Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)
By Stacy M. Brown
They once shouted about transparency, about exposing corruption and protecting the innocent. Now they hide behind locked doors. Donald Trump and the Republican Party that follows him are blocking the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the very files they demanded be made public when it suited their campaign slogans.
Trump once promised to “release all the Epstein files.”
He now calls the scandal a hoax. His administration insists there is no client list and that further disclosure is not appropriate. The man who once accused Democrats of shielding pedophiles is now the one protecting those who may be exposed by the truth. Trump’s hypocrisy does not stop at secrecy. It lives in his pardons. He set free more than 1,500 people charged in the January 6 insurrection, calling them patriots and hostages. His blanket clemency wiped away convictions for men who beat police officers, sprayed them with chemicals, and carried loaded weapons into the Capitol. Those men did not find redemption.
They found new victims. At least ten of Trump’s pardoned insurrectionists have been rearrested or charged for new crimes, including murder plots, sexual assaults, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Andrew Taake of Houston assaulted officers with bear spray and a metal whip on January 6. Trump pardoned him, and weeks later, Taake was arrested for soliciting a 15-year-old girl online. John Banuelos, another Trump supporter, was accused of firing a gun at the Capitol. After his release, he was charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman. Prosecutors say he beat her and strangled her until she thought she would die. Theodore Middendorf, sentenced for his role in the riot, is also serving a separate 19-year sentence for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old child. And Sean McHugh, who screamed at police for “protecting pedophiles,” was himself a convicted sex offender, jailed for the statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl. Republicans have spent years branding themselves as the party of family values and moral outrage. Yet
their silence on the Epstein files and their defense of Trump’s pardons tell a different story.
Even as survivors of Epstein’s abuse plead for transparency, Trump’s Justice Department refuses to release the records. His allies in Congress echo his excuses. Speaker Mike Johnson delayed the swearingin of Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva, whose signature would have forced a vote to release the files. Johnson claimed it was a procedural issue, but it looked more like a cover-up. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s closest allies have faced accusations that reveal how hollow their moral crusades have become. Rep. Matt Gaetz was investigated for allegedly paying underage girls for sex. And fellow GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal Trump ally, has accused her own party of covering up sexual harassment and assault claims. She boldly claimed that Republican leaders have used taxpayer funds to quietly pay off victims and bury the evidence.
These are the same lawmakers who call themselves defenders
of children. They rant about grooming, QAnon conspiracies, and Epstein’s victims, yet they protect predators within their own ranks. They demanded justice when it scored them political points, and now call it “a distraction” when it threatens their power. Trump’s pardons were not acts of mercy. They were acts of loyalty. He freed the violent, the corrupt, and the perverse because they served his cause. He called their crimes “patriotism.” He called their punishment “an injustice.” And when they reoffended—when they committed new acts of violence, sexual assault, or child exploitation—he said nothing. This is what the GOP seemingly has become: a movement that preaches morality while protecting abusers. A movement that accuses others of trafficking children while shielding men convicted of molesting them. A movement that once vowed to expose Epstein’s secrets but now trembles at what those files might reveal.
The truth is not hidden by accident. It is hidden because it would show the hypocrisy in full light.Every survivor who has waited years for the Epstein files to be released is watching as those in power twist the narrative once again. They were promised justice, but what they got was silence. They were told predators would face the law, but the powerful chose to protect them. As one congresswoman put it, there can be no justice for the survivors until the truth is unsealed. And there can be no honor in a government that calls itself righteous while covering up the sins of men it calls patriots.
The swamp was never drained. It was pardoned, protected, and put on a pedestal.
On Sunday night, eight Democratic senators provided the necessary votes to advance a plan to fund government agencies through Jan., reported The New York Times. The spending package includes a three-bill “minibus” of full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture, the FDA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction projects, and the operations of Congress through Jan. 30, 2026. The package was approved by the House with a final vote of 222209 last night and was signed by President Trump this morning, ending the longest government shutdown in history, standing at
43 days. Notably, the plan does not include the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy extensions, which was the Democrats’ main demand and cause of the shutdown. A few days before the deal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) offered a proposal for a shortterm extension of government funding to extend ACA subsidies by one year, which was rejected by the Republicans. Additionally, the agreement negotiated a guarantee that the White House would rehire all federal employees who were fired early in the shutdown as part of the administration’s “reductions in force” across agencies. Agencies
will be required to give written notice to Congress that it has both delivered the back pay and rehired laid-off employees. Future blanket firings would be limited with a broad prohibition on reductions in force in any department or agency at least until the Jan. 30 end date of the continuing resolution.
The recent government shutdown also impacted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Notably, the Trump administration in a filing to the Supreme Court mentioned they will continue to pursue its case to withhold full federal funding for food stamps amid
the government shutdown, reports The New York Times. This disruption was particularly severe for Black Americans, who make up more than a quarter of SNAP recipients despite being only 12.6 percent of the U.S. population.
The Joint Center released a statement, on Nov. 5, 2025, marking the longest government shutdown in history. Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad said, “Nearly 19 percent of the federal workforce identifies as Black — a representation that reflects federal employment’s
How is it possible that each time this country seems to be doing well, it crashes?
Monday, September 8th, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled against millions of Latinos and immigrants, the very people who help build this country every day. In Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, the Court ruled 6-3 to let immigration agents stop people based on how they look, what language they speak, what job they have, or where they work. This ruling does not just affect undocumented immigrants. It takes us back to a time when a whole group of people was once again chosen to be marginalized and treated as alien.
This ruling also brings up a bigger question: do we even still have our Fourth Amendment rights? Families are being separated, and day laborers are being tackled and thrown into unmarked vans by masked federal agents as if they were dangerous criminals. These agents claim certain people are not American. But who gets to decide that? The Supreme Court has allowed the government to violate people’s right to privacy simply because they look or sound “foreign.”
People from the past, like those living in the 1920s or even 1988, might have hoped that by 2025, America would be different. Sadly, it is not. In 1988, George H.W. Bush’s campaign benefited from the Willie Horton ad, which painted Black men as violent criminals to scare white voters. This ad was not directly funded by Bush, but it helped him gain votes by spreading fear. Similarly, Kristi Noem’s recent ad demonizes immigrants: “President Trump and I have a clear message to those in our country illegally: LEAVE NOW. If you do not self-deport, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and deport you. Download the FREE CBP Home app today to selfdeport.”
The words “hunt you down” are especially disturbing. They make immigrants seem less than human, like animals to be chased. Noem also claims that immigrants bring drugs, human trafficking, and violent crime. This fear tactic is not new. It is the same strategy politicians have
always used to divide people and gain power. When this kind of message spreads, it influences the political climate, which can even affect Supreme Court decisions like this one.
This decision also goes against past legal rulings. In 1975, the Supreme Court decided in United States v. Brignoni-Ponce that Border Patrol agents could not stop a vehicle based only on the driver looking Mexican, even near the border. The Court said that stopping people only because of how they look clearly violated the Fourth Amendment. But now, in 2025, this new decision reverses that ruling and throws out years of progress.
History keeps repeating itself. In the 1930s, many New Deal programs were supposed to help people recover from the Great Depression. But minorities were often left out because local governments discriminated against them. Redlining and other practices kept communities divided. Over and over again, certain groups have been pushed aside, marginalized, and treated as alien, only for the country to later look back in shame. How long will it take before we admit that what is happening in 2025 is wrong? How many families will be torn apart before we realize the damage?
Justice Kavanaugh, who wrote the majority opinion, claimed that these stops are justified by the “totality of circumstances,” like the high immigrant population in Los Angeles. This logic is dangerous both morally and legally. It makes it seem like anyone seeking a better life, the socalled “American Dream,” can be treated as a criminal just because of how they look or what job they have. Day laborers and immigrants are just trying to support their families, yet this ruling punishes them for it. Fear has always been a tool in politics. In 1988, the Willie Horton ad was used to scare voters into supporting one candidate. Today, Kristi Noem is using immigrants as a political weapon in the same way. It is the same ugly cycle: pick a group, blame them for society’s
Largest donation in PVAMU's 149-year history will fuel excellence, endowment and university's strategic plan.
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas, Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) announced today that it has received a transformational $63 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the largest single donation in the university's 149-year history. University logo (PRNewsfoto/ Prairie View A&M University)
The historic donation builds on an earlier gift of $50 million to the university from Scott in 2020. The funds will significantly expand PVAMU's endowment and advance key initiatives outlined in the university's strategic plan, Journey to Eminence: 2035, strengthening Prairie View's position as one of the nation's leading historically Black universities (HBCUs).
"This gift is more than generous — it is defining and affirming," said Prairie View A&M University President Tomikia P. LeGrande. "MacKenzie Scott's investment amplifies the power and promise of Prairie View A&M University as we advance our vision of becoming a premier public, research-intensive HBCU that serves as a national model for student success. We are deeply grateful for her profound endorsement of our mission, our momentum, and our impact on the world."
An Investment in Excellence Scott's transformative gift builds upon PVAMU's longstanding record of excellence. It recognizes Prairie View's capacity to drive impact at scale: producing top talent for critical industries, advancing communities, and cultivating leaders who shape the social, economic, and intellectual fabric of the nation. In every respect, PVAMU continues to redefine what it means to be a 21stcentury HBCU public.
The funds will be invested strategically to:
Expand commitment to student success through enhanced scholarships and academic support.
Strengthen faculty research and innovation in fields critical to Texas and the nation, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, agricultural sustainability, education, public health, space exploration, social policy, and other key areas.
Grow the university's endowment, ensuring longterm financial sustainability and institutional excellence.
"Philanthropy of this magnitude and intentionality reimagines how progress and scale are realized," President LeGrande added. "MacKenzie Scott's commitment to PVAMU is a testament to what happens when vision aligns with opportunity."
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY, founded in 1876, is the second oldest public institution of higher education in the state of Texas and the third largest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the nation. Designated as an "institution of the first class" in the Texas Constitution, the enrollment exceeds 9,000 students and over 80,000 graduates. PVAMU offers academic programs through its eight colleges and two schools, boasting degree options leading to bachelor's to doctoral-level degrees. A Carnegie-classified high-research (R2) University and a member of The Texas A&M University System, PVAMU is dedicated to fulfilling its land-grant mission of achieving excellence in teaching, research and service. For more information, visit www.pvamu. edu.
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Thursday, November 20, 2025
NEWTOWN, Conn. – One student was shot and wounded in an attack that took place yesterday in a bathroom at Skyline High School in Oakland, California. School was not in session at the time due to a scheduled early dismissal day, and no other students were harmed. Authorities have arrested two suspects and have recovered two firearms.
All of the individuals involved in this shooting are minors. The injured student was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover.
Tragically, Skyline High School has experienced other shootings incidents in the past.
In 2024, three people were shot after a dispute during a graduation ceremony. Also, in 2023, the school went into a lockdown after a shooting in which no one was hurt.
In response to yesterday’s shooting, Nicole Hockley, cofounder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim who was injured in this senseless act. No one should ever experience the trauma that an
event like this creates. One of the things that people often fail to realize about a shooting at a school is the impact it creates in the wider community. Not only was a young person injured, but the sense of safety for the students, educators, parents, and local community has been shaken. This is why we must strengthen our efforts to teach the warning signs of potential violence, create and sustain more welcoming school environments, and support proven policies that prevent the misuse of firearms.
“California has strict laws on the secure storage of guns. Owners can be charged with a felony if a child obtains and uses a gun that wasn’t locked securely. In this case, we call on law enforcement’s continued investigation as to how these two minors were able to access not one – but two – firearms that may have been used in this attack. Keeping firearms out of the hands of children and other unauthorized users is essential for preventing gun violence and suicide.”
For more information about proven programs that teach the warning signs of violence and self-harm, as well as information about life-saving firearm access policies, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
OP-ED: The 50-Year Mortgage Is a Trap, not a Path to Black Wealth
By Constance Carter/Wealth Advocate
Einstein called compound interest the eighth wonder of the world. Those who understand it earn it. Those who do not pay it. That is why the Trump administration is floating a 50year mortgage. They are betting that we will not see the true cost.
He, him, and they are framing this as a path to affordability. But let me show you what it really is.
Let’s look at the math for a $420,000 home at 7 percent interest.
30-year mortgage:
Payment: $2,792 per month
Total interest: $586,332
50-year mortgage:
Payment: $2,527 per month
Total interest: $1,095,029
You save about $265 a month but pay an extra $508,697 in interest.
Half a million dollars.
When the 30-year mortgage gained popularity in the 1950s, the average home was priced around $7,354, and the typical interest rate was about 4 percent. One income could support a family and pay a mortgage. The mortgage system we are being asked to trust today was never designed with our interests in mind.
From 1934 to the 1960s, the Federal Housing Administration refused to insure mortgages for Black families, calling it an “economically sound” policy. This helped establish the red lines on maps that labeled Black neighborhoods as “too risky.”
Even Black veterans who served in World War II were denied access to GI Bill home loans that helped white families build generational wealth.
Black families were just as qualified to buy those affordable homes but were denied access.
Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Commit $6 Million to Boost Access to Real-World Learning and Community Impact at Cardozo Transformational gift will result in the creation of a new, state-ofthe-art facility, which will be named the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Program for Clinical Education.
Community/Education News
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Powerhouse philanthropists, investors, and change makers, Kwanza Jones, Cardozo Class of 1999, and José E. Feliciano, commit $6 million to the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. The philanthropic investment will support a major renovation and expansion of the law school's clinical education program and facilities. This gift will ensure students gain hands-on experience that extends far beyond theory while strengthening the school's service to New York City communities.
José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones
The transformative gift will create a new, state-of-the-art facility, which will be named the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Program for Clinical Education. The new spaces will include modern offices for faculty and staff, collaborative work areas, and dignified meeting rooms for clients. These upgrades will ensure that Cardozo's students and faculty have the resources to continue their vital pro bono legal work.
This commitment builds on Jones' and Feliciano's close ties with Cardozo in recent years. In 2024, Jones was honored at the 14th Annual BALLSA (Black, Asian & Latino Law Students Association) Alumni Celebration for her leadership and commitment to equity. That event raised a record $60,000, funding four scholarships for students who have overcome hardship and contributed to the diversity of the student body. Later that year, she performed a moving rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" at the school's Kukin Center for Conflict Resolution's Peace Gala in tribute to Professor Lela Love, founder of Cardozo's Kukin Center for Conflict Resolution, and one of Jones' mentors during her time at the law school.
Jones' and Feliciano's consistent engagement
underscores not only their dedication to Cardozo's mission but also their investment in its students and community.
"Our goal is to boost humans and elevate humanity," said Jones and Feliciano. This is an investment in that mission, creating a powerful multiplier effect where students gain essential skills and communities receive the legal support they need.
Jones, who earned her Juris Doctor degree from Cardozo in 1999 and participated in the Mediation Clinic during her time as a student, emphasized how her own experience underscored the value of applied learning. "The clinic programs at Cardozo provided me with hands-on, real-world practice that helped me sharpen my skills in problemsolving, mediating conflict, and advocating for justice," she said. "It has had a lasting influence on my work and life. I'm proud to give back to a law school that supports my vision for a better future."
The ripple effect of this impact investment extends well beyond the Cardozo campus. By expanding opportunities for students to engage in meaningful clinical work, the law school strengthens its ability to provide pro bono legal services to those most in need, protecting rights and reaffirming humanity.
"This is a transformative gift that will touch the lives of our students for generations," said Melanie Leslie '91, Dean of Cardozo School of Law. "Kwanza is a tribute to the spirit of Cardozo. Throughout her career, she has challenged herself and others to create opportunities and inspire change. She and José share a vision for access to justice and educational equity. We are deeply grateful for their support." Through their Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Initiative, the couple continues to advance their mission of boosting humanity by focusing on education, entrepreneurship, equity, and empowerment. Their $6 million commitment to Cardozo is both a continuation of their philanthropic legacy and a powerful extension of their mission—one that strengthens institutions, uplifts communities, and builds a better future.
OP-ED: The 50-Year Mortgage Is a Trap, not a Path to Black Wealth...continued
added to a loan.
of affordability and traps people in a cycle of debt for life.
Think about retirement.
OP-ED: Moving in a backwards motion... continued from page 1 problems, and use fear to win votes. Politicians gain power while innocent people pay the price. We cannot let that cycle continue. Congress must pass a law clearly saying that stops based only on appearance, language, workplace, or job are unconstitutional. Local communities should create oversight committees to watch what is happening and keep people informed.History has shown us that we either stand up for what is right or let fear control us. So what does this Supreme
That’s not a discount. It is a trap. Stretching a loan across five decades hands banks hundreds of thousands of dollars that will never circulate through our families or build our wealth.
Court decision mean for our democracy? Even though the first two lower courts said no, the Supreme Court said yes, and that is terrifying. Justice Sotomayor warned that this decision is creating “secondclass citizenship.” These rulings do not just hurt immigrants, they hurt all of us by breaking apart our communities.At the end of the day, we are all foreign, but we are also all American. Our constitutional rights should be for everyone. If we let fear decide who is “American,” we will keep repeating the darkest parts of our history again and again.
The numbers don’t lie.
The median age of a firsttime homebuyer in 2025 is 40, according to the National Association of Realtors. If a 40-year-old signs a 50-year mortgage, they will not own their home until they are 90.
Ninety years old.
You will be renting from a bank for half a century. This is not what the 30-year mortgage was designed to do.
White families purchased homes for $7,000 in the 1950s that are now worth $300,000 to $400,000. That appreciation built the white middle class. Black families were locked out by design.
If they move forward with the 50-year mortgage plan, working-class Black families in particular will feel the impact first, depleting the wealth we have accumulated despite all the barriers we’ve faced.
Prices are high. Rates are high. Affordability is at its lowest point in decades. We need two incomes, side hustles, credit stacking, and divine intervention to compete with institutional investors and inflated housing prices.
A 50-year mortgage does not solve this. It expands the burden by creating the illusion
The average Social Security check is about $1,900 a month. Even if the program still exists in its current form by the time today’s buyers reach retirement age, how will they manage a $2,500 to $3,000 mortgage and still afford food, medicine, and basic living costs?
A 50-year mortgage pushes Black homeowners into a future where retirement is impossible, which is its own form of bondage. Bondage is debt you cannot escape. Bondage is owing a bank money until the day you die.
The data on Black wealth is already alarming. A report from Prosperity Now and the Institute for Policy Studies predicts that by 2053, the median wealth of Black Americans will fall to zero if trends do not change. A 50-year mortgage moves us closer to that outcome.
The legacy of housing discrimination still shapes today’s wealth divide. What we need is access, not more years
The real solutions are clear: Affordable housing construction. Lower interest rates. Higher wages. Down payment assistance. Regulation on hedge funds buying entire neighborhoods. Stronger consumer protections against products disguised as opportunities.
A 50-year mortgage solves none of this. It solves one thing for banks. Profit.
Family, do not make decisions today that will bankrupt your future. Before you sign a 50-year mortgage, ask yourself:
Will I still be paying this when I am supposed to be retired? Will this help me build equity or delay it? Will this protect or drain my family’s wealth?
A mortgage should be a path to ownership. We cannot build generational wealth on a foundation of generational debt.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
When ‘life is life-ing,’ this newsletter helps Black women be free
By Aaron Foley Word in Black
loss and negative body image to a cluttered inbox. Her real-talk humor and sunny outlook have drawn a growing list of subscribers. (Photo creedit: Joanne Griffith/Get Free Guide)
Every Friday, Joanne Griffith tries to get the world a little more unstuck.
Her newsletter, “The Get Free Guide,” implores its readers — who are increasingly becoming evangelists, but more on that shortly — to do just that. The methods, like the one she dropped in the September newsletter, can be a little unconventional.
“Wherever you are right now, I need you to start clapping,” she wrote. “Don’t worry, you might look a little unhinged for a moment but you’re getting free. Three, two, one … GO!” A GIF of a clapping claymation penguin follows, setting the mood. Then the real lesson hits: “Congratulations! You finally took a few seconds to clap for yourself!”
It’s clever, bite-sized wisdom
— celebrating ourselves is easy yet often dismissed, but it is a good way to boost mood and selfworth — and Griffith’s upbeat, joyous tone helps it go down easy. It’s also a big reason her “Get Free Guide” newsletter is a source of inspiration as well as a tool of racial healing for its Black readers, who are often hit harder when “life is life-ing.”
A space for getting unstuck
“We are all stuck with all kinds of things,” from too many emails in the inbox to negative thoughts or self-image, says Griffith, a veteran multimedia journalist from the United Kingdom who is a public radio executive in the U.S. The goal of the “Get Free Guide,” she says, is to create “a space for how we get unstuck
The Perfumed Hand of Hypocrisy: Trump Hosted Former Terror Suspect While America Condemns a Muslim Mayor
By Stacy M. Brown
They had the audacity, the gall, the hypocrisy to condemn Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City, while opening the White House to a man their own government once called a terrorist. It was not long ago that the U.S. Embassy in Syria published a “Rewards for Justice” notice for Muhammad al-Jawlani, offering ten million dollars for his capture. His face, his name, and his crimes were displayed for the world to see. That poster remains online even now, an unaltered monument to America’s selective memory.
Yet this month, that same man, now known as Ahmad al-Sharaa, was greeted in the Oval Office as a partner and friend. The president who bans Muslims, mocks immigrants, and threatens to deport an elected official of color, smiled warmly for the cameras beside a man once sworn to jihad. He called their meeting “friendly and forwardlooking” and praised al-Sharaa’s “vision for peace.” The irony was suffocating.
Al-Sharaa, who once commanded al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, now leads the very nation he once helped destroy.
from the things we think are hard or difficult.”
Although she doesn’t write for a target demographic, Griffith finds herself, more often than not, talking to and hearing from Black women like herself. Anyone is welcome in the space, she says, to “take what you need and leave the rest.”
Clocking in at more than 200 subscribers and counting, the topics of Griffith’s newsletter — drawn from her own experiences, as well as conversations around her — tackles a range of experiences, situations and emotions that keep people feeling “stuck.” Recent subjects include “Is Being Selfish Really So Bad?,” “Make DELETE Your BFF,” “The Layoff Is Not Your Fault,” and “Let’s Retire Resilience.”
“I start from a place of ‘What are the resources that people will find helpful, what is the support people might need, and what is the conversation that we can open up?’” she says.
Small changes that add up
Many of the methods she recommends center on altering readers’ mindsets from negative to positive. She also urges them to follow her in making smaller, more immediate changes and healthy mental habits that add up over time, rather than fixating on solutions to major problems that could take years to resolve.
Created by Joanne Griffith, the “Get Free Guide” is a weekly newsletter that helps Black women move past things that get them “stuck,” ranging from job loss and negative body image to a cluttered inbox. Her realtalk humor and sunny outlook have drawn a growing list of subscribers. While Griffith’s approach is confident and optimistic, she wasn’t sure her newsletter would succeed when she launched it this June. Like anyone starting a new venture, she had doubts — “I questioned if anyone is going to like this,”
she says — but took the plunge anyway.
Griffith chose a newsletter — free to subscribers — as the format for “Get Free” because of the inherent nature of digesting an email at one’s own pace. “There’s something about writing and just receiving an email,” she says. “People can choose to engage with it when they want to.”
You are not your numbers
One post in particular struck a chord with several readers, so much so that they passed it around a few times and it made its way back to Griffith, over and over again.
The discussion centered on numbers attached to women’s bodies — information such as body mass index, weight and blood pressure. It evolved into an acknowledgement that the bodies of Black women are unfairly rated or judged on such metrics, reinforcing ugly stereotypes and driving down their self-esteem.
Griffith took the topic headon and unapologetically: “Your numbers are not reflective of who you are as a human being.” The advice was resonant, and readers reached out to acknowledge it.
“I had someone say, ‘This gave me the words to help my daughter understand that there isn’t anything wrong with her and her physicality, this is who she is, and numbers are just numbers,’” Griffith says.
Though the “Get Free Guide” is less than a year old, Griffith has her eye on going deeper into specific topics — particularly bodies and technology — with in-depth, longer-form dispatches and guides. Until then, she continues to add to the growing community.
“It’s global, it’s connection, it’s resources,” she says. “It’s ‘how do we get unstuck when life is life-ing,’ because as sure as the sun will shine and the moon will come out at night, life will always life.”
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His journey from fugitive to head of state may astonish the world, but America’s acceptance of him reveals something far more telling. Trump’s government, which once condemned Syria’s militants as the scourge of civilization, now celebrates their leader as an ally. Perfume was sprayed, hands were clasped, and jokes about wives filled the air where solemnity should have stood.
Meanwhile, in the same breath, the same government seeks to strip Zohran Mamdani of his citizenship. They accuse him of deceit, of sympathizing with terrorists, of bringing danger into America’s heart. His only crime is being Muslim and refusing to bow. Born in Uganda, raised in New York, and dedicated to serving its people, Mamdani ran a campaign focused on housing and affordability. For that, he was branded a threat. His opponents called him a “communist,” a “jihadist,” and worse. They moved to bar him from office, claiming he lied on his citizenship papers, though no such proof exists.
To his supporters, Mamdani stands for the very ideals this nation claims to defend. Yet the same leaders who cheer for a man with blood on his hands work tirelessly to silence a man with none. When Mamdani
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spoke of the cruel normalcy of Islamophobia, he described not just prejudice, but policy. It has become acceptable, even expected, for power in this nation to punish the devout and uplift the dangerous, to vilify the righteous and sanctify the reformed militant. How easily the American conscience bends when profit, politics, or spectacle call. They will weep for victims of terror while shaking hands with its architects. They will warn of radicalism while applauding those who once preached it. And they will condemn the faithful who dare to lead in peace, because their peace threatens the myth of superiority.
A nation that once vowed to bring terrorists to justice now protects them in the halls of its highest office. The president who
vowed to protect America from Islam now embraces a man who once led its enemies in battle.
Yet a Muslim mayor, chosen by the people, is told he does not belong.
Such contradictions do not mark strength, but moral decay.
A country that rewards violence and punishes virtue stands stripped of its own credibility. This is not the land of freedom it claims to be. It is a land that kneels before its own hypocrisy.
“To be Muslim in New York is to expect indignity. But indignity does not make us distinct; there are many New Yorkers who face it,” Mamdani stated. “It is the tolerance of that indignity that does. No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election.”
Scammers don’t take holidays: How to help protect your
By JPMorgan Chase
There always seems to be a never-ending list of tasks during the holiday season, from booking flights to purchasing gifts for loved ones. As you prepare for the holidays, it’s also critical to keep an eye out for online scams that aim to steal your money and your joy.
Nationally, nearly 1 in 3 consumers reported falling victim to an online scam during the 2024 holiday season, and DC locals have lost more than $30.1 million to fraud and scams just last year. Scams are becoming increasingly more sophisticated, making them more convincing and harder to detect.
“The holidays are scammers’ busy season. From fake travel websites and false package delivery messages to phony charity donations, scammers take advantage of people’s spirit of generosity and bustling holiday schedule,” said Diedra Porché, National Head of Community and Business Development at JPMorganChase. “Your best defense to protect yourself and loved ones is to stay educated on common and emerging scam tactics.”
Don’t let the threat of scams dampen your celebrations. Consider the following tips to help you celebrate safely.
Beware of unrealistic deals
When you have so many gifts to buy, you’ll want to look for bargains. However, make sure that the discounts you’re offered are legitimate. Scammers often lure buyers with massive discounts, especially on popular and sold-out items, often using fake websites or social media ads. If you think, “this deal is too good to be true,” listen to your gut. It’s likely a scam.
Shop with trusted retailers
When shopping online or on social media, make sure to only buy from trusted websites and vendors. Review the website’s URL and ensure that it starts with “https://” (the ‘s’ stands for secure) as scammers can create fake websites to look like legitimate retailers. If you’re unfamiliar with a store, search for the name with terms like “scam,” “complaints,” or “reviews” to uncover any red flags. Be especially cautious when making purchases from social media marketplaces. Always verify the product exists before purchasing and use payments with purchase protections, like a credit card, to pay. Gift card scams typically begin with outreach from a scammer, often pretending to be someone else, who urgently pressures victims into buying specific gift cards and sharing the card numbers and PINs. Scammers use various stories, such as pretending to be government officials, tech support, friends or family in emergencies, prize promoters, utility companies, or online romantic interests. Remember: Legitimate organizations will never demand payment by gift card, and requests for gift card payments are a sign of a scam. How you pay matters
Not all payment methods offer purchase protection. When buying gifts for the holiday season, consider using your debit and credit cards, as they may provide protections that allow you to dispute a charge if you don’t receive what you paid for or it’s not as you expected. If you purchase something using payment methods like Zelle®, wire transfers, gift cards, or cash, and it turns out to be a scam, it’s
Funding Bill Passed to End Longest Government Shutdown in History...continued from page 1 leading role in moving past historic discrimination in hiring of African Americans and creating a key pathway to economic stability and middleclass opportunity.” The shutdown exacerbated existing economic inequalities, as Black households already face a median income gap of approximately $36,000 compared to white households. The economic vulnerability of Black families is further compounded by higher unemployment rates and lower homeownership compared to their white counterparts.
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Gov. Gavin Newsom, in October, signed two Senate bills introduced by members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
One bill, by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), strengthens pay equity by expanding employer pay-data reporting. The other, authored by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-Inglewood), assists local governments in managing issues involving people experiencing homelessness who live in recreational vehicles (RVs).
Smallwood-Cuevas’s bill, Senate Bill (SB) 464 — the “Advancing Pay Equity Act”
— is a CLBC priority measure included in the “Road to Repair 2025 Priority Package,” a set of policies aimed at repairing past injustices against descendants of enslaved people in California.
According to SmallwoodCuevas’s office, SB 464 expands pay-data reporting by adding job categories, broadening salary bands, and requiring higherquality data. It is also part of a broader package focused on strengthening worker protections, particularly for lowwage communities of color.
“Our economy moves nowhere without our workers. These new
laws put working people first –protecting the hard-working men and women who get up every day and keep our economy running,” Smallwood-Cuevas stated. “When we treat workers fairly and with the dignity they deserve, we can build a more equitable California.”
The California Employment Lawyers Association and the NAACP California-Hawaii State Conference supported the bill.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, courts must impose civil penalties on employers that fail to submit annual pay-data reports to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), eliminating previous judicial discretion. The bill also requires employers to store demographic data collected for pay-reporting separately from primary personnel files.
Smallwood-Cuevas said SB 464 addresses the “income inequality that has been plaguing Black Californians for centuries.”
In 2022, for every $1 earned by White families in California, Black families earned 58 cents, and Latino families earned 52 cents, according to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
Disparities persist in workplace advancement as well. Data from
LA Fire Justice Announces Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison, Edison International, and Genasys Inc.
Lawsuit filed on behalf of Gerry Darden, sister of Stacey Darden
Altadena, CA - The Law Office of Douglas Boxer and the Watts Law Firm, attorneys working with LA Fire Justice, today filed a lawsuit against Genasys Inc., Southern California Edison Company, and Edison International for the wrongful death of Stacey Darden. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Geraldine “Gerry” Darden, sister of Stacey, individually and as a representative of The Estate of Stacey Darden.
“We are not litigious,” said Gerry Darden. “Our family thought long and hard about the decision to file a lawsuit. Edison started this fire, and Genasys never warned her that she was in danger. My sister was studiously following the evacuation orders the night of the Eaton Fire. The truth is that if these companies had done what they were supposed to do, Stacey would be alive today.”
On January 7, 2025, Southern California Edison and Edison International caused the ignition of the Eaton Fire, resulting in 19 deaths, countless injuries, and the devastation of Altadena, Pasadena, and parts of Sierra Madre. The legal team at LA Fire Justice was the first to identify an abandoned transmission line as the source of the fire.
Stacey Darden lived at 2528 Marengo Avenue in Altadena, about five blocks west of Lake Avenue.
The evening of January 7, and into the early morning hours of January 8, Stacey Darden and her sister Gerry consistently monitored the news for the evacuation zones for the Eaton
the California Pay Data Reporting System (CPDRS) show that while White Californians hold 62% of executive or senior-level positions, Black Californians hold just 4%.
SB 464 also adds sexual orientation to annual pay-data reporting categories and requires CRD to publish anonymized reports.
Newsom also approved SB 748, Richardson’s bill aimed at addressing challenges related to unhoused residents living in RVs — including public health and safety issues and concerns raised by nearby residents and businesses.
“Often, RV or street encampments do not provide adequate shelter from the inclement weather, safety from uninvited strangers or those who intend to cause harm, and adequate sanitation to avoid disease and infection,” Richardson told the Senate Human Services Committee in April. “SB 748 enables jurisdictions through the Safe Parking Sites tool to comply with both federal and state law related to encampment cleanup and protections.”
On June 18, Richardson told the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee that the rising number of unhoused people living in RVs in California makes the issue impossible to ignore.
“In 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that 187,084 people were experiencing homelessness in California, and a significant portion of the people were living in RVs,” she said. “Roughly
25% of those experiencing homelessness are unhoused in California.”
She continued, “It's not humane for people who are living here to live without adequate electricity, water, sewer, and many of the services. And it's also not fair to the residents as well.”
Local data reflect the scale of the issue. In September, San Francisco reported 168 tents and structures used for shelter and 489 vehicles, with a peak of 612 occupied vehicles recorded in June. In Oakland, an estimated 700 to 900 people were living in RVs in May 2022, a figure that had grown substantially.
SB 748 expands safe-parking operations, establishes guidelines for the removal and storage of vehicles, and requires reporting on the effectiveness of these programs. The bill is intended to help local jurisdictions comply with state and federal laws governing encampment cleanups while offering safer alternatives for unhoused individuals.
Carlin “Carly” Shelby, a Senior Associate at Townsend Public Affairs, Inc., who represents the City of Compton, supports the legislation.
“This is not a result of choice, but of economic necessity, a reflection of the severe affordable housing shortage affecting working people, seniors, and families,” Shelby said. “These individuals often have no other safe, stable options available. At the same time, the increasing concentration of RVs in certain areas has created serious challenges for the broader community.”
Opinion | Marjorie Taylor Greene’s CNN interview raises questions about her rebrand After years of incendiary rhetoric, Greene used her CNN interview to preach kindness and unity — while still echoing old habits
Tom Jones | Poynter
The controversial representative appeared Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” and talked about her strained relationship with President Donald Trump. This comes after a recent appearance when
Scammers don’t take holidays: How to help protect your money this season ...continued from page 3 unlikely you’ll get your money back. Only use Zelle® to pay others you know and trust.
Seek out free resources
Give yourself peace of mind while shopping by using digital tools to monitor your personal information. For example, Chase Credit Journey® offers free credit and identity monitoring. This includes alerts to let you know if your data is exposed in a data breach or on the dark web. You don’t have to be a Chase customer use it.
To learn more about how to help protect yourself from scams this holiday season, visit Chase. com/Security.
For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for
any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content.
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Trayce Potter
Fire to confirm that Stacey and her home were safe for her to remain in, and that she and her home were not included in an Evacuation Zone / “Polygon”.
While their neighbors to the east of Lake Avenue were receiving an Evacuation Advisory, Evacuation Warning, and two separate Evacuation orders, west Altadena residents, including Stacey Darden, were led to believe that they were safe where they were and that there was no need to evacuate.
Stacey Darden’s last cell phone activity is believed to have been around 3:30 am the morning of January 8th. The one and only communication regarding an evacuation for Stacey Darden’s Evacuation Zone, a mandatory Evacuation Order, was not issued and directed to her cell phone until 5:43 am on January 8th. Eighteen of the nineteen Altadena residents who died in the Eaton Fire lived west of Lake Avenue.
“Stacey did everything our community asks of a responsible neighbor in a wildfire, she stayed informed, followed the rules, and trusted that if she was in danger, she would be told to get out,” said attorney Mikal Watts. “Instead, Southern California Edison ignited this fire, and Genasys left Stacey and her neighbors west of Lake Avenue omitted from the designated alert zone. By the time an evacuation order was finally pushed to her phone, it was too late.”
“This is not a tragedy of bad luck, this is a tragedy of corporate
LA Fire Justice Announces Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison, Edison International, and Genasys Inc....continued
failures, and that is why we filed this lawsuit,” Watts concluded.
Stacey E. Darden was born on May 19, 1970 in Philadelphia, PA, and her family moved to Southern California in 1978.
Her intellectual acumen was apparent at an early age, and she participated in the Mentally Gifted Minors program at Pomelo Elementary. Later she attended Elliott Jr. High School in Altadena, and Pasadena High School. Stacey’s lifelong love of libraries was born, in part, by spending nearly all her free time at the Altadena Library, where she and her sister went to study and read. She went on to graduate from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Political Science, pursued a career in Library and Information Science, including work at the Caltech Library.
Stacey was an avid consumer of political news and current events. She voraciously read the LA Times every single day and was a devotee of local radio outlets such as KPCC/LAist 98.3, KCRW, KJLH 102.3, and NPR. She was only 54 years old at the time of her death.
“When I joined LA Fire Justice, I promised this community that we would hold wrongdoers accountable for the devastation caused by the Eaton Fire,” said
Chris Holden, CEO of LA Fire Justice. “We cannot bring back the lives that were lost, but we can fight to make sure this never happens again. Filing this lawsuit is an essential step toward justice, change and accountability.”
ABOUT US: LA Fire Justice is a coalition of experienced wildfire lawyers, world-class fire origin and causation experts, insurance specialists, and community engagement leaders committed to seeking justice for victims of preventable wildfires. Led by CEO Chris Holden, attorney Doug Boxer, trial attorney Mikal Watts and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich, the work we do is unparalleled in the space, with a team of professionals that are not only some of the most experienced in the business but who care deeply about the work and the communities we serve. We invest locally by taking a long-term lease on an office in Pasadena. We hire local residents to work full-time on engagement and outreach since no one is more qualified than those at the heart of the impacted communities, earning trust with our handson, people-focused approach. More information can be found at LAFireJustice.com
In today’s volatile political climate, most people have picked a clear side. A person is either red or blue, left or right, progressive or conservative, pro or antiTrump. While these labels erode the fabric and spirit in which our founding fathers built our government, it also hides the true story of the suffering happening by making it easy to dismiss the “other.”
The rising cost of food was already forcing many to make tough decisions about what to stock their homes with. Now with approximately 42 million Americans either facing a delay in their SNAP benefits or losing them altogether, the choices have become even more dire. Begun as a pilot program in 1939 and then implemented as a permanent program funded by the federal government in 1964, the Food Stamp Program now known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the government’s largest anti-hunger program, providing monthly benefits to low-income individuals, people living with a disability, and the elderly.
I am reminded of Matthew 25:35–40 (NIV), which tells us: “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
As this government shutdown now stretches into the longest on record, I find myself looking for any good news. The hope that I find is that so many are finding ways to take care of the most vulnerable in this season. Churches are organizing across cities to make sure meals are offered each day of the week; schools are hosting food drives to collect for friends and neighbors; individuals are giving to local pantries and organizations that can do the good work on large scales. This is the work that we are called to do regardless of which party we voted for. We are all a part of God’s family and are called to be good neighbors to one another, offering tangible support and love to those who have been called the least of.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Rev. Trayce Potter serves as the Minister for Children’s and Youth Engagement in the National Setting of the United Church of Christ.
In this country no one should have to go hungry or make tough decisions between food and housing for a month. In a country where estimates report that campaigning during the 2024 election cycle cost between ten and sixteen billion dollars, every person should have access to fresh produce, healthy meats, and the staples of life to fill their belly each and every day. We do not live in a state of scarcity and yet that is the narrative being offered. There is truly more than enough to go around for everyone in the United States and beyond to pursue their God-given and unalienable rights of this country: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
By April Ryan
Several sources have confirmed that former President Barack Obama phoned Reverend Jesse Jackson over the weekend, who is in Stable Condition at a Chicago Hospital. President Obama is said to have been coordinating with the family for several days before the 44th president reached the civil rights icon. There have been family connections spanning decades between the Jackson family and the Obamas. In 2008, Jesse Jackson Jr. served as the national co-chair of the Obama Presidential campaign.
On Sunday, Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. also received a FaceTime call from Rev. Amos Brown, another Civil Rights pioneer who worked with Jackson. In the 1950s and 1960s, they marched and labored alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for first-class citizenship for African Americans. In the 1970s, the two lieutenants of Dr. King separated and served in different parts of the country.
Brown told this reporter that Jackson recognized him during the FaceTime communication “by his expression and
countenance.” The San Francisco Pastor of former Vice President Kamala Harris also says the elder Jackson did not speak, but Brown “encouraged him to fight on as we had fought in the struggle as friends and freedom fighters.”
In a matter of days, politicians, former staffers, and others have also gone to Jackson’s bedside to encourage him during his illness. Some of those include Reverend Al Sharpton.
In a recent written statement, the Jackson family said that Reverend Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome in 2013. In April, the diagnosis changed to supranuclear palsy (PSP), a neurological disorder.
The family that is constantly by Reverend Jackson’s side in the hospital says, “We believe in the power of prayer, and we are grateful for the overwhelming outreach and prayers of the faithful. Our father is alert and continues to share his vision for churches and pastors to come together and reduce malnutrition during this period. He is enlisting 2,000 churches and pastors to distribute 2,000 baskets of food, to feed four million families this season,” said son and family spokesperson, Yusef Jackson.
By Bo Tefu and Joe W. Bowers | California Black Media
California officials are preparing to challenge federal plans to allow new offshore oil and gas drilling along the state’s coast, warning the proposal threatens coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and the state’s clean energy goals. Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking at COP30 in Brazil, called the plan
“dead on arrival” in California.
“We will do everything in our power to protect California’s coastline, our communities, and our environment from this reckless proposal,” he said.
The Trump administration reportedly plans six offshore lease sales off California between 2027 and 2030, the first new drilling along the Pacific Coast in decades. State leaders argue the plan undermines the state’s ambitious climate agenda and risks economic losses to tourism, fisheries, and recreation industries.
Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis also spoke out against the plan, saying, “California will not stand by while federal officials gamble with our environment and economy. Our coastlines are irreplaceable, and our residents deserve protection from oil spills and environmental degradation.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta added, “We are prepared to use every legal tool at our disposal to stop these leases. California’s laws, communities, and environment come first.”
Environmental groups have joined state leaders in opposition.
Pete Stauffer, Ocean Protection Manager at the Surfrider Foundation, said, “The federal administration’s offshore oil
Local Celebration of Native American Heritage Month Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Tribal Council Member
Reads to Students and Shares Culture at Anton Elementary Elementary Students to Learn About Native Heritage on Friday, November 21
WHAT/WHO: In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Tribal Council Member Joe Maarango and Tribal representatives will visit Anton Elementary School in San Bernardino to read to first and second grade students.
Joe will read books written by Native American authors, offering students an engaging opportunity to connect with Native American culture and heritage that originates in southern California, through the reading and presentation of a newly developed lesson plan
on Tribal history. Native American Heritage Month celebrates the rich cultures, traditions and accomplishments of Native peoples across the United States. It offers students and communities a chance to learn, appreciate and honor the diverse heritage that continues to shape our nation.
WHEN: Friday, November 21, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Anton Elementary School
1501 Anton Ct, San Bernardino, CA 92404
Thanksgiving Day Dinner, Thursday, Nov. 27, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at the Hospitality House & Family Transitional Living Center, 925 W. 10th St., San Bernardino.
The Salvation Army News
REDLANDS, CALIF.— This Thanksgiving, The Salvation Army of San Bernardino County will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27, at the Hospitality House & Family Transitional Living Center, 925 W. 10th St., San Bernardino.
“We’re serving a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, and pie,” said Naomi Kuhlman, the program director.
“We still need 500 turkeys and many side dishes. Whatever people have on hand to donate,
we need.”
The Salvation Army encourages donations of turkey, ham, side dishes, and other food items. Call (909) 888-1336 to plan ahead or volunteer to serve the Thanksgiving dinner.
The annual Thanksgiving meal attracts hundreds of families and individuals who cannot afford to buy their own dinner. People travel from all areas of the Inland Empire to join the celebration.
The San Bernardino event serves about 200 people each year.
Dozens of volunteers assist in preparing food and serving meals
continued on page 7
By Bo Tefu and Joe W. Bowers | California Black Media
drilling plan will damage coastlines and communities while threatening coastal recreation and tourism industries that contribute billions of dollars to our nation’s economy.”
Advocates including Oceana, NRDC, and Earthjustice warned that expanded drilling could trigger oil spills, harm marine life, and endanger public health.
Industry analysts note Pacific Coast leases may be less attractive than Gulf leases due to stricter regulations and limited infrastructure. California has avoided offshore drilling since the 1980s, following the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which sparked the modern environmental movement.
California’s opposition aligns with a broader coalition of lawmakers and advocacy groups.
Earlier this year, Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-2) and Frank Pallone (DNJ-6), led a letter signed by more than 100 congressional members urging the administration to halt new offshore leases.
Padilla emphasized, “Opening new offshore leases off our coasts threatens the environment, coastal economies, and communities that depend on a healthy ocean. We cannot allow short-term fossil fuel interests to outweigh public safety and economic security.”
Newsom added, “California will defend its communities, environment, and economy against this unnecessary and risky drilling initiative.”
Waymo announced Wednesday that its self-driving taxis will begin traveling on freeways in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area, marking a major milestone for autonomous vehicle technology.
Previously restricted to city streets, Waymo said its technology is now ready for higher-speed freeway conditions.
“Freeway driving is one of those things that’s very easy to learn but very hard to master when we’re talking about full autonomy without a human driver as a backup, and at scale,” said co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov. “It took time to do it properly.”
Waymo, a spinoff from Google, appears to be the first U.S. company offering fully autonomous freeway rides without human specialists on board. In a 40-minute test ride in Northern California, the vehicle merged on and off ramps, obeyed speed limits, maintained safe distances, and avoided a human driver attempting a dangerous maneuver, the company reported. Safety remains a key concern. About 18% of traffic fatalities occur on highways and expressways. “In order to predict what’s going to happen 10 seconds from now, the car has to sense what’s happening much farther down the road,” said Wendy Ju, associate professor at Cornell University.
Srikanth Saripalli, director of the Center for Autonomous Vehicles at Texas A&M University, praised Waymo’s record, noting the company has passed over 100 million miles without a human behind the wheel.
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Waymo plans a gradual rollout of freeway rides, monitoring performance before full customer availability. “The Waymo driver goes up to the posted speed limit. So, for example, if the speed limit is 65, that’s the maximum speed limit, and it does not exceed it, unless in extraordinary circumstances,” said product manager Jacopo Sannazzaro.
The expansion comes amid increasing competition from Tesla, which has begun offering robotaxi rides in Austin and San Francisco, though its service still includes employees in the vehicle. Other companies, including Amazon’s Zoox and several Chinese tech firms, are also racing to expand autonomous taxi services.
Waymo also announced plans to more than double the number of cities it serves, with new cold-weather locations including Denver and Detroit.
It will introduce a new van, the Zeekr RT, supplementing its Jaguar fleet, and will start curbside service at San Jose’s airport, the second major airport for Waymo after Phoenix.
Pablo Abad, Waymo product manager, said, “We do not expect Waymo to make congestion worse on the freeways,” citing no measurable impact in areas where robotaxis already operate.
Waymo’s freeway rollout marks a major step for selfdriving cars in California. “This has been a long time in the making,” said co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov. With safetytested autonomous vehicles now navigating highways, the state is poised to lead in the future of robotaxi transportation.
A L S / C L A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E
Thursday, November 20, 2025
By Greg Scaduto
As the parent of a nonverbal child with autism, the condition is not one that I watch from the sidelines; it’s one that defines my family’s experiences every day. Every time public figures revive false narratives about vaccines and autism, it reinforces stigma and undermines the incredible progress we’ve made in advocating for acceptance and evidence-based care. False narratives stem from a common statistical misunderstanding: the correlation-causation fallacy, the mistaken belief that if two trends rise in tandem, one must be causing the other. Our brains are hardwired to spot patterns, but it’s easy to fall into this trap. In statistics, a correlation — where two trends move together — is not proof of a causal relationship. For example, the number of people who drowned in swimming pools each year once closely tracked with the number of Nicolas Cage movies released. Nobody would suggest that Nicolas Cage movies are causing people to drown. The two trends are simply a bizarre coincidence, a correlation without causation. Similarly, the fact that vaccination rates and autism diagnoses have both risen doesn’t prove that one causes the other. America’s public health leaders must be careful not to let such reasoning errors endanger our children’s health. The real test is whether autism rates change when vaccines or their usage change. Health
By Justin Nalley and Carlton Langford
In September, Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) and Representative Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-05) reintroduced the Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS)
Reauthorization Act to keep the program running through 2031 and increase its funding to $500 million annually. CCAMPIS is designed to help low-income student parents cover the cost of child care. It can fund on-campus or community care, after-school programs, and even financial counseling for students who are parenting while in college just like we did.
For Black student parents, higher education can feel like an obstacle course. The soaring cost of child care, inflexible class schedules, and limited campus support make staying enrolled a daily battle. It’s not just about managing responsibilities — it’s about doing so with minimal institutional support and even less societal recognition. When other students are enjoying campus activities, many skip out. Every fall, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campuses come alive during homecoming, pulsing with joy, legacy, and the celebration of Black excellence. In 2005, while our peers were reveling in the festivities, one of us was quietly holding his newborn son at the hospital for the very first time. During homecoming season two years later, the other could only take a single day of unpaid sick leave from his mailroom job before returning to work just three hours after his daughter was born.
and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one of a small but powerful group who insists that childhood vaccines are causing an increase in autism.
President Donald Trump took it further, saying that pregnant women who take Tylenol put their children at higher risk of autism and urging them not to take the common painkiller –despite no definitive link between autism and the drug.
But more than two decades of scientific studies and real-world examples have proven that there is no such link.
Consider the example of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. A massive study in Denmark following hundreds of thousands of children found no increase in autism among the vaccinated.
Another example is the removal of thimerosal from vaccines. RFK Jr. once claimed that this vaccine preservative was a likely cause of autism. Yet after thimerosal was removed from vaccines in Denmark in the 1990s, autism diagnoses continued to rise.
Fortunately, with a few basic statistical techniques, it’s easy to separate scientifically sound findings from speculation. The first step is to compare “like with like” – in other words, to design
studies where the only factor that changes is vaccination. Compare two children from the same age group, under the same diagnostic rules, with similar socioeconomic backgrounds and access to doctors.
By stacking thousands of these like-for-like comparisons, we can look past false narratives to estimate the underlying facts. And vaccine studies designed in this way consistently arrive at the same conclusion: There’s no evidence that vaccines cause autism.
Parents should use this critical lens when assessing scientific claims themselves. Each time they read a new study, they can ask: What is being compared? What’s being held constant, and what’s changing? Could the authors be mixing up cause and effect? If the authors’ conclusion is true, what else should we expect to see – and do we actually see it?
Even more importantly, public health officials must ensure that policy is based on scientifically rigorous conclusions. Families like mine depend on leaders such as RFK Jr. to tell the truth plainly, not to trade it for politics.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.
Black student parents can thrive with access to this critical federal program...continued Black student parents. Research from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies reveals a troubling gap: while 13 percent of community colleges have at least 40 percent Black enrollment, only six percent of CCAMPIS grants go to community colleges with substantial Black student populations.
To change this, we need to protect and reauthorize CCAMPIS to ensure it continues serving low-income student parents. In tandem, we must mandate accurate, detailed data
Our challenges mirror those faced by the 21 percent of Black male students who are fathers while in college. Like us, many navigate the relentless grind of academics while raising children. We each completed our bachelor’s degrees, but 72 percent of Black male students who are fathers leave college without completing their degree or certificate.
The numbers tell a sobering story. Access to on-campus child care has declined over the years. Between 2004 and 2019, the percentage of public academic institutions offering child care services dropped from 59 percent to 45 percent, with more alarming data from HBCUs. Only 21 percent of HBCUs provide on-campus child care, compared to 38 percent of public two-year institutions. This gap disproportionately affects Black student parents — 67 percent of Black fathers attend colleges that don’t offer on-campus child care. For us, this meant paying for child care out-of-pocket and using our support networks of family, friends, and even classmates when necessary. Sometimes, our children joined us in lectures, sitting quietly at our sides as we tried not to disrupt the class flow. It was a constant juggling act that required immense effort and support, which many Black student parents do not have.
There is a solution — and it already exists.
However, despite its potential, CCAMPIS often falls short for
collection on student parents so resources can be directed where they’re needed most. Without robust, disaggregated data on student parents — especially by race and gender — policymakers can’t see the full scope of the challenge. And what remains invisible remains unaddressed. The program needs more funding so more colleges — especially those serving large numbers of Black students — can offer affordable child care. See more on AFRO.com
Annual Holiday Concert will be Performed December 13
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will present their annual holiday concert on Saturday, December 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. Entitled “A Christmas Festival,” this performance will be held at the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts in downtown San Bernardino. Under the baton of Maestro Anthony Parnther, the repertoire will feature a number of holiday favorites, including Leroy Anderson's "A Christmas Festival," "Let is Snow," "My Favorite Things," Mary, Did you Know?" "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Oh, Holy Night," "Sleigh Ride," "Theme from Polar Express," Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and more. Vocalists LaVance Colley, LC Powell, and Drew Tablak will lend their angelic voices to this joyful show. In addition, the San Bernardino
SB Symphony presents A Christmas Festival... continued to this annual event!”
Patrons, who are highly encouraged to dress in their holiday best - with nods to both black tie and "ugly" sweaterswill begin their festive afternoon even before the baton descends as the Inland Valley Repertory Theater’s Dickens Carolers will be performing in the lobby beginning at 2 p.m. Attendees are also invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy which will be donated to San Bernardino Valley College's EOPS CARE program which benefits the students of single parent students. "This is going to be the region's happiest holiday party!" shared Symphony Board of Directors President Donna Marie Minano who will be festively featured in one of the scheduled performance pieces in honor of her years of service which officially end December 31.
Tickets and Location Details
Tickets for A Christmas Festival are available at $20$100 per seat. and may be purchased online at www. sanbernardinosymphony. org or by phone at (909) 3815388 Monday through Friday.
Children, students and Active Military are always $15.
Doors open and the carolers begin at 2 p.m.; the concert begins promptly at 3 p.m. The historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts is located at 562 W. 4th Street in downtown San Bernardino. Free, lighted parking is available directly across from the venue and is accessible from E Street by following the signs. Venue box office sales are planned prior to the performance, but this concert generally sells out so the availability of seats cannot be guaranteed on concert day. More Great Music December 15
If one fabulous concert isn't enough, please consider joining us for a very special holiday performance of the San Bernardino Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Bernardino Symphony Overture Orchestra! The concert will be held at the historic San Bernardino Valley College Auditorium at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 14.
$10 general admission tickets are available HERE or at the door.
Symphony Youth Orchestras will make a special appearance at the concert.
And, the Granite Hills High School GREAT Academy Choir led by Director of Music and Piano Shane Churchill will combine with the Carter High School Chamber Choir led by Dr. Susan Barnes to accompany the Orchestra. Members of the A.B. Miller High School Conservatory of Dance with direction by Aisha Bardge and Nicole Robinson will also perform.
The performance will culminate with a grand singalong finale.
Explained Maestro Parnther, “Perhaps more than anything else we do each year, the annual holiday performance is designed to lift the spirit and gladden the heart. I look forward to welcoming the entire community
The Salvation Army Needs 500 Turkeys for Thanksgiving Dinners...continued from page 6 to families throughout the day. In recent years, as many as 50 volunteers have helped the San Bernardino Corps prepare and serve dinner.
“Thanksgiving should be a special day for everyone, not just for those who can afford it,” says Kuhlman. The Salvation Army will also prepare and distribute food boxes to about 500 families this Thanksgiving. Your donations can help families in need.
Other Salvation Army Corps in the Inland Empire are also planning Thanksgiving dinners, though many will take place the day before Thanksgiving. To receive information about the dates and times of dinners at other corps, or to volunteer, please call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or 1-800-725-2769.
Donors are encouraged to drop off turkeys, hams, canned food, cash, checks, or gift cards at the Salvation Army’s Corps
Office located at 838 Alta Street, Redlands, 92373. For additional information, please call (909) 792-6868.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army is one of the largest charitable and service organizations in the world, having served San Bernardino since 1888 and supported those in need.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church and offers holistic programs for individuals without discrimination. They serve the cities of Bloomington, Colton, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, and Yucaipa, as well as Big Bear, Blue Jay, Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, and other mountain communities. Donations may be made online at SBCSVA.org or by 1-(800) SAL-ARMY. Our local number is (909) 792-6868.
WASHINGTON, DC
(November 17, 2025) – Enough
Is Enough (EIE) is calling for parents to #RethinkRoblox gift cards for their children’s upcoming holiday presents. Roblox gift cards enable children to make purchases on the platform.
“Instead of rewarding Roblox, a platform that enables predators to contact children, we are urging parents to #RethinkRoblox gift cards this holiday season,” said Donna Rice Hughes, President and CEO, Enough Is Enough.
“Roblox is facing over 35 lawsuits for failing to protect children. Roblox needs to proactively end the sexual exploitation of children, but if and until it does so, parents should avoid contributing to the company’s profits. This will send a strong message to the company
the Holidays
that it is time to prioritize safety so that predators can no longer have access to our children,” added Hughes.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently filed a lawsuit against Roblox “for flagrantly ignoring state and federal online safety laws while deceiving parents about the dangers of its platform.”
A Guardian journalist recently reported that she spent time on Roblox logged in as a child and her avatar was “cyberbullied, aggressively killed, and sexually assaulted” while parental controls were in place. Hindenburg Research reported that its “ingame research revealed an X-rated pedophile hellscape, exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech.”
By Stacy M. Brown
There are moments in American life when truth steps forward and refuses to be convenient. MacKenzie Scott has chosen such a moment. As political forces move to strip diversity from classrooms, silence Black scholarship, and erase equity from public life, she has gone in the opposite direction. She has invested her wealth in the communities this country has spent centuries trying to marginalize.
Her most recent gifts to historically Black colleges and universities have surpassed $400 million this year alone. These are not gestures. They are declarations. They say that the education of Black students is not optional, not expendable, and not dependent on the approval of those who fear what an educated Black citizenry represents.
And she is not the only woman doing what America’s institutions have refused to do. Melinda French Gates has invested billions in supporting women and girls worldwide, ensuring that those whose rights are most fragile receive the most assistance. At a time when this nation tries to erase Black history and restrict the rights of women, two white women, once married to two of the richest white men in the world, have made clear where they stand. They have said, through their giving, that marginalized people deserve not just acknowledgment but investment.
At Prairie View A and M University, Scott’s $63 million gift became the largest in the institution’s 149-year history. “This gift is more than
in ChaptGPT for BlackPressUSA
generous. It is defining and affirming,” President Tomikia P. LeGrande said. “MacKenzie Scott’s investment amplifies the power and promise of Prairie View A and M University.”
The university said it plans to strengthen scholarships, expand faculty research, and support critical programs in artificial intelligence, public health, agricultural sustainability, and cybersecurity.
Howard University received an $80 million donation that leaders described as transformative. “On behalf of the entire Howard University community, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her extraordinary generosity and steadfast belief in Howard University’s mission,” Wayne A. I. Frederick said. The gift will support student aid, infrastructure, and key expansions in academic and medical research. Elsewhere, the impact ripples outward. Voorhees University received the most significant gift in its 128-year history. Norfolk State, Morgan State, Spelman, Winston-Salem State, Virginia
State, Alcorn State, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore all confirmed contributions that will reshape their futures.
Bowie State University received $50 million, also a historic mark. “We are profoundly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her visionary commitment to education and equity,” President Aminta Breaux said. “The gift empowers us to expand access and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve, and innovate.”
These gifts arrive at a moment when America attempts to revise its own memory. Curriculum bans seek to remove Black history from classrooms. Political movements claim that diversity is dangerous. Women’s contributions are minimized. And institutions that have served Black communities for more than a century must withstand both political hostility and financial neglect.
Scott’s philanthropy does not simply counter these forces. It exposes them. It asserts that Black students, Black institutions, and Black futures deserve resources commensurate
with their brilliance. It declares that women’s leadership is not marginal but central to the fight for justice.
This is where the mission of the Black Press becomes intertwined with the story unfolding. For nearly two centuries, the Black Press of America has chronicled the truth of Black life. It has told the stories that others refused to tell, preserved the history that others attempted to bury, and spoken truths that others feared. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, representing more than 200 Black and women-owned newspapers and media companies, continues that mission today despite financial threats that jeopardize independent Black journalism.
Like the HBCUs Scott uplifts, the Black Press has always been more than a collection of institutions. It is a safeguard. It is a mirror. It is the memory of a people whose presence in this nation has been met with both hostility and unimaginable strength. It survives not because it is funded but because it is essential.
Scott’s giving suggests an understanding of this. She has aligned herself with institutions that protect truth, expand opportunity, and preserve the stories this country tries to erase. She has chosen the side of history that refuses to be silent.
“When Bowie State thrives,” declared Brent Swinton, the university’s vice president of Philanthropic Engagement, “our tight-knit community of alumni, families, and partners across the region and beyond thrives with us.”
Public/Media Assistance Needed to Identify Unknown Patient
Local/National News
On November 9, 2025, around 7:10am an unidentified male was brought into Harbor-UCLA Medical Center by Los Angeles City Fire. The unidentified male was laying in the street, near Imperial Hwy and Lemoli Ave S. in the City of Inglewood, in severe distress, with swelling and bruising to the left eye. The hospital is seeking the public and news media’s help in identifying this patient as the patient came in with no identifiable information and fingerprint searches yield no results. Below is a general description of the patient; anyone with information that may help identify him is asked to contact the hospital at 424-306-6990 for afterhours/weekend and 424306-4434 for Monday-Friday between 8am-4:30pm.
and
