplus to help the homeless.called it “the asked. dess within.” when you can hips? Smith billion budget Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer you shook your energetic and funny cities today.’’ good,” Campbell San Diego Soon the facing California estimate that the issue said. federal most pressing Smith leading cited a 2017more than 134,000 homen (Carringto Coach, Makeda The mayors Photo) state now has Exotic Dance in a dance practice.

Demomost populous News Observer the audience day that two billion os Angeles Prichett/L less people. came the same seek $2 Their request announced they will to the mayors’ in response cratic state senators housing, also Los ty. She wanted for affordable mayors from and opportuni to excel in Fresno, requests. group includes system to access dson continued The bipartisan San Jose, San Francisco, , Anabecoming of the CSU Bakersfield Diego, that if her great-gran his dream of he should M. Coley reassurance Angeles, San Sacramento, Oakland, one day achieve courses

By Dr. SorayaPoly Pomona Gov. e of CSU’s Super school, he might also wanted advice on her husband were Long Beach, Ana. months after President, Cal reflecting on the importanc I had meetShe and astronaut. She to set heim and Santa come less than six into law. They imPhoto) As I was was an experience who intro- an to prepare him for college. but were trying The proposals 15 housing bills fee and placed a resources take came to mind M. Coley (Courtesy dmother Dr. Soraya Sunday, what American great-gran dson that she and her in their 70s and had few Brown signed transaction Jerry estate ballot. real $75 November great-gran message about the ing an African posed a new bond on the her 8-year-old my A2 duced me to raising. She had heard and the commitment Continued on page $4 billion housing husband were of a college degree value increasing

a

By Tony Khing Media PG&E presentedefCalifornia BlackENTO -- On Feb. 22, to help their SACRAM California Black Media outlets to erican news t was $53,000 grant major African-Am The endowmen California forts in supporting service area. company’s event at The within the a multicultural media CBM with eight Afgiven during co-hosted by PG&E and organizations. AfriEndowment print and broadcast to support the spea rican-American we work hard February is “At PG&E, all year, but gement of many community acknowled can-American it’s a formal made significant cial month because erican heroes who’ve erican press is a African-Am We’re y.

The unsung African-Am history. communit in We contributions in the African- American their work. to support vital resource with them work with them in 2018 initiag to pleased to partner to continuin energy policy Jimi look forward PG&E updates and Manager ity Relations on important PG&E Commun Post tives,” said such as The other and Harris. from outlets Representatives andSacramento Observer of Use rate plan Reporter PG&E’s Time energy usage.

News, Sun rned about their media outlets lea can better manage received informa and how customers session, they also one-hour During the A2

FREE!

Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California

Tina Knowles-Lawson further empowered the energetic group with an open question and answer session in relation to operating successful businesses.

“The best businesses are services people need. You want to have a product that people need,” explained Knowles-Lawson.

“Find a couple of people you can trust, she said.

Knowles-Lawson along with husband, Actor Richard Lawson successfully operates and owns WACO (Where Art Can Occur) Theater Group in Los Angeles, where they mentor inner-city youths.

“I’ve always dreamed of mentoring young girls”, she said.

Event founder, producer, life-coach, and celebrity hairstylist, Stephanie Singleton told The Bakersfield News Observer; that the overall message intended for women is that they embrace their “outer and inner beauty”.

Robert Coats and Brandon Ellis both flew out from Akron, Ohio to support Singleton and the K.I.S.S. retreat.

“I’m here to support the movem e n t and brand. It’s powerful for the woman culture. This is a great time to push for the woman, it’s so important,” Coats said.

“It’s a nice atmosphere; it’s nice what she’s (Singleton) doing for the women.

It’s important to make women feel powerful, Ellis said. We are kings and queens.”

Additionally, Veteran Entertainer and Flying Over 50 Exotic Dance Coach, Makeda Smith encouraged the women in attendance to move their hips and to “awaken the sleeping goddess within.” “When was the last time you shook your hips? Smith asked.

Soon the energetic and funny

First Black Female Nominated to State Hall of Fame

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Los Angeles Rams Host Cheerleader 2018 Auditions

Tina Knowles-Lawson, wife, entrepreneur, and mother to singers Beyoncé & Solonge Knowles. (Carrington Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

Multi-Grammy Winning Gospel Artist, Tina Campbell.

(Carrington Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

57 year-old, whose motto is #SexyNeverGetsOld, had the women up on their feet and moving. It appeared as if all the sleeping goddesses had been awakened, as the women swayed their hips from side to side to a sultry and soulful blues tune Smith used for the inspirational moment.

Bridgett LaRe’, Author, Aspiring Actress and event attendee, told the BNO, “I was looking for self-love and a friend told me about the retreat; I knew it was God.” “I was handed a flyer at church, said another event attendee, LaToya Towner of Los Angeles, I’m trying to find myself.”

“K.I.S.S. stems from a personal place; it’s a movement, Singleton said. I’m helping women to know that we were all born with love and someone robbed us if you can’t say you love yourself.”

The CSU’s Message of Hope

By Dr. Soraya M. Coley President, Cal Poly Pomona As I was reflecting on the importance of CSU’s Super Sunday, what came to mind was an experience I had meeting an African American great-grandmother who introduced me to her 8-year-old great-grandson that she and her husband were raising. She had heard my message about the increasing value of a college degree and the commitment

of the CSU system to access and opportunity. She wanted reassurance that if her great-grandson continued to excel in school, he might one day achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut. She also wanted advice on courses he should take to prepare him for college. She and her husband were in their 70s and had few resources but were trying to set Continued on page A2

Dr. Soraya M. Coley (Courtesy Photo)

PG&E’s Grant to California Black Media

By Tony Khing California Black Media SACRAMENTO -- On Feb. 22, PG&E presented a $53,000 grant to California Black Media to help their efforts in supporting major African-American news outlets within the company’s service area. The endowment was given during a multicultural media event at The California Endowment co-hosted by PG&E and CBM with eight African-American print and broadcast organizations.

“At PG&E, we work hard to support the African-American community all year, but February is a special month because it’s a formal acknowledgement of many unsung African-American heroes who’ve made significant contributions in history. The African-American press is a vital resource in the African- American community. We’re pleased to partner with them to support their work. We look forward to continuing to work with them in 2018 on important PG&E updates and energy policy initiatives,” said PG&E Community Relations Manager Jimi Harris.

Representatives from outlets such as The Post News, Sun Reporter andSacramento Observer and other media outlets learned about PG&E’s Time of Use rate plan and how customers can better manage their energy usage.

During the one-hour session, they also received informa

a Texas _ Police say arrest by Texas (AP) an CORSICANA,to hide evidence during to conceal using the feces woman attempted her pants and defecating in (88 kilomea , about 55 miles drugs. a report of investigatingwhen they atOfficers in Corsicana y of Dallas, were ters ) south store on Wednesdaand take her into suspect in the theft at a grocery subdue a female Shannen Martin lly tempted to say they placed say she intentiona custody. Police cruiser where they 2.3 grams pipe, hid a crack card in her exback of a police her pants then Day defecated in and a Valentine’s feces of crack cocaine the woman’s on crement. to sift through was booked a Officers had of after Martin PG&E, the evidence evidence and possession to retrieve with Energy Efficiency, of tampering Customer Dionne Adams, President charges PG&E, s, Manager Voice, Smith, Operation Central Valley Bell, V.P. controlled substance.

PG&E, Julia

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ The first black female member of the General Assembly is being nominated to the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.

The late Margaret E. Morton was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972. She served four terms, representing Bridgeport. She later won a Democratic primary against an incumbent senator and then went on to win the general election after a lengthy court battle with Bridgeport Democrats.

She served six terms in the Senate, eventually becoming deputy president pro tempore in 1990. She retired in 1992 and died in 2012.

Four current black women legislators nominated Morton to the hall of fame, citing her “quiet determination” to fight prejudice and racism.

Nominations for the hall of fame are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed by a consulting scholars committee.

Continued on page A2

Fernandez Diversity,O’Connell,PPG&E, Allen CBM, Valerie Roberts, Publisher, Manager, Director, Manager, Supplier Program Sun Reporter, Felicia Hub, Libby Real, Sr. Wilson, Executive Sac Cultural Jerilyn Gleaves, rd, Publisher,y Support, Regina L to R Justin , Publisher, ations, PG&E, Robertson Amelia Ashley-Wa Communit ral Communic Multicultu Media Group, Pleshette of Black Employees Integrated One New Fiona Chan Publisher,One New Media Group.

Dudley Najieb, Lennice Najieb, G&E and

on page

Multi-Grammy Winning Gospel Artist, Tina Campbell.

(Carrington Prichett/Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

57 year-old, whose motto is #SexyNeverGetsOld, had the women up on their feet and moving. It appeared as if all the sleeping goddesses had been awakened, as the women swayed their hips from side to side to a sultry and soulful blues tune Smith used for the inspirational moment.

Bridgett LaRe’, Author, Aspiring Actress and event attendee, told the BNO, “I was looking for self-love and a friend told me about the retreat; I knew it was God.” “I was handed a flyer at church, said another event attendee, LaToya Towner of Los Angeles, I’m trying to find myself.”

“K.I.S.S. stems from a personal place; it’s a movement, Singleton said. I’m helping women to know that we were all born with love and someone robbed us if you can’t say you love yourself.”

The CSU’s Message of Hope

L to R Justin Real, Sr. Program Manager, PG&E, Allen Fernandez Smith, Manager Customer Energy Efficiency, PG&E, Amelia Ashley-Ward, Publisher, Sun Reporter, Felicia Roberts, Publisher, Central Valley Voice, Dionne Adams, President of Black Employees Community Support, Regina Wilson, Executive Director, CBM, Valerie Bell, V.P. Operations, PG&E, Fiona Chan Integrated Multicultural Communications, PG&E, Jerilyn Gleaves, Manager, Supplier Diversity, PG&E, Julia Dudley Najieb, Publisher, One New Media Group, Pleshette Robertson, Publisher, Sac Cultural Hub, Libby O’Connell,PG&E and Lennice Najieb, One New Media Group.

Candidates May Register through March 8th at attherams.com/2018cheerauditions The Los Angeles Rams are hosting cheerleader auditions for the 2018 season starting Sunday, March 11. Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders not only perform at home games at the LA Memorial Coliseum and at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, but also participate in public appearances, events and community service across the Los Angeles region, nationally and internationally throughout the year.

Candidates looking to audition must be 18 or older by Thursday, March 1, and must register online by Thursday, March 8. Walk-up registration is not available. Coverage from last year’s preliminary auditions can be viewed at therams.com/cheer/videos.

In addition, the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders are hosting four voluntary workshops prior to auditions at 24 Hour Fitness locations throughout the LA region.

Each workshop includes one hour of dance led by Choreographer JOHN PETERS, followed by a presentation and a Q & A segment with the Rams Cheerleading Director KEELY FIMBRES. Workshops cost $40.00 per person and have limited availability. Footage from last year’s workshops can be viewed here. Interested candidates may sign up for workshops at therams.com/cheerleaders/workshops.

First Black Female Nominated to State Hall of Fame

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ The first black female member of the General Assembly is being nominated to the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.

The late Margaret E. Morton was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972. She served four terms, representing Bridgeport. She later won a Democratic primary against an incumbent senator and then went on to win the general election after a lengthy court battle with Bridgeport Democrats.

She served six terms in the Senate, eventually becoming deputy president pro tempore in 1990. She retired in 1992 and died in 2012.

Four current black women legislators nominated Morton to the hall of fame, citing her “quiet determination” to fight prejudice and racism.

Nominations for the hall of fame are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed by a consulting scholars committee.

California Mayors Seek $1.5 Billion to Help Homeless

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Mayors from California’s eleven largest cities on Wednesday asked state lawmakers to provide $1.5 billion to help with what they say is a growing homeless crisis.

They are backing legislation that would require the cities to provide matching funds, creating a $3 billion pot of money to be spent on affordable housing, temporary shelters, supportive services and outreach.

They said in an earlier letter to legislative leaders that lawmakers should use a quarter of the state’s $6.1 billion budget surplus to help the homeless.

San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer called it “the most pressing issue facing California cities today.’’

The mayors cited a 2017 federal estimate that the most populous state now has more than 134,000 homeless people.

Their request came the same day that two Democratic state senators announced they will seek $2 billion for affordable housing, also in response to the mayors’ requests.

The bipartisan group includes mayors from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Long Beach, Sacramento, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim and Santa Ana. The proposals come less than six months after Gov. Jerry Brown signed 15 housing bills into law. They imposed a new $75 real estate transaction fee and placed a $4 billion housing bond on the November ballot.

Texas Woman Defecates in Pants to Hide Drugs CORSICANA, Texas (AP) _ Police say a Texas woman attempted to hide evidence during an arrest by defecating in her pants and using the feces to conceal drugs.

Officers in Corsicana, about 55 miles (88 kilometers ) south of Dallas, were investigating a report of a theft at a grocery store on Wednesday when they attempted to subdue a female suspect and take her into custody. Police say they placed Shannen Martin in the back of a police cruiser where they say she intentionally defecated in her pants then hid a crack pipe, 2.3 grams of crack cocaine and a Valentine’s Day card in her excrement.

Officers had to sift through the woman’s feces to retrieve the evidence after Martin was booked on charges of tampering with evidence and possession of a controlled substance.

California Mayors Seek $1.5 Billion to Help Homeless

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ Mayors from California’s eleven largest cities on Wednesday asked state lawmakers to provide $1.5 billion to help with what they say is a growing homeless crisis.

They are backing legislation that would require the cities to provide matching funds, creating a $3 billion pot of money to be spent on affordable housing, temporary shelters, supportive services and outreach.

They said in an earlier letter to legislative leaders that lawmakers should use a quarter of the state’s $6.1 billion budget surplus to help the homeless.

San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer called it “the most pressing issue facing California cities today.’’

The mayors cited a 2017 federal estimate that the most populous state now has more than 134,000 homeless people.

Their request came the same day that two Democratic state senators announced they will seek $2 billion for affordable housing, also in response to the mayors’ requests.

The bipartisan group includes mayors from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Long Beach, Sacramento, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim and Santa Ana. The proposals come less than six months after Gov. Jerry Brown signed 15 housing bills into law. They imposed a new $75 real estate transaction fee and placed a $4 billion housing bond on the November ballot.

valleynewsobserver.com

By Dr. Soraya M. Coley President, Cal Poly Pomona As I was reflecting on the importance of CSU’s Super Sunday, what came to mind was an experience I had meeting an African American great-grandmother who introduced me to her 8-year-old great-grandson that she and her husband were raising. She had heard my message about the increasing value of a college degree and the commitment

of the CSU system to access and opportunity. She wanted reassurance that if her great-grandson continued to excel in school, he might one day achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut. She also wanted advice on courses he should take to prepare him for college. She and her husband were in their 70s and had few resources but were trying to set Continued on page A2

Dr. Soraya M. Coley (Courtesy Photo)

PG&E’s Grant to California Black Media

By Tony Khing California Black Media SACRAMENTO -- On Feb. 22, PG&E presented a $53,000 grant to California Black Media to help their efforts in supporting major African-American news outlets within the company’s service area. The endowment was given during a multicultural media event at The California Endowment co-hosted by PG&E and CBM with eight African-American print and broadcast organizations.

“At PG&E, we work hard to support the African-American community all year, but February is a special month because it’s a formal acknowledgement of many

Texas Woman Defecates in Pants to Hide Drugs

CORSICANA, Texas (AP) _ Police say a Texas woman attempted to hide evidence during an arrest by defecating in her pants and using the feces to conceal drugs.

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Thursday, March 15, 2018

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

First Feature Novel About Marvel’s Black Panther

Jesse Holland’s novel “Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?” gives readers an in-depth look into T’Challa’s world and the lives of the other characters in Marvel’s groundbreaking “Black Panther” film. (Jesse Holland)

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By Freddie Allen Editor-In-Chief, NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com In the first novel commissioned by Marvel about the Wakandan superhero, award-winning journalist and author Jesse Holland takes a deep dive into the mythology of the Black Panther and the lives of the characters depicted in the groundbreaking feature film.

Marvel’s “Black Panther” has earned $922 million worldwide and $512.6 million domestically. The film is on its way to becoming, “the second-biggest comic book superhero flick in North America behind “The Avengers” ($623m in 2012),” according to Forbes.com.

Before “Black Panther” smashed box office records, Holland had written a nonfiction book titled “The Invisibles: The Untold Story about Slaves in the White House.”

A description of the “The Invisibles” on Amazon.com says, that the book chronicles “the African American presence inside the White House from its beginnings in 1782 until 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that granted slaves their freedom.”

An editor from Lucas Films read “The Invisibles” and loved it, Holland said, and reached out to him to write a history for Finn, the African American character in “Stars Wars: The Force Awakens.” Those conversations led to Holland’s novel “Star Wars: The Force Awakens-Finn’s Story.”

Holland said that “Finn’s Story” landed him on Marvel’s radar. “[Marvel Studios] was making a movie about the Black Panther and wanted to know if I would be interested in writing the first novel about the iconic Marvel character,” said Holland.

The author said, “Yes,” immediately. Holland said that there was just one catch: The entire novel had to be written in six months.

Luckily, Holland had been a Black Panther fan since he was a child. When Marvel offered to send him some Black Panther comic books for background material, he told them, “You don’t have to, because I already own them.”

Holland went back and read Black Panther comic books written by Reginald Hudlin and Christopher Priest; he even went back to the very beginning with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Marvel’s Black Panther character has existed since the 1960s and preceded the launch of the Black Panther political party, by just a few months.

According to History.com, in a 1990 interview with “The Comics Journal,” co-creator Jack Kirby said that he came up with the Black Panther when he realized that he didn’t have any Black characters in his growing Marvel Universe.

“I had a lot of Black readers. My first friend was…

Black,” Kirby said in the interview. “And here I was ignoring them, because I was associating with everybody else.”

Holland said that Marvel asked him to develop a mythology around the character that would be relatable to modern audiences. Holland started with the classic Black Panther origin story written by Reginald Hudlin and fleshed it out.

“I had to go from a six-issue comic book to 90,000 words,” said Holland. “So, I had to flesh out the story a little bit and add a few more themes to it.”

Still, Holland said that a lot of the themes that are weaved into Ryan Coogler’s film adaptation are the same themes that he used in his novel, “Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?”

“Themes of family, the connection between the T’Challa and his mother and his sister…the themes of honor and duty, you can see those themes with T’Challa trying to figure out how he is going to fit in as the new monarch of Wakanda,” said Holland. “You can see the same themes in his relationships with his bodyguards, the Dora Milaje, and how they fit into this new society.”

Holland continued: “So, if you really want to know who W’Kabi is—the Black Panther’s adviser—he has a major story line in the novel. If you want to know more about Shuri, the Panther’s sister…she has a whole story line in my book, too. If you want to know about the history of the Panther and his mother, Ramonda...if you want to know the motivations behind what the screenwriters wrote in the movie, my novel goes through all of that.”

Holland said that in addition to the record-breaking movie, his novel is the very first time a major piece of literature was written about the Black Panther.

The fact that Marvel not only created a comic book for the Black Panther character, but also a movie and a major novel shows how important and groundbreaking this character is, Holland said.

“The success of the Black Panther and the cultural phenomenon that the film has become shows Hollywood that if you can tell a good story, the Black community will support these ventures and everyone else will, too,” Holland added.

Holland said that his “Black Panther” novel is the perfect stepping stone for people who want to know more about the Wakandan superhero and his family depicted on screen.

“The novel tells the story that people can relate to: about fathers and sons, about mothers and daughters, about honor, duty and sacrifice,” said Holland. “It tells the story that helps reflect not only who the Black Panther is, but who we are, as the African American community.”

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) _ The 90th annual Academy Awards were, by any definition, a moment of triumph for Latinos Guillermo del Toro became the third Mexican-born filmmaker to win best director, and it was his lavish Cold War fantasy “The Shape of Water” that was crowned best picture. Pixar's box-office smash “Coco,” the biggest budget studio release to feature a largely Hispanic cast, won best animated feature and best song. Lin-Manuel Miranda reminded viewers of Puerto Rico, rebuilding from Hurricane Maria. Lupita Nyong'o advocated for the Dreamers. Rita Moreno returned, resplendently, in the dress she wore to the Oscars in 1962. And Chile's “A Fantastic Woman” won best foreign language film.

But the Oscars were also, by any measure, an aberration. As much as Hispanics had the spotlight at Sunday's ceremony, they are seldom granted center stage by Hollywood the rest of the year.

“It was kind of ironic,” said Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. “By having so many presenters, you're presenting that this is a very diversified business when it's not. You can appreciate that they're there. But then you can ask yourself: Is this really the way Hollywood is? And the answer is no.”

Despite accounting for 18 percent of the U.S. population, and 23 percent of frequent moviegoers, according to the Motion Picture Association's 2017 statistics, Hispanics are chronically underrepresented in the movies. A study by the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism found that only 3 percent of speaking characters in the top 100 movies of 2016 were Latinos.

There were no Latinos among the acting nominees this year, nor are there most years. Demian Bichir ("A Better Life”) was the last Latin American nominated, six years ago. Only a handful of Latino actors have ever won an Oscar, including Moreno, Jose Ferrer, Anthony Quinn and Benicio del Toro America Ferrera, in a Deadline column in 2016, wrote: “All audiences want to see the world they live in reflected on screens big and small. At a certain point, it becomes unavoidable to notice that we're being ignored.” Chris Rock, in a 2014 column for The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “Forget whether Hollywood is black enough. A better question is: Is Hollywood Mexican enough?'

But while (hash)OscarSoWhite brought renewed focus on the industry's poor track record in diversity, Latinos have often been left out of the discussion

The National Hispanic Media Coalition held two protests ahead the Oscars, one outside the annual academy luncheon and another in Hollywood on Saturday.

But Nogales believes stronger action is necessary. He says that he's asked each of the six major studios to meet with the watchdog group within the next ten days or the coalition will begin boycotting one studio at a time “It's a take-it or leave-it proposition,” said Nogales, who advocates for more American-born Latinos in media. “We’re 50 million strong so we can hurt people's bottom line.”

That box-office power has been especially obvious with “Coco,” a film that Pixar shifted during development to tell a more indigenously Mexican story. Adrian Molina was also added as co-director. It's made $745 million worldwide and set new box-office records in Mexico “We started making `Coco' six years ago and it was a very different political climate, of course, than we find ourselves in now,” director Lee Unkrich told reporters backstage Sunday. “While we were making the film, we had a change of presidency and a lot of things started to be said about Mexico and about Mexican-Americans that was unacceptable “We began to feel a new urgency to get the movie out into the world,” he said. “We knew how important it was.'

President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies and pledge to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico has been deeply unpopular among Latinos, followed up the Oscar broadcast by tweeting Monday that Mexico had to do “much more on stopping drugs from pouring into the U.S.” Del Toro, though, spoke on the Dolby Theatre stage about the power of art to “erase the lines in the sand.”

The 53-year-old filmmaker, born in Guadalajara, began his first speech by saying, “I am an immigrant.”\ His win joins him with his countrymen, Alejandro Inarritu ("Birdman,” “The Revenant”) and Alfonso Cuaron ("Gravity”) _ who are together known as the “Three Amigos” _ as the three Mexican-born filmmakers to win best director, and all in the last five years. Long friends who share their scripts with one another and rely on each other for advice, they have together dominated the Oscars for half a decade like few before them.

“Every time we can demonstrate in any forum, be it sports, science, art, culture, anywhere, what we have to bring to the world discourse, to the world conversation, is extremely important,” del Toro said backstage.

“And it's extremely important when we do it to remember where we're from, because it's honoring your roots, honoring your country.

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Guillermo del Toro became the third Mexican-born filmmaker to win best director, and it was his lavish Cold War fantasy “The Shape of Water” that was crowned best picture.

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, March 15, 2018

MENTHOL CIGARETTES – The Unknown Women’s Health Problem This year, Women’s History Month comes at a pivotal time – women’s voices and stories are being heard and lifted up in a way they never have before. This opportunity should be celebrated, and gives us a chance to see history in new ways – including stories about things that impact women’s health.Many may be surprised to know that one of the most critical health issues facing women today are menthol cigarettes. They are a key reason why lung cancer is actually the leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the U.S. In fact, almost twice as many women die from lung cancer than breast cancer, even though breast cancer is more prevalent.

Legendary African American singers, Mary Wells and Sarah Vaughan, had their voices silenced too early and suffered health related issues caused by smoking cigarettes.

Mary developed cancer of the larynx because of her smoking habit. She smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, lost all of her finances to expensive cancer treatments, and suffered with cancer until she died of pneumonia at age 49.

A longtime smoker, Sarah developed lung cancer and carcinoma of the joints in one hand. Sarah’s amazing contralto voice became huskier after years of smoking, and she died at the age of 66.

It’s important to understand the history behind menthol cigarettes. They were actually created by tobacco companies specifically for women. For decades the tobacco industry advertised and marketed them intentionally and directly to women by showing images of group fun, freedom, and glamour in their marketing.

Unfortunately, it worked. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to smoke menthol cigarettes, and more than 50% of menthol smokers are women. In California, 70% of African American adult cigarette smokers smoke menthol cigarettes compared to only 18% of white adult cigarette smokers.

Research shows that menthol cigarettes are actually worse for the user than regular cigarettes. Menthol makes it easier for smokers to inhale more deeply and allows harmful particles to settle deeper inside the lungs.

By reducing airway pain and irritation, continuous menthol smoking can mask the early warning symptoms of smoking-induced respiratory problems.

Menthol smokers are also less likely to successfully quit smoking than other smokers.

“Menthol cigarettes are one of the worst, yet not explicitly

29

Carol McGruder, Co-Chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, at San Fransisco City Hall.

(LAGRANT Communications Courtesy Photo)

identified, causes of health problems facing women today,” said Carol McGruder, Co-Chair of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, a Bay Area organization that works to expose and address the inequities in tobacco use and its impact among diverse communities. “It’s a serious problem that gets negligible attention – we need to inform women about what the tobacco industry has done to us.”

The fact that menthol cigarettes are still produced and sold is puzzling. In 2009, the FDA banned the sale of all flavored cigarettes, except menthols – and the tobacco industry has managed to keep them legal since then.

“For those who want to take local action, every county in California has a tobacco control coalition – people can check with their county department of health to learn when and where meetings are held, everyone is welcome.

There are also resources available for anyone who is personally affected,” said Ms. McGruder.

Now is the time to break menthols impact on women for good. For anyone who wants help to quit, the California Smoker’s Helpline is at www.nobutts.org or 1-800NO-BUTTS.

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