Silencing dissent: The high price of criticizing hate in America
By AFRO Managing Editor
Recently, I was alerted by the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ) of the firing of Washington Post opinion columnist, Karren Attiah. Her offense? A post to her personal Bluesky social media account quoting the words of the conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
With her firing, she joined a slew of now unemployed critics of Charlie Kirk, who have been fired for a variety of comments that range from simply reminding the country of Kirk’s own words to social media posts praising his gruesome Sept. 10 assassination. Some have been fired for pointing out that refusing to deeply mourn Kirk’s death is not the same as advocating for gun violence.
While no one should be making light of how Charlie Kirk died, we also certainly cannot create light from the darkness of how he lived.
Kirk was a White supremacist. Full stop. He spewed his brand of hatred every chance he could and encouraged others to go after those in the Black community willing to stand up against him and his ideals. I, for one, am not in the business of rewriting history. I am here to record it.
And what does the record say?
When it came to Black leaders such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kirk –the community college dropout–said in July 2023 that these women “do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously.”
“You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously,” he said, speaking directly to the Black women who have helped shape this nation.
And on the topic of school shootings? In 2023, a year where the FBI logged 48 active
AFRO Photo / Alexis Taylor
shooter incidents, Kirk said the following:
“I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal.”
Kirk made that last comment just nine days after three children and three adults were killed at Covenant Presbyterian Church and School in Nashville, Tenn. by a shooter with a LeadStar Grunt-15 5.56mm/.223 caliber semi-automatic AR pistol and two other guns.
Maybe he truly believed in the insensitive comments he made that day, but regardless of the vile things on Kirk’s record, I was still shocked to my core when the grisly footage of his death found its way to my inbox last week.
You see, I – and many Black people – still have empathy. You know, that “made-up, New Age term that” that Kirk once said “does a lot of damage, but it is very effective when it comes to politics.” I don’t think anyone’s death should be social media fodder for the globe. But what we have seen in the last few days goes well beyond empathy for a human being brutally assassinated on the world stage.
Since Sept. 10 there has been
a blatant revision of what Kirk stood for and the harm he was actively causing with his words at the time of his death. You can have empathy and still tell the truth.
But that’s not what America wants. This country and its leaders would much rather silence those unafraid to use their First Amendment right to speak out against those that push racist agendas, eugenics programming and homophobic beliefs.
I am appalled by the 47th president’s decision to lower the American flag to half staff for a racist, while leaving them flying high after the June 2025 assassinations of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. That said, I am not surprised that many want to hide away Kirk’s own words, and focus solely on the “Christian father and husband” who left behind few works to match the faith he proclaimed.
I am truly disgusted by the football teams (Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys to name a few) that held moments of silence as if Kirk advocated for something besides bigotry and division– but what more do you expect from an organization with “owners” that see the players (majority Black athletes) as property?
In a world where Florida middle schoolers are being taught that slaves benefited from chattel slavery, I am not shocked that conservatives and MAGA cult members are now going after anyone who reminds them of the ugly side of Charlie Kirk.
To be clear– the firings we are seeing are nothing more than a mass economic lynching– a stark reminder that anyone willing to speak out against the White supremacy better shut up or face consequences.
In lieu of legally swinging our bodies from trees and mutilating our bodies, they want to cut us off from the lifelines of healthcare tied to our jobs and a steady income (while the president wages tariff wars that drive up the cost of everything in and out of the grocery store).
I imagine the last two weeks have been incredibly hard for Black journalists, editors and publishers everywhere. But no matter how hard it is to keep up in this news cycle, we cannot grow so weary that we do not use our pen to speak up for those who are being silenced.
And so, the night before deadline day, I sit at my desk, writing. Speaking out, and ever more grateful that I have a “Black job” that allows me to do so.
Now is the time to support all of the member publications of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the trade organization of the Black Press. Of course, my home team is the AFRO, which has been in print for 133 years. We, like all Black publications, value every subscription, like, comment and share.
To all the journalists and teachers who have been fired, I say find the nearest Black publication and join the ranks of the Black Press. In this political climate, we certainly need all the soldiers we can get.
California’s Prop 50: Redistricting Fight Heats Up
With Dem Rally and Fundraiser
By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media
essential to Democrats’ chance to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm election and stop the Republican-led Congress from solidifying President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
“It’s Prop 50 for a reason,” Newsom said during the virtual event. “It impacts all 50 states. Donald Trump realizes and recognizes that he is likely — almost overwhelmingly — to lose the midterms. He is trying to hold on to power. The only way he can hold onto power is to rig the system.”
California’s top Democrat noted that five new Republican seats in the House are likely to be delivered to Trump in Texas through gerrymandering and the
president’s allies in other red states are focused on doing the same before next year’s election.
“This is a profound and consequential moment in American history,” Newsom said. “We could lose this republic if we do not assert ourselves and stand tall at this moment and stand guard to this republic and our democracy. I feel that in my bones.”
One million dollars in small donations was raised during the “Yes on 50” virtual campaign rally that featured words from a litany of highprofile Democratic figures and grassroots organizers including California Congressional Reps.
California’s Prop 50: Redistricting Fight Heats Up With Dem Rally and Fundraiser...continued
Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34) and Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX30), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and former First Lady and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Podcasters such as Jessiah Eberlan and Katie Phang — and content creator — Harry Sisson also appeared on the livestream, along with acclaimed actor and activist Martin Sheen.
Prop 50 will ask Californians to vote “yes” or “no” to adopting new maps that could create as many as five new safe seats in Congress for Democrats, which would offset Texas’s newly carved Republican congressional districts.
Supporters say it is a one-time correction to counterbalance unfair maps drawn in Republicanled states.
Opponents such as former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger argue that Prop 50 undermines the voterapproved California Citizens Redistricting Commission and opens the door to partisan gerrymandering in California.
During an appearance at the University of Southern California last week, Schwarzenegger said Democrats want to eliminate the state’s redistricting commission.
“They want to get rid of it under the auspices of, ‘We have to fight Trump.’ Doesn’t make any sense to me,” he said. “Two bad behaviors don’t make a right behavior. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
So far, the fundraising effort has gained remarkable momentum.
At press time, around $70 million had been raised in less than two months for Prop 50.
The family of George Soros, a prominent Democratic financier, has contributed $10 million to effort.
On both sides of the issue, Democratic and Republican donors are expected to spend as much as $200 million to influence voters before the November election.
The “Yes on 50” livestream was originally set for the evening of Sept. 10, but it was rescheduled after the fatal shooting of rightwing influencer Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah earlier that day.
Newsom said Kirk was the debut guest on his “This is Gavin Newsom,” podcast in January, and he urged people to hold themselves to a higher level of civility and accountability in
political discourse in the wake of Kirk’s death.
“I spent not just the hour-plus in a very civil conversation with Charlie, I spent time with him after,” he recalled. “We stayed in touch — including my team — we stayed in touch pretty consistently. That is the spirit I want to bring to this conversation. One of civility; one of grace; one of humanity. Obviously, there were deep differences of opinion. Obviously, he was very offended by positions I hold dear, and I in turn was offended by things that he said and positions he held. But the fact is, we had that opportunity to engage.” Kirk’s murder and the harshness of the national political discourse have been grabbing news headlines across the nation. Speakers during the rally remained focused on Prop 50, though.
Gomez said the upcoming special election is not a “normal election,” and if Democrats don’t win the midterm election next year, Trump and his supporters will make cuts to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP and continue to give tax breaks to big businesses and the nation’s wealthiest people.
“If we don’t win back the House, we are looking at a permanent version of MAGA America,” he said. “Not for two years, but at least for the next ten years. If you do not want this permanent version of America that is being developed — that is being built — bit-by-bit by Donald Trump and the billionaire establishment, then we’ve got to pass Proposition 50.”
“A Democratic majority would be able to prevent meaningful harm to the American people now,” added Eberlan, the host of “Pondering Politics.”
Garcia accused Trump of weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to silence critics and attack courts, law firms, and academic institutions.
“We need people’s support,” he said. “We need them to come out and support Prop 50. We have to be all in because this could mean us essentially being able to stop the Trump agenda and dramatically slow it down.” Sheen, known for his outspoken activism, did not mince his words, calling Trump a “madman,” and assailing officials in his administration.
“Yes on 50,” Sheen said. “Please God, yes.”
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Together We Rise: High Desert Black Worker Center to Host Grand Opening Celebration
Community News
Victorville, CA — The High Desert Black Worker Center (HDBWC) is thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of its new community training center, a bold step forward in the fight to eliminate poverty and promote economic justice.
Guided by the California State Department of Industrial Relations, HDBWC is committed to expanding equitable access to quality employment, raising job standards, and dismantling workplace discrimination.
Together We Rise will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00
PM at the Millionaire Mind Kids Center, located at 15579 Eighth Street, Victorville, CA 92395.
This landmark event will serve as both a community celebration and a powerful call to action, uniting workers, families, and leaders in solidarity committed to building a future where every family thrives.
Event Highlights: Free food and refreshments for all guests
Live music and cultural performances
Family-friendly activities,
Flying Blind – Loss of Federal Survey Data Will Make Life Harder for Ag Producers, Farmworker Families
By Edward Kissam
The Trump Administration plans to end the National Agricultural Worker Survey, widely-recognized as providing the best and most up-to-date information on more than 2 million U.S. farmworkers and their families.
The U.S. Department of Labor plans to discontinue the National Agricultural Worker Survey (NAWS) by September 27th.
Loss of data from the survey, widely-recognized as providing the best and most up-to-date information on more than 2 million U.S. farmworkers and their families, will have serious negative impacts for agricultural employers, farmworker service programs, and hundreds of other stakeholders, including local and state government, and policymakers in Congress.
NAWS has now provided updated information on U.S. crop workers for 37 years. Over the years, the Department of Labor has published 17 major reports of NAWS findings and hundreds of published papers reference it in their analyses of issues ranging from workforce productivity to occupational health and safety, to housing.
It has provided crucial insights and essential planning information for programs such as Migrant Head Start, The National Farmworker Jobs Program, Migrant Education, and the national Migrant Health Program. Spending in these programs is about $1 billion per year and the demographic and socioeconomic data from NAWS is crucial to assure equitable allocation of funding for these Congressionally mandated programs. It also helps guide newer initiatives such as planning for rural broadband expansion. NAWS data has been especially valuable for public health planning and research— providing crucial information on farmworker health conditions and access to health care.
Bethany Alcauter, director of
including special programming for children
Transformative workercentered workshops
Opportunities to connect with other Black Worker Centers and community leaders
Collective strategy-building for stronger regional solidarity
“The High Desert Black Worker Center represents more than just a space—it’s a movement,” said President and CEO Delores Williams. “Our goal is to create a collaborative hub where workers can come together, connect to apprenticeship programs, share
resources, and build power to transform our communities.”
Community members, labor allies, and families are encouraged to attend. Space is limited, and registration is required through Eventbrite: Register
Vendors are also welcome! If you would like to participate as a vendor, please sign up here:
Vendor Registration.
This grand opening marks a significant step forward in setting the stage for long-term economic regional impact across Southern California.
Flying Blind – Loss of Federal Survey Data Will Make Life Harder for Ag Producers, Farmworker Families...continued
decisions on ways to provide work authorization for current farmworkers who lack legal status and the H-2A guest worker program).
What’s behind the decision to terminate NAWS? Is it a kneejerk reaction at the Department of Labor in reaction to unwelcome criticism of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) findings earlier this month?
Or is it a head-in-the-sand effort to ignore the real-world diversity of U.S. communities and the role that immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy?
Research and Public Health Programs at the National Center for Farmworker Health explains, “NAWS is necessary to understand the health of migrant farmworkers because census and economic survey data does not provide the reliable information we need on age, living conditions, and health care access of these mobile workers.”
For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NAWS provided crucial insights about farmworker housing and family composition needed to better understand and ameliorate viral transmission.
Ending NAWS will save the federal government about $4 million per year. But at the same time, losing it will force multiple federal agencies to develop new and untested ways to understand how best to sustain a labor force whose work is essential to the agricultural industry, U.S. consumers’ access to fresh fruit and vegetables, and the U.S. economy overall.
Dr. Richard Mines, who developed the NAWS and supervised it for two decades, explains that it was designed to be flexible. Many different federal agencies could and did rely on it to help them confront newly emerging challenges. For example, as farmworkers legalized under the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (ORCA) have aged, the survey has provided a wealth of practical information about farm labor supply over the years—a key element for making wise decisions about immigration policy (including both the impact of Congressional
That’s not easy to tell since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent termination of its’ Farm Labor Survey was explained away with vague platitudes about finding alternative data sources and methodology. These moves are part of a broader federal push to save money by simply analyzing administrative records. But the high quality of NAWS data stems from the fact that interviewers talk directly with farmworkers about their lives.
So what does cancellation of NAWS mean for farmworker
communities? Mario Russell, executive director of the Center for Migration Studies, puts it well. “Canceling data about immigrant workers is, in effect, another step towards erasing the ‘they’ that they are.”
The necessary response is for farmworkers and data users to quickly raise their voices to assert they do exist and urge the Department of Labor to reconsider and continue NAWS as a contribution to sound government and community well-being.
Edward Kissam is a leading researcher and advocate for strategies to deal with health issues impacting immigrant communities. He has led research on farmworker and immigrant issues sponsored by the Department of Labor, the Commission on Agricultural Workers, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. He worked as a farmworker outreach expert on several COVID-19 initiatives during the pandemic and published extensively on steps to improve strategy.
Annual fundraiser Inland Ivy Foundation and Eta Nu Omega
Community News
Join The Inland Ivy Foundation, in partnership with Eta Nu Omega Chapter, for our Annual Fundraiser - a night of style, purpose, and community! This year’s theme is Fashion Forward, Future Ready, celebrating creativity while making a lasting difference. ️
Your support helps us uplift local high school seniors, families, and adults right here in the Inland Empire. Tickets are just $100— and every ticket purchased makes a real impact.
- Purchase your tickets here: bit.ly/2025TIIFtickets
- Support our event by becoming a sponsor: bit. ly/2025TIIFsponsor
- Interested in promoting your business in our digital souvenir journal? Learn about our exciting ad opportunities: bit. ly/2025TIIFad ️
Let’s make this year unforgettable—secure your spot today! To explore more about The Inland Ivy Foundation's mission, follow "inlandivyfndn" & "The Inland Ivy Foundation" on your social media platforms, and read through https://www. inlandivy.org/.
LWVSB CITIZENS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AWARDS OCTOBER 12, 2025, AT 1:00 P.M.
The League of Women Voters, San Bernardino Area (LWVSB), celebrating its 70th Anniversary, will be honoring five individuals and two community organizations in the League’s annual award ceremony. The 50th ceremony is on Sunday, October 12, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration and Reception at 12:30 p.m. at the Sterling Natural Resource Center, 25318 5th Street, Highland, California 92410. The LWVSB is pleased to continue honoring those who have contributed in an outstanding way to their communities. Honored in this presentation will be the following:
Citizen of Achievement Honorees
o Jocelyn Harris
o Dr. Lisa Henkle
o Prince Ogidkipe
o Gerry Ramos o Edwina Thomas
Civic Engagement Honorees
o National Black Grads
o Youth Action Project
The cost is $25.00 per person or a table of eight is $150.00. Your generous donations beyond the suggested amount will assist LWVSB with ongoing projects such as voter registration, civic education, and defending voter rights. To register for this event, go to https:// my.lwv.org/california/san-bernardino-area
For more information, please contact Twillea Evans-Carthen, Citizen of Achievement Committee Chair at tevanscarthen@icloud.com or (909) 234-4980, or Kathy Ervin, President at kervin@csusb.edu
LA Galaxy Brings Soccer Skills Camp to San Bernardino's Mt. Vernon Elementary
SAN BERNARDINO, CA—Almost 500 Mt. Vernon
Elementary School students laced up their sneakers on Sept. 18 for an unforgettable experience as the LA Galaxy brought their soccer camp directly to campus. The daylong clinic gave every student a chance to learn new skills, build
teamwork and experience the joy of the game with one of Major League Soccer’s most iconic clubs.
Principal Sharon Alvarado said the event created lasting memories for her students.
“Seeing our kids light up as they trained with the LA Galaxy
was incredible,” Alvarado said.
“They felt seen, inspired and encouraged to dream big, both on and off the field. This was more than a soccer camp. It was a reminder that our students matter and that their potential is limitless.”
The LA Galaxy’s visit to the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) campus was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, whose commitment to education, wellness and youth development continues to open doors of opportunity for San Bernardino students.
By working directly with young people, the LA Galaxy and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation are fostering healthy lifestyles, discipline and a love of sports that can carry into the classroom and beyond. For our students, this was their first chance to train alongside professional athletes, and the excitement could be felt throughout the school as cheers, laughter and the sound of soccer
balls echoed across the fields.
For Mt. Vernon student Yair Reyes Gutierrez, Thursday’s camp was the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Today was the best day ever,” said Yahir, a Mt. Vernon Elementary sixth-grader. “I’ve always dreamed about playing professional soccer, and getting to train with the LA Galaxy makes me want to work even harder so one day I can be out there on the field just like them.” Fellow sixth-grade student Donald Dammon can’t wait to use his new skills on the soccer field.
“I learned so much from them and I wanna get out on the field to start using the new tricks they taught me,” Dammon said.
“One of my favorite things about soccer is it builds team spirit when we work together.” SBCUSD thanks both the LA Galaxy and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation for investing in its students and creating an experience that will continue to inspire them long after the last goal was scored.
Mt. Vernon Elementary 6th-grader
(Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)
Mt. Vernon Elementary 6th-grader
(Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)
Photo credit: Manuel Ortiz
California vs. Hate Hotline Logged Nearly 1,200 Incident Reports in 2024
By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released new data on Sept. 18 indicating a continuous demand for support and resources through California (CA) vs Hate, the state’s multilingual statewide hotline and online portal.
In 2024, 1,180 hate incidents were reported to the CA vs Hate telephone and digital resource, CRD revealed. Reports came from 49 counties across California, including all 10 of the state’s most populous counties.
The portal intends to provide a safe and anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of non-emergency hate crimes and hate incidents, as well as a “platform to speak out against hate,” stated Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.
“Whether it’s to get resources for yourself or to help stand up for a neighbor, your voice matters,” Moss stated. “It is one of the ways our Civil Rights Department fulfills its mission to ensure the rights of all Californians are protected. It shows you are not alone.”
In more than two-thirds of cases reported, the person asked about receiving counseling, legal assistance, or other resources.
The hotline provides support in over 200 languages by phone and
15 languages online.
In California, it is considered a hate crime if an individual or group is targeted because of their actual or perceived identity — including nationality and immigration or citizenship status. According to CRD, racial or ethnic bias was mentioned in 44% of reports.
“Hate has no place in California,” stated Gov. Gavin Newsom, responding to the release of the report. “Every person has the right to feel safe in our state. As we continue grappling with increased hate incidents, we will keep working for the health and safety of our communities.”
In a June 2025 report released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), there were 494 reported anti-Black hate crime events in California in 2024, continuing a trend where Black individuals are the most-targeted racial group.
While this figure represents a 4.6% decrease from the 518 events reported in 2023, antiBlack incidents still make up a disproportionately large percentage of all race-based hate crimes in the state.
In 2021, Attorney General Rob Bonta launched the Racial Justice Bureau (Bureau) within the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The Bureau is a
Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week Highlights California’s Love Affair with Unmerited Lawsuits
California Assembly Fails to Bring Key Bi-Partisan ADA Reform Bill to Light
By
Victor Gomez, executive director, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
California’s love affair with unmerited lawsuits targeted at small and minority small business owners is alive and well. So much so that the California Assembly failed to even schedule a hearing on Senate Bill 84, a much-needed reform measure to protect against abusive shakedown Americans with Disabilities Lawsuits (ADA). Once again leaving businesses vulnerable to lawsuit abuse.
part of the state’s efforts to lead the development of strategies to address bias and hate at their roots and to strengthen responses to hate crimes in California.
Bonta started this process by engaging with local city leaders in the state’s biggest cities, organizing roundtable conversations in San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Long Beach, Santa Ana, San Jose, Stockton, Anaheim, Bakersfield, Fresno, and Irvine.
“Everyone has a part to play as we continue to fight intolerance in California, and I urge leaders up and down the state to review the data and resources available and recommit to standing united against hate,” Bonta stated.
“The California Department of Justice remains steadfast in our commitment to continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across California to keep our communities safe.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Newsom announced $76 million in CA v. Hate grants, made in partnership with the state Legislature, to 347 community groups across the state to protect nonprofits and houses of worship from violence. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) administers the funds.
The majority of the funding targets five regions. They are the Bay Area: South Bay and Central Coast; Border Region: San Diego and Imperial County; Los Angeles County; Northern California /San Joaquin Valley; and Orange County/Inland Empire.
Rosalyn Green is the Black Power-Building and Justice Reinvestment Director for the Monterey County Black Caucus
and a member of the Stop the Hate network. She participated in the event in May at the State Capitol to advocate for more funding for the program.
“The funding really does make a difference and suppresses hate activities,” Green told California Black Media (CBM).
The grants are intended to help non-profit entities and faithbased organizations improve their physical security and develop safety plans to prevent hate-motivated violence.
“The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference strongly supports CA vs Hate hotline,” stated Rick L. Callender, NAACP CA/HI State Conference President. “We will continue to stand as a proud supporter of the CA vs Hate hotline resource, as we know our Black and Brown brothers and sisters are disproportionately targeted with hate and discrimination.”
How To Report A Hate Crime:
CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NOHATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.
The caller will speak with a trained civil rights agent in over 200 languages. Outside of the scheduled hours and days of operation, the public can leave a voicemail or call 211 to report a hate incident and seek support from a professional trained in culturally competent communication and traumainformed practices.
For more information on CA vs Hate, visit CAvsHate.org.
Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week Highlights California’s Love Affair with Unmerited Lawsuits...continued
democratic.
Trump’s Attacks on Federal Workers Are Attacks on Black Workers. The Labor Movement Is Fighting Back... continued
Nine months into Trump’s second term, 1 in 8 federal workers have been pushed out of their jobs—about 300,000 in total, the largest single-year reduction since World War II. In March, the Trump administration stripped nearly a million federal workers of their right to collectively bargain in the single biggest act of union-busting in history. And then, right before Labor Day, added more workers to that list. Nearly 450,000 workers at the departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, have had their union contracts canceled altogether.
Attacks on federal workers aren’t just a problem for their families or their unions—they hurt all of us and jeopardize the essential government services we rely on daily. These workers make sure our food and water are safe and our communities are free from pollution. They protect our families during public health emergencies, care for our veterans, and monitor extreme weather and natural disasters. When workers can’t speak up on the job and make sure their offices are serving the American people, we are all at risk.
For Black Americans, Trump’s attacks on the federal workforce threaten to reverse decades of progress. In 1948, well before the passage of the Civil Rights Act, President Truman signed executive orders to abolish segregation in the military and prohibit race-based discrimination in the federal government. Government jobs became one of the few places Black Americans could put their education and skills to use and reliably get good benefits and pay in return, and for many, they opened the door to the middle class.
women, who themselves are 12% of federal workers, nearly double their share of the workforce overall, and work at some of the agencies hit hardest by the administration’s cuts. By August, the unemployment rate was 6.7% for Black women and 7.1% for Black men— numbers not seen since the pandemic.
Behind these numbers are real people who are bearing the brunt of this administration’s anti-worker, anti-Black agenda. Nonpartisan federal workers, kicked out of the job they relied on for decades, now having to scramble to put food on the table for their families. Dedicated health care workers who have been champions for the care of their patients, now afraid to speak out without their union contract. Cherished colleagues and mentors pushed out of their workplaces by some arbitrary decision about which federal workers’ rights and jobs matter— and which don’t.
One small business owner shared her experience of how her restaurant table was 1/16 of an inch too low, and thus, they faced an expensive settlement without the opportunity to fix the problem. Another small business owner shared how her parking lot sign was stolen during the night and the first thing she did the next morning was order a new one. Her action was swift because she had experienced a similar ADA suit previously. She was still sued by day’s end. These abusive lawsuits, where business owners are punished for circumstances beyond their control, cannot be allowed to continue. Small business owners are the backbone of our economy, providing jobs and supporting communities every day. They deserve protections that maintain fairness while still ensuring accessibility for consumers. Even with noble actions and hard work from all involved in passing the reform measure in the Senate, the bill was dead on arrival in the Assembly. The Assembly Judiciary Committee refused to give SB 84 even one hearing. By not allowing a robust discussion around the bill to support it or not, is another way to just block its passage.
To not give SB 84 one hearing in the Assembly is anti-
Senator Roger Nielo, [R-Fair Oaks], authored Senate Bill 84, which would have allowed small businesses, the right to cure or a short period of 120 days, to correct ADA violations before being sued. The legislation was a wonderfully simple idea that drew an impressive bipartisan coalition of legislative coauthors. It passed the State Senate 34 to 2. The Americans with Disabilities Act reform measure was enthusiastically supported. The bill’s author personally met with and recruited Democrat members to co-author the legislation. Some Senate members even crossed the legislative aisle to co-author SB 84, notably including: Senators Angelique Ashby, Anna Caballero, Ben Allen and Tom Umberg. Assembly co-authors included Assemblymembers Jacqui Irwin, Stephanie Nguyen, Blanca Pacheco, and Rhodesia Ransom. Multiple advocacy organizations gave testimony to support the bill at the SB 84 Senate Hearing aimed at advancing the bill to the Assembly. Small business owners lined the aisles and hallways of the legislative hearing room to weigh in with personal testimonies.
The much-needed reform would have helped small business owners and consumers during this challenging time when businesses are struggling, and consumers are barely able to make ends meet. SB 84 would have honored the foundation and intent of Americans with Disabilities Act by helping to get changes made for access while holding off the expense of litigation or huge payout settlements.
The consequences of expanding opportunities to sue carry real economic costs.
California residents already pay $2,458 per person annually in “tort tax” — that’s more than $9,830 for a family of four. California’s per person tort tax has increased more than 28% since 2021.
Residents living in the San Francisco and Los Angeles metro areas can pay a tort tax up to 89% more than the statewide average – $4,651 and $3,658 per
person respectively. Excessive tort costs additionally contribute to an estimated loss of 829,255 jobs and $5 billion in revenue for the state’s government annually.
This Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week, October 5 through 11, California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse is calling on California Assembly members to focus on positive reforms that will help small businesses thrive rather than suffer through frivolous, needless lawsuits that can put them out of business altogether. Their positive reforms will also greatly lessen the costs consumers pay for goods and services.
California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse and our thousands of supporters are in love with reforming abusive Americans With Disabilities lawsuits and providing relief for business owners and consumers. We will not give up.
To join our free grassroots movement in support of small business owners and consumers, please go to californiacala.org
Trump’s Attacks on Federal Workers Are Attacks on Black Workers. The Labor Movement Is Fighting Back
By Fred Redmond
During the 2024 presidential campaign, now-Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought said he wanted to put federal workers “in trauma.” Project 2025 called union representation of government workers “incompatible with democracy” and recommended Congress
make having a voice on a federal job illegal.
Now, as president, Trump has taken drastic steps to turn the Project 2025 agenda into a frightening reality. In addition to appointing Vought, he gave the world’s wealthiest person, Elon Musk, unfettered access to federal data and systems while his team of inexperienced groupies slashed core government functions and the workers who supported them—the more cruel and random the better.
Today, that legacy is clear just by looking at the numbers. About 12% of the civilian workforce overall is Black—but Black workers constitute nearly 20% of the federal workforce. In some agencies—such as the Postal Service and the departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs—we are 1 in 4 employees.
With more than 90% of federal workers living outside the nation’s capital, the effect of Trump’s attacks on the federal workforce spreads nationwide. This is especially true in the South, where Black workers make up 35% of the federal workforce in a handful of states, including nearly 45% in Georgia alone. Black workers are able to stay and build a stable career in these jobs; 21% of Black federal employees have worked in the government for 20 years or more. And Trump’s attacks are especially harmful for Black
The labor movement is no stranger to attacks like these, and we’re not afraid to fight back. Federal workers have been organizing to join and remain part of their unions, even in the face of the Trump administration’s union-busting. They are speaking out and telling their stories, refusing to be silenced about why their jobs and their contracts matter. And we’re fighting to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act, legislation that would overturn Trump’s union-busting executive orders. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01), has 221 additional co-sponsors from both parties, and the labor movement and our allies are urging members of Congress to sign a discharge petition to send the bill straight to the House floor for a vote. Last week, Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced the legislation in the Senate. Black workers didn’t become a major part of the federal workforce by accident. We organized and fought for these jobs and contracts with everything we had. If Trump and his billionaire buddies think they can take away our livelihoods and our unions without a fight, they don’t know the first thing about the labor movement. We’ll continue to push back against this affront to Black Americans—and all workers—with everything we have.
Fred Redmond, the highestranking African American labor official in history, is the secretary-treasurer of the AFLCIO, the nation’s largest labor federation, representing 63 unions and nearly 15 million workers.
Advocates sue HUD to preserve $75 million
homeless grants
Trump Administration tries to tie funding to sanctuary cities executive order
by Charlene Crowell
An effort to limit federal homeless funding to locales embracing Trump Administration policies on sanctuary cities has triggered a lawsuit from homeless advocates.
Although a September 12 court order gave a temporary reprieve to homeless providers seeking to preserve vital services, the approaching end of the current fiscal year, September 30, leaves only a few days to resolve whether $75 million in homeless funding will be shared.
Co-plaintiffs, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, based in Washington, DC and the Women’s Development Corporation in Rhode Island sued HUD, charging that the
new criteria would make projects in 36 states, and the District of Columbia ineligible for $75 million for Continuum of Care Build grants. New funding standards, announced in a September 5 notice, superseded an earlier one issued in May. This change allowed only seven days for applicants to submit revised plans. The May 12 court order now bars HUD from disbursing funds while the case is pending. The abbreviated time frame was addressed from the bench by District Judge Mary S. McElroy.
“It’s unfortunate that we are here on these things that are done
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Democrats Dig In: Healthcare at the Center of Looming Shutdown Fight
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Hand holding heart for medicine and health care. health insurance health concept. health insurance business for hospital. heartbeat lone, cardiogram. vector design.
The air in Washington has grown thick with a familiar tension, the kind that precedes the shuttering of government offices and the silencing of paychecks for thousands of workers. Yet at the heart of this looming shutdown lies something far greater than partisan brinkmanship: a ferocious fight for the soul of America’s healthcare. Democrats have planted themselves firmly in the path of what they call a reckless assault on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. They are not speaking in the language of compromise this time. They are speaking in the cadence of survival—for the poor, the sick, the disabled, and the working families who stand to see their coverage ripped away.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned of what was at stake. “Senators will have to choose: to stand with Donald Trump and keep the same lousy status quo and cause the Trump healthcare shutdown, or stand with the American people, protect their healthcare, and keep the government functioning,” he said. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries framed the fight with defiance. “We don’t work for Donald Trump, we don’t work for JD Vance, we don’t work for Elon Musk, we work for the American people. And that is why we are a hard no on the partisan Republican spending bill because it continues to gut the healthcare of everyday Americans,” he stated.
In their joint letter to President Trump, Schumer and Jeffries accused him of deliberately courting a shutdown to “gut the healthcare of the American people.” They wrote, “We do not understand why you prefer to shut down the government rather than protect the healthcare and quality of life of the American people,” they stated. Journalist Karen Tumulty analyzed the
Democrats’ approach, noting that the minority party, though constrained in power, is wielding rare leverage in this moment. They have tied their stand to demands that strike at the heart of Trump’s agenda: restoring Medicaid funds slashed earlier this year, extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire, and halting the administration’s freeze on appropriated dollars. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland cut to the essence of Democratic resistance. “I’m not going to write a blank check for a lawless president. That is my starting point here,” he said. The stakes, Democrats argue, are not abstract. They warn that millions could see premiums soar, hospitals and clinics could close, and the poorest communities—urban and rural alike—could be left without care.
In Delaware, Sen. Chris Coons described how both the most urban and most rural hospitals in his state depend heavily on Medicaid. “Part of our challenge is lots of people haven’t felt that yet, but they will next month,” he said. The president has brushed aside these warnings, saying there may be “a closed country for a period of time,” even as he pledged to shield the military and Social Security checks, he stated. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made clear where he stands. “I’m on Team Fight. You don’t think Republicans would use every ounce of leverage they would have in this circumstance?” he said. For Democrats, the fight is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet, but about what kind of nation America chooses to be. They are wagering that voters, when confronted with rising costs and shuttered care, will see the struggle not as political theater but as a line drawn in defense of their health and their dignity.
Making Montessori Early Childhood Education More Accessible for the Black Community
By Black Montessori Education Fund
for
Do you hope to ignite your young child’s love of learning and lay the foundation for a fulfilling future? The Montessori approach offers a joyful, secure, and nurturing environment where young children can thrive. At the Early Childhood level (ages 2 ½ – 6), children are encouraged to explore, collaborate, and take ownership of their learning.
The Montessori Method fosters independence, confidence, critical thinking, and socialemotional growth.
Making Montessori Early Childhood Education More Accessible for the Black Community... contiued
Only 6% of Montessori students in the U.S. are Black. Fewer than 1 in 10 Montessori teachers identify as Black. These disparities reflect systemic inequities and financial barriers that prevent Black children, families, and educators from accessing Montessori programs.
Reclaiming Montessori’s Justice-Centered Roots
The Black Montessori Education Fund (BMEF) is committed to removing these barriers. We provide funding, community, professional development, and networks of support for Black educators, families, and pioneers in Montessori. Dr. Montessori believed education was the pathway to peace—and that peace required justice. Montessori education cannot fulfill its mission without intentional diversity and inclusion. Representation matters—not only for equity, but for the quality and integrity of the Montessori experience itself.
Our Mission
BMEF envisions Montessori as a pathway to liberation for
Community Invited to Celebrate ‘Recovery Happens 2025’ at Fairmount Park
Over 110 years ago, Dr. Maria Montessori developed her revolutionary method in the slums of Italy, working with children who had been excluded from opportunity. Her vision was rooted in liberation and equity— not elitism.
Yet today, Montessori education in the U.S. is too often associated with whiteness, wealth, and exclusivity.
the Black diaspora in the U.S. and beyond. We are closing the opportunity gap by expanding access to high-quality, culturally responsive Montessori programs that affirm and uplift Black identity and experience. We are cultivating a pipeline of well-trained, well-supported Black Montessori educators, leaders, and advocates. Through this work, we nurture social, emotional, spiritual, and economic liberation— empowering individuals and strengthening communities through Montessori education.
Our Story
Founded by Dr. Ayize Sabater I in the wake of the 2020 Washington, D.C. protests, the BMEF was born from the urgent call for equity and justice.
Guided by Montessori’s holistic philosophy, we uplift Black educators and honor the legacy of pioneers like Mary McLeod Bethune, who understood education’s transformative power. Today, the BMEF carries that legacy forward— advancing freedom, dignity, and self-determination through Montessori education.
Acquitted Black Doctor Stands Tall Against Malicious Injustice: Canada’s Bias Revealed
By Stacy M. Brown
For more than five years, Dr. Olumuyiwa Bamgbade carried the weight of lies that he should never have borne. He is a Black doctor, a healer by training, acquitted of false accusations that Canadian authorities and media were eager to trumpet but too arrogant, too complicit, to retract. The silence after his vindication was louder than the slander that preceded it. The cruelty is not simply in the malicious lies about him, but in the determination of a system to criminalize his very existence. However, he continues to meet injustice with compassion. Dr. Bamgbade never abandoned his calling. While others would have broken under the torment of malicious persecutions, he remains at his Surrey, BC, medical clinic, treating those the system itself has left behind: people with pain, trauma, substance misuse, insomnia, and neuropathies. Unlike other pain clinics, he does not demand out-of-pocket costs. He tends to the people society neglects, many without primary healthcare.
He recalls how, in 2020, a woman, furious that his teenage staff rejected her sexual advances, turned her bitterness into a weapon. She was also sexually abusing two vulnerable teenagers in her neighborhood. Dr. Bamgbade condemned these illegal activities. She falsely accused him of assault, though eyewitnesses and forensic evidence destroyed her story. Toxicology reports revealed her abuse of opioids and psychedelics: substances she was jailed for trafficking before, substances she continues selling. She sought money from him: he rejected her extortion. In her malice, Canadian authorities saw an opportunity. They did not see the criminality of a woman preying on children and trading narcotics. They saw only a Black man to scapegoat. In 2022, another woman tried to capitalize on the publicized scapegoating. She appeared in his clinic, weeping, prompting him to show her to a room. She requested medications. He kindly gave her the same dose of her regular daily anxiolytic. When he would not
Riverside University Health System –Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) is set to host its annual Recovery Happens celebration on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Fairmount Park, located at 2601 Fairmount Blvd. in Riverside.
RIVERSIDE, CA -- (Sept. 22, 2025) Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH) is set to host its annual Recovery Happens celebration on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Fairmount Park, located at 2601 Fairmount Blvd. in Riverside.
The free, family-friendly event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and highlights hope, healing and community support for those affected by substance use and behavioral health challenges.
Recovery Happens is observed nationwide each September as part of National Recovery Month to honor individuals in recovery, celebrate families and recognize providers who offer prevention, treatment and recovery services. The event serves as a reminder that recovery is possible and that treatment saves lives.
indulge her further, she accused him of touching her fully-clothed body in a clinic filled with staff and patients. She deleted electronic communications to and from the clinic. Yet, six police cars stormed Dr. Bamgbade’s celebration in a show of force that had less to do with justice and more to do with terror. Evidence was manipulated, witnesses intimidated, but in court, truth endured. The judge declared her testimony “riddled with material inconsistencies and improbabilities.”
The authorities perpetuated a media campaign against him. As a result, another woman, discharged from his clinic in 2019, sought to build her own profit from his public humiliation. She claimed he touched her fully-clothed body. Years later, her accusations collapsed under cross-examination, her criminal schemes unraveling in open court. She fled the witness stand, unwilling to continue. She commits extortion, identity fraud, and makes her second ex-husband pay child support for a child that he did not father. Prosecutors offered Dr. Bamgbade plea bargains. He refused them. “I insisted on clearing my name in court,” he declared. His questions remain unanswered: where is the rule of law, accountability, and equity? Why did the authorities pursue ghosts of offenses that never happened, while ignoring the crimes of his accusers? Why did they labor to criminalize a Black physician, while the women who lied are driving sports cars and SUVs funded by fraud?
Dr. Bamgbade is more than a survivor of injustice. He is a physician of global stature, trained across Nigeria, Britain, the United States, and South Korea. He is an adjunct professor, the author of 60 peer-reviewed publications, and a research collaborator across more than 20 nations. He leads Salem Anaesthesia Pain Clinic in Canada, where care is more than procedure: it is a commitment to equity, the rehabilitation of the injured, and the forgotten and neglected. Yet, the truth remains bitter. Canada has shown that its institutions can still be wielded against Black men who dare to stand tall. What the lies could not take from Dr. Bamgbade is his resolve to heal. What the courts could not erase are the scars he carries.
In his story lies the question that hangs over every nation that names itself just: how long will the machinery of power grind down the innocent because of the color of their skin?
The event will feature guest speakers, live entertainment, resource booths, children’s activities and opportunities to connect with local organizations that provide prevention, treatment, and recovery support. According to data from RUHS Public Health’s Epidemiology Program and the Riverside Overdose Data to Action (RODA) dashboard, Riverside County recorded 674 fatal overdoses, including 349 fentanyl-related deaths, in 2024. These numbers underscore the ongoing need to deliver compassionate treatment and recovery services countywide.
RUHS-BH’s substance use prevention and treatment programs offer a wide range of support, including: Residential and outpatient treatment programs Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol use disorders Youth prevention programs, school-based interventions, and community outreach Recovery support services, including housing, employment assistance, and peer-led programs
“Recovery Happens is about more than recognizing the struggles of addiction; it is about lifting up the stories of resilience that bring hope to every person, every family and every community,” said First District Supervisor Jose Medina. “This celebration highlights Riverside County’s commitment to saving lives and supporting recovery for all.”
“In Riverside County, we know that recovery is possible, and it happens everyday thanks to the sustained and unwavering efforts of our Behavioral Health teams on the ground, and in our communities,” said Dr. Matthew Chang, RUHS Behavioral Health Director. “By coming together in this way, we strengthen support networks and show that no one has to face these challenges alone.”
Community members, providers, and organizations are encouraged to participate. To register as a volunteer, visit: https://bit.ly/ RecoveryHappens25-Volunteer
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE Issue #1274
The Confessions of a Recovering Cynic Brooks Berndt
I am a recovering cynic.
Perhaps I will always be one, but I am making progress—one day at a time. As a sign of progress, I am now able to mindfully observe the continual wrestling match between my cynical self and my hopeful self.
For instance, my cynical self looks at our federal government and thinks, “That’s a lost cause.”
There is good reason to think this. The influence of money on elections and politics is welldocumented. President Trump has certainly made good on his promise to fossil fuel executives when he said he would scrap environmental protections and policies in exchange for their raising a billion dollars to get him elected.
So, what does my hopeful self think of all this? I take my lead here from Jamil Zaki, a Stanford psychologist who authored the book Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. Zaki argues for replacing cynicism with “hopeful skepticism.” For him, this kind of skepticism affirms approaching matters with a robust curiosity, gathering evidence, and analyzing it scientifically. Zaki believes that cynicism is actually based on a lack of evidence.
He contends, “The cynical voice inside each of us claims that we already know everything about people.” The problem with this is that “humanity is far more beautiful and complex than a cynic imagines” and “the future far more mysterious” than a cynic knows.
A hopeful skeptic might affirm that Congress has indeed been corrupted by unlimited political spending as well as dangerous ideologies. At the same time, the hopeful skeptic can also acknowledge that possibilities
still exist because of other evidence before us. Members of Congress are known for changing course. (If we don’t like that change of course, we call it “flipflopping.” If we do like the change of course, we call it “seeing the light.”) Years ago, I remember attending a speech by Jim Wallis in which he humorously captured the fluid and fluctuating nature of political positions in Congress. He recalled how he once told an audience of visiting protestors in Washington, DC, how to identify members of Congress in public. He said they are the ones “who walk around town with their fingers held high in the air, having just licked them and put them up to see which way the wind is blowing.” Wallis went on to note that many get disillusioned and give up altogether when they discover that replacing “one wetfingered politician with another” does not lead to change. Wallis then drew upon the evidence of past movements for justice to suggest that a reason for hope still existed. He declared, “The great practitioners of real social change, like Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi, understood something very important. They knew that you don’t change a society by merely replacing one wet-fingered politician with another. You change a society by changing the wind.” For Wallis, this is how he understood the role and calling of “people of faith and conscience”: they are to be the “wind changers.”
On days when my hopeful self out wrestles my cynical self, I can feel the stirrings of a breeze and begin to believe that a better future is indeed possible.
Riverside County Health News
The Black Montessori Education Fund (BMEF) provides funding, community, professional development, and networks of support
Black educators, families, and pioneers in Montessori.
Picture courtesy of Dr. Bamgbade
Lawmakers in Handcuffs After Protesting ICE Detention in Manhattan
By Stacy M. Brown
At 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, where despair clings to the walls, federal officers placed handcuffs on the very people chosen to protect justice.
Comptroller Brad Lander, state senators Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport, and Gustavo Rivera, along with assembly members Emily Gallagher, Robert Carroll, Marcela Mitaynes, Jessica González-Rojas, Claire Valdez, Tony Simone, and Steven Raga were taken into custody. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and council members Tiffany Cabán and Sandy Nurse were arrested outside the federal building as they stood with protesters against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Their offense was not theft or violence. Their offense was demanding to witness what a federal judge had already condemned as unlawful. Inside the building migrants were forced into cells no larger than a kitchen, as many as ninety people crowded together with no bedding, no soap, no medicine, and no privacy when using the
toilet. When federal agents denied entry, the lawmakers sat on the floor. They chanted. They raised a banner that read “New Yorkers against ICE.” The response came in zip ties and duct tape sealing cracks in the door so nothing could be seen. Officials had been warned they could stay in the elevator bay but would be arrested if they refused to move. They refused.
Outside, more than seventy New Yorkers lifted their voices, blocking the garage doors as ICE vans prepared to move detainees. “Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here,” they chanted until police dragged them away. Emily Gallagher spoke plainly about the meaning of the arrests. “The criminalization, demonization, and state-sponsored violence against immigrants in this country has reached a fever pitch under this administration. All of us, and especially elected leaders, must do more to protect New Yorkers, regardless of when they arrived,” she said.
RETIRED COUPLE
Thursday, September 25,
On Edge: Incarcerated Firefighters Await Newsom’s Signature on Pay Raise Bill...continued
dignifies their lifesaving efforts.”
The bill passed with unanimous support in the Assembly and Senate, indicating broad agreement on the need for the pay increase, including all 20 Republicans in the lower house. AB 247 passed 39-0 in the Senate, with nine Republicans voting in favor of the measure.
Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon), the new minority leader of the California State Assembly, was a volunteer firefighter for over 15 years, eventually rising to the rank of battalion chief. He has worked alongside incarcerated firefighters and knows the essence of their bravery.
“We talk about recidivism, we talk about programs that work … this one is the absolutely best,” Flora said of the Conservation Camp Program. “I am proud of the author (Bryan) for bringing this forward in giving these men and helping these women what they deserve.”
AB 247 guarantees that incarcerated people who battle California’s wildfires are fairly compensated for their critical service—a practice rooted in a tradition that dates back to 1915.
The bill will bump their pay to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during active fire incidents. According to the CDCR, current remuneration swings from $5.80 to $10.24 per day, plus $1 per hour during active emergencies.
Incarcerated firefighters battled the Palisades Fire in
the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon in January 2025, as part of California’s Conservation Fire Camps Program.
They performed duties such as clearing brush, digging fire lines, and dislodging fuel behind structures to prevent the raging fire’s progression, Bryan said, adding that he wants the bill to go into effect immediately after the Governor signs it.
“Amendments in the Senate put an emergency clause on this measure because they shouldn’t have to wait until January (when the bill goes into effect, it should be signed by the governor),” Bryan said. “Especially in the year when my home region saw the most destructive wildfires it has ever seen. Over 1,000 incarcerated firefighters stood in that fire line for over three weeks like heroes.”
According to the CDCR, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LAC FIRE) jointly operate 35 conservation camps, commonly known as minimum-security fire camps, located in 25 counties across California.
Two of the camps are for incarcerated women. The program clears the way for several job opportunities and benefits after release, including advanced training and the expungement of a criminal record. AB 247 builds upon those bonuses.
continued in last 2 columns
Advocates sue HUD to preserve $75 million homeless grants...continued from page 3
so last minute by these agencies, but here we are,” McElroy told attorneys as reported by a Rhode Island news outlet.
“We welcome the court’s decision to stop a rushed, lawless attempt to make essential funding contingent on a community’s compliance with harmful and unlawful restrictions the Trump-Vance administration is trying to impose,” wrote the plaintiffs and their legal counsel in a joint statement. “This order ensures that service providers can focus on what matters most: providing safe, stable housing and support to people in crisis. We will continue to fight to make sure housing resources remain available to all communities, free from political interference.”
Incarcerated firefighters from
were
on the California
March
and again on the Senate floor in April 2025 for their bravery during fires. Screenshot.
Incarcerated firefighters serving time in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation system are on edge as they await Gov. Gavin Newsom decision to sign or reject Assembly Bill (AB) 247.
Authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), the bill was passed on Sept. 12 by the California legislature and has made its way to the governor’s desk for consideration. If Newsom approves AB 247, it will establish a pay raise for incarcerated firefighters.
Authored by Asm. Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), the vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, AB
247 unanimously passed the legislature on Sept.11, 2025, and now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature or veto. The bill raises the pay for incarcerated firefighters to at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour while they are actively fighting a fire.
“Right now, the incarcerated firefighters in California make roughly $1 an hour for their backbreaking, heroic labor,” Bryan said. “I believe that we can do better, and I believe that we should do better. Nobody should put their life on the line and earn less than the minimum wage. This bill raises the incarcerated firefighters by over 700%. It
As many workers in the U.S. face challenges to secure and keep affordable housing, homelessness continues to rise.
“Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits,” stated HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report, issued last December.
Citing data from the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Standards, the report documents that 2024 recorded the highest ever number of people experiencing homelessness. The annual point-in-time count of America’s homeless found a total of 771,480 people experienced homelessness in an emergency shelter, safe haven, transitional housing program, or in unsheltered locations. More than 99,500 people were counted in unsheltered locations – the highest number recorded since data collection began.
Moreover, Black Americans, who comprise just 12 percent of the total U.S. population, are disproportionately affected by both homelessness (32 percent) and poverty (21 percent).
Between 2023 and 2024, the largest single year increase in homelessness was families with children. Nearly 150,000
Child care doesn’t have to be this terrible
By Brea Harris
At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare.
I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to yearlong waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees.
So, when I found a place, I felt a flood of relief. It was close to my job, half the cost of others in the area, and had a gold star recommendation from a friend of a friend. It seemed like a unicorn amidst daycares. It seemed like the perfect fit.
Yet, less than a week after I returned to work, I received a call asking me to pick up my son because he was crying too much. The next day, same call. After a few days I was told “it was not a good fit.” I had until the end of the month.
budget. So with each passing month I fall further behind on car payments, student loans, utilities. And every day I field calls from debt collectors.
All of this is due to the cost of child care.
When I started sharing my story with friends, coworkers, and random moms on the playground, I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this. They’ve been juggling budget deficits to afford care, pleading for financial aid, adding their names to yearlong wait lists, reducing their work hours, or cutting their careers short.
The details vary, but the common thread is this: child care costs are unsustainable.
children – most under the age of 18 - experienced homelessness on at least one night in 2024, reflecting a 33 percent increase (or 32,618 more children) over 2023.
Conversely, veterans were the only population to report continued declines in homelessness. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by eight percent, or 2,692 fewer veterans. The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has declined by 55 percent since data collection about veteran homelessness began in 2009.
“These declines are the result of targeted and sustained funding to reduce veteran homelessness,” states the HUD report.
It will also take the same level and long-term homeless resources to reverse current rising trends for the overall unhoused population.
According to an analysis by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, homeless service providers from California, the state with the largest homeless population and the most Continuum of Care plans, would be ineligible for funding if the revised criteria were to take effect. Potential grantees from other states with serious housing challenges include DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas and Washington state.
“The experience of being homeless varies by place, states a recent policy brief from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank. In Los Angeles, most homeless people live outside—a quite different experience than in New York City, where a legal ‘right to shelter’ has almost every homeless person under a roof. The rest of the country is in between.”
“These federal housing funds exist to help people experiencing homelessness — not to punish states, localities, and service providers for meeting people where they are,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, one of the law firms representing the homeless activists.
I had exhausted my PTO and depleted my savings in an attempt to offset the costs of my unpaid leave. I don’t have family nearby. I’m a single mom working in healthcare unable to work remotely or stay home full time. And I had no idea where I was going to send my three month old son during the day while I worked.
I sent out desperate pleas to mom groups in my area and eventually, through the power of the moms in my community, I found the daycare he now attends.
I love this daycare. However, it costs more than my rent — it puts a $1,600 deficit in my monthly
One night, up late with a teething baby, I fell down a Google rabbit hole, reading about countries with policies that truly support moms and families. Sweden offers 16 months of paid parental leave. Norway provides leave specifically for parents caring for a sick child. Canada is initiating $10 a day child care. Portugal has free child care for all regardless of income. This late night rabbit hole affirmed what I already knew in my gut: moms in the U.S. are struggling due to systemic issues and policy failures. And it does not have to be this way. In my 13 months of motherhood, I’ve already witnessed the power moms have when we band together. It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot. It was moms who recently gathered at a local park to swap baby gear in response to rising prices. And it will be moms who demand more from our policymakers when it comes to the accessibility of child care in our country. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.
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On Edge: Incarcerated Firefighters Await Newsom’s Signature on Pay Raise Bill...continued
CDCR reported that incarcerated fire crews contributed 42% of the total emergency response hours in 2024. It’s the highest number ever recorded by the department’s fire camps.
Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) is a strong supporter of incarcerated firefighters and has also authored legislation aimed at providing them with better pay, benefits, and career opportunities. Elhawary co-authored with Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) AB 812,” titled the Recall and Resentencing for Incarcerated Firefighters.” The measure would require the CDCR to issue regulations for referring
incarcerated firefighters to the court for resentencing.
The bill passed out of the Assembly with a 57-5 vote and in the Senate with a 30-10 vote on Sept. 9. The bill is designed to enhance pay, benefits, and career opportunities for incarcerated firefighters.
“These individuals perform essential work side-by-side with professional firefighters, often on the front lines,” Elhawary said. “AB 247 (and AB 812) is more than about wages. It’s about acknowledging humanity and giving people a chance to rebuild their lives while they are helping us to save ours. Their bravery deserves respect and proper compensation.”
Handcuffs on dark background
Brea Harris is a single mom living in Chicago. It was only after months of expensive child
that I learned other countries don’t do it this way. (Courtesy photo)
By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp
recognized
Senate floor in
2025
HBCU GO, New Football Partnership Celebrating HBCU Classics Nationwide
BlackPRcom
Nationwide -- The Allen Media Group free-streaming digital sports platform HBCU GO – the leading media provider for the nation’s 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – is pleased to announce a new partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G) as the presenting sponsor of select 2025 HBCU football Classics.
This season, P&G will extend its HBCYOU program by serving as the title sponsor of multiple marquee HBCU Classic matchups, uniting fans, students, and alumni around the tradition and culture of Black college football. The partnership includes onsite activations at select games —ranging from an experiential branded space to street teams offering product sampling — creating opportunities for fans to connect directly with trusted
P&G brands like Tide, Crest, Gillette, and Secret.
In addition to its sponsorship of the Classics, P&G will join HBCU GO as a season-long partner. This collaboration will extend across the full HBCU GO football schedule with integrated support in live broadcasts, digital programming, and social media content. P&G brand ambassadors and creators will also engage fans on social media throughout the season, helping to bring the spirit of HBCU football to a national audience.
“P&G is committed to meeting the diverse needs of all consumers. P&G’s HBCYOU program brings experiences and products to events like Back to School, Homecomings, and Football Classics,” said Lela Coffey, Vice President, Multicultural Business Acceleration at Procter
Billionaire Philanthropist Gives UNCF $70 Million to Help Strengthen All HBCUs
By Glenn Gamboa | Associated Press
NEW YORK — Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $70 million to the UNCF, as the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships to minority students works to raise $1 billion to strengthen all 37 of its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Alabama is home to 14 HBCUs, which is the largest number in the nation.
The gift is one of Scott’s largest single donations ever and among the first to be publicly disclosed in 2025. Famously private, Scott only discusses her donations through her website and does not confirm them until after the recipients do.
“This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,” the nonprofit’s President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax told The Associated Press in a statement. “It provides a oncein-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.”
Lomax said Scott’s donation would be used for UNCF’s pooled endowment, which aims to establish a $370 million fund — $10 million for each UNCF member HBCU. That fund will be invested and designed to pay out about 4% annually, which will then be divided among the HBCUs to help stabilize their budgets. Increasing HBCU endowments is a priority since they trail endowments at non-
HBCUs by 70%, according to the UNCF.
The broader $1 billion fundraising effort is an attempt to help HBCUs address the funding disparity they face when compared to other colleges and universities. A 2023 study by philanthropic research group Candid and ABFE, a nonprofit that advocates for investments in Black communities, found that the eight Ivy League schools received $5.5 billion from the 1,000 largest U.S. foundations compared to $45 million for the 99 HBCUs in 2019.
Since Scott, a novelist who received the bulk of her fortune after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, promising to donate more than half her wealth, HBCUs have been among her favorite grantees. She previously gave UNCF $10 million in 2020.
Though Scott hasn’t addressed HBCU donations specifically, she wrote in 2020 that her funding decisions were “driven by a deep belief in the value different backgrounds bring to problemsolving on any issue.”
Scott hasn’t made any announcements about her giving since she acknowledged $2 billion in gifts in 2024, bringing her total to $19.2 billion. According to Forbes, Scott’s net worth is currently around $34 billion.
Her unusual donations — which are much larger than most foundations give at one time and carry no restrictions on when they can be used or what they can be used for — financially strengthened the nonprofits that received them, said Phil Buchanan, president of The Center for Effective Philanthropy, which studied Scott’s giving over three years.
“We didn’t see the fears people predicted come to pass,” said Buchanan, who disclosed
& Gamble. “Together with Allen Media Group’s HBCU GO, we are able to authentically connect with and support Black consumers —in everyday life and with P&G’s superior products at relevant cultural moments.”
“Our partnership with P&G demonstrates the growing commitment of world-class companies to support HBCUs and the communities they represent,” said Byron Allen, Founder/ Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group, the parent company of HBCU GO. “Together, we will elevate the HBCU football experience for fans everywhere while honoring the rich history and cultural significance of these Classics.”
All HBCU Classics will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video, expanding the reach of these games to millions of
households nationwide. The addition of Amazon Prime Video builds on HBCU GO’s already large global footprint of partnerships with major streaming platforms and a coastto-coast network of local station affiliates.
2025 P&G HBCU Classics Schedule:
The P&G Truth & Service Classic
Hampton University vs. Howard University
September 20, 2025 – 4:00
PM ET
Washington, D.C. – Audi Field
Southern Heritage Classic
P&G Alcorn State University vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff
September 27, 2025 – 7:00 PM ET
Memphis, TN – Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
The P&G Las Vegas HBCU Classic
Jackson State University vs. Grambling State University October 25, 2025 – 6:00 PM ET Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
In addition to these three marquee Classics, the 2025 HBCU GO football season will showcase a number of other notable matchups, offering fans nationwide the opportunity to experience the energy and tradition of HBCU football.
Billionaire Philanthropist Gives UNCF $70 Million to Help Strengthen All HBCUs...continued
that The Center for Effective Philanthropy received a onetime $10 million grant from Scott. Though some worried that the large gifts would cause the recipients to increase staffing too much or hurt their fundraising efforts, Buchanan said their study of 2,000 nonprofits saw little evidence of that. “Folks are pretty prudent,” he said. “This shows that if you carefully vet nonprofits, we can trust them to make good use of funds.”
It’s a lesson that UNCF hopes other funders will learn, following Scott’s example.
“We are deeply grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s continued support,” Lomax said. “By entrusting UNCF to decide how best to use these funds, she affirms that HBCUs merit investment at this scale and her generosity will strengthen our member institutions and provide pathways to success for tomorrow’s changemakers.”
Democrats Pour Millions into White Media, But Continue to Starve the Black Press
By Stacy M. Brown
political themed usage.
One could make the case that Democrats lost the 2024 election in part because they abandoned the Black Press— the voice of Black America. Black voters, the backbone of the party, walked away in numbers unseen in modern times. At the very moment when all Americans—Black, white, Latino, and others—are called to stand against authoritarianism, Democrats have shown not courage but cowardice, not gratitude but contempt for their own base.
The numbers tell the story.
House Democrats proudly announced a $3 million ad blitz hitting Republicans over tariffs and the looming shutdown.
Democrats Pour Millions into White Media, But Continue to Starve the Black Press...continued
But when it comes to the Black Press of America—a network of 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies, many run by Black women—Democrats turn their pockets inside out.
This is no small network.
The Black Press has the potential to reach more than 30 million readers, viewers, and subscribers every week through its newspapers, websites, social platforms, and daily broadcasts.
It has never asked for handouts, only a fair shake. Yet, despite all their boasts of diversity, Democrats have invested nothing close to the millions they shovel elsewhere. And this betrayal comes at a historic moment: the Black Press is approaching its 200th anniversary in 2027. Founded in 1827 by John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish with the bold declaration, “We wish to plead our own cause. For too long others have spoken for us,” the Black Press has carried that mission through every trial of Black America. Yet today, as it struggles financially to reach that milestone, the very party that owes its survival to Black voters has turned its back.
During the pandemic, Democrats flocked to the Black Press’ daily broadcast, Let It Be Known. They wanted to be platformed, wanted their voices carried into Black homes. But once they were elected, the same voices that begged for space disappeared. What remains is foul lip service, the kind that sounds no different from Trump’s contempt for diversity. The insult is deeper when measured against history. Frederick Douglass thundered through The North Star. Ida B. Wells laid bare the horror of lynching through the Memphis Free Speech. The Chicago Defender carried the
voices of the Great Migration and showed the mutilated body of Emmett Till. The Afro American chronicled Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King Jr. When Tulsa burned, white mobs destroyed Black newspapers to smother the truth. When Dr. King wrote from Birmingham Jail, it was the Black Press that carried his words. When the Wilmington Ten were caged, it was the Black Press that refused to look away. And today, the torch is still burning. April D. Ryan is today’s Alice Dunnigan. Lauren Burke is today’s Ethel Payne. Sam P.K. Collins is a modern-day Marcus Garvey. HBCU students have both interned and currently work full-time with the Black Press. The Black Press is not dead history—it is a living force. So, let the question be asked plainly: if the RNC wrote checks tomorrow to the Black Press, would Democrats call us sellouts? Would they smear us while continuing to funnel millions into papers and platforms that do not speak to our communities? The truth is this: Democrats have betrayed the very institution that has carried them time and again. They can spend $3 million to flood swing districts, or blanket Wisconsin papers with anti-Musk ads, or pump cash into flashy social media buys—but they cannot find equity for the Black Press. That betrayal is why the party lost ground in 2024. And unless Democrats reckon with their disdain for the Black Press, they will learn again in 2026 and 2028 what they began to taste already: abandonment at the ballot box, silence from the very people whose voices they have chosen to ignore
Teen Singer Songwriter & Survivor Joins Local Pastor To Feed, Support & Inspire The Homeless In San Bernardino
(San Bernardino, California –September 27, 2025)
WHO/WHAT: Local teen Alexis Silva will join Pastor Michael Hall of the First Love Outreach Ministry to serve hot meals, give away bags of groceries, hygiene kits, and clothes to people who are homeless and want to get off the streets.
The 16-year-old singer/ songwriter, who has battled extreme health issues, founded a charity The Fight’s Not Over Yet Foundation to support children with cancer. She is now being mentored by Grammy
The DNC spent big on a paid campaign blanketing Wisconsin newspapers to attack Elon Musk during a state Supreme Court election. They rolled out a fivefigure ad buy targeting Tennessee Republicans with Epstein-related attacks. The DCCC unleashed a national ad campaign aimed at Latino, Black, and AANHPI voters, blaming Republicans for back-to-school prices, followed by another round of ads—its first national digital buy of the 2026 cycle—hammering Republicans for jeopardizing rural hospitals. Millions for consultants, millions for TV, millions for newspaper spreads in majority-white outlets.
winner Billy Ray Cyrus and will perform her original songs and share inspiring stories during the event. Alexis, who was baptized by Pastor Hall, has been involved with many of the church’s initiatives.
Pastor Hall has put together many of these Soup Kitchen-style events to help the overwhelming population of homeless in the area. According to the California State Senate, San Bernardino County has the fourth-highest homeless rate of suburban non-major cities in the nation, following only Orange County, Baton Rouge, and Honolulu. The 2025 Pointin-Time Homeless Count revealed that 3,821 people were homeless in San Bernardino County, a 22% increase since 2020.
WHEN: September 27, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM PT
WHERE: The 320 Premier Hall at 320 N. E Street suite #106 San Bernardino CA. 92401.
One of Alabama's 14 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Miles College is located in Fairfield AL, just outside of Birmingham. (FILE)
Graphic illustration of iconic American Capitol dome and simple ring of stars on abstract oil paint background. Conceptual graphic for
Alexis Silva
Second Inland Empire BSU Multi-Year High School Reunion Was Big Success
The second Inland Empire BSU Multi-Year High School Reunion was held recently, and the event turned out to be a huge success. The two day reunion included events in Ontario and Upland. The dinner was held on Saturday night in Ontario, followed by a fun filled day at Magnolia Park in the City of Upland.
The BSU Multi-Year Reunion is more than just a good time where long time high school friends gather and reminisce about years past. It’s also a time to celebrate accomplishments, growth and recognize how far we have come as a people. Hosted and organized by the Alumni BSU of San Gorgonio High School (San G), the reunion committee did an amazing job with discussing the history of the Black Student Union (BSU) and how they came to be. They recognized the struggles of the early 1970’s, and the difficulties they experienced being bused to San G from the Westside of San Bernardino as young students. Then the group celebrated how far we have come, and also recognized how far we still have to go.
Bobby Hosea, class of 1974, San G gave a brief history of the Black Student Union (BSU), taking it back to Stokely Carmichael and the Black Campus Movement, a studentled effort during the Civil Right Movement and Black Power Movement on the campus at San Francisco State University in 1966. The BSU was formed to protest racist practices in higher education, advocate for Black studies programs and faculty, and create inclusive spaces for Black students. The BSU provided a platform for Black students to demand systemic change. The BSU offered a sense of community and inclusion that is still effective today. San G was established in 1965. Evangeline Lewis was one of the first Black teachers at San G arriving is 1969. Lewis helped form the BSU at San G, serving as an advisor and fighting to make sure Black students were represented and treated fairly. She recalled a story where she had to intervene in a situation regarding cheerleading tryouts. A young Black student out performed many of her counterparts during tryouts, but
in attempt to keep her off the cheerleading squad the judges attempted to lowball her scores. Lewis stepped in to make sure the judging stayed above board. Her involvement made sure Ann Green was one of the first Black cheerleaders at San G. Lewis was the only former teacher to attend the reunion. She expressed how great it was to see her former students who were teens at the time excelling and doing well. Many of her former student are now parents, grandparents and even great grand parents. She sat with many of them reminiscing about their time at San G. They all expressed how happy they were to see her, letting her know she was their favorite teacher on campus.
Many Black students that attended San G were bused from the Westside of San Bernardino. The white parents on the Eastside weren’t happy that their white school was being integrated. Linda Hart recalled a story about her experience when a group of white adults were throwing rocks at the buses yelling at the young students “nigger go back to where you came from,” she remembered.
Carolyn Tillman, a former San Bernardino City Unified School District employee gave a brief presentation about the Bridge Project. She touched on the history of San Bernardino, the Valley area east of Waterman the role the Black community played in developing the City of San Bernardino. She welcomed those in attendance to add to the history with stories of their own. In addition to the good time that was had, it was also a time to reflect on where we started and what we have accomplished up to this point. The event of former high school kids was filled with professionals. In attendance were lawyers, doctors, business owners, actors and other professionals including teachers. The reunion attendees came from all across the Nation to be a part of this event. People came from Washington DC, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas to see old classmates. The Inland Empire schools that were represented include San G, Pacific and San Bernardino High School. The committee members are hoping more school participate in the future.
Black and Missing Foundation, New Guide for Reporting on Missing Persons...continued
cases,” said Phil Lewis, President of WABJ. “For too long, newsrooms across the country have overlooked the stories of missing persons of color.
We hope that this media guide will help empower journalists and newsroom leaders to cover these stories accurately and appropriately.”
The guide provides recommendations on removing unintentional bias, establishing consistent coverage across outlets, and ensuring equal attention to missing persons of color, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. It will be accompanied by a national publicity campaign to raise awareness and encourage adoption by reporters and newsrooms on a local and national level.
Members of the media, educators, and the public are encouraged to take action:
• Request a Copy of the Media Guide: Access The Media Guide for Reporting on Missing Persons
• Join our Journalist Database: Be among the first to know about missing persons cases in your community and beyond
• Teach the Guide: Invite BAMFI and WABJ to present this resource in your journalism classes and student newsrooms
• Share the Guide: Download the social media toolkit to help amplify the message (The Media Guide Is Now Live (Image), I Downloaded the Guide (Image), 40% of Missing Persons Cases Are People of Color (Image))
• Support BAMFI: Help us continue this vital work by making a contribution.
Submission Deadline Is Mondays By 5pm & Tuesday by Noon After Holiday
consistent, and
equitable reporting practices to incorporate in their coverage of missing people.
“After polling many newsrooms across the country, we discovered that none had formal policies or procedures for reporting on missing persons cases, which has contributed to a lack of coverage for certain communities. That’s why this guide is so critical—to ensure that media coverage of missing persons is fair and consistent and ensures that missing persons cases receive the attention they deserve,” said Natalie Wilson, cofounder of BAMFI. “Significant strides have been made in the push toward equitable coverage, but there is still much more work ahead.”
According to the FBI, more than 550,000 people went missing in 2023, and persons of color made up nearly 40%
of missing persons cases. With this guide, newsrooms can refine their reporting approaches to ensure that no missing person is forgotten and that no case is overlooked by local law enforcement.
“Media coverage can be the critical link in generating leads and putting pressure on law enforcement to resolve cases quickly,” said Derrica Wilson, co-founder of BAMFI. “Every second counts when someone goes missing, and this guide helps ensure those cases are treated with the urgency they deserve.”
“The Washington Association of Black Journalists is proud to partner with the Black and Missing Foundation to launch our comprehensive media guide for reporting on missing persons
A group of old friends and classmates pose for a picture during the dinner of the Inland Empire Multi-Year Reunion. In the photo several different graduating classes are represented including the class of 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985.
Ms. Evangeline Lewis was one of the first Black teachers at San Gorgonio in 1969. She was the only former teacher to attend the multi-year reunion. She is shown above with one of her former students Denise McCarthy class of 1976.
The second day of the reunion included a fun filled at Magnolia Park in Upland. Shown above from (left to right) is Roselyn Gonzales (Overstreet); class of 1980, Mryna Overstreet; class of 1982 and Elaine Ellison; class of 1981
Former San Bernardino City Unified District teacher Evangeline Lewis (right) attended the second day of the reunion festivities at the park. She is shown above with her two daughter Susan Lewis (left) class of 1983 and Andrea Ellison (center) class of 1984