SBAmerican News Week Ending 3/6

by S.E. Williams

expressed no interest in running to fill the seat for a full term. (Photo courtesy of barbaraleeforca.com) Credit: Illustration by Chris Allen, BVN

Black women have been saving the Democratic Party. But, does the Democratic Party support Black women?

The answer seems obvious as Black women continue to be woefully underrepresented at the federal and state levels among elected officials and political candidates.

Politics is a cynical and dirty game where white guys with money, whether Democrat or Republican, continue to have the advantage.

Take the California Senate race for example. There are no less than 22 candidates competing and yet two white guys consider each other as the only real competition in the field—Democrat Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey.

As noted by BVN reporter, Breanna Reeves, in California Senate Race: Schiff, Porter Lead in Polls Ahead of Primary Elections, there are however, four candidates who have actually emerged as frontrunners. Beyond Schiff and Garvey, there are also Democratic House Representatives. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. Porter is ahead of Garvey by one percentage point in the polls for a tenuous second place, claiming 19% and 18% respectively in a recent poll, while Schiff is firmly leading with 24% and Lee, the only Black among those leading in the race, is a distant fourth, barely making double digits (10%) in the polls.

Schiff, after outspending his rivals last year, finished 2023, with $35M in cash on hand— reportedly more than all the other candidates combined. He is the obvious darling of Democratic Party leadership which makes it clear that although party bosses may talk a good line when in pursuit of Black women voters, the party can’t seem to put real support or money behind viable Black women candidates–even those eminently qualified like Lee and this, despite there not being a single elected Black woman in the U.S. Senate. Truth be told, Black women have remained a

rarity in the U.S. Senate, having a presence in the esteemed chamber only 11 of the 235 years since it first convened in 1789.

Despite the the Democratic Party’s awakening in recent years to the reality that Black women are the mainstay of its constituency, it still can’t help but use the same stale political double speech and disingenuous sleight of hand to try and have it both ways with Black women voters as if we are too dense to figure out the game.

“Black women ain’t bitter. They are just tired of being expected to settle for less.”

Issa Rae

Take for example Newsom’s new rule when it was time to appoint someone to replace Dianne Feinstein after she passed away last year. Yes, he kept his commitment to appoint a Black woman but he simultaneously deprived the most competitive Black woman vying for the position, Barbara Lee, the advantage of incumbency, by appointing another Black woman, Laphonza Butler, to the position who expressed no interest or intention of running for the position to serve a full term. He did this despite the fact that he had no reservations about giving Alex Padilla the incumbency advantage when Kamala Harris became Vice President just three short years ago. At that time, although he could have replaced the lone Black woman senator with another Black woman, he made a promise to do so in the future instead because in that moment, there was a greater need to secure his political bonafide with the Hispanic community. Certainly a Latino Senator from California was warranted and Padilla continues to do a good job.

So it begs the question regarding why he couldn’t muster the courage to do the same for a Black woman like Lee? The

answer is obvious–someone else was being groomed by party bosses for the position–Adam Schiff.

By appointing another Black woman as a “placeholder” Newsom was able to say he kept his promise even though he simultaneously disadvantaged the most competitive Black woman in the state who was sincerely interested and imminently qualified. Also, in the process, he made the way much easier for the choice of Democratic party leadership and key party donors—Schiff.

It was a move with little risk for the Democratic Party, a clear advantage for Schiff and little loss of credibility for Newsom. After all, the party is confident Black voters will vote the Democratic ticket regardless; and those who follow politics know Lee does not accept PAC or lobbyist money so there was little chance of her raising the top dollars needed to increase her name recognition–something Newsom’s appointment could have assisted with and in doing so, possibly helped to level the playing field for her.

Lee has more than 34 years experience in the political arena—26 years in the U.S. House of Representative, co-chairs the House Policy and Steering Committee and has a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Before Newsom’s sleight of hand, Lee was considered a top choice for the Senate from the moment Newsom made his pledge to appoint a Black woman were Feinstein unable to complete her term.

One thing we know for sure, Lee has shown herself to be more courageous than what Newsom proved to be when he was under pressure to make the appointment to replace Feinstein despite his promise.

Lee showed her political courage in the wake of 911, when she stood as the lone member

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How Community Votes Make Political Change

As the U.S. electorate grows more diverse, mobilizing historically marginalized voters is more politically decisive than ever this election year.

By Selen Ozturk

As the U.S. electorate grows more diverse, mobilizing historically marginalized voters is more politically decisive than ever this election year.

At a Friday, February 23 Ethnic Media Services briefing, voter engagement experts discussed how organizing community voters can make political change.

What community votes can win

“If we’re going to affect social change, it has to be through the people that are most affected by it to begin with,” said Ernie Serrano, Integrated Voter Engagement Organizer with Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE).

SCOPE first formed to mobilize South Los Angeles communities after the Rodney King riots in 1992, Serrano explained, “because the powers in our communities weren’t investing in us. There was heavy redlining, policing,” failed responses to the crack epidemic

and corporate and environmental exploitation. “We wanted to have a say in how our elected leaders were governing us.”

Ernie Serrano, Integrated Voter Engagement Organizer with Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE) in South Los Angeles, shares the success of his organizations efforts to have toxic oil wells shutdown in Inglewood, CA. Because communities of color are often disenfranchised, he continued, many members are not as politically informed, and so “the grassroot effort to have a voice at the table requires telling our community why it’s important to vote, showing what it can win.”

One major recent victory by SCOPE involved the 2022 election of LA Mayor Karen Bass, who gave up her congressional seat to run a grassroots campaign against billionaire Rick Caruso.

“So, you have a grassroots leader, with only $10 million in budget, against someone who spent $109 million dollars with big business support … recreating her through ads to the point that people thought she was an entirely different person than who she was,” Serrano said. “These are odds that, historically, people don’t beat, and we won.”

How was it possible?

“Because he didn’t have a concept of what it meant to reach the demographic that he needed to reach in order to gain the seat,” explained Serrano. “If he was really interested in bettering conditions in LA like homelessness and environmental issues, he would have invested

Intriguing Insights: Joy-Ann Reid Explores Medgar and Myrlie Evers’ Love Story and Impact on Civil Rights

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Regarding the relationship between Medgar and Myrlie, Reid emphasized, “They were an intellectual romance before they were a physical romance.” She highlighted the challenges they faced but underscored the strength of their marriage, stating, “They stuck through it because, in the end, Merle Evers admired her husband. She admired his manliness, determination, and love for his people.”

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In an interview with the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Let It Be Known morning show, Joy-Ann Reid delved into the intricacies of her latest book, “Medgar and Myrlie Evers and the Love Story that Awakened America,” which sheds light on the enduring love between civil rights activists Medgar and Myrlie Evers and their profound impact on the civil rights movement. The conversation revolved around themes of courage and conviction and standing up for justice and displaying bravery in the face of adversity. Reid, one of the most influential and outspoken voices in all of news, also touched on several issues including the book.

“What inspired me to do this piece was Myrlie Evers-Williams herself,” Reid recalled. “Just meeting her in person for the first time in 2018 and hearing her talk about her late husband had been almost six decades, but she still spoke about him with this incredible and deep love.” The 352-page book relives Medgar Evers’s central role in pivotal civil rights events, such as the

Civil Rights Act and the March on Washington. “What I learned in doing the research for the book is just how central Medgar Evers was to the whole story, to all the stories that we know more about, to the Civil Rights Act,” she explained.

Regarding the relationship between Medgar and Myrlie, Reid emphasized, “They were an intellectual romance before they were a physical romance.” She highlighted the challenges they faced but underscored the strength of their marriage, stating, “They stuck through it because, in the end, Merle Evers admired her husband. She admired his manliness, determination, and love for his people.” Reid praised individuals like Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush, and the two Tennessee state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. “In the face of a lot of cowardice, you do have a lot of really strong, really powerful voices of courage,” Reid asserted.

Regarding South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, Reid criticized his alignment with the

twice-impeached and four-times indicted former President Donald Trump, expressing bewilderment at Scott’s decision to associate with someone who “wants to tear down democracy.” She blasted Scott’s choice to quote Fannie Lou Hamer in support of Trump, calling it “madness.” “This man had the nerve to quote Fannie Lou Hamer, who I also researched for this book. Fannie Lou Hamer, who quoted ‘First Class Citizenship,’ which was Medgar’s line when she went to the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City and tore it up so much that Lyndon Johnson said, get this woman off the TV because her voice was so powerful as she demanded what Medgar Evers wanted,” Reid stated, tearing into Scott. “She was in prison. When he was in jail, I should say, when he died. And she lamented that, and she carried forth this anger of Black folks, this demand, this righteous demand for the right to vote and the right to live dignified lives.

“For him to quote that woman, that great Black woman, that

icon, and do that in favor of Donald Trump, someone who wants to tear down democracy, who says he would unleash police on Black people and take away any limitations to the violence they could in part upon our bodies, for him to use that, it’s madness to me. I see very wealthy hip-hop artists after Donald Trump is found liable for sexual assault and fined millions for defamation, then they decide, now it’s time to marry my brand to Donald Trump. I don’t understand that. I don’t understand anybody Black who, knowing all we now know, those of us who lived in New York, knew who Donald Trump was; we knew what he was. We knew the Central Park Five is the Exonerated Five, so we knew that story. I was a teenager when that happened, so I never saw Donald Trump as anything other than a bigot and a madman.”

Reid also revealed a surprising aspect of her research, emphasizing the close relationship and sisterhood bond among Dr. Betty Shabazz, Coretta Scott King, and Merle Evers-Williams. She described it as “the group chat before we had group chats” and highlighted the joyfulness with which Merle Evers-Williams shared the story of her friends. As the conversation encapsulated the profound love story of Medgar and Myrlie Evers and its impact on American history, Reid concluded her thoughts with a powerful message: “They had no money. They had no power. What they had was conviction and love, love for each other, love for their people, love for their family, and even love for their state in this country. And that’s all the armor that they needed.”

Pres. Biden Cancels $1.2 Billion in Student Debt; Action Benefits More Than 150,000 Loan Borrowers

Lila Brown | California Black Media

Joe Biden announces student debt relief in Los Angeles during a campaign stop on his tour of California from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22. Photo captured by Lila Brown for California Black Media.

On Feb. 21, President Joe Biden announced the cancellation of $1.2 billion in student debt for almost 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan.

Biden shared the news during a campaign stop while on a tour of California. From Feb. 20 to Feb. 22, the President visited Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Los Altos Hills.

“There were existing programs in the law for fixing and adjusting the programs. We had to change them to make people eligible.

And that's what I've done,” Biden said, speaking at the Julian Dixon Library in Culver City.

After the President referenced the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down his administration’s original debt relief plan, Biden summed up some of the benefits of his executive action.

“It helps everyone, not just the people whose debt is relieved, but

when people in student debt are relieved, they buy homes, they start businesses, they contribute, they engage in the community in ways they weren't able to before. It actually grows the economy,” he said. The Biden-Harris Administration first introduced the SAVE plan with the belief that education beyond high school should unlock doors to opportunity, not burden borrowers with unmanageable debt.

Biden expressed gratitude for being able to make progress as he promised to borrowers and thanked Culver City Mayor Yasmine Imani-McMorrin for her support in helping to roll out the plan.

So far, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 3.9 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive

actions. The borrowers receiving relief are the first to benefit from a SAVE plan policy that provides debt forgiveness to borrowers who have been in repayment after as little as 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in student loans.

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, students, particularly those from less-advantaged backgrounds, have had to rely on substantial student loans to finance their education.

Similarly, college graduates who are the first in their family to go to college are more likely

Pres. Biden Cancels $1.2 Billion in Student Debt; Action Benefits More Than 150,000 Loan Borrowers...continued

economy is good. Our economy is stronger than ever, but that is hard to notice when you’re in the quicksand of student loan debt,” said Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), who spoke at the press conference.

Other elected officials attending the news briefing included Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Mayor McMorrin, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.

“Black college graduates have, on average, $25,000 more in student debt than white college graduates,” Kamlager-Dove added. “This is evidence of something we all already knew: that the cost of success is higher if you’re Black. Combating this disparity must be part of the conversations we have around student debt, just like it is around wealth creation. And President Biden gets it.” The Biden-Harris Administration introduced the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan in August 2023. This new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, like its predecessor, is voluntary and bases monthly student loan payments on the borrower’s earnings. However, the new formula includes adjustments such as (but not limited to) shielding more income from being used to calculate student loan payments and waiving unpaid interest at the end of each month to lower monthly payments.

As the full SAVE regulations go into effect on July 1, 2024, the Department of Education has implemented three key benefits starting with the amount of income protected from payments on the SAVE plan which has risen to 225% of the Federal poverty guidelines (FPL). Next, the Department has stopped

charging any monthly interest not covered by the borrower’s payment; and finally, married borrowers who file their taxes separately are no longer required to include their spouse’s income in their payment calculation for SAVE.

“Addressing student loan debt should be thought of as a job’s initiative, said Bass, who hosted Biden at CJ’s Cafe in Baldwin Hills before the announcement.

“This should be thought of as a housing initiative. This should be thought of as an economic motivator for young people throughout the country. Student loan debt cripples our workforce – especially when it comes to addressing homelessness. We need more social workers, more mental health specialists, and more service providers.”

During his remarks, President Biden thanked Mayor Bass for her partnership and friendship.

While introducing the President, Dr. Jessica Saint Paul, a Physician Assistant, and public health practitioner spoke about the importance of receiving student debt relief. She said her loans ballooned from $90,000 to $145,000 even though she was making monthly payments.

Dr. Saint Paul, a Haitian immigrant, said the inability to repay back loans delayed her plans to start a family but after her debt had been forgiven, she was able to follow through on her dreams. Now, the proud mother to a baby daughter, she currently works as an adjunct professor at the Los Angeles Community College District.

“I'm proud to have been able to give borrowers like so many of you the relief you earned. I'm never going to stop fighting for hardworking American families. If you qualify, you'll be hearing from me shortly,” the President concluded. “It's about your dignity. It's about opportunity.”

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Coalition of Teachers, Elected Leaders, and Allies to Announce Landmark Legislation for Paid Pregnancy Leave for School Employees

Press Conference at the State Capitol for Assembly Bill 2901, the Pregnancy Leave for Educators Act

SACRAMENTO—On

Monday, February 26, 2024, at 11 a.m., State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined educators and members of the California Teachers Association on the west steps of the California State Capitol to announce historic legislation—the Pregnancy Leave for Educators Act. The legislation was authored by Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Davis) and co-authored by members of the Legislative Women’s Caucus,

including Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly members Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), Liz Ortega (D-Hayward), Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-La Palma), and Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita). Thurmond and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma are cosponsoring the legislation.

Assembly Bill 2901, the Pregnancy Leave for Educators Act, will fix a broken system for public school educators who

to incur debt to complete their degree than their peers. Over the past 40 years, college tuition has significantly outpaced many families’ incomes.

Early in his administration, Biden pledged to reform the student loan system and make sure higher education would be a pathway to the middle class.

“This is what the American dream is all about, and this is exactly what the President is advocating for. When people are financially insecure, they are unable to feel when the

Joy-Ann Reid

President

Courtesy photo: Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove center, left Mayor Yasmine Imani-McMorrin, Culver City, and to the right Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles.

In a recent meeting to fortify the strength of Black leadership with the power of the Black Press of America(NNPA) to identify the roles we play to engage the success of all concerned. Members of the NNPA met with U.S. Senator for California, Laphonza Butler .Pictured(L-r):

NNPA President/CEO Dr. Ben Chavis, Jr.; Nicole Williams, Vice President, LA Sentinel; Brandi Bakewell, Executive Vice President, LA Sentinel; Cora Jackson-Fossett, Editor LA Sentinel; Chairman Danny Bakewell, LA Sentinel; U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler; Robert ’Bob’ Bogel, Publisher Philadelphia Tribune; Chairman of NNPA, Bobby R. Henry, Sr.; Terri Sanders, Publisher Omaha Star News; Pamela Bakewell, Chief Advisor to the Chairman, LA Sentinel; Tamela Mitchell, Executive Assistant to the Chairman, LA Sentinel; and Jackie Hampton, Publisher Mississippi Link.

February 24, 2024

The Honorable Laphonza Butler United States Senator 112 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Via Email:

Dear Senator Butler:

Meeting with Senator Butler and thank you letter need help accessing funding from government agencies and corporations that benefit directly and indirectly from our communities. This is an ask for reciprocity that is mutually beneficial. Let us help reach those that are not tuned into politics on a day-to-day basis; that need to know the progress that has been made toward issues affecting their lives; and can be motivated to act in their best interest.

It was a pleasure meeting you and we, the members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) – The Black Press of America, are grateful we have a supporter in you. It was truly uplifting to know there are those in leadership that genuinely respect, understand, and believe in the role the Black Press. Again, given the proper financial support, I reiterate that the publishers of the NNPA stand ready to reach our constituents with every available media apparatus. These include, but are not limited to print, digital, social media – and yes, personto-person contact.

We recognize this election will be a game of inches and we are prepared to support the ground game in our communities.

We are the trusted voice. We

Yours In the Struggle, Bobby R. Henry, Sr., NNPA Chairman

According to data from the Learning Policy Institute, 37.1 percent of schools in our state with teaching vacancies found it very difficult to fill the vacancy or could not fill the vacancy. And there is the issue of diversity: California has nearly 268,000 teachers, and only 35.6 percent of

teachers in this state are teachers of color—while students of color make up about three-quarters of California’s student population. More information about AB 2901, the Pregnancy Leave for Educators Act, is available on the California Legislative Information web page.

OP-ED: An Agenda for Black America 2024

NNPA NEWSWIRE — An effective strategy to overcome poverty in Black America is to increase homeownership and prevent racial hypersegregation. President Biden has pursued some regulatory actions to address housing discrimination, but improving access to homeownership will require greater efforts to reduce inflation so Black Americans can save and get out from under the burden of high interest rates.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr

By: Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

President Joe Biden will make his State of the Union address on March 7. As a veteran civil rights leader committed to improving public safety and unlocking economic prosperity in our communities, there are a few policies I hope the president will address.

There also is one I hope he will leave — permanently — on the cutting room floor.

Katherine Johnson And John Glenn A Dynamic Duo Forever Linked in History – February 20, 1962

Once again, thank you. We look forward to hearing from you as we proceed in the spirit of TEAMM (Together each Accomplishes Much More).

A special thank you to our Publisher, Danny Bakewell of the Los Angeles Sentinel. He opened the door for this conversation, and we are appreciative.

C: Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., President, and CEO, NNPA Executive Committee and Members of the NNPA

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Coalition of Teachers, Elected Leaders, and Allies to Announce Landmark Legislation for Paid Pregnancy Leave for School Employees

...continued from page 2

go without any paid disability leave related to pregnancy. In California—the fifth largest economy in the world—one of the largest (and predominantly female) workforces in the state is excluded from pregnancy disability leave. This longstanding practice disproportionately discriminates against women educators who are forced to deplete their leave balances to have children. On average, women earn almost $100,000 less in retirement than their male colleagues. This legislation will help address this massive gap in retirement for women educators and help retain educators during a historic educator shortage.

“Teachers must be able to afford to stay in the profession and start a family. By providing paid pregnancy leave for California’s teachers, we will take an important step toward achieving gender equity in teacher pay, and we will also make critical strides toward retaining great teachers to address the staffing crisis in California’s classrooms,” Thurmond said. “The legislation that we announced today is an excellent step in providing

greater support for our teachers and educators and, ultimately, the students of California.”

“As a new mom, physically recovering from pregnancy and birth while also caring for a newborn, it is unfathomable that most of us must consider whether or not we are going to get paid,” said Erika Jones, a kindergarten teacher and the Secretary-Treasurer of the California Teachers Association.

“Educators devote their lives to their students. Yet, when it comes to their own families, they have to constantly sacrifice because of the lack of basic supports such as paid pregnancy leave. In a field that is primarily women, we need to do better. This bill will bring California into alignment with a worldwide, fundamental standard for reproductive rights in countries across the globe. The predominantly female workforce of our public schools deserves no less. This historic legislation will help build a stronger, better, public school system that benefits all Californians. Educators urge the Legislature to pass this important and longoverdue measure.”

(Washington, DC, February 18, 2024) – “Get the girl to check the numbers.” If she says the numbers are good, astronaut John Glenn told them, I’m ready to go! This year (February 20, 2024) marks the 62nd Anniversary when America became the first nation to launch a human being to orbit the Earth, not only once, but three times! The “girl” John Glenn was referring to was Katherine Johnson, the brilliant African American mathematician, NASA Legend, and Woman of the 20th Century!

John Glenn put his life in the hands of her mind instead of NASA’ electronic computers for those crucial calculations that would propel him into orbit and bring him home safely.

As we remember and honor Katherine Johnson (8/26/1918 – 2/24/2020) and John Glenn (7/18/1921 – 12/8/2016) on this special anniversary, we must remind ourselves that this was a time during the 1950s and 1960s when our nation, and indeed the world, were caught up in an exceedingly dangerous Space Race during the Cold War with the then #1 World Power, the Soviet Union (now Russia). It was a time when the Soviet’s Premier, Nikita Khrushchev, threatened to “bury” America. A time when the threat of nuclear annihilation through an Atomic War was very real! Those of us who lived through that time remember the U.S. civil defense response of vivid “duck and cover” drills in schools, the

warning sirens that rang out at any time during Air- Raid Drills to seek cover in “fallout shelters” that were built underground throughout the country in the event of a nuclear attack. The success of John Glenn’s orbiting mission was the most important stage in fulfilling President John F. Kennedy’s emotional charge that America must land a man on the moon and return him safely to secure America’s ultimate victory in the Space Race with the Soviet Union and perhaps avoiding World War III.

Katherine Johnson’s mathematical genius was so crucial in helping the United States win that Space Race. At NASA, Johnson’s unprecedented mathematical calculations of orbital mechanics, calculating trajectories, were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S.-crewed spaceflights, from the U.S. first man in space Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 mission in 1961, to John Glenn’s orbits in 1962, to the calculation of the trajectory for the historic first successful crewed 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing and subsequent Apollo missions, to the Space Shuttle program and to the Earth Resources Satellite. Even after her passing during Black History Month in 2020, Katherine Johnson’s work is still used to further the success of space exploration to this day!

It is only fitting that Katherine Johnson is among the honorees to be inducted posthumously into the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Pioneer Hall of Fame for the Class of 2024 on March 23, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. The WAI was established in 1992 to honor women who have made significant contributions as record-setters, pioneers, or innovators. With over 17,000 members worldwide, WAI is the largest organization in the world dedicated to increasing the number of women working in all areas of aviation and aerospace.

Katherine Johnson will finally take her well-deserved place among the honorees of 2024!

as likely to experience the use of force in interactions with law enforcement than those without mental illnesses. Calling 911 when a person is having a manic episode should not be a matter of life and death, but, too often, it is.

Instead of issuing regulations that will require law enforcement to tackle yet another public health matter, President Biden should make it clear how he intends to help communities take the burden for nonviolent public safety matters off law enforcement’s shoulders. Enhancing funding for substance abuse, mental health, and housing counselors, for example, will keep more people out of jail and prevent police violence.

That policy is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed prohibition on the sale of menthol cigarettes. Local law enforcement would oversee executing this ban and because Black Americans who smoke are more likely to choose menthol cigarettes, the Biden administration’s proposed rule will result in more, potentially violent encounters between cops and people of color.

In other words: the FDA’s proposal runs directly counter to President Biden’s attempts to address crime and reform law enforcement practices to better protect Black Americans and other communities of color. Crime is rising especially in many urban centers. The proposed FDA rule change will lead to underground and illicit transactions that will only contribute to more crime and more negative interactions between law enforcement and communities of color.

We cannot leave our communities unprotected. At the same time, I recognize that Black and Brown individuals account for 68.7% of the people in prison and 44% of the people killed by police in the United States. To reduce these numbers, we need to change the culture and premise of policing.

It is estimated that, in several cities, less than 5% of an officer’s time is spent fighting violent crime. Police are still expected to respond to 911 calls, even if these calls have nothing to do with a crime. That requirement is part of the problem. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, people with mental illness are more than 10 times

To further improve outcomes for people of color, President Biden should issue a bold plan to increase Black homeownership. Last year, the National Association of Realtors reported that while 72.7% of white Americans own their own homes, only 44% of Black Americans do. Black homeownership has only increased 0.4% in the past decade.

An effective strategy to overcome poverty in Black America is to increase homeownership and prevent racial hypersegregation. President Biden has pursued some regulatory actions to address housing discrimination, but improving access to homeownership will require greater efforts to reduce inflation so Black Americans can save and get out from under the burden of high interest rates.

Finally, President Biden should continue to request additional federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The gap in funding between predominantly white institutions and HBCUs is not the result of smaller endowments. It is the result of systemic underfunding by state lawmakers. According to an Inside Higher Ed report, the country’s historically Black land-grant universities have been underfunded by their states by a total of $13 billion. HBCUs are a springboard toward success. They constitute only 3% of fouryear U.S. colleges, but their graduates account for 80% of all Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers, and 50% of Black doctors.

National polls indicate African Americans do not want their votes to be taken for granted in 2024. President Biden now has a strategic opportunity to engender trust, promote more inclusive public policies, and commit to helping our communities improve the quality of life.

Black History Month News

Katherine Johnson (8/26/1918 – 2/24/2020)

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Joins Coalition of Teachers, Elected Leaders, and Allies to Announce Landmark Legislation for Paid Pregnancy Leave for School Employees ...continued

OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood to Host Community Wellness Event Featuring Celebrity Guests and Hip Hop Legend, Freeway to Close Black History Month and Kickoff National Kidney Month

State/Health News

(Black PR Wire) LOS

ANGELES--(BUSINESS

Connecting the Dots: Hip Hop & Health Will Take Place at SLiC Studios in Los Angeles, Bringing this Important Topic Front and Center with Local Communities of Color for the SLiC ecosystem of creators, entrepreneurs and influencers. The media brand under the SLiC umbrella, Black Hollywood Live, will cover the event, amplifying the culture and narrative of the impactful initiative on all available social and streaming platforms. BHL is a premier content network providing media coverage for all things at SLiC Studios.

WIRE)-- With the purpose of highlighting the importance of saying “YES” to organ, eye and tissue donation, OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood is hosting a special event on Saturday, March 2nd, titled Connecting the Dots: Hip Hop & Health, with the goal of sharing the power of music and entertainment with the critical message of health advocacy and organ donation and transplantation among communities of color. The starstudded community event will feature Hip Hop legend and kidney transplant recipient, Leslie Pridgen, as well as celebrity TV and radio host, Nicole Richardson, better known as Nikki Rich and writer, comedian, and filmmaker, J. Snow. Sports, Lifestyle in Culture (SLiC) is an official partner of the event. In addition to the OTT platform, studio production capabilities, and marketing agency, the company has a creative studio in the heart of West Adams that serves as the flagship location

Connecting the Dots: Hip Hop & Health will mark the beginning of National Kidney Month and the closure of Black History Month, a time to celebrate the legacy of African Americans and their contributions to the advancement of human civilization, with the goal of raising awareness about health issues that affect African American communities in the U.S. The event will include the participation of the following:

• Leslie Pridgen, better known as Freeway, who will share his experience with kidney failure and his pride as a donor father to his son, Jihad Pridgen, who saved four lives as an organ donor after

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City Of Rancho Palos Verdes Continues To Work With County And State Partners On Recovery Efforts

State/Lifestyle News

On February 20, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes City Council requested the Governor consider proclaiming a State of Emergency to suspend and waive state permitting requirements to allow the City to immediately begin work on landslide stabilization measures. The City Council’s request included requesting the President declare a federal disaster to deploy FEMA resources.

The recent storms in Los Angeles County have brought widespread impacts countywide, in particular to the land movement occurring in Rancho Palos Verdes. The City, County and State have been maintaining a close watch with safety being the top priority. Ensuring coordination and collaboration at all levels of government is vital to the response and recovery efforts after any disaster and all community members across L.A. County should have the confidence that all levels of government and non-governmental partners are working together collectively.

Identifying the necessary response and recovery activities is a critical step in setting a solid roadmap for how our community members, jurisdictions and County get back to normal after any disaster. On February 4, 2024, prior to the start of the February rainstorms, the Governor proclaimed a State of Emergency, and the County proclaimed a local emergency. These proclamations are applicable to portions of the County that may have

Brightline West Announces Updates To Field Investigation Work In Southern California And Nevada

State/Lifestyle News

experienced loss or damage from mudslides, flooding, land movement or debris flows.

For weeks, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management has been working closely with partners from all levels of government to collect critical data to support the need for state and federal assistance to local jurisdictions. These efforts will continue as we work through the established processes that apply to all disasters.

While both the City of Rancho Palos Verdes and County work through response and recovery processes, the California Office of Emergency Services has determined that the City is able to utilize the current February 4 State of Emergency to implement immediate emergency measures to help reduce further damage to the landslide area, including: The installation of additional drainage systems and wells to extract groundwater and Other measures that would prevent surface water from adding to the saturation.

The road to recovery is not always fast or easy. However, impacted community members should feel secure in knowing all agencies are continually working together to advocate for the necessary assistance communities need to get the critical support and resources available.

For up-to-date information on the recent storms and land movement, please visit the City’s website at RPVca. gov/Storm and RPVca.gov/ LandMovement.

Fearlessness.

This is what it takes to take on Alzheimer’s.

It’s not easy to accept that memory loss that disrupts daily life could be a sign of Alzheimer’s. Or that nearly two-thirds of people diagnosed are women, including Black women.

But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk, like monitoring Type 2 diabetes and lowering blood pressure.

Because you have what it takes to take on Alzheimer’s.

Talk to your health care provider about signs, screening and early detection.

LAS VEGAS (February 26, 2024) – Brightline West announces updates to field investigation work in Southern California and Nevada within the proposed rail corridor within Interstate 15 right-of-way. Field work began in January to advance final stages of design in preparation for a groundbreaking. Brightline West will connect Las Vegas and Southern California with America’s first true highspeed rail system.

Field investigation work includes geotechnical borings and samplings, utility potholing and land surveying. Work will take place primarily during daytime hours, with some work at night to minimize disruption to traffic. In some instances, short term closures of freeway shoulders will be required. All work will be done in compliance with applicable environmental regulations and in coordination with Caltrans and the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Updated project areas are listed below. Motorists should proceed with extra caution through work zones and adhere to posted detour signs, speed limits and other signage.

California I-15 from Bailey Road to South of Ghost Town Road Daytime borings in the center median and exterior shoulders from Monday, February 26 to Friday, March 1, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way flagging operations on Bailey Road from Monday, February 26 to Wednesday, February 28, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I-15 from Ghost Town Road to Bear Valley Road Daytime borings in the center

median and exterior shoulders from Monday, February 26 to Friday, March 1, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Night closures on the I-15 both directions in Hesperia, from Monday, February 26 to Friday, March 1, 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

I-15 from Oak Hill Road to Arrow Route Daytime borings south of Arrow Route on shoulders of the flood control basin, shoulder, and center median borings at the I-15/I-215 Devore Interchange and the Cajon Pass, from Monday, February 26 to Friday, March 1, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Night closures are planned on the I-15 Foothill southbound onramp for shoulder borings, from Sunday, February 25 to Thursday, February 29, 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Nevada

I-15 median north of Jean, Nevada (milepost 13-21)

Continuous geotechnical boring work through Thursday, March 14, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I-15 median north of Primm, Nevada (milepost 1-13)

Continuous geotechnical boring work through Friday, March 1, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Northbound I-15 from St. Rose to Blue Diamond Rd. (milepost 28-34), Las Vegas

Geotechnical boring work at St. Rose Parkway interchange offramp and median through Friday, March 1, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Note: Dates and times are subject to change. These operations are weather dependent.

New Podcast Features Angela Davis & Black Changemakers Ending Domestic Violence In California

LET’S END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: HEAL, RESTORE, PREVENT, is a new limited podcast series featuring conversations with today’s leading domestic violence prevention experts about how we can break the cycle and end domestic violence in California.

SACRAMENTO, CA – This

Black History Month, Blue Shield of California Foundation is presenting the limited series podcast Let’s End Domestic Violence: Heal, Restore, Prevent, which spotlights Black leaders in California who are working to end domestic violence and create a safer future for Black families and communities. The podcast series celebrates Black trailblazers who all share a common goal to end domestic violence in California including

Karen Earl, Executive Director of the Jenesse Center; Dr. Teiahsha Bankhead, Executive Director of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth; Kelli Dillon, Genderbased Violence Prevention Program Analyst with the City of Oakland; and Sonya Young Aadam, CEO of the California Black Women’s Health Project.

In Episode 4, “Elevating Solutions and Impacts in the Black Community,” Trina Greene, founder and Executive Director of Parenting for

Liberation, spoke to the hope that youth provide in the fight to change systems that perpetuate all forms of violence.

"The children are our future, but not in the cliche way. What I admire about young people is that they still have curiosity, they still have a radical imagination. And I feel like trauma, racism, white supremacy, all the things — all the -isms — it strips us from that as adults. We don't believe things

continued on page 8

Keeping it Real: For Representative Barbara Lee, the CA Senate Race Ain’t No Crystal Stair...continued from page 1

of the U.S. House and Senate combined to vote against former President George W. Bush’s foray into Iraq and Afghanistan. She was rewarded for her courage with death threats and calls of “traitor”. Through it all, she held true to what she called the central theme of our democracy. She defined it as “[T]he requirement to offer a different point of view if we think that the mainstream point of view is not what’s gonna keep us safe and secure.”

She stood on the point of righteousness and more than two decades later, most agree that she, alone among her peers, made the correct call.

The day she cast her vote she declared how she relied on, “My moral compass, my conscience, and my gut for direction,” something we certainly need more of in today’s political arena where political expediency too often takes precedence over everything else–including morality.

Even now, as most Democrats are dancing around the atrocities

of Israel in Gaza and President Joe Biden has tied himself to Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, who, not unlike former U.S. President Donald Trump, is facing serious criminal charges including fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving media moguls and wealthy associates, Lee has called for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Although she affirms Israel deserves to be secure, she expressed her belief that America needs to “prioritize our investments into preventing wars and into development and diplomacy and humanitarian [support]…” while affirming the military solution will always be there.

A real concern continues to exist among many Black women, that we are not being heard, that we cast our votes, but are not represented, that promises are made, and then indiscriminately broken.

There is no guarantee that Lee would have won this year’s primary and if she prevailed

there was no certainty she would be elected in November.

But, what she deserved was the same opportunity that has been afforded to other political players in years passed. She deserved for Newsom to keep his promise–fairly. She deserved a chance to run as an incumbent.

After 34 years of loyalty to the Democratic Party, she deserved their loyalty in return.

Instead, what she got, what Black women voters got, was a reminder that no matter how many votes Black women cast, we remain part of a caste system where the political rules of the game are different for us. This too must change. Is Newsom and the state Democratic party ready to enshrine it into law that no competitive candidate in the future will ever be appointed to complete an unfinished term of office so that no one in the future will ever again have the advantage of incumbency? I doubt it.

Of course this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real.

Health Equity Campaign Highlights Resources for Black Mothers

RIVERSIDE, CA – Riverside

University Health System –Public Health (RUHS-PH) launched a maternal health equity campaign, Rallying Around Sisters: Redefining & Strengthening the Village, to address high mortality among pregnant Black women and their infants.

The campaign aims to increase awareness of free, local assistance such as prenatal education, doula services, breastfeeding support and positive parenting classes for fathers.

“It is imperative that we address disparities in birth outcomes for Black women and their families,” said Stephanie Bryant, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Director for RUHS-PH. “Riverside County has numerous resources available to ensure a healthy pregnancy and early childhood development and we hope more women will take advantage of them.”

Rallying Around Sisters is a campaign supported by

RUHS-PH’s Perinatal Equity Initiative and Black Infant Health program, in collaboration with San Bernardino County. The programs include empowermentfocused group support and clientcentered life planning.

Black women are at greater risk of dying from pregnancyrelated causes than white women, despite education, income or socio-economic status. Infants born to Black mothers have a greater chance of being born prematurely and are twice as likely to die in their first year compared to other ethnic groups.

RUHS is dedicated to improving the health of mothers and their children. High-risk pregnancies are addressed through HeRCARe (High-Risk Care Access and Resources), a team of experts experienced in maternal-fetal medicine that offers telehealth for residents in remote areas.

Learn more at ruhealth.org/ public-health/black-infanthealth.

Submission Deadline

Monday By 5pm

OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood to Host Community Wellness Event Featuring Celebrity Guests and Hip Hop Legend, Freeway to Close Black History Month and Kickoff National Kidney Month ...continued from page 4

his untimely death.

• Nicole Richardson of the Nikki Rich Show, a TV/radio host and Oprah Winfrey Network Ambassador, recently received a lifesaving kidney transplant.

• J. Snow, a writer, comedian, filmmaker, and Sickle Cell Warrior.

• Rhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network.

• Baron Davis, Two-Time NBA All-Star, Entrepreneur and Investor.

• Xsplosive Drill Team from San Bernardino.

• Kevito Clark, a kidney transplant recipient and OneLegacy Ambassador.

• DJ R-Tistic, a renowned international DJ that will entertain event attendees. The event will include FREE health screenings from HBCU/OPO Coalition partner, Charles Drew Medical School and from Chinatown Service Center, as well as FREE haircuts and manicures, yoga and wellness sessions, music, fun activities for children and adults, free produce and grocery items, food trucks and more. Producer, Advocate and Artrepreneur, Maleena Lawrence, will participate as moderator of the panel. The Connecting the Dots: Hip Hop & Health event is FREE and open to the public and it will take place at SLiC Studios on Saturday, March 2nd from 10:00am to 2:00pm. “This panel conversation is meant to engage and empower the community. Organ donation is a public health crisis that has impacted my family and the need to educate every community, particularly Black and Brown communities is paramount,” said

E’Tiffany Jones, Head of Media and Strategic Partnerships at OneLegacy. “The need outweighs the supply with 17 people dying every day while waiting for a lifesaving transplant. It is my mission to share the facts and promote health advocacy.”

Today, more than 28 thousand African Americans in the United States are waiting for an organ that would save their lives. With higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure than the rest of the U.S. population, African Americans experience a higher risk of organ failure.

OneLegacy Inspires Hollywood is inviting local communities in Los Angeles to join Hip Hop and Social Media Influencers on March 2, 2024, at SLiC Studios to help raise awareness of African Americans' Health and learn more about Freeway, Nikki and J. Snow’s stories.

To RSVP for this event, please visit this link. About OneLegacy OneLegacy is the nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in seven counties in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and Kern. It serves more than 200 hospitals, 10 transplant centers, a diverse population of 20 million people across the region and waiting recipients across the country. Becoming an eye, organ or tissue donor is easy and can be done by registering online at donateLIFEcalifornia. org/OneLegacy or by “checking YES” at your local DMV. For more information, visit OneLegacy.org Source: OneLegacy

encontrar un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpca,org) o poniendose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

AVISO-LAS ORDENES DE RESTRICCION SE ENCUENTRAN

EN LA PAGINA 2: Las ordenes de restriccion estan en vigencia en cuanto a ambos conyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la peticion, se emita un fallo o la corte de otras ordenes. Cualquier agencia del orden publico que haya recibido o vista una copia de estas ordenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California. EXENCION DE CUOTAS: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentacion, pida al secretario un formulario de exencion de cuotas.

Bob Marley, One Love Film: A Cinematic Triumph Transforming Lives and Communities Across Jamaica and Beyond

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The oldest son of the reggae legend provided a thoughtful reflection on the emotional and psychological impact of the threats and challenges his father faced. He highlighted the challenge of balancing honesty and entertainment in depicting the life of a cultural icon, shedding light on the reflective character portrayed in the film.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

In an exclusive interview with the Black Press of America’s Let It Be Known morning show, Ziggy Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, opened up about the profound impact of the hit new movie “Bob Marley, One Love.” Beyond its role as a cinematic journey into the iconic musician’s life, the film has emerged as a catalyst for transformative change, touching the lives of individuals and communities in Jamaica and extending its positive influence beyond geographical boundaries.

The 30-minute discussion delved into the meticulous process of selecting collaborators for the movie, with Ziggy Marley emphasizing the importance of humility and a communityfocused approach. The quest for authenticity in portraying Bob Marley’s life meant assembling a team that “respected the culture, ensuring a collective effort devoid of individual egos,” Marley asserted.

The oldest son of the reggae legend provided a thoughtful reflection on the emotional and psychological impact of the threats and challenges his father faced. He highlighted the challenge of balancing honesty and entertainment in depicting the life of a cultural icon, shedding light on the reflective character portrayed in the film.

Marley also discussed the movie’s impact on Jamaica, including its commercial success, job opportunities, and charitable contributions to the communities where it was filmed. He shared insights into the timing and inspiration for the film, underscoring the spiritual

How

lineage of Bob Marley’s music and its relevance in promoting unity and love in today’s world.

Expanding on the positive outcomes of the film, Marley provided detailed accounts of the tangible benefits reaped by local communities. The studio behind the film spearheaded the construction of a new outdoor pavilion at a school aimed at providing a conducive learning environment for children during hot summers, which stood out as a significant accomplishment.

Moreover, the film’s production team played a pivotal role in fostering economic growth, generating employment opportunities, and catalyzing the opening of shops and stores within the community. Ziggy expressed his joy at witnessing the positive transformation, noting that the film brought economic prosperity and a tangible sense of peace to the once tumultuous community.

The timing of the film’s release became a focal point of discussion, with Ziggy highlighting that it wasn’t a premeditated decision but a response to the present moment. Despite difficulties like strikes that caused delays, Ziggy emphasized the family’s trust in the universe’s timing as they explored the idea of making a movie about Bob Marley.

In essence, “Bob Marley, One Love” transcends its cinematic role, becoming a symbol of positive change and community development and a testament to the enduring legacy of Bob Marley, resonating far beyond the realms of the silver screen.

Community Votes Make Political Change...

continued from page 1

in LA residents …who are often disengaged from the voting process because they don’t believe the system was designed for us, that it’s already rigged for the powers that be. But that’s not necessarily true.”

Empowering voters by counting voters

The power of community voting “starts with the Census,” said Debbie Chen, Houstonbased community activist and Executive VP with the National OCA, Asian Pacific American Advocates.

“It’s not simply ‘Come election time, go vote,’ because redistricting is actually the best way to conduct mass voter suppression,” she explained.

“The Census determines who gets counted for redistricting, which determines who gets to govern, vote and spend in certain areas.”

Redistricting is the process through which congressional

How Community Votes Make Political Change... continued

gives you power to influence your community this way,” she added. Although AAPI are the fastest-growing U.S. ethnic group, “neither party has traditionally invested in outreach to the AAPI community, despite the fact that in many areas our vote can make that margin of difference in closer races.”

In Texas, for instance, eligible AAPI voters grew by 74% between 2010 and 2020, compared to a 21% increase in overall eligible voters statewide.

The power of voting lies in “making sure that we get counted, that our influence over our community doesn’t get diluted through racial gerrymandering,” Chen said. “It should come down to who can best invest in where we live.”

The value of community votes

“Politics is local,” said Anneshia Hardy, executive director of Alabama Values. “The message of ‘If your vote wasn’t important, they would stop it’ doesn’t ring true because of these coordinated efforts to dilute our vote, the value of it.”

White men, for example, are 30% of the population but hold 62% of U.S. elected offices, she said — often as a result of incumbency and racial redistricting such as in the Milligan fair mapping case, which Alabama Values helped win last year in favor of two newly redrawn majority-minority districts reflecting the state’s growing Black electorate.

Anneshia Hardy, Executive Director of Alabama Values, notes that the feeling among voters that their votes don’t count reflects legitimate concerns about government and the democratic process.

Although white voters are historically more likely to turn out than other ethnic groups, ethnic voters make up increasingly decisive electorates in battleground states, while the share of non-Hispanic White

eligible voters has been declining since 2000, according to Pew.

That electoral gap also extends across generations, with Alabamians under 45 comprising 1.7 million of the voting population, but only half of those voters cast ballots, compared to 70% of 2.1 million voters over 45.

In total, 2.3 million Alabamians voted — a record number in terms of volume, but one which represented only 62% of voters statewide, with 1.4 million eligible Alabamians not having voted.

How do we show the value of community votes to those who do not engage?

“By helping voters see themselves in the solution to issues that matter to them — social justice, health care, education,” said Hardy. “Who controls the narrative has power over tangible community outcomes.”

“The notion that voters of color abstain because they feel their vote doesn’t matter fails to acknowledge the deeper issue at play,” she continued. “Many of these voters are disappointed not because they undervalue their vote, but because they see unkept political promises that persist despite their vote.”

Currently, Alabama Values is battling Senate Bill 1, a piece of state legislation that makes absentee ballot voting a felony — worsening the ability of many Alabamians, particularly those of color living in remote areas, to vote at all.

“Even in the midst of trying to get people to vote, we’re fighting to ensure that everyone has access to the ballot at all,” added Hardy. “To engage these voters, particularly voters of color, we must address their legitimate concerns about the democratic process by working to make it more responsive to what they want.”

Just Say KNOW

by Amy Johnson

A concerted effort is underway to dismantle public school programs for youth that discuss everything from menstruation to reproduction to identifying as gay, queer, trans, or nonbinary.

parents before accessing anything. Or imagine any young person not being able to find any books with characters that look, sound, and have experiences similar to them.

Just Say KNOW...continued

Our Whole Lives upholds that accurate and age-appropriate information about bodies and sexuality is helpful, not harmful, and that youth deserve to have questions answered by trained and trustworthy adults in their faith communities.

Our God-given bodies, knit together in our birthers’ wombs, deserve care and attention. Whether you offer Our Whole Lives or not, stay informed.

Check out these resources from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. Be aware of what your state and local school boards are voting into law and policy. As we like to say in OWL, just say KNOW.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Rev. Amy Johnson is the Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice for the United Church of Christ.

districts are drawn every ten years, following the decennial Census count.

Debbie Chen, Houstonbased community activist and Executive VP with the National OCA, Asian Pacific American Advocates, explains why it’s important to educate voters on how the census impacts elections and community development. For the average first-generation immigrant, ‘The importance of being counted,’ that message alone doesn’t necessarily resonate,” Chen continued. “But when you approach it from the perspective that being counted lets you decide who gets to spend your tax dollars, how much of your money comes back to your area to get roads built, schools, nice sidewalks as opposed to ditches — everybody understands money.”

“Many people in the new immigrant AAPI community don’t realize how your vote

In 2023, over 100 regressive bills were introduced across 31 states, striving to move education away from National Sex Ed Standards and leaving young people not only vulnerable to a lack of information, but actively providing them misinformation. In addition, these bills serve to further stigmatize and isolate LGBTQ+ youth, as well as creating unsafe educational settings for many young people.

Under the guise of protecting children, many of these efforts are misleading. For instance, the Kids Online Safety Act, which purports to increase online safety for young people, would actually result in censorship of sexual and reproductive health content, particularly in pockets of the country where sexuality education is being most restricted in public schools.

In addition, book bans and censorship of instructional materials were enacted in 11 states in 2023. These bills not only ban books from libraries— some also require parental notification or consent before youth can access certain books.

On the surface, this may seem reasonable, but imagine a young person looking for a book to help understand what they are feeling and needing parental permission from openly anti-LGBTQ+

The results of these bills are an increase in shame and stigma about normal bodily functions like menstruation, about sexual thoughts and behaviors, and about identities and orientations other than straight and cisgender. And we know shame and stigma can be fatal.

According to Trevor Project, nearly half of LGBTQ+ youth have seriously considered suicide within the past year. Youth of color who identify as LGBTQ+ have a higher rate of suicide than their white peers. Yet, LGBTQ+ youth who have a high level of social support from their families, their schools, and their communities have a much lower rate of attempting suicide.

The United Church of Christ has a long history of offering sexuality education based on the values of self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, and justice & inclusivity through its Our Whole Lives (OWL) ministry. In partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Association, the UCC produces materials and provides access to training for local congregations and community groups interested in providing comprehensive, inclusive, age-appropriate sexuality education in their settings.

“Blast the Sirens: Waaaaaahhhhhhh - WEE-oww-WEE-oww We Have an Emergency!”

Immediate danger is on the horizon. “Get inside! Find shelter in the Almighty God NOW! He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways…” [Psalms 91:116]. So get under the shadow of the Almighty God NOW! The emergency signal signifies that danger is on the horizon. Responding to the warning is a matter of life and death.

Let me tell you a story. On a Friday afternoon, May 31, 1889, a man by the name of Daniel Peyton came galloping down the road in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Sparks were flying from the hoofs of his big bay horse. He was shouting for all he was worth that the damn had broken. Some believed his warning and fled to the hills. Others thought he was crazy, and they ignored the warning. They said, we have heard rumors for years that the damn might burst, but they were always false rumors. They just laughed and went about their business. Scarcely had Daniel ridden out of town, however, when they heard another sound. It was a dreadful rumble and roar of a flood. Now it was too late, and in moments a wall of water 15 feet high came

tumbling down upon them, and hundreds of people were swept to their death. Why? Because fools never learn to like warnings. [Proverbs 17:10]. They refuse to let warnings change their minds and their plans. How does a wise man differ from a fool? The wise man gives heed to warnings. Heed the warning!

God said He was going to destroy the world, and Noah did not laugh and say, people are always saying the world is going to end. He said, I believe, and he got busy and built an ark, and he was ready when the warning came true. Noah was a man of faith, and faith is that attitude that takes God's warnings seriously. Listen, God loves us so much that He delays His coming. He is long suffering, and not willing that any shall perish. But in love He has given us warning, and if that day comes and you are not ready, you will be like those in Noah's day, who did not take the warnings seriously, up a creek without a paddle. I tell you the siren is blasting. Get under the shadow of the Almighty God before it is too late. Take the warning to heart and “do according to all that God command you.” [Genesis 6:22].

Be like Noah. Noah listened to the warning and obeyed the command of God and because he did, He and his household, along with a remnant of every living creature on the earth, survived the flood waters that covered the earth. [Genesis 8:1].

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house...” [Hebrews 11:7]. Get under the shadow of the Almighty God NOW!

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” [Proverbs 22:3].

The Bible makes it clear that men are responsible for how they respond to warnings. If they choose to ignore them and are unprepared, their blood will be on their own head. The choice is yours.

Ziggy Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, opened up about the profound impact of the hit new movie "Bob Marley, One Love."

(Graphic: Greer Marshall / NNPA)

“nationwide movement…to criminalize people experiencing homelessness.”

In an analysis of 187 city laws from 2006 to 2019, NHLC found a vast increase in laws targeting visible homelessness, such as panhandling and sleeping in public.

“It’s sad that cities are throwing up their hands and saying the only way we can end homelessness is by arresting people,” Rabinowitz said.

In recent years, the NHLC recorded an increase in statelevel efforts to criminalize homelessness. As of Jan. 24, 11 states had seen bills criminalizing homelessness introduced or passed, according to the organization.

In an amicus brief to the Supreme Court, Newsom argued that

both to individuals living in unsafe encampments and other members of the public impacted by them.”

Ed Johnson, lead counsel for the homeless respondents in the Supreme Court case, said in a written statement: “This case is not about a city’s ability to regulate or prohibit encampments. That has always been permissible.” Instead, the issue is whether cities can punish homeless residents “for simply existing without access to shelter,” he said.

The Supreme Court decided to take on the case amid what Jesse Rabinowitz at the advocacy organization

National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC) calls a

While criminalization efforts increase, the number of homeless people sleeping on the streets reached an all-time high in 2023. In a single night, 256,104 people were counted as unhoused across the United States, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The data is collected nationwide every year on a specific night and goes back to 2007, the year with the secondhighest number of homeless people sleeping outside.

An analysis of the nationwide data shows that there was a nationwide downward trend in unsheltered homelessness until 2015, after which the number steadily increased for five years.

The 2020 count took place before the coronavirus pandemic swept the country. The effects of the virus and measures against its spread impacted the 2021 survey that shows a sharp drop in unsheltered homelessness, often

attributed to federal moratoriums on evictions, among other causes. Since then, the number of unsheltered homeless people has increased again, peaking in 2023.

In contrast to the national trend, Maryland has significantly reduced homelessness over the last 14 years, according to HUD data.

The numbers for 2021 and 2022 “were suppressed by the pandemic,” Danielle Meister, assistant secretary for homeless solutions at the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, said in a statement.

Compared to 2020, 7.8 percent fewer people were homeless in 2023. The number of homeless people sleeping outside plummeted by 23 percent.

According to Jake Day, Maryland’s secretary of housing and community development, the state is “within striking distance” of ending homelessness for veterans, unaccompanied youth and domestic violence survivors.

To reach that goal, the department needs to focus on solutions that work: “reducing housing instability, lowering barriers to services, and investing in permanent supportive housing,” Day said in a statement.

Rabinowitz said that he hopes the Supreme Court will uphold the lower court’s precedent and side with homeless people. “Criminalizing people experiencing homelessness keeps them homeless longer,” he said. “When folks get the housing they need, they thrive.”

This article was originally published by the Capital News Service.

New Podcast Features Angela Davis & Black Changemakers Ending Domestic Violence In California...continued from

are possible. And so what brings me hope is supporting the folks that I work with,” Greene said.

In the fifth and final episode, renowned activist and author Angela Davis reflects on the idea of hope and the current moment of change for domestic violence prevention and healing.

“This is a period unlike any other. People would like to think about the 60s as the revolutionary period. But I think this is the revolutionary period,” said Davis. “If we do the work we say we're doing, and if we do move forward, there will be those who want to go back to the old days. Those who want to go back to the period when racism was unchallenged, when patriarchy was the way people thought the world functioned. So that's actually an indication of the fact that we're making progress. I feel very hopeful.”

Both conversations also touched on the need to engage

page 4

whole communities in prevention and healing solutions in order to address the multi-generational nature of domestic violence.

“Part of the reason why we use [the phrase] ‘intimate partner violence’ is to really highlight the fact that this is actually an issue that impacts entire families,” said Eric Morrison-Smith, Executive Director of the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color. “I think in a lot of times people think it's just interpersonal between maybe a husband and a wife, or partners, but these issues actually bleed into impacting children and then it also impacts the entire community. We’re really talking about safe relationships, and that’s what builds safe communities.”

All 5 episodes of Let’s End Domestic Violence: Heal, Restore, Prevent can be found at letsenddv.org/podcast as well as on Spotify, Apple Music, and Buzzsprout.

The Supreme Court will decide if cities can punish homeless people that sleep outside. Credit: Capital News Service / Lisa Woelf