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)
NNPA NEWSWIRE — This means the United States is aligning itself with Russia that we set him [Volodymyr Zelenskyy] up and this was a play to appeal to Trump’s base and Putin and to blame Zelenskyy which is to throw Ukraine and NATO under the bus.
By April Ryan
“You are playing cards” and “you’re gambling with World War III” scolded President Trump to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before he kicked Zelenskyy out of the White House today. The Oval Office visit was meant to ease tensions in the Russian war against Ukraine. However, it ended in a shouting match. The verbal sparring pit President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D, Vance, in a tag team of sorts, against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Both Trump and Vance kept telling Zellenskyy he should be working towards a peace agreement and be grateful for the United States equipment
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
to fight against Russia in this war that Trump believes Ukraine would have lost within two years without the United States’ help. A former Senior U.S. National Security official who wished to remain anonymous said, “Zelenskyy has acknowledged his gratitude.”
That same former NSC official also said, “This means the United States is aligning itself with Russia that we set him [Volodymyr Zelenskyy] up and this was a play to appeal to Trump’s base and Putin and to blame Zelenskyy which is to throw Ukraine and NATO under the bus.” Ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, Congressman Gregory Meeks says he is “incensed and ashamed over the actions of the president of the United States.” During the televised contentious public negotiations, President Trump told Zelenskyy, “Your people need to make a deal. If you don’t make a deal you will have to fight it out.”. Meanwhile, the February 2020 Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. Monday was the third anniversary of the war. Meeks says, “Trump has not asked anything of Russia and said nothing about it on the anniversary” as Ukraine saw one of the worst drone attacks that day.
After that public disagreement, Zelenskyy was told to leave the White House. He rushed into his waiting van outside of the West Wing where President Trump greeted him with a handshake when he arrived at the door. His departure was minus the presidential escort to the door. Zelenskyy and Trump were also expected today to sign a mineral deal and conduct a joint press conference. Those two events did not happen after that Oval Office conflict. Meeks adds that our European partners “want us to support Ukraine.” President Trump immediately went on social media with his thoughts. That tweet was followed by President Zelenskyy
We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want an advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.
By Stacy M. Brown
Apple has vowed to stick to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives despite pressure from a Trump-associated group and an atmosphere that derides a diverse and inclusive workforce. Shareholders voted this week to keep the company’s DEI initiatives, rejecting a proposal from a conservative think tank that sought to eliminate them. The vote occurred during Apple’s annual meeting, during which the company also announced a $500 billion commitment to investments in the United States over the next four years—the largest domestic spending plan in its history.
The National Center for Public Policy Research submitted the
proposal, citing recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and a rise in DEI-related lawsuits. The group claimed Apple’s DEI efforts could expose the company to legal risks. In response, Apple said the proposal was unnecessary, pointing to its strong compliance measures and calling the effort an attempt to interfere with how it manages its operations and workforce. Officials did not disclose the final vote count. “We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our longstanding U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “From doubling our Advanced Manufacturing
Fund to building advanced technology in Texas, we’re expanding our support for American manufacturing.”
The new spending plan includes a new 250,000-squarefoot advanced manufacturing facility in Houston, where servers supporting Apple Intelligence will be produced. The facility, set to open in 2026, is expected to create thousands of jobs. Production will begin later this year, marking a shift from previous overseas manufacturing. Apple will also double its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund and open an academy in Michigan to train future manufacturers and increase silicon engineering and artificial intelligence research. The plan includes collaboration with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, the development of data centers, and Apple TV+ productions in 20 states. Cook acknowledged that adjustments to DEI initiatives may be necessary as legal challenges evolve but affirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining an inclusive workplace. “We will continue
to create a culture of belonging,” he told shareholders. Apple’s decision comes after several major corporations pulled back on DEI programs. Companies such as Walmart, Target, Exxon, and Goldman Sachs have scaleddown diverse efforts, with some citing legal concerns or shareholder pressure. Meta and Google have also reduced their DEI initiatives.
Institutional Shareholder Services, a leading proxy advisory firm, recommended that shareholders vote to maintain Apple’s DEI programs. Costco shareholders took a similar position in January, rejecting a proposal to evaluate risks associated with their diversity policies. “We owe our success to the more than 300,000 employees who serve our members every day,” said Costco Chairman Hamilton Tony James. “It is important that they all feel included and appreciated.”
Apple’s $500 billion investment package aims to boost American manufacturing, support job creation, and expand its infrastructure. Over the past
Dear Editor,
Caring for a loved one means navigating the healthcare system with them, celebrating the good days and tackling the tough ones together. As a caregiver for my father-in-law, I see every day how Medicare Advantage helps him stay on top of his health—giving him access to affordable prescriptions, preventive screenings, and essential wellness benefits that traditional Medicare doesn’t cover. With high cholesterol and other ongoing health concerns, he depends on this program not just for care, but for peace of mind.
For more than 3.5 million Californians, Medicare Advantage offers financial security and peace of mind, capping out-of-pocket expenses and ensuring that older adults aren’t forced to choose between their health and their finances. Yet despite its overwhelming success and 88% satisfaction
rate, consecutive cuts to the program threaten its affordability and accessibility.
The federal government recently took a step in the right direction with the 2026 Advance Rate Notice released by the Biden Administration in their final days, but seniors and caregivers like me need stronger protections to keep Medicare Advantage fully funded. Without it, countless families across the San Bernardino Valley and beyond could face higher costs or reduced coverage.
California’s congressional delegation must stand up for seniors and fight to protect Medicare Advantage. We need lawmakers to push back against further cuts and ensure older adults—like my father-in-law— can continue to get the care they need. Now is the time to act.
Bryan Salazar, San Bernardino
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has ordered a 50% reduction in Social Security’s workforce. The agency, already at its lowest staffing levels in 50 years, announced that it will soon implement large-scale layoffs.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Former Maryland Governor and former Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley warned that the Trump-Musk administration’s sweeping cuts to the Social Security Administration’s workforce will lead to major disruptions in benefits for millions of Americans. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has ordered a 50% reduction in Social Security’s workforce.
The agency, already at its lowest staffing levels in 50 years, announced that it will soon implement large-scale layoffs.
“These cuts will inflict a lot of pain on seniors and people with disabilities,” O’Malley said in a news conference on Friday.
“Social Security is being driven to a total system collapse.” He said five of SSA’s eight regional commissioners have resigned following the push for deeper reductions. Responding to a question from BlackPressUSA, O’Malley said it’s up to Congress to stop the bleeding.
He said, despite handling a record number of beneficiaries, Social Security operates with just 1.2% overhead, far below private insurers like Liberty Mutual, which operates at 23%.
O’Malley said productivity had improved by 6% year over year, but the restructuring will erase that progress. “The
Republican House has already reduced staffing at Social Security to a 50-year low. Now co-Presidents Musk and Trump want to cut customer service in half,” he said. O’Malley called the administration’s decision to offer full-year salary buyouts to retirement-eligible employees and $25,000 bonuses to others the biggest waste of Social Security dollars in U.S. history. “The actions being taken by the Trump-Musk administration to gut customer service and drive employees out of this greatly understaffed agency will break Social Security as we have known it for 90 years,” he said. He also raised concerns about data security, noting that sharing Social Security information is a fireable offense. While Trump has said Social Security “won’t be touched,” Musk has defended the cuts by claiming they are necessary to stop “extreme levels of fraud.” However, Musk has not provided proof for this claim. Rich Couture, spokesman for the American Federation of Government Employees SSA General Committee, said any layoffs will hurt the public and undermine Social Security. “Seniors and people on disability should start putting away what money they can now,” O’Malley said. “Benefit check interruptions are coming soon.”
Thursday, March 6, 2025
By Stacy M. Brown
The NNPA World News app has unveiled the Missing & Black 2025 Campaign, a nationwide initiative aimed at addressing the glaring disparities in media coverage and law enforcement response to missing Black individuals. The campaign seeks to bring long-overdue visibility, resources, and justice to the thousands of missing Black children, women, and men whose cases are frequently overlooked.
“With an alarming disparity in coverage and urgency between cases involving people of color and their white counterparts, this initiative calls for collective action to change the narrative and ensure that all missing persons in America receive the responsive attention that they deserve,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). Statistics from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) reveal that Black people make up nearly 40% of all missing persons cases in the United States, despite
representing just 14.4% of the national population, according to the Pew Research Center. Research consistently shows that cases involving missing Black individuals receive substantially less media coverage, resulting in fewer search efforts, diminished resources, and a lower rate of case resolution.
The NNPA said its Missing & Black 2025 Campaign plans to harness digital storytelling, social media outreach, and community partnerships to challenge implicit biases and elevate the urgency surrounding missing Black individuals. Supporters and interested participants can engage with the campaign by downloading the NNPA World News App, visiting BlackPressUSA.com, or following Black Press USA on social platforms using the hashtag #MissingandBlack2025.
“The Black community has to stop depending on mainstream white media to fairly and consistently report on missing Black children, women, and men.” said Carolyn Davis, owner
SB Symphony Plans a Weekend of the Arts
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra has quite a weekend coming up and invites you to be a part.
The Symphony’s 96th performance season begins on March 22 with “Storm and Seduction: Reformation vs. Carmen,” a creative juxtaposition of two Romantic/Classical favorites which will be held at the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts in downtown San Bernardino.
In the first half of this 3 p.m. matinee, Symphony Music Director and Conductor Anthony Parnther will lead the Orchestra in Felix Mendelssohn’s powerful and evocative Fifth Symphony in D minor, known as the "Reformation" Symphony. In the second half, Maestro Parnther will welcome to the stage noted vocalists Maria Dominique Lopez, Orson Van Gay II, and Jose Luis Maldonado for electrifying selections from Georges Bizet’s beloved opera, Carmen.
“While we have presented a variety of repertoire as of late, the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra celebrates music of every genre, especially the cornerstone orchestral music for which we have long been known,” explained Maestro Parnther. “I invite our community, and especially those new to orchestral performance, to give this concert a try. I can guarantee it will not be what you’d expect!”
Meet the Featured Artists Praised as “a rich-voiced mezzo” (Operawire) and “a real tour-de-force” (Splash Magazine), Mexican-American mezzo soprano Maria Dominique Lopez has sung operatic roles and symphonic works throughout the United States and Europe for over a decade. Additionally, she has recorded vocals for independent films and major motion pictures, including Golden Globe and Academy Award Winning Disney/Pixar film, “Coco,” (which she describes as her "proudest vocal achievement”) and New Line Cinema’s horror film, “The Curse of La Llorona.” Symphony patrons will recognize American Operatic Tenor Orson Van Gay II from a number of previous appearances with the orchestra. He was first introduced to Symphony audiences when he performed as part of the stellar group of vocalists at our 2023 concert under the stars. Van Gay has captivated audiences in classical and contemporary opera and concert performances with his charisma and “fine heroic tenor” (San Francisco Classical Voice). He has garnered acclaim for roles in his home of Southern California and across the United States, with Broadway World declaring, “his sound was fluent and his high notes golden,” and Voix des Arts stating, “The vitality of his work was gratifyingly unflappable.”
Hailed by Opera News as a “seemingly unlimited baritone,” International vocalist Josè Luis Maldonado, from Los Angeles attended Cal State Fullerton (BM), and Manhattan School of Music (MM); he is currently attending Michigan State University as a candidate
of CDAG International and the architect of the NNPA World News App and the Missing & Black 2025 Campaign. “It will never happen. We need to utilize our own resources and networks such as the NNPA to keep these missing individuals in the public eye so they will not be forgotten,” Davis continued.
“We need to show the world that you don’t have to be a blonde, thin, White woman to be valued by society.”
Separate from this campaign, the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAMFI)— founded by Natalie Wilson and Derricka Wilson—continues its work to spotlight these cases. In collaboration with the Washington Association of Black Journalists (WABJ), BAMFI has launched a media task force to push for fair and balanced media coverage. “Our mission is to ensure that all missing persons, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or geography, receive equal media coverage,” said Natalie Wilson. “By working together
with WABJ, we are creating a pathway for journalists to remove unintentional bias and establish a fairer, more consistent approach to reporting these cases.” Philip Lewis, president of WABJ, stressed the urgency of actionable change. “This task force is about more than just words — it’s about action. Through education, collaboration, and advocacy, we will empower journalists to eliminate disparities in coverage and create a more just and responsible media landscape,” Lewis said.
The NNPA campaign also seeks to engage high-profile figures like Roland Martin, D.L. Hughley, and Rickey Smiley to regularly highlight missing Black individuals, like the widespread attention given to white women. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, known for his dedication to racial justice issues, has expressed interest in addressing this crisis, having previously discussed the matter on Smiley’s show. “The case of Gabby Petito was turned into a national spectacle, complete with a movie. Meanwhile, missing Black women barely warrant a mention,” a campaign organizer noted. “It’s unacceptable, and this initiative is determined to change that.” The NNPA campaign also seeks to make it commonplace for media personalities to mention missing Black individuals daily, aiming to shift the public’s awareness through repetition and sustained visibility. BlackPressUSA.com, which has run a series on missing Black and missing over the past six years, features missing Black individuals daily, offering a vital resource for families searching for answers.
SB Symphony Plans a Weekend of the Arts... continued
for a doctorate in music, vocal performance. He is a career grant recipient from the Opera Buffs Inc. and Richard F. Gold Career Grant recipient from the Shoshana Foundation. He will soon make his Lincoln Center debut as Escamillo in Carmencita, an Argentinian adaptation in Spanish of Bizet’s Carmen.
Annual Gala Follows
Opening weekend will also feature the Symphony’s 96th Season Gala which will benefit youth music education and access programs. Scheduled for Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, the event is themed "Music at the Foot of the Mountains" in honor of Symphony's 2024 commissioned work “Al Pie de la Montaña” by Composer-In-Residence Fernando Arroyo Lascurain. Tickets are still available online or by calling the Symphony office at (909) 381-5388.
“This is our first Sunday afternoon gala,” shared Symphony President Elect and Gala Chair Sonietta Brown.
“With the positive response to our matinee concerts, this seemed a lovely way to keep the momentum going. Further, holding the event in a gallery without the traditional table assignments is part of our commitment to creating inviting and inclusive events to uplift and spotlight the Inland Empire growing arts scene.”
Ex-Teacher Who Threatened Latino Fruit Vendor With Racial Slurs Ordered To Pay Damages...continued
MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) filed the lawsuit in May 2024 on behalf of the fruit vendor. The suit, filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, accused Gnel Frankian, then a Moorpark High School teacher, of violating California’s Tom Bane Civil Rights Act’s prohibition on interfering with an individual’s right to conduct business, as well as violating the state’s Ralph Civil Rights Act’s ban on intimidating or threatening violence on individuals of a protected class, including immigrants. On Tuesday, Judge Gary I. Micon issued a default judgment against Frankian, ordering him to pay damages and a monetary penalty, as well as to pay attorneys’ fees and costs. In total, the Court ordered Frankian to pay over $49,000 as a result of his discriminatory conduct.
“Threatening conduct based on racial and nativist hate is unlawful in the state of California and elsewhere,” said Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF president and general counsel. “This outcome demonstrates that hateful and discriminatory conduct still has negative consequences in this country for the perpetrators.”
In September 2023, Frankian
approached the vendor, a native of Mexico, as he stood selling fruit near the parking lot of a Santa Clarita gas station. Frankian began yelling expletives at the man, telling him: “Get the f… out of here, you f.. illegal.” The fruit vendor recorded the incident on his cell phone. On the video, Frankian can also be heard yelling at two gas station customers who expressed concern and came to the aid of the man. One woman warns the fruit vendor to be careful of Frankian’s car as it begins to move closer to him as Frankian exits the gas station.
“By entering default judgment, the Court recognized that California law protects immigrants from discrimination and any violation of these rights will not be tolerated,” said Luis Lozada, MALDEF staff attorney. “Let this be a warning to anyone emboldened to commit similar acts: there will be harsh financial consequences.”
In 2021, MALDEF expanded its work to address the rise in open hostility and intolerance aimed at the Latino community. This case was one of the first to be filed under the program area, “Freedom from Open and Obvious Bias and Racism”.
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
Tony Thurmond, State SPI
Major event sponsors include The Black Voice News, Community Hospital of San Bernardino, St. Bernardine’s Medical Center Medical Staff, and the San Bernardino City Unified School District.
Tickets and Location Details
While full season concert tickets are the most economical way to enjoy the full SBSO performance year, single concert tickets are also available at $20-$100 per seat, with student seats priced at $15 with an accompanying adult. Venue box office sales are planned prior to all concert performances, but the availability of seats can never be guaranteed, so securing seats early is always highly suggested.
The historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts is located at 562 W. Fourth Street in downtown San Bernardino. Free, lighted parking is available adjacent to the venue. Doors open one hour prior to concert time.
Gala tickets are $96 per person and sponsorships, most of which include both gala and concert tickets, are still available. The Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts is located at 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside. Free parking is available directly across from the venue.
Both concert and gala tickets may be purchased online or by calling the Symphony office at (909) 381-5388 Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Ex-Teacher Who Threatened Latino Fruit Vendor With Racial Slurs Ordered To Pay Damages
The California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education, chaired by Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), held a hearing on Feb. 27, where State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond provided a State of Education address and discussed key education funding priorities.
Facing tough questions from lawmakers, Thurmond emphasized the state’s commitment to improving student achievement, despite ongoing budget constraints, declining enrollment, and continued racial disparities in education outcomes.
Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) joined Laird at the hearing, while committee member Sasha Renée Pérez (D-San Gabriel Valley) who represents the Altadena area, was
in her district assessing wildfire damage.
Investing in Student Success
Thurmond discussed several initiatives aimed at improving student outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. He pointed to California’s universal preschool, free meal programs, and his newly launched “Cohort to Move the Needle on Test Scores,” a coalition of 250 school districts working to close achievement gaps in math and reading.
“Education saved my life,” Thurmond said, recalling his childhood struggles with poverty after losing both parents at a young age.
“It’s the greatest equalizer we have, and we must protect it.”
Thurmond argued that California, despite its fiscal challenges, continues to lead the nation in investing in education, calling on lawmakers to support long-term funding for literacy coaches, dual-language immersion programs, and teacher housing to address inequalities. Rebuilding Schools
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
As California continues to face a severe housing crisis, only 17 % of households can afford to purchase the median-priced single-family home, which is less than half the national average, according to a report by the California Association of Realtors.
Two state legislators, champions of affordable housing, would like that number to increase as Californians experience even higher costs of living post-pandemic.
On Feb. 18, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (D-West Sacramento) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 736 and Senate Bill (SB) 417, legislation that would place a bond measure on the June 2026 California primary ballot to provide $10 billion to the state’s affordable housing programs.
“All of our communities need it. That’s the reality,” Wicks told California Black Media (CBM) about the state’s need for housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. “You see demand in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Everywhere across the state has been hit hard by the housing crisis but a majority of these funds will go to multifamily housing.”
The two bond proposals share the same name, the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. If the measures pass out of the Assembly and Senate — and voters approve the ballot proposal — they will provide 35,000 affordable homes and rental housing units while assisting 13,000 extremely low-income and homeless families, Wicks said. In addition, bond funds would be set aside for farmworkers and tribal housing. They would also preserve and rehabilitate tens of thousands of homes and provide supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
“Affordable housing providers have made steady progress toward building more of the housing lowerincome Californians need, but there is much more work to do,” Cabaldon stated. “The housing crisis has only been exacerbated in areas impacted by wildfires — disasters that have destroyed homes, tightened rental markets and made it even harder for every community across the state to access the workers, materials, and funding needed to build affordable housing. One of the most important ways California can respond is through a substantial new housing bond.”
Thurmond Details Education Priorities, Funding Challenges During Senate Committee Hearing... continued from page 2 and Expanding Learning Opportunities
Thurmond also spoke about the devastating impact of natural disasters, particularly in Southern California, where wildfires have destroyed schools and displaced students. He called for accelerating school reconstruction funds through Proposition 2 to rebuild and modernize classrooms.
The Superintendent further stressed the importance of expanded learning opportunities, advocating for incentive grants to encourage schools to extend the school day and year. “We’ve seen the impact in places like Compton Unified, where extra tutoring and longer school days have led to improved reading and math scores,” he noted. He also discussed teacher shortages and the high cost of living, which have made it difficult for educators to remain in the communities where they work.
“Our schools have 75,000 acres of land that’s ready for development right now,” Thurmond said. “If the school districts that have the surplus property built only 15 units on those parcels, it would result in more than two million units that would be available by the year 2030 for teachers, classified staff, and even first responders and healthcare workers.”
Addressing Student Achievement and Education Funding
Ochoa Bogh raised concerns about student performance despite increased education funding.
“The 2024-25 and proposed 2025-26 budgets have Proposition 98 general funds perpupil spending at nearly $19,000 – a 59% increase from 2019-
20,” she stated. “Despite this, the 2024 California dashboard shows students 13.2 points below the English Language Arts standard, 47.6 points below the mathematics standard, and only 45.7% of our English language learners are making progress, a decline of 3% from 2023.”
Thurmond acknowledged these concerns, explaining that many of California’s education investments are recent and will take time to yield results.
“We’re seeing trending in an upward direction, but we never rest on our laurels,” he said. “We always are going to work to make sure that every student is getting the best experience that they can.”
He pointed out that 240,000 students in the state are homeless, with 10,000 unaccompanied minors struggling to survive on their own.
“We’re working with two million students through our cohort initiative to improve literacy and math,” Thurmond responded. “But we have to be realistic — this is a multiyear process. We must continue making strategic investments if we want to see real change.”
Debate Over Education Funding Formula
Ochoa Bogh questioned why the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), providing extra resources since 2013 for foster youth, English learners, and lowincome students, hasn’t yielded stronger outcomes. “How do you explain the performance?” she asked Thurmond.
Thurmond acknowledged the challenges but argued that LCFF alone does not fully fund public education. “California has underfunded education for
Thurmond Details Education Priorities, Funding Challenges During Senate Committee Hearing...continued decades,” he said. “LCFF is a step forward, but we need a stable and long-term funding source to meet the actual cost of education.”
A Fight Over California’s Priorities
Ochoa Bogh also questioned whether California’s overall spending — nearly 40% of the state’s total budget — was enough to fully support education needs.
“In your professional opinion, what would be the considerable, true investment that California should be spending on education?” she asked.
Thurmond declined to give a specific percentage but emphasized that longterm investments in teacher training, student support, and infrastructure were essential.
“We have to spend even more on professional development and training to support our staff, to make sure that we have more reading coaches and specialists to support our staff,” he said.
Senator Laird Highlights Local School Challenges
Laird backed Thurmond’s call for continued investment, sharing firsthand accounts of visiting schools where students
were forced to do homework in Taco Bell parking lots just to access Wi-Fi.
“I’ve seen it across my district — teacher shortages, families struggling with the cost of living, schools serving as food pantries for kids who have nothing at home,” Laird said. “These aren’t just statistics. This is real life for too many Californians.”
Laird and Thurmond agreed on the need for educator housing, noting that some school districts have already begun constructing affordable housing for teachers to combat high turnover rates.
What’s Next?
Thurmond invited Ochoa Bogh and Laird to visit schools participating in the “Move the Needle” initiative to see the impact of recent investments firsthand.
We think that this budget is thoughtful and with intention provided by the legislature,” Thurmond said. “We think that we can help our schools continue to ensure that our kids get a quality education despite some of the challenging circumstances that they face.”
California’s 2025-26 education budget allocates $118.9 billion for K-12 and community colleges, marking record spending with $7.8 billion in new investments.
Apple Shareholders Reject Effort to Dismantle DEI Initiatives, Approve $500 Billion U.S. Investment Plan...continued from page 1
five years, the company has paid over $75 billion in U.S. taxes, including $19 billion in 2024. Apple currently supports over 2.9 million jobs nationwide through direct employment, partnerships with manufacturers, and the iOS app economy. Cook closed
the meeting with a message of long-term commitment. “We’ll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation,” he asserted.
FACT SHEET: AB 1333 is Life-Saving Legislation Aimed at Preventing Those Who Shoot First and Ask Questions Later
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Last week, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur introduced AB 1333 to update the state’s self-defense laws. The legislation explicitly clarifies that Californians must avoid resorting to fatal actions when they have the opportunity to de-escalate or disengage from a conflict outside their homes, with the aim of preventing violent confrontations.
In recent days, there has been widespread misinformation shared across platforms in an effort by right-wing extremists to mischaracterize AB 1333 as a “left-leaning criminal justice policy” that “strips Californians away from the right to selfdefense.” That is not true. AB 1333 is an anti-Stand Your Ground measure that does not impact the “Castle Doctrine” and promotes safe de-escalation when possible in conflicts outside the home. This bill is an effort to prevent unnecessary tragedies and bring California’s law up to the standards used in other states.
Here’s What to Know About AB 1333:
FACT: This bill prioritizes safety. By clarifying legal accountability for individuals who choose not to take precautionary measures to disengage, this legislantion ensures that we don’t have deadly shootings where we could have de-escalation.
FACT: This bill promotes racial justice. Stand Your
FACT SHEET: AB 1333 is Life-Saving Legislation Aimed at Preventing Those Who Shoot First and Ask Questions Later continued During the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Wisconsin, prosecutors said that Rittenhouse had put himself in danger through a series of reckless choices by wielding an AR-15 at protestors he shot and killed. This bill clarifies that unnecessary violence shouldn’t be the first option in California law to prevent these deadly instances.
MYTH: This bill makes it so that Californians cannot defend themselves and their families against attacks on their homes. This is false. This bill does not impact the Castle Doctrine, which is codified elsewhere in the state penal code—and allows someone to use deadly force in their own home with the presumption that they were facing imminent bodily harm.
MYTH: Californians involved in violent situations, like rape or shootings, are unable to use necessary force to protect themselves. Rape victims would be prosecuted for shooting and killing their attacker.
This is false. Any person who is being held against their will and assaulted is still able to use deadly force. This is a commonsense version of self-defense law, and it does require a person to de-escalate a confrontation where they can, but it also allows them to shoot and kill when necessary—in situations exactly like a forcible sexual assault. If someone is in a violent situation, California’s self-defense law would still protect them if they use necessary force.
Ground laws dramatically escalate violence, leading to 150 additional gun deaths each month nationwide—with an increase of 32% in Florida’s gun homicide rate alone. In states with Stand Your Ground laws, homicides are deemed justifiable five times more often when white shooters kill Black victims compared to the reverse scenario.
AB 1333 responds to these dangerous trends by clarifying the state’s self-defense laws to require peaceful disengagement outside the home when possible.
FACT: There’s more guns in public in California following the Supreme Court’s reckless Bruen decision. Our state has seen an increase in applications for permits to carry loaded firearms in public. AB 1333 seeks to make clear that you cannot shoot and kill someone if you have a safer way of exiting the situation when you’re outside your home. With more guns in more places, this bill is restoring peace of mind to California communities.
FACT: 11 states have similar laws on the books. CT, DE, HI, MD, MA, MN, NE, NJ, NY, RI, all have laws that explicitly require you to dis-engage or de-escalate, when safe to do so, rather than take fatal action against another individual.
FACT: Wisconsin law protected Rittenhouse by failing to define “imminent danger of death or great bodily harm.
MYTH: This bill makes it illegal for Californians to defend themselves.
This is false. Under this new language, a Californian may still use deadly force when necessary – in situations where there is imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death. If you’re under attack and must use deadly force, you will still be able to do so. This bill simply clarifies how self-defense law operates in these situations. And it closely mirrors the law in 11 other states, including most of CA’s peer states on gun safety laws Last month, Everytown unveiled a new report that found that California leads the Nation for the strength of its gun laws for the fourth year in a row. Statistics about gun violence in California are available here, https:// everystat.org/#California and Everytown’s Gun Law Navigator – which shows how California’s gun laws compare to those of other states – is available here. https://everystat.org/#California To speak with a policy expert at Everytown or a local volunteer with Moms Demand Action or Student Demand Action, please reach out to press@everytown. org.
MYTH: This bill makes it illegal for Californians to defend themselves unless you first flee. This is false. If a person is under attack, and it’s necessary to use deadly force to protect themselves from serious harm, they are still entitled to use deadly force. What this legislation does is make clear that Californians must avoid killing others if it’s not truly necessary—that they must de-escalate or disengage if possible.
Asm. Wicks, Sen. Cabaldon, Introduce $10 Billion Housing Bond Package...continued
Wicks said that 65% of lowincome renters in the state are rentburdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward housing, which leaves them with meager resources for necessities such as food, transportation, educational supplies, and health care.
Wicks and Calbadon’s office shared that the reason for California’s housing crisis is the critical gap between housing supply and demand. According to the Statewide Housing Plan, prices in the state continue to climb. In August 2021, the statewide median sales price of a single-family home landed a new record — $827,940.
The Statewide Housing Plan estimates that California needs approximately 300,000 new housing units annually, including 125,000 affordable units for lower-income households. From 2014 to 2023, the state has produced approximately 13,000 affordable units per year.
“We’re 3.5 million homes shy of where we need to be as a state,” Wicks shared with CBM. “And we need about 1 million affordable units.”
Lack of homeownership has hit Black Californians hard in the last several years, according to various reports. Data from 2019 revealed that 41% of Black families in California owned their homes compared to 68% of White families, according to the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), a 1.5% dip from 1960.
Established in 1975, CalHFA supports the needs of low-and moderate-income renters and homebuyers by providing financing and programs that lead to equity. It is a self-sustained state agency that doesn’t rely on taxpayers’ funding but regularly manages an assortment of state and federal resources on behalf of California. Since CalHFA’s report was released six years ago, Black homeownership in California has declined much further. According to a Jan. 8, 2025 report by the Othering and Belonging Institute(OBI), minority groups, specifically Black households, have faced lower homeownership rates compared to the state level, highlighting disturbing disparities.
The OBI at the University of California at Berkeley convenes researchers, organizers,
stakeholders, communicators, and policymakers to identify and eradicate obstacles to creating an inclusive society.
All racial groups, OBI reported, saw homeownership rates increase, except for Black households, compared to 50 years ago.
Black people residing in California began to dwindle by 2020, but also the percentage of those who own a house dropped from 40% to 35%, OBI presented. The Black community consisted of 5.7% (2,237,044) of California’s total population in 2020, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
“The drop in the homeownership rate of Black households results in what housing advocates and economists call a ‘racial homeownership gap’ between the share of White households that own homes and the share of Black households that own homes,” OBI’s report stated.
Wicks said the state has previously used similar voter-approved bonds to fund the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing to help increase homeownership across the state. California’s last housing bond, the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018 authorized $3 billion for various affordable housing programs. These funds were fully allocated by the end of 2024. AB 736 and SB 417 have the support of members throughout the Legislature, Wicks said. As of Feb. 28, 32 lawmakers signed on as co-authors, which Wicks says, “Is a really good start.”
The two bills should move through the Assembly and Senate concurrently this year to ensure members of both houses have an opportunity to shape final bond proposals. Wicks is adamant that the state leaders will understand “loud and clear” the value and seriousness of the bills.
“We have an audience of three — the speaker (Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas), pro temp (Senate president pro tem Mike McGuire), and Gov. Gavin Newsom,” Wicks said. “I am confident we can get the votes on the bills but how these bonds come together is we build with the grassroots movement within the legislature to pressure our leadership. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
By Dr. Archana Dubey, Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare of California
With spring nearly here, people in California and across the country will contend with an annual tradition many would rather skip: The shift to daylight saving time.
The process of “springing forward” means losing an hour of sleep, which can disrupt our daily routines and may have various health implications, including an increased risk of heart attacks, mood disturbances and accidents such as car crashes.
Previous polling has found 62% of Americans would rather stop changing the clocks altogether, an approach used by just two states (Arizona and Hawaii). Without a clear path to making that happen nationally, it is important to identify ways to help ease the transition ahead of time while supporting your health in the days immediately after the change.
Here are three strategies to consider:
Modify and optimize your sleep routine. During the days before the time change (this year on March 9), aim to shift your bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night. Doing this may help minimize the potential of feeling tired after the change, reducing the impact of losing an hour of sleep all at once. Furthermore, taking steps to optimize your sleep routine may prove beneficial amid the shift to daylight savings time and year-round. Potential tactics can include adding a sleep mask (or blackout curtains) to minimize night-time exposure to light, which studies show may contribute chronic conditions such as diabetes and weight gain. Also, skip consuming caffeine and alcohol during the evening, and stop eating food about three hours before shuteye,
as digesting food may disrupt sleep quality.
Get active earlier in the day. One benefit of the move to daylight saving time is the potential for additional sun exposure, which is a crucial source of vitamin D and helps regulate our wake/sleep cycles. However, while research shows sunlight exposure during the morning can help promote sleep, too much light exposure – including artificial sources such as TVs, smartphones and tablets – late in the day and evening may suppress melatonin and reduce sleepiness. On the Sunday after the time change, make it a point to get outside early in the day for at least 30 to 60 minutes, ideally for some exercise such as a walk, run or bike ride. Importantly, research shows people who consistently exercise report improved sleep quality and fewer sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Exercise caution while driving, especially adolescents. During the days after the time change, 55% of people report experiencing tiredness. That post-time-change grogginess may be why one study found the risk of fatal car crashes increased by 6%. For teenagers, another study found during the days after the time change that students were sleepier, had slower reaction times and were less focused. Given many young people have limited experience behind the wheel, parents may consider limiting how much their adolescents drive during the days immediately after the time change.
With the twice-a-year time change a reality for now, considering these tips may ease the transition during the spring and fall and support your wellbeing all year.
Non-Citizens ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’ as Trump Pushes for National Registry
By Peter Schurmann
On February 25, the Trump administration issued its latest guidelines on immigration enforcement, creating a national registry requiring the estimated 13 million undocumented immigrants now living in the country to register or face criminal prosecution.
There’s a video circulating on social media of a Latino man walking into a Target store with a US passport glued to his forehead. “Me walking around with my passport to avoid ICE questioning me,” the caption reads, a laugh track in the background.
It’s dark humor, for sure, and the comedy only works because it’s true. Now more than ever.
On February 25, the Trump administration issued its latest guidelines on immigration
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Non-Citizens ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’ as Trump Pushes for National Registry...continued with the American Immigration Council.
That provision, the Alien Registration Act of 1940, passed on the cusp of WWII and the onset of the Cold War, targeted with a broad brush any non-citizen for suspected ties to communist or fascist groups. It cast a shadow of fear in immigrant communities across the country.
“This will force many people… to make a very hard choice between two options that carry serious risk,” Gupta explained. “Either register as required and be subject to removal, or don’t register to avoid mass deportation and then be subject to criminal prosecution.”
She added, “It leaves noncitizens between a rock and a hard place.”
Gupta spoke during a virtual press briefing hosted by the immigrant advocacy group America’s Voice looking at the latest steps taken by the Trump administration as it pursues its campaign of mass deportations. Under the new requirements, all individuals who entered the country without a visa— regardless of how long they have lived here—will be required to register and carry proof of that registration at all times.
Immigrant rights groups say the language of the current measure is a draft and that further amendments or changes could be
made. In the meantime, Gupta warns it will likely lead to cases of racial profiling.
“If you are a federal agent and asked to find people in violation of this requirement, you are being incentivized to profile,” she said. “And that will be targeted toward citizens, non-citizens with status and the undocumented.”
Carlos Guevara, senior director of policy at the Immigration Hub, described the measure as a “nationalization of the ‘Show Me Your Papers’ laws,” first passed in Arizona and Texas in 2010, authorizing law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of not being in the country legally.
While the ACLU and others sued to block implementation of the Arizona law, known as SB1070, arguing it violates the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure, the Supreme Court has largely left it and similar legislation untouched.
Any litigation around the current measure would come once the language is finalized and issued, explained Gupta, noting several organizations are already considering filing suit.
According to Guevara, children are increasingly vulnerable under these new regulations.
“Make Sense Out of It!”...continued
expect Him.” [Matthew 24:44]. You can ignore it, or even wish it away, but the day is coming. God destroyed the world once, and He will do it again. [Isaiah 24:1].
History repeats itself. The Old Testament tells a sad but true story about people who no longer loved God, and who had made up their minds that they would not obey Him anymore. The story begins in [Genesis 6:5], where the writer, Moses, said: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”. People were sinning against God more and more. Finally, God had had enough and announced that He was going to destroy the entire world! The Bible says: “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So, the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air”. [Genesis 6:7-13]. Don’t get it twisted! Destruction is inevitable.
The Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; He will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants. It will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as
for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. [Isaiah 24:1-3]. The Lord has spoken this word. Disaster! An unheard-of disaster is coming. I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you. I will not look on you with pity or spare you. The day is here! It has come! [Ezekiel 7:3-10].
Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth. [Jeremiah 25:31-33; Luke12:54-56; Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:10-26].
Even so, they continue as usual.
I set watchmen over you, saying; Listen to the sound of the trumpet! But they said, “We will not listen.” [Jeremiah 6:17]. Therefore, thus says the Lord; Behold, I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die, because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord. [Jeremiah 28:16]. Blow the ram's horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the Lord is coming; indeed, it is near. [Joel 2:1].
Tekiah! ──Shevarim! ── Teruah! ──Tekiah Gedolah! Hell awaits you!
continued on page 6 WITNESS FOR JUSTICE Issue #1245
Rev. ellie hutchison
enforcement, creating a national registry requiring the estimated 13 million undocumented immigrants now living in the country to register or face criminal prosecution.
“They are reanimating a provision of US immigration law that has been dormant for decades that requires certain groups of non-citizens to register with the government,” said Nayna Gupta, policy director
Buys T.D.s and Buys/Lends on Partial Interests
“Make Sense Out of It!”
By: Lou K Coleman
You know there is a God. You know there is Satan. You know there is Heaven, and you know there is Hell, but yet instill you continue as usual. Make sense out of it!
We are living in the end-times! You can see the chaos that is virtually enveloping this world. You can feel the upheaval that is coming upon this world, but yet instill you continue as usual. Make sense out of it!
Because the world, as we know it, is coming to an end; it is even at the door. [Matthew 24:23]. Even Hollywood knows this. They have been sounding the siren, “Nee-naw, Nee-naw” about the end of the world for years. Every movie they make relates to End Times. They’re not just making movies, they’re showing you the future before it happens. Hollywood isn’t just entertainment, it’s a weapon. Predictive programming is the way they prepare the masses for what’s coming. They hide the truth in plain sight so when it happens, you’re already desensitized. Think about it, 9/11 dozens of TV shows predicted it years before. The X-Files’ Spinoff, Predicted 9/11 Six Months Before Tragedy. The Pandemic? Countless films like Contagious and Outbreak showed the exact scenario long before 2020. Even the Al takeover: 2001: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951); A Space Odyssey (1968); Blade Runner (1982); Wargames (1983); The Terminator (1984); Robocop (1987); Judgment Day (1991]; The Matrix (1999); Bicentennial
Man (1999); A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001); I, Robot (2004); Tron: Legacy (2010); Ex Machina (2014); Morgan (2016). Not to mention Battleship, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Interstellar, Reign of Fire, War of the Worlds, Jerusalem Countdown, Left Behind, A Thief in The Night, The Beginning of the End, The Moment After, Image of the Beast, New World Order, The Mark, The Black Rider, The Rapture, The Prodigal, The Awakening; The Second Coming of Christ. The Omega Code.
I could go on and on, but the point is that these movies offers an intense look at the far-reaching consequences of biblical prophecy. But yet instead, you continue as usual. Make sense out of it! Wake your behind up!
People scoff at the idea that there will be an end to the world. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they'll mock, “So what's happened to the promise of Jesus Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything's going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing's changed.”
[2 Peter 3:4].
But Peter says: Guess what? There's a very good reason the end of the world hasn't happened yet, and it's not the reason you think. Get a clue, people! Just because the Lord hasn't come back yet, don't think for a minute that He won't! The Lord isn't being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent. [2 Peter 3:9]. So don’t get it twisted, this world, in all its fleeting glory, will come to an end. And make no mistake, that end is near. The Lord Himself has warned us, “The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not
i received two “Cs” in Seminary, one of which was for a class on the art of worship with Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes. The last thing Dr. Carvalhaes shared with me was, “while I know you understand the academic side of ritual, I wonder how much you are grasping the practice and meaning of ritual in the spiritual end, and… welcome to the journey.” That was in 2011. Since then, i’ve thought about the value and importance of ritual every day of my life if not multiple times a day, so much so that it has informed my own ministry work alongside womxn currently incarcerated in a prison in Arizona.
The Saturday after the most recent election here in the United States, the womxn inside the prison and i found ourselves delving deep into conversation around the results. They asked me how the “outside world” was handling the news. If i’m honest i shared that there were many in my own biological family that were elated and so many others in my chosen family who jumped into the deep end of fear and panic. While i don’t have permission from them to share exactly what we discussed, i can share that the conversation turned towards ritual and how we engage in it to try to understand our connection to the Divine and to one another when we know that there are so many who are suffering.
For those who may not be familiar with the carceral system, those who are held captive inside prisons, jails, detention centers, and so on deal with shifting levels of fascism every single day of their lives. And with this amount of violence, at some point one must turn to a practice in which to make sense of the world, to feel connected to the good, to the Holy, and to one another, for how else can we survive? One of the practices that we engage in inside the prison is the sharing of stories with the intention to cultivate a practice of deep listening and to plant the seeds of curiosity that lead to a deep commitment to empathy and collective healing. Now i know there are some, perhaps even my former professor, who might push back
on the idea of storytelling as ritual, but i’d like us to stop and think about all that seems to be missing in this world. For many it might be the changing climate, for others it might be the loss of stability and reasoning, for all of us it’s the impact of war. And for many in this ever changing world of American Christianity, it’s the loss of how we practice religion, whether it concerns who is or isn’t in the congregation, the “type of clergy” leading the church, the music played or even what physical space we are gathering in. And in those spaces, when was the last time you or we engaged in deep listening to learn more about why things are changing and how we are being impacted by the change? What could the power of storytelling do for you—to have someone listen to you to learn more about who you are and then for you to do the same in return? What can be healed through deep listening and learning?
As the Minister for Community and Congregational Engagement, i invite each of our houses of worship to begin to ask themselves the following questions: how different could our churches look internally and externally if we engaged in the practice of deep listening through storytelling? What if we cultivated a curiosity without expectations that leads towards empathy and collective healing— not so our churches “survive” but so WE can thrive? For isn’t this what our Bible is? A collection of shared stories that invite us to connect to the Divine and to one another… to dream what is possible? We are given examples throughout our Sacred text that teach us the power of story. What a gift it is to have those stories guide us so we aren’t figuring out how to do this thing called life alone. And so Beloveds, i invite you into the ritual practice of storytelling and to pay attention to what develops from being in community with one another and then to be open to the next steps of collective healing because we all deserve it. Again, if i were to be honest, we all need it more than ever right now. Tú eres mi otro yo, “you are the other me.”
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Gas prices are also likely to surge as Canada, the country’s largest crude oil supplier, is hit with tariffs. Low-income families, already struggling with inflation, will bear the brunt of these increases.
By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
Economic tariffs and government taxation or punative tariff trade policy or duties imposed on imports and exports by a government on imported or exported goods as Protectionism to raise national revenue
analyst, said. “This isn’t just about trade policy—it’s about survival for communities already fighting economic disparity.”
The auto industry, a major employer of African Americans, is also bracing for disruption. Tariffs could add up to $3,000 to vehicle costs, potentially leading to declining sales and job losses. “We’re looking at a repeat of what happened in 2018 when Trump’s first tariffs led to layoffs,” said Maurice Richardson, an autoworker in Michigan. “Except this time, it’s going to be worse.”
By Selen Ozturk
With Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) delays and plummeting applications, California is extending financial aid access for all students who need it.
The California Student Aid Commission reports a 25% fall in high school senior FAFSA applications — a decrease of 48,000 students — compared to February of last year.
jobs by then, children, spouses, and coming back to school is so difficult for working adults.”
In Riverside County, which serves over 420,000 K-12 students across 23 school districts, “we have one of the lower college educated adult populations in California … and a high volume of students that are first in their family to go to college,” Cifuentes explained.
Overall, FAFSA applications statewide have dropped by 14%, while California Dream Act (CADAA) applications have dropped 38%.
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Trump and his staff have repeatedly defined diversity and inclusion policies as “reverse” racist. The constant push against diversity has prompted companies and government entities to fire any individual related to diversity, equity or inclusion.
By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
Forty-two days into his second term, President Donald Trump and his Administration have made unprecedented decisions that have put thousands of federal workers in fear of losing their jobs.
“Tomorrow night will be big. I will tell it like it is,” Trump wrote in all capital letters on social media on Monday morning.
Trump and his staff have repeatedly defined diversity and inclusion policies as “reverse” racist. The constant push against diversity has prompted companies and government entities to fire any individual related to diversity, equity or inclusion.
An outstanding question is what the strategy should be to push back as the sixty two member Congressional Black Caucus, Chaired by New York Congresswoman Yvette Clarke served in a Congress where they find themselves in the minority.
Yesterday, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Democrats needed to have decorum during Trump’s Joint Speech to Congress tomorrow night.
“Are you expecting Democrats to put on some kind of a resistance show on Tuesday night?” asked Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.
“I hope they respect the decorum of the institution.
It’s really important,” Speaker Johnson responded.
The CBC has not announced a counter-programming plan
for Trump’s first joint address. But in past, State of the Union addresses have featured three kinds of protests. Those actions have included members avoiding the speech, members yelling at the President from the floor, and members wearing various attire in protest.
On March 2nd House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that the GOP has walked “away from the negotiating table” regarding budget talks that could lead to a government shutdown this month.
The tension right before President Trump’s first joint address to Congress sets up for a contentious State of the Union.
During a joint session of Congress in Sept. 2009, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) yelled out “you lie” at President Barack Obama, briefly interrupting the address.
After Trump’s Feb. 4, 2020 speech to Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood up and ripped Trump’s speech in half in her position behind the President at the podium.
In his first State of the Union address on January 30, 2018, President Donald Trump emphasized tax reforms and job creation. He also called for a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that never came to fruition. In 2018 he advocated for stricter immigration laws, proposing a
“For Black and brown people, who statistically spend the most as a percentage of wealth, the impact is going to be severe,” Calvin Boomer, a financial
Tariffs set to take effect Tuesday will impose a 25% levy on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% on Chinese goods. The Trump administration insists the move will protect American industries, but economists and civil rights leaders warn the fallout will be devastating for African Americans and other marginalized communities. Prices on everyday essentials are expected to rise sharply. The U.S. imports 63% of its vegetables and nearly half of its fruits and nuts from Mexico, making grocery costs an immediate concern. Gas prices are also likely to surge as Canada, the country’s largest crude oil supplier, is hit with tariffs. Low-income families, already struggling with inflation, will bear the brunt of these increases.
The NAACP has condemned the tariffs, warning that they will deepen racial economic disparities. Democratic lawmakers have also spoken out, calling the move reckless and out of touch with working-class struggles. “It’s already expensive to eat healthy where I live,” said Alicia Brown, a mother of two from Chicago’s South Side. “A gallon of milk is already $5. If they start charging more for fresh produce, people are going to have to make tough choices between food and rent.”
As GOP House Speaker Talks Decorum, Tension Builds Before Trump’s Address to Congress...continued
merit-based system.
This morning, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that he is launching a movement to flood members of Congress with calls speaking out against the decisions of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative
journalist and the owner of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and speaks on Crisis Comms on YouTube @ LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on twitter at @ LVBurke.
Non-Citizens ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’ as Trump Pushes for National Registry...continued from page 4
“We have six million American kids who live with an undocumented loved one,” he noted, adding the “climate of fear and uncertainty” is driving families to keep their kids home from school, the hospital, church, all places no longer seen as off limits to federal immigration agents.
Reporting out of San Diego recently noted the presence of ICE vehicles outside a local clinic, with health care providers attesting to a subsequent drop in the number of patients they are seeing.
Guevara said these moves are in sync with Trump’s broader “deportation agenda,” including a reduction in the number of immigration judges and a recently passed house bill that threatens to strip public funding for vital health care programs.
The goal is to make conditions such that migrants will opt to self deport, said David Leopold, former president and general counsel with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, an unlikely option for many, if not most migrants here.
“We are dealing with folks who have been here for decades. They’ve raised their families here. Self-deportation or just going back to a country you have no memory of, is not as easy as it sounds.”
An estimated 80% of undocumented immigrants in the US have lived here for 15 years or longer, data show.
Pointing to the economic harm Trump’s policies could inflict given the pivotal role immigrants play across a number of vital sectors, he adds, “This policy is about self-deporting our own economic advantages.”
The number of deportations during Trump’s first month in office are in fact lower than numbers seen during former President Joe Biden’s final months in office. But the panelists agreed the administration is actively taking steps to bolster infrastructure—including through the expansion of private detention centers—to house an expected increase in the number of migrants detained.
“The administration is trying to rapidly expand its infrastructure to carry through on its threat of mass deportation,” Gupta said. “They are asking congress for money to set this up, to expand detention capacity.”
With the new registry, the government can also now rely on federal prisons. “They can prosecute someone and put them in federal prison for 6 months before initiating a removal process.”
With that expansion into private prisons comes a loss of accountability, transparency, and access by legal aid providers, something Gupta said is already being seen in places like Maryland, where lawyers struggled to meet with clients detained for a prolonged period.
According to Leopold, when it comes to immigration, the media needs to help the public better distinguish fact from fiction, including the fact that being undocumented is not a criminal act warranting imprisonment but a civil violation.
“Pick any term you want from 1930s Germany and replace it with immigrant,” he said, describing the current atmosphere. He added, “It is going to get much worse than we see today… This is just the beginning.”
In response, the state has extended this year’s FAFSA and CADAA application deadline by 30 days, from March 3 to April 2. Around 55% of California students receive federal grants, close to the national rate of 56%.
While FAFSA problems aren’t new — rollout delays and technical glitches during last year’s cycle led to a 9% decline in applications as of August 2024 — many experts and students attribute much of this year’s decline to fears that undocumented students will have their information targeted for deportation.
The share of financial aidapplying students with at least one parent who’s undocumented has fallen 44% this February
“What we tell them is: Apply. See what happens. You have plenty of time to decide if you want to pursue post-secondary, but you only have this window to get the maximum aid available.”
“With two younger sisters to think about, it was a really tough decision to figure out whether college was even an option for me, and whether I was ever going to be able to make it,” said Keiry Saravia, a CSAC commissioner and a junior English teaching major at California State University, Northridge (CSUN).
“I’m a first-generation student born and raised in Los Angeles to two immigrant parents from El Salvador,” she continued. “I hope to go to law school after this and become an immigration and criminal lawyer … if I wasn’t able to get financial aid through a Cal Grant, I wouldn’t have even considered going to law school. I
compared to last, from about 30,000 Californians to 17,000.
“Things like eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, freezing federal funding and increasing immigration enforcement is leading many students to ask themselves whether it’s safe or even possible to apply for financial aid … with their future in question,” said Dr. Daisy Gonzales, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), at a Thursday, February 27 Ethnic Media Services briefing on the state deadline extension.
“While we can’t speculate on how the federal administration may use the information collected through FAFSA,” she continued, CADAA application information “is held by the state of California, and will only be used to determine eligibility for state and institutionbased financial aid.”
“I’m the daughter of immigrants, and grew up in foster care in LA County. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I weren’t able to access financial aid at the age of 17, go to community college and eventually transfer to a UC,” Gonzales added.
“Extending this deadline means extending hope and support like this in real time.”
For students needing help applying, CSAC — which administers public higher education state aid — has free online and in-person Cash for College workshops, and phone and email hotlines.
“The hit in financial aid applications we’re seeing right now is even worse than what we saw during a global pandemic,” said Catalina Cifuentes, CSAC chair and executive director of college and career readiness in the Riverside County Office of Education.
“At least during the pandemic, many of those students came back,” she continued. “I’m worried that by the time these students and families realize they could have gotten tuition and fees covered, It’s too late. They may have full time
would have been more committed to helping my family and ensuring that my sisters could go to college.”
“Right now, even here at CSUN, where a lot of us have already submitted our our FAFSA, we’re still getting a lot of misinformation about whether we’ll be eligible again, whether it’s even feasible, whether our information will be safe, because we’re a predominantly Hispanic community, and a lot of undocumented students are scared,” explained Saravia.
“But it just takes students continuing to push for help. More students need to know that they don’t have to stop after one application. They can keep applying until they’re eligible … because without these opportunities, many wouldn’t be in the positions that they’re in now, me included,” she added.
“We hear a lot these days about student debt, rising tuition, skepticism about the value of higher education,” said Shawn Brick, associate vice provost of student financial aid at the UC Office of the President. “We need to focus not just on return on investment, but the value in terms of understanding the options it gives you for the rest of your life, educationally and employmentwise.”
The UC system, which includes 10 campuses, has extended its own financial aid priority filing deadline to April 2, matching the state. In the 2022-2023 academic year, nearly 70% of UC undergraduates received financial aid and over 50% paid no tuition.
Over 75% of California State University undergraduates received aid; over 60% paid no tuition.
“Financial aid is about more than covering tuition. It can help students cover other costs while enrolled in school — that includes food, housing, transportation, books and supplies,” added Brick. “You can afford college. We’ll make sure that’s a reality.”
Thursday, March 6, 2025
By Stacy M. Brown
by Breanna Reeves
Overview: A coalition of organizations and advocates in Riverside County, California have launched a petition demanding accountability within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The petition calls for the creation of an independent community oversight committee, the appointment of an inspector general, and the separation of the coroner’s office from the sheriff’s department. The coalition includes the American Civil Liberties Union, League of United Latin American Citizens, and community members, and demands transparency and accountability measures, including an independent Inspector General’s Office and stronger accountability measures for sheriff-involved shootings and in-custody deaths.
A coalition of organizations and advocates in Riverside County have launched a petition to demand accountability within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The petition calls upon the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to create accountability measures for the department, including the implementation of an independent community oversight committee, appointing an inspector general and separating the coroner’s office from the sheriff’s department.
Chad Bianco is the Riverside County Sheriff, county coroner and public administrator. He was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
“There is an extremely small group of anti-law enforcement, pro-criminal activists, journalists, politicians, and residents who would like nothing more than to take political control over the Constitutionally elected Office of Sheriff. The Sheriff is elected by the popular vote of residents; in the case of Riverside County, the substantial majority of residents,” Bianco said in an emailed statement to Black Voice News.
Under Bianco’s tenure, in 2023, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights investigation into the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department as a result of allegations of civil rights violations against incarcerated people, excessive force
and the condition of jail facilities.
“The sheer number of people who unexpectedly died while in police custody in 2022 and 2023 was unheard of,” explained Vonya Quarles, co-founder of Starting Over, Inc., in an email. In 2022, 19 people died in police custody, with a majority of deaths occuring as a result of accidental overdoses or suicides, according to a Black Voice News investigation. Riverside County jails have the thirdhighest in-custody death rate of any large California county.
Lisa Matus’s son, Richard Matus Jr., died while in custody at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center on Aug. 11, 2022. His death was ruled an accidental drug overdose by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office. When Matus received her son’s autopsy report, she found that it was not consistent with an overdose. An investigation published by The Desert Sun revealed that the sheriff’s department had failed to report two in-custody deaths in 2022 within the given time frame, as required by law.
“An oversight committee needs to be able to come in and look at each and every one of the cases as incidents happen. [Incarcerated persons] have filed grievances when they have been assaulted and they are ignored and threatened,” Matus said via email.
“With no one believing the [incarcerated person] until videos come out, an oversight committee needs to be able to view these videos and hold them accountable.”
The petition launched as families who lost loved ones in custody continued to demand answers and who felt disrespected by the portrayal of their loved ones. The coalition includes the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Starting Over, Inc., Starting Over Strong and League of Women Voters Riverside, as well as community members and retired law enforcement.
“More people came to join the coalition…who believe that accountability is not only acceptable, it must be required to ensure against what we are seeing more and more from the Sheriff’s Department,” Quarles stated. “It is falling apart from within and it impacts all of us.”
“We call for immediate action to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice within the Riverside
Target Corporation’s stock plummeted by approximately $27.27 per share by the end of February, erasing about $12.4 billion in market value. The drop came on February 28, the designated economic blackout day, and coincided with mounting backlash over the retailer’s decision to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion
Petition Demands Accountability Within Riverside County Sheriff’s Department...continued
County Sheriff’s Department,” the petition reads. “The ongoing issues surrounding sheriff-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and the significant financial liability resulting from the lack of oversight have eroded public trust and demand urgent reforms.”
Bianco recently announced that he is running for California governor in the 2026 gubernatorial election despite his department being under investigation and his history of involvement with the Oath Keepers, an extremist group, in 2014 for one year while serving as a lieutenant in the department.
Running as a Republican candidate, Bianco recognized the challenge ahead as California has not elected a Republican governor since 2011. During his run for governor announcement, Bianco criticized the Democratic Party for their “same failed ideas and the same failed policies.”
“The opinion and position that the Office of Sheriff does not have oversight is wrong and blatantly dishonest,” Bianco stated in an email.
“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is completely transparent and currently has oversight from the county executive office, Board of Supervisors, District Attorney’s Office, Grand Jury, and the state Department of Justice.”
The Sheriff Accountability Coalition is demanding transparency from the sheriff’s department through the creation of an independent Inspector General’s Office with the power to conduct investigations into misconduct and use of force incidents. They are also demanding
Neither has been established in Riverside County.
According to the ACLU of Northern California, civilian oversight boards are necessary because “unchecked power of local sheriffs leads to a lack of accountability” and has led to “incustody deaths, a failure to discipline officers for misconduct, erosion of community trust, as well as a lack of transparency in sheriff budgets and operations.”
“Without accountability we are handing the Sheriff’s Office over one billion annually of our tax dollars.
This is about doing the right thing so that we are assured that this office is not investigating themselves or deciding if they want to follow the law or not, and are not feeding upon the political climate of the moment to terrorize and target vulnerable populations,” Quarles said via email.
“People should sign [the petition] to show they care about the community, and the end result will be a change to current practices both within the jail and in our communities.”
The sheriff department’s budget for fiscal year 2024/25 totals $1,092,643,425, according to the approved budget for Riverside County.
In 2023, dozens of organizations including the ACLU of Southern California, Starting Over Inc., Riverside All of Us or None and Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity submitted a letter to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, demanding greater oversight of Riverside County
(DEI) commitments. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has taken action through its Public Education and Selective Buying Campaign. NNPA
President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said, “Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they
are making their voices heard. If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”
Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, has led calls for a “40-Day Target Fast,” urging Black consumers to withhold their spending at the retailer. “Black people spend $12 million a day at Target,” Bryant said. “If we withhold our dollars, we can make a statement that cannot be ignored.”
The NAACP also issued a Black Consumer Advisory in response to Target’s DEI rollback, warning Black consumers about corporate retreat from diversity initiatives. The advisory urges them to support businesses that remain committed to investing in Black communities. Target is also facing legal battles. Shareholders have filed lawsuits challenging the company’s DEI policies, arguing that the commitments hurt financial performance. Meanwhile, conservative groups have sued over Target’s diversity efforts, claiming they discriminated against white employees and other groups.
“Consumers have the power to demand change, and Target is learning that lesson the hard way,” Chavis said.
• Come Join our Victorville Senior Citizens Club $50 per calendars year
• Bingo March 8th & 25th @ 11am, doors open 10:15am. Buy in $25. Bingo held on 2nd & 4h Saturday of each month.
• AARP Tax Preparation: March 5, on every Wednesday and no appointment, free
• Bunco: March 14 Friday 1pm-5pm, $12, Lite refreshment
• Inland Counties Legal Services : March 19, on the 3rd Wednesday of every other month. free By Appointment only 800-977-4257 or 951-3682551.
• Activities: chair & moderate exercise, card games, pool, line dancing & soul line dancing and community garden Meals on Wheel 11:30am-12:30 14874 S. Mojave Av, Victorville CA 92395, 760-245-5018
Older adults are at higher risk from flu and
your health and make this year your strongest yet!
the implementation of “stronger accountability measures” for sheriffinvolved shootings and in-custody deaths, as well as comprehensive data reporting.
In 2020, California passed Assembly Bill 1185 which allows counties to establish a sheriff oversight board to assist the board of supervisors with duties that relate to the sheriff. AB 1185 also allows counties to establish an office of the inspector general to assist the board of supervisors with duties that relate to the sheriff.
Sheriff’s Department. They hosted a rally just before the county board meeting where they spoke about the need for sheriff accountability.
Two years later, organizations continue to raise concerns about the sheriff’s department and demand transparency and accountability.
If the petition garners enough signatures, the coalition plans to demand the Riverside County Board of Supervisors act on implementing accountability measures for the department.
Schedule a vaccine appointment today! Call 1(833)422-4255 or Visit MyTurn.CA.GOV
