SB American News Week Ending 4/17

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.

Banning Menthol Cigarettes: California-Based Advocacy Group Joins Suit Against Federal Govt....continued

scenes unfolded in urban centers

Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, where individuals paused to witness the cosmic marvel. At a duration of up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the 2024 total eclipse exceeded its predecessor’s duration in 2017, which lasted up to 2 minutes and 42 seconds. According to NASA, total eclipses can range from a fleeting 10 seconds to an astonishing 7-1/2 minutes. Other cities along the path of totality, such as San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas in Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; both Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, along with Montreal, Quebec, hosted eager eclipsewatchers. Approximately 32 million people in the United States reside within the path of totality, with federal officials

predicting an additional 5 million to witness the phenomenon. Numerous eclipse-watching events unfolded at bars, stadiums, fairgrounds, and parks along the eclipse’s trajectory, offering diverse opportunities for people to experience this rare event. Scientists estimated that the entire process, from the initial moment the moon begins to obscure the sun to the culmination of totality and the subsequent return to normalcy, took about 80 minutes. Veteran eclipse observers have described the moments preceding totality as ominous, with shadows taking on a peculiar sharpness and sunlight assuming an eerie hue. Just before totality, a phenomenon known as “shadow bands” may manifest, creating shimmering patterns akin to those seen at the

bottom of a swimming pool. As totality approaches, stars become visible in the midday sky, while the abrupt darkness causes temperatures to plummet. “When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up, thinking that it’s nighttime, and nonnocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep,” NASA officials wrote on the agency’s website. The final glimpse of brilliant sunlight before totality creates the enchanting “diamond ring effect,” wherein a bright spot appears along the lunar edge as the sun’s corona forms a luminous ring around the moon. According to NASA, the next solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will occur on Aug. 23, 2044.

Banning Menthol Cigarettes: California-Based Advocacy Group Joins Suit Against Federal Govt.

Edward Henderson | California Black Media

A California based nongovernmental organization, The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), has joined two other public health advocacy groups in a second lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the agency’s inaction on issuing a final rule banning menthol cigarettes.

The suit, filed by Christopher Leung of Leung Law, PLLC on behalf of the AATCLC, Action

Despite significant reductions in overall smoking rates in the US, smoking among poor, less educated and marginalized groups remains high. Every year, 45,000 Black Americans prematurely die from tobaccocaused diseases. An estimated 85% of them smoked menthol cigarettes.

“This disproportionate use of menthol cigarettes among Black Americans is not a coincidence,” Dr. Yerger continued. “I was one of the first tobacco documents researchers out of UCSF who exposed the tobacco industry’s systematic, predatory marketing schemes to dump highly concentrated menthol cigarette marketing into urban inner-city areas. The tobacco industry's pervasive presence in these neighborhoods, along with its powerful corporate influences and building relationships with some Black organizations and their leaders have contributed to the racialized geography of today’s tobacco-related health disparities.”

In 2011, the FDA’s own scientific advisory committee concluded that the “Removal of menthol cigarettes from the marketplace would benefit public health in the United States.”

If the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes is indeed banned, the FDA projects a 15.1% drop in smoking within 40 years, which would help save between 324,000 to 654,000 lives. The agency also projects the ban would stop between 92,000 and 238,000 smoking-related deaths among African Americans— that’s up to 6,000 Black lives saved each year. The projected number of smokers who would quit due to the ban is almost 200,000 African American smokers.

As a result of the Plaintiffs’ first lawsuit, the FDA made the landmark determination to add menthol to the list of banned characterizing flavors in cigarettes. To begin that rulemaking process, the FDA

issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes in the marketplace. Given that success, the Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their initial lawsuit.

Today, three years later, the FDA has yet to take the final step to formally promulgate and publish the proposed rule. After setting an initial date of August 2023 to issue this rule, the FDA has delayed this rule.

“It's particularly disappointing given that the FDA has an obligation under the Tobacco Control Act to protect the health of all Americans,” said Christopher Leung, lead counsel involved with the suit.

“The Biden administration has certainly emphasized the need for health equity and to addressing the harms to particular members of society who are bearing the brunt of the tobacco company's efforts. So, our lawsuit here is asking the court for help in compelling the FDA to issue a final rule consistent with the Tobacco Control Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

On the contrary, tobaccoaligned groups in the past have argued that banning menthol cigarettes would be impact federal and state budgets with the loss of nearly $6.6 billion in cigarette sales taxes. Menthol cigarettes account for over onethird of the U.S. cigarette market.

Other arguments from tobacco-backed groups include unintended consequences of a ban such as increased policing in Black and Brown communities due to contraband cigarettes. However, health advocates have dismissed this claim stating the ban would apply to companies that make or sell menthol cigarettes, not individual smokers.

By law, the United States has two months to respond to the lawsuit. The feds can respond to it or file a motion to dismiss. If the suit is successful, the FDA would have 90 days to make a final ruling.

Expert Advice: How to Protect Yourself From Bias and Backlash at Work

on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the National Medical Association (NMA) comes more than seven months after the FDA’s established date for finalizing a new rule against menthol cigarettes. “We are a group of Californians, although we have expanded now. We were formed in 2008 to inform and direct the activities of commercial tobacco control and prevention as they affect African Americans and African

immigrants in this country,” said Carol McGruder, co-chair of the AATCLC.

McGruder was speaking during a press briefing April 2 organized to announce the lawsuit. with representatives from the ASH, NMA and other organizations.

“Menthol cigarettes have had a devastating and disproportionate impact on the health of Black Americans,” said Yolanda Lawson, President of the NMA. “Smoking related diseases are the number one cause of death in the Black community.”

The lawsuit also follows the FDA’s 15-year delay in creating national policy that would ban cigarettes made with compound menthol, a minty substance that cigarette makers infuse into their tobacco products, making them more addictive and harmful.

The initial complaint sought to compel the FDA to act on its earlier conclusions that removing menthol cigarettes from the marketplace would benefit public health. The lawsuit specifically asked the Court to compel the FDA’s determination on whether to add menthol to the list of prohibited characterizing flavors – a determination that the FDA delayed making for over 10 years. The joint lawsuit followed the 2013 Citizen Petition from the Public Health Law Center, which called on the FDA to prohibit the sale of menthol cigarettes.

Edward Henderson | California Black Media

“We already know that tobacco is a critical public health issue that remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease,” said Dr. Valerie Yerger founding member of the AATCLC said in a virtual press conference. “But apparently we need to keep beating the drum about how Black Americans in particular bear the biggest burden, and it doesn’t even need to be that way.”

As reports of antisemitic and Islamophobic threats and acts of hate and violence increase in California and across the country, the California Commission on the State of Hate (Commission) and California Civil Rights Department (CRD) continue to encourage Californians to take advantage of anti-hate resources available statewide, including the California vs Hate hotline and website. “The Commission on the

State of Hate stands united in shared humanity with

the people of California in denouncing violence and hate,” said Commission Chair Russell Roybal in a statement.

“We recognize what is happening in the Middle East has devastated communities in California. Unfortunately, when these horrific events occur, instances of hate tend to rise as well. No person, whether they are Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, Israeli, or perceived as members of any of these groups, should be subject to prejudice or violence,” he added.

“If you experience or witness hate in California, we encourage you to contact CA vs Hate to report the incident and get connected to support and resources.”

The eagerly anticipated celestial spectacle of a total solar eclipse finally descended upon North America after a sevenyear hiatus, captivating millions of skywatchers on Monday. With its grand entrance at the Mexican beachside resort town of Mazatlan, the eclipse marked the beginning of a mesmerizing journey along the “path of totality,” stretching across various regions of the continent. Eclipse enthusiasts congregated at numerous vantage points along the path, which spanned from Mexico’s Pacific Coast through Texas, traversing 14 other U.S. states before reaching Canada. Cities like Wilmington, Del., Philadelphia, Penn., Baltimore, Md., and New York City witnessed citizens stepping outside their usual routines to behold this historic event. Similar

across

experiencing these attacks to know that they are protected under law. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment. This prohibition extends to discrimination based on religion, national origin, and race. Illegal discrimination against job applicants or employees can take several forms. One form is the adverse treatment of an individual based on their actual or perceived religious practices or membership in a particular racial or national origin group (e.g., Israeli or Palestinian).

Another form is adverse treatment based on the assumption that the individual holds certain beliefs because of their religion, national origin, or race. There can also be adverse treatment due to the individual’s actual or perceived association with, or relationship to, a person of a particular religion, national origin, or race.

Adverse treatment can also occur due to actual or perceived participation in, or association with, civic, cultural, or religious organizations that are closely aligned with particular religions, national origins, or racial groups. Lastly, there can be differential treatment of individuals of different religions, national origins, or races when they

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Finalized Science-Driven Updates to Foods Provided Through WIC

Enhancements will promote nutrition security and maternal and child health, increase flexibility for participants and follow Administration’s successful efforts to fully fund WIC

Chicago, April 9, 2024 –Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has finalized updates to the foods prescribed to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC. These sciencebased revisions incorporate recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 20202025. Today’s announcement follows the Biden-Harris Administration’s successful efforts to ensure that WIC was fully funded for FY 2024, including an extra $1 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The Administration was able to secure in total over $7 billion in critical funding to provide nearly seven million pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children with critical nutritional assistance they need and deserve.

“WIC has a half-century track record of caring for young families. USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration

are committed to ensuring that moms, babies and young children continue to thrive through WIC,” said Secretary Vilsack. “These participant-centered changes will strengthen WIC by ensuring the foods participants receive reflect the latest nutrition science to support healthy eating and the brightest futures.” The WIC food packages are prescribed foods and beverages specifically designed to supplement the foods and beverages participants already consume and fill in key nutritional gaps to support healthy growth and development. FNS proposed changes in November 2022 to align the food packages with the latest nutrition science and support equitable access to nutritious foods during critical life stages. This effort finalizes the changes in consideration of feedback received through public comment.

These improvements to the WIC food packages support fruit and vegetable consumption by increasing the amount provided and the varieties available for purchase. FNS has made permanent a significant boost to the fruit and vegetable benefit provided to WIC participants, providing participants with up to four times the amount they would otherwise receive.

Other enhancements include, but are not limited to:

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Finalized Science-Driven Updates to Foods Provided Through WIC...continued

Expanding whole grain options to include foods like quinoa, blue cornmeal, and teff to reflect dietary guidance and accommodate individual or cultural preferences.

Providing more convenience and options within the dairy category, including flexibility on package sizes and non-dairy substitution options such as plant-based yogurts and cheeses and requiring lactose-free milk to be available.

Including canned fish in more food packages, creating more equitable access to this underconsumed food.

Requiring canned beans to be offered in addition to dried.

Adding more flexibility in the amount of infant formula provided to partially breastfed infants to support moms’ individual breastfeeding goals.

The changes will provide

participants with a wider variety of foods to support healthy dietary patterns and allow WIC state agencies more flexibility to tailor the food packages to accommodate personal and cultural food preferences and special dietary needs, making the program more appealing for current and potential participants. WIC state agencies will have two years to implement these changes, allowing time to engage with key partners on how best to tailor the new food packages to meet the needs of participants.

“For the 6.6 million moms, babies and young children who participate in WIC – and the millions more eligible to participate – these improvements to our food packages have the potential to make positive, lifelong impacts on health and wellbeing,” said Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long.

California Student Aid Commission and California’s public higher education segments collaborate to ease access to financial aid

California Dream Act Applications will open to first-time financial aid applicants from mixed-status families to meet financial aid deadlines for fall 2024

The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), together with the University of California (UC), the California State University (CSU), and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO)

announced today (April 9) an alternative financial aid application option for California students from mixed-status households for those that have continued in

columns

California Student Aid Commission and California’s public higher education segments collaborate to ease access to financial aid...continued been unable to successfully complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Mixedstatus families include a student who is a U.S. citizen with one or more parents without a Social Security Number (SSN). Today’s announcement offers first-time mixed-status students who have struggled to complete their FAFSA an alternative avenue to apply for state and educational institution financial aid for those that have been unable to complete the FAFSA.

Prospective college students still unable to complete the FASFA will now be able to complete a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) as a shortterm measure until they are able

In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Education has made progress to ensure that the new online FAFSA form is more streamlined for prospective college students who are eligible for federal financial aid. However, students from mixed-status families have faced logistical challenges with the new FAFSA application. We encourage students to attempt to complete FASFA first, to ensure that federal aid can be received. Additional instructions for mixed-status families completing the FASFA can be found here: https://studentaid. gov/announcements-events/ fafsa-support/contributor-socialsecurity-number.

Commentary: Finding the Right Balance -- Addressing Organized Retail Theft While Upholding Civil Liberties

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor | Special to California Black Media Partners

Organized retail theft is a significant issue that impacts both consumers and businesses.

While it is crucial to address theft and protect businesses from losses, we should also be mindful of safeguarding individuals' constitutional rights, particularly the right to due process.

AB 1990 by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, also known as the STOP Act, raises concerns about the balance between addressing theft effectively and ensuring civil liberties are upheld. This bill allows law enforcement officers to make warrantless arrests for shoplifting offenses not witnessed by the officer, as long as there is reasonable cause to believe the individual committed the crime. This bill has a dangerous potential for overreach and infringes on civil liberties, particularly the right to due process.

While the stated intention behind the STOP Act is to combat organized retail theft and protect businesses, there are valid concerns that this bill is an overreach and that existing law

works, if properly enforced by our partners in law enforcement.

A petty theft involving property stolen valued at $950 or less may be charged as a felony or misdemeanor (called a wobbler) if the offender has the following prior convictions: 1) at least on prior petty or theft-related conviction for which a term of imprisonment was served, and 2) a prior conviction for a serious or violent offense, for any registerable sex offense, or for embezzlement from a dependent adult or anyone over the age of 65. A misdemeanor can result in a sentence of up to one year in jail, whereas a felon can mean incarceration for 16 months, two years or three years. Let’s look at shoplifting in California. It occurs when a suspect enters a store, while that establishment is open, intending to steal property worth less than $950. The crime is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in the county jail.

Granting officers the authority to arrest individuals based on reasonable cause, without witnessing the crime firsthand, can lead to negative consequences and possible violations of individual rights. Probable cause is the legal standard by which police authorities have reason to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal and for the courts to issue a search warrant. A grand jury uses the probable cause standard to determine whether or not to issue a criminal indictment. The principle behind the probable cause standard is to limit the power of authorities to conduct unlawful search and

seizure of a person or its property, and to promote formal, forensic procedures for gathering lawful evidence for the prosecution of the arrested criminal. Reasonable cause does not require any of this due process and only requires that an officer reasonably believes that a crime has been committed. It is essential to find a middle ground that effectively addresses organized retail theft without compromising the fundamental rights of individuals.

California’s current laws, including the use of witness statements and surveillance evidence are sufficient for addressing suspected shoplifting and organized retail theft. California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently prosecuted Michelle Mack, a suspected organized smash and grab ringleader who paid twelve women to travel around California and commit over $8 million in retail theft at 21 different stores. AG Bonta used California’s current laws to have the suspect arrested and brought to justice.

The State of California is also making significant investments to address retail theft. Just this past year California invested an additional $267 million to combat organized retail theft. It has been less than a year and our law enforcement partners should have the opportunity to address this recent spike in retail theft crime. Los Angeles County recently applied for and received a grant for the State of California for $15.6 million dollars to address retail theft enforcement. LA

District Attorney George Gascon also recently formed an organized retail task force that partners with LA County Sheriff’s Department, Glendale, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Torrance and Santa Monica Police Departments to integrate their response to retail theft across the region. These collaborative efforts, such as those seen in initiatives like the organized retail task force in LA County, demonstrate the importance of a united approach to tackling theft while maintaining a balance between enforcement and civil liberties.

As we move forward, it is essential for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, businesses and communities to work together in finding solutions that effectively address organized retail theft without encroaching on individual rights. Ongoing evaluation and a commitment to thoughtful consideration will be crucial in navigating this challenge and fostering a safe and prosperous environment for all. Balancing the scales of justice to protect businesses while upholding civil liberties demands a comprehensive and conscientious approach from all stakeholders involved. I am confident we can find that balance.

About the Author Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents the 61st District in Los Angeles County, which includes parts of the South Bay, Inglewood, Hawthorne and Lawndale.

California Student Aid Commission and California’s public higher education segments collaborate to ease access to financial aid... continued from page 2

California Student Aid Commission and California’s public higher education segments collaborate to ease access to financial aid...continued

access that support are critically important steps to creating opportunity for Californians. The University will continue to advocate for full access to the FAFSA and all federal financial aid for our students from mixedstatus families.”

California State University Chancellor Mildred García, Ed.D., said, “Ensuring that students from all backgrounds have authentic access to an affordable, high-quality degree is at the very core of the California State University mission. This includes making sure that students are able to obtain the financial aid to which they are entitled. The CSU is pleased to participate in this joint effort to address the challenges currently confronting first-time students of mixed-status families, and we encourage them to first attempt to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If they are unable to do so, students should then complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) well before the May 2 deadline and later complete the FAFSA as soon as that becomes feasible.

The CSU will continue to remain as flexible as possible for these students as we support the U.S. Department of Education in its work toward a permanent solution.”

California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian, Ph.D., said, "This temporary workaround to some of the recent challenges with the new FAFSA rollout will preserve access and support for students

transferring from community college to a four-year college or university in the fall. We are committed to overcoming obstacles to providing student financial aid as the U.S. Department of Education works diligently on a permanent solution, and we are grateful to Gov. Newsom, the Legislature, the Student Aid Commission and the Biden administration for their work to provide students with equitable access to an affordable higher education. "

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) said, “The Golden State always advances an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all eligible students can access financial aid. That’s what makes California great — we’re always helping one another and uplifting the next generation. This interim measure is a step forward, and we will continue our steadfast collaboration with federal counterparts to pursue a permanent solution.”

California Assembly Speaker Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said, “Families deserve to know with certainty that they continue to have access to their state and institutional aid, in the 2024-25 school year and beyond. As many young Californians struggle with the costs of attending college, we will keep partnering with the federal administration to ensure students from mixed-status families can complete the FAFSA and receive the federal financial aid to which they are entitled.”

Expert Advice: How to Protect Yourself From Bias and Backlash at Work...continued

engage in similar speech or conduct due to these protected characteristics.

One of the individuals is no longer registered to vote as a result of receiving the robocall. The lawsuit was the first civil suit of its kind to be brought against perpetrators of voter intimidation using electronic communications. New York State Attorney General Letitia James joined on behalf of the People of New York as coplaintiffs in 2021. The defendants intentionally sought out a Black voice actress to make a recording for their racially targeted voter suppression operation. In what they called their “black robo,” Wohl and Burkman sought to intimidate Black voters with false threats of repercussions involving the police, credit card companies, and mandatory vaccination, telling them to Individuals Behind Robocalls to Intimidate Black Voters Agree to Pay and Stop Engaging in Voter Suppression Settlement in First-Ever Civil Lawsuit Addressing the Use of Electronic Communications to Intimidate Voters

NEW YORK – Civil rights plaintiffs and the state of New York agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit in which defendants Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman were found to have broadcasted robocalls to more than 85,000 numbers in New York, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Illinois to deliberately misinform and intimidate Black voters into not voting by mail during the 2020 presidential election. Defendants agreed to make payments totaling $393,000. However, if they default on any of those payments, they will be liable for between $1 million to $1.25 million. The defendants also agreed to not share electionrelated mass communications that are intimidating, threatening, or include false or fraudulent information for eight years. If they want to distribute any election-related, unsolicited mass communication, they can do so only after the civil rights plaintiffs and the state of New York agree that the communication is not unlawfully threatening or intimidating. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

to access and complete a FAFSA to receive the federal financial aid available to them. This joint effort to open the CADAA as an alternative pathway for firsttime student aid applicants from mixed-status households reflects a shared commitment to making higher education more affordable and accessible for Californians from all backgrounds.

Completing the FAFSA remains the best way for students to maximize their financial aid. As the state of California continues to find additional opportunities to support students and families navigating the FAFSA’s logistical challenges, mixed-status students must still complete the FAFSA to access their federal financial aid awards, including Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, and subsidized federal student loans. The CADAA will only allow students to apply for state and educational institution financial aid.

Students from mixed-status families navigate complex challenges in pursuit of higher education. Many are firstgeneration college students for whom financial planning and support are essential. Financial aid professionals, advisers and outreach staff from CSAC, UC, CSU, and the community colleges are working to help students and families navigate the process in the coming months.

Today’s announcement builds on Governor Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 1887, which extends the California priority deadline for state financial aid by a month to May 2. Opening the CADAA will allow students from mixed-status families to meet the new May 2 deadline while bringing much-needed certainty and clarity to the college decision-making process.

More information on the California Dream Act and how students from mixed-status families can apply for state financial aid beginning on Tuesday, April 9 is available at www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf. Students and families can receive help filling out the FAFSA or CADAA at free in-person Cash for College Workshops, found here https://cash4college.csac. ca.gov/ or Statewide Cash for College Webinars, found here https://www.csac.ca.gov/ post/cash-college-workshopregistration, including at events focused on serving mixed-status families.

Governor Gavin Newsom said, “Every Californian deserves access to an affordable high-quality education. I am grateful that our federal and state partners are working tirelessly to provide options for students and families.”

California Student Aid

Commission Executive Director Marlene L. Garcia said, “Making sure all students can access the financial aid they are entitled to is at the heart of what we do. We are proud to work with our institutional partners, Governor Newsom, and Legislative leaders to make sure that impacted students from mixed-status families have a viable path to access financial aid and the life-changing opportunities available at our public colleges and universities.”

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., said, “The University of California has consistently worked to expand educational access to students of all backgrounds. Offering robust financial aid and removing barriers for all students to

“We stand united in condemning hate wherever it occurs,” said CRD Acting Director Mary Wheat. “No matter your faith or where you come from, all our state’s residents deserve to live free from the fear of being attacked because of who they are. In this moment of conflict abroad, we must do our part to support one another and offer pathways for healing.

I encourage all Californians to take advantage of CA vs Hate by calling 833-8-NO-HATE or heading to CAvsHate.org for support and resources if you or someone you know has been targeted for hate.”

Discussions are taking place among the groups most affected by backlash from the Middle East conflict. The California Civil Rights Department hosted a webinar to discuss Antisemitism and Islamophobia in the workplace. Maha Elgenaidi and Karen Stiller, Muslim and Jewish speakers from ING’s Interfaith Speakers Bureau shared their thoughts on how open discourse and understanding can be key steps to finding common ground.

“I’ve been a huge proponent of holding dialogues about the war to understand where each group is coming from,” said Elgenaidi. “We have completely different narratives about the conflict, but if you sit down and actually talk with them, you realize you’re not that far apart and work on common grounds.”

“Contrary to perceptions, Muslim and Jewish Americans have always collaborated on shared interests and concerns,” Stiller added. “Working together on bigotry, we develop a lot of empathy and compassion for each other. By doing these panels we’re modeling how to bridge gaps amongst differences and really how much we have in common.”

The UCLA Center for Equity

from page 2

and Inclusion recommends four tactics to respond to workplace bias or hate.

Interrupt Early

Workplace culture largely is determined by what is or isn’t allowed to occur. If people are lax in responding to bigotry, then bigotry prevails.

Use or Establish Policies

Call upon existing policies to address bigoted language or behavior. Work with your personnel director or human resources department to create new policies and procedures, as needed. Also ask your company to provide anti-bias training.

Go Up the Ladder

If behavior persists, take your complaints up the management ladder. Find allies in upper management and call on them to help create and maintain an office environment free of bias and bigotry.

Band Together

Like-minded colleagues also may form an alliance and then ask the colleague or supervisor to change his or her tone or behavior.

CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NOHATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood)

First-Ever Listas Campaign Helps Women Prepare for Emergencies

By Selen Ozturk

Listas empowers women with emergency resilience in the face of disasters ranging from extreme heat to winter storms to wildfires.

Women are among the leading groups primed for disaster preparation, according to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES).

As a result, CalOES is launching Listas, a first-of-itskind campaign to empower women with emergency resilience knowledge in the face of disasters ranging from extreme heat to winter storms to wildfires.

At a Thursday, April 4 briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, a CalOES leader, a state assemblymember and a mother of two who works as a teacher discussed the Listas campaign and how it can empower women as resilience leaders in ethnic communities.

Preparing women for emergencies

The campaign, launched in March during Women’s History Month, builds off of research that identified two key groups of women who would most benefit from disaster preparation resources: “the head of the household and the messenger,” said Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Assistant Director of Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at CalOES.

“These heads are women who bear the weight of responsibility making ends meet while taking care of children or elderly parents, while the messengers are first- or second-generation women helping support their families within the unit,” she explained. “We saw that women over the age of 18, mostly in Latino, AAPI and black communities, are the ones that would listen to our message, pass it on and actually use it during an emergency.”

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Assistant Director, Crisis Communication & Public Affairs, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), says that people often wait too long to evacuate and notes that part of the Listas campaign is helping people recognize dangerous situations and when it’s time to go.

CalOES is providing Californians with videos and actionable disaster safety tips, as well as local county emergency alert signups, through over 73 community organization outreach grantees. These organizations have worked alongside a larger statewide partnership network to make over 400,000 calls to California women since March

Court Reaffirms California’s Longstanding Right to Fight Vehicle Pollution

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement on today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reaffirming California’s decades-old authority to set clean vehicle standards:

“Today the court sided with common sense and public health against the fossil fuel industry and Republican-led states. This ruling reaffirms California’s longstanding right to address pollution from cars and trucks, work started by Governor Ronald Reagan and codified by President Richard Nixon. The clean vehicle transition is already here – it’s where the industry is going, the major automakers support our standards, and California is hitting our goals years ahead of schedule. We won’t stop fighting to protect our communities from pollution and the climate crisis.”

Governor Gavin Newsom

What you need to know from today's court ruling:

California is exceeding its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goals years ahead of schedule: Earlier this year, California surpassed its passenger vehicle ZEV goal two years ahead of schedule – more than 1.5 million ZEV sales two years before the 2025 goal. California surpassed its ZEV truck sales goal two years ahead of schedule. The goal – 6% of new trucks sold in California to be ZEV by 2024 – was exceeded by 1.5% in 2022, with 7,639 ZEV trucks sold.

asking them to sign up for alerts and sharing preparedness information.

Local phone, text and email alerts in multiple languages for disasters like flooding, earthquakes and wildfires are available for Californians in each county through listoscalifornia. org/alerts.

Women across communities

“My grandma never learned English. My mom was born in Mexico, and she was always seen as the leader within our family here and back in Mexico,” said Crofts-Pelayo. “Women are the ones that push their families to do things. It’s not necessarily the man of the household anymore. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that are most likely to be looking after elderly parents, or engaging with their community through schools and local associations.”

“What we want is for women to have that knowledge and talk about it with their partners, family, friends and children,” she continued. “Emergencies are not fun; it’s not if but when the next one happens. The more that a family can talk about it, the more you demystify responding to it.”

Stephanie Nguyen, Assemblymember, District 10, discusses the Listas campaign’s efforts to create a diverse and inclusive campaign, noting that when people see themselves reflected in media and messaging, they are more likely to feel the content is relevant to them.

“The most important thing we saw in our research is that people need to see an emergency to truly believe it,” Crofts-Pelayo added. “We got anecdotes from people

that said ‘I might not evacuate my home until I see the water rising on my street corner,’ or ‘unless I see the flames down the street.’ There are still many communities that have never experienced a natural disaster, and our aim is showing people that this is real, this happens every day … All disasters are local, which is why community-based preparedness is so important.”

“It’s the women who are taking care of parents, grandparents, children, doing the shopping, taking care of the house, preparing for tomorrow,” said District 10 Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “For emergency situations, it’s key that women not only hear these messages but deliver them.”

“When disaster comes, it affects everybody across communities, and seeing different women talk from their cultures about having go-bags ready, batteries charged, water for washing and drinking — women across communities can think, ‘If she’s doing this, I should be doing this in my home as well,’” she added.

A teacher’s perspective

“Thinking about the safety and wellbeing of my family and students, knowing that I have the knowledge and the tools to protect them, is always a top priority for me, and thinking about emergency preparedness goes hand in hand with that,” said Shayla Happi Amenra-Warmsley, a Sacramento-based mother of two and second grade teacher.

“I’ve started implementing these tools both in my personal

continued in next 2 columns

Individuals Behind Robocalls to Intimidate Black Voters Agree to Pay and Stop Engaging in Voter Suppression...continued from page 3

“beware of vote by mail.”

Court rejected constitutional argument and challengers’ legal standing:

The court rejected the challenge to the constitutionality of the Clean Air Act provision allowing California to set its own clean cars standards. The court held that the fossil fuel industry and Republican state challengers lacked legal standing to press other challenges to California’s Advanced Clean Cars standards that regulate cars through model year 2025.

Court recognized that auto manufacturers are already exceeding California’s ZEV requirements: “Indeed, record evidence supports the fact that manufacturers already exceed California’s ZEV requirements.”

The California Air Resources Board showed “that ‘manufacturers are already selling more qualifying vehicles in California than the State’s standards require,’ suggesting that vacatur of the zero-emission vehicle mandate would not redress Petitioners’ injuries.”

Court highlighted how the climate crisis uniquely impacts

California:

“In recent decades, California has continued to face significant pollution and climate challenges. It contains seven of the ten worst areas for ozone pollution in the country and six of the ten worst areas for small particulate matter.”

“It also faces ‘increasing risks from record-setting fires, heat waves, storm surges, sea-level rise, water supply shortages and extreme heat.’”

“And these conditions are exacerbated by climate change.”

Over the course of the lawsuit, the defendants were found to have violated the Voting Rights Act, Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, Civil Rights Act of 1957, and New York state civil rights laws in a landmark civil rights decision. The settlement agreement comes just as the case was heading to trial on April 15, 2024, to determine the damages and other restitution the defendants would be required to pay for violating the civil rights laws.

Damon T. Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the legal organization that represents NCBCP and the individual plaintiffs, said: “This groundbreaking settlement should send an emphatic message to anyone who aims to prevent Black people from exercising their right to vote. Voter suppression and voter intimidation are illegal, immoral, and anti-democratic. Regardless of whether the perpetrators are government actors or private citizens, your actions will have consequences, and you will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. At a time when orchestrated voter intimidation and disinformation campaigns are on the rise, we must all remain vigilant in working to ensure that access to the ballot is fair, easy, and accessible. Anyone who experiences or hears about an attempt to suppress your vote can call our non-partisan Election Protection Hotline, 866-OURVOTE, for information and help.”

Melanie Campbell, president/ CEO of NCBCP, said: “These men engaged in a conspiracy to suppress Black votes in the 2020 general election. They used

Californians Are Aging. Here's How the State Can Help

BY GIL GARCETTI AND JOSÉ ATILIO HERNÁNDEZ

Californians are getting older. By 2040, 25 percent of the state’s population will be aged 65 and older, up from 16.6 percent today.

What will this mean for our state? It will affect nearly all areas of government, including housing, healthcare, and our economy. And often, these issues will be disproportionately felt by older people of color: By 2040, nearly one third of Californians aged 65 or older will be Latino, up from just over 20 percent today.

To touch on just one issue, consider healthcare. Older adults have different health care needs. Challenges with mobility are the most common form of disability among the elderly. Rates of difficulties related to vision, hearing, cognition, and independent living are much higher than for younger people. Or take the economic impact. As the share of elderly people grows, the proportion of younger folks will decline. The share of Californians aged 17 and younger is expected to decrease by five percentage points by 2040. A similar decline in the working-age population means fewer people paying into rising healthcare costs, pension benefits and other public programs.

The good news is that the state has developed the California Master Plan for Aging, a strategic and comprehensive response to the challenges presented by an aging society. The Plan is a heavy lift, to say the least, and requires lots of people working together. The Newsom Administration must lead the effort. The Legislature has a key role to play. Community support is vital.

intimidation and scare tactics, attempting to spread harmful disinformation about voting in an effort to silence Black voices. Their conduct cannot and will not be tolerated. This settlement serves as a marker for those who seek to engage in such efforts. There will be consequences for their actions. They will pay for the harm they cause to our democracy.”

New York Attorney General

Letitia James said: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, and it belongs to everyone. We will not allow anyone to threaten that right. Wohl and Burkman orchestrated a depraved and disinformationridden campaign to intimidate Black voters in an attempt to sway the election in favor of their preferred candidate. Now they will pay up to $1.25 million dollars to my office, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and the individuals who were harmed by their scheme. My office will always defend the right to vote.”

Amy Walsh, partner with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, said: “This settlement is a welcome victory for our plaintiffs and the other 85,404 victims who were targeted by the defendants in an attempt to intimidate Black voters into not exercising their constitutional right to vote. The timing of this settlement is immensely important as we approach the November presidential election, and we hope it sends a clear message to those who are considering a strategy of voter suppression that we will use all the tools of our legal system to shut down those efforts and seek the maximum punishment possible for trying to rig elections. America deserves better.”

it exists now might not survive a change in administration. Similar master plan efforts in Colorado, Texas, and Massachusetts demonstrated that changes in administration can cause delays in implementation. It is imperative that California stays on track to support its aging population, so we think the law should specify the key roles and responsibilities of the plan.

Beyond that, the state should: Move with urgency. When choosing a new initiative, priority should be given to action-based initiatives that will directly benefit older Californianssuch as improving the quality of services or increasing the number of people served.

Articulate a clear path forward. There is currently no established roadmap to implement the Master Plan’s goals or track the state’s progress. The state should create a detailed roadmap with defined short-and long-term goals, timeframes for completion, and metrics.

Utilize data. There is an abundance of valuable datasets that exist across the Administration that are currently not being utilized. These datasets should be merged so that academics, researchers, and policymakers can make betterinformed policy decisions. Expand legislative oversight and stakeholder engagement. Policymakers and stakeholders should have an established “seat at the table” through the duration of the Master Plan’s efforts.

Last year, the Little Hoover Commission, an independent state oversight agency on which we both serve, launched a review of the state’s progress in implementing this massive initiative. The study culminated in a comprehensive report, Early Implementation of California’s Master Plan for Aging, which highlights several opportunities to strengthen the state’s implementation of the plan.

California has made significant progress since the plan’s release in 2021, with hundreds of Master Plan initiatives already underway.

But more must be done. Perhaps most important, some components of the plan need to be written into law. The plan as

California’s rich diversity provides examples of how to value elders. Many of our state’s residents come from countries or communities with a long history of caring for older people, even when resources are scarce. Think, for example, of how especially Latino and Asian families often live in multigenerational settings, the old and the young learning from – and caring for – one another. Many cultures around the world, and right here in our state, provide that kind of template.

Governor Newsom deserves credit for his Master Plan, but it’s a beginning, not an end. Only with more work can we ensure that our state cares for one of its most important resources – the millions of aging Californians who have already done so much, and who have so much more to contribute.

Gil Garcetti and José Atilio Hernández are members of the Little Hoover Commission, and served on the subcommittee that led the study on Early Implementation of California’s Master Plan for Aging.

First-Ever Listas Campaign Helps Women Prepare for Emergencies...continued

family and within my classroom — from creating emergency kits, to developing family communication plans and emergency contact systems, this campaign definitely helped bring many ‘what-ifs’ into the practical reality of what I would do in the case of an earthquake, fire, flood, or a power outage, which did happen to my home a month ago,” she continued, adding that Listas enabled her to respond to it.

Shayla Happi AmenraWarmsley, a mother of two and a teacher, shares the emergency preparedness tips she has learned from Listas, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services preparedness program for women, and how she passes those lessons onto her secondgrade students.

“In times of crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless, especially for young

people,” Amenra-Warmsley said. “Having a plan just as important as practicing it, so a lot of what I do at home and with my students alongside teaching the tools we need to be prepared — like shelter-in-place plans, memorizing emergency phone contacts, planning evacuation routes and having snack bags — is teaching the tools we need for mental resilience, whether that’s morning yoga or emotional regulation exercises.”

“There are changing elements to what it means to be prepared, it means being both flexible and adaptable in the face of adversity,” she added. “As a teacher, I not only educate my students academically but also teach them lifelong skills of resiliency, emerging from any storm as a stronger version of themselves. Learning how to prepare for emergencies is at the heart of that.”

4 Types Of Hidden Abuse In Your Relationship

While it may be easy to speculate what you may or may not do in a situation of abuse, one can never really know how you will react until that abusive situation happens to you. People who abuse other people are predators; they look for a person’s vulnerable spots so that they can exploit and manipulate their way into their life. An abusive relationship can sneak up on you due to the fact that abuse comes in many forms. Many already know about physical abuse, but here’s a few forms of abuse you may be overlooking:

1. Economic Abuse:

Using money to control a person, such as having one to account for every penny being spent. The abuser will not only have control over their own money but the victim’s money as well. Some signs include, – Demanding an account of everything you buy

– Controlling your access to financial information

– Not allowing you to talk to others about money

– Not allowing your name to be on accounts, which would allow you to build credit

– Forcing you to put your name on accounts and then destroying your credit

2. Spiritual Abuse:

Bullying someone to subscribe to the same religion or belief as they do, no matter if the person believes in the philosophy or not. Within spiritual abuse, abusers use exclusive language. “We’re the only ministry really

following Jesus.” “We have all the right theology.” Believe their way of doing things, thinking theologically, or handling ministry and church is the only correct way. Everyone else is wrong, misguided, or stupidly naive.

Spiritual abusers also create a culture of fear and shame. Often there is no grace for someone who fails to live up to the church’s or ministry’s expectation. And if someone steps outside of the often-unspoken rules, leaders shame them into compliance. Leaders can’t admit failure, but often search out failure in others and uses that knowledge to hold them in fear and captivity.

They often quote scriptures about not touching God’s anointed, or bringing accusations against an elder. Yet they often confront sin in others, particularly ones who bring up legitimate biblical issues. Or they have their circle of influence take on this task, silencing critics.

178306862

3. Digital Abuse:

Using technology such as email, social networking, and texting to bully and harass another.

This type of abuse has been heightened in the past few years. It may come off as passiveaggressive or even blatant with the use of pictures, memes, videos and other media to get your attention.

Types of digital abuse include:

Telling you who you can or can’t follow, or be friends with on social media. Sending you negative, insulting, or threatening messages or emails. Using social media to track your activities.

Insulting or humiliating you

in their posts online, including posting unflattering photos or videos.

Sending, requesting, or pressuring you to send unwanted explicit photos or videos, sexts, or otherwise compromising messages.

Stealing or insisting on being given your account passwords. Constantly texting you or making you feel like you can’t be separated from your phone for fear that you’ll anger them.

Looking through your phone or checking up on your pictures, texts, and phone records.

Using any kind of technology (such as spyware or GPS in a car or phone) to monitor your activities.

4. Emotional Abuse:

Weakening a person’s sense of value by constantly criticizing and demeaning them. It involves a regular pattern of verbal offense, threatening, bullying, and constant criticism, as well as more subtle tactics like intimidation, shaming and manipulation. Emotional abuse is used to control and dominate the other person, and quite often it occurs because the abuser has childhood wounds and insecurities they haven’t dealt with — perhaps as a result of being abused themselves.

Sex Abuse

One thing that is common with all types of abuse is that the abuser is in control at all times. Abusers are very calculating, obsessive, aggressive and controlling. Many times, abusers use guilt and isolation to keep the abused in check.

Stop this hurtful culture of abuse consisting of shame, embarrassment and hurt. It is very hard for the victim to admit that they are being abused. But with help and therapy, the victim can become the victor.

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Support for Establishing an Office of Civil Rights at the California Department of Education

of education, and charter schools. It would advise Thurmond and the CDE on the office’s investigations and provide other recommendations.

“I am driven by a profound commitment to the safety and well-being of our children in schools. This bill embodies our collective promise to shield our children from harm and equip them with the knowledge to confront the shadows of history,” said bill author Stern. “It’s a testament to our unwavering dedication to the safety, protection, and enlightenment of the next generation.”

“As

and a father, I

how

it is for every

to feel not only safe in

but

why I have been at the forefront of

LGBTQ+ students,” Thurmond said. “It’s our priority to engage directly with every report of antisemitism that our office has received. That is why we must establish a clear avenue so that all students and families are able to access support and resolution when they experience harm at school for being who they are.”

The new Office of Civil Rights would investigate complaints and also report to Thurmond and the CDE on the frequency of incidents of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying at school districts, county offices

Thurmond’s support for this bill follows his launch of an oral history speaker series for Holocaust survivors and their family members in January to share their personal perspectives with students. The series kicked off at El Cerrito High School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The oral history event provided more than 100 students with the opportunity to hear testimony from local Holocaust survivor Lisa Brinner.

Student leaders representing the Jewish Student Union, the Muslim Student Association, and the Amnesty International Club at El Cerrito High School welcomed Brinner in person, and students from five other high schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District were able to ask questions to understand Brinner’s experience.

Thurmond is the Co-Chair of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. A nationwide survey released in 2020 showed a lack of “Holocaust knowledge” among adults under 40; more than one in 10 respondents did not recall ever having heard the word “Holocaust.” Sixtythree percent of Millennials and Generation Z surveyed did not know that six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, and over half who did know thought the death toll was fewer than two million people. More than 40,000 concentration camps and ghettos were established during World War II, but nearly half of U.S. respondents failed to name a single one. Recent surveys indicate that one in five young Americans think the Holocaust is a myth.

The oral history event was the beginning of a series of survivor testimonies that Thurmond will host in districts across California. Educators who are interested in bringing these historic testimonies to their students should contact communications@cde.ca.gov.

Thurmond was also instrumental in the passage of several pieces of legislation he sponsored that strengthen protections and support for LGBTQ+ Californians, including measures to better support vulnerable youth.

Notice Inviting sealed bids

Scope of Work

The Anza Community Building Association, Inc., is soliciting bid proposals from qualified, licensed contractors to perform the following as described in the Scope of Work (Exhibit-III)

• Demolition

Funding This project is being financed with Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (24 CFR Part 570) and subject to certain requirement including: compliance with Section 3 (24 CFR Part 75) Economic Opportunities requirements; payment of Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wages; Federal labor Standards Provisions (HUD 4010); Executive Order #11246; and others.

Information pertaining to the Federal requirements is on file with the County of Riverside Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions.

Prevailing Wages

Pursuant to Section 1773 of the Labor Code, the general prevailing wage rates, including the per diem wages applicable to the work, and for holiday and overtime work, including employer payments for health and welfare, pension, vacation, and similar purposes, in the County of Riverside in which the work is to be done, have been determined by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations, State of California. These wages are set forth in the General Prevailing Wage Rates for this project, available from the California Department of Industrial Relations' Internet web site at www.dir. ca.gov. Future effective prevailing wage rates which have been predetermined and are on file with the California Department of Industrial Relations, are referenced but not printed in the general prevailing wage rates.

The Federal minimum wage rate requirements, as predetermined by the Secretary of Labor, are set forth in the books issued for bidding purposes, referred to herein as Project Bid Documents (Special Federal Provisions), and in copies of this book which may be examined at the office describe above where the project 3 plans,

Health Coverage for Youngest Kids: California Brings Danger to a Head

What happens when our most vulnerable generation — children between birth and age five — don’t have access to health care?

By Selen Ozturk

What happens when our most vulnerable generation — children between birth and age five — don’t have access to health care?

While the problem of coverage gaps has come to a head in California as the state faces a major budget crisis, it reflects a danger nationwide.

At a Friday, April 5 Ethnic Media Services briefing, a state Assemblymember and children’s health care experts discussed the threat to continuous coverage of Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, for children ages zero to five; the national impact of reinstating annual Medicaid eligibility reviews; and the potential impact of coverage gaps for children’s health.

A nationwide view

Half of U.S. children get health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a similar state-administered program that provides health insurance for children whose household income is too high for Medicaid but too low for marketplace coverage.

“Federal researchers estimate that three out of four children who would lose their Medicaid during redetermination would still be eligible — this is much higher than for adults, because children have higher income eligibility, and likely don’t have another coverage source,” explained Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown Center

for Children and Families.

“We are about to hit 5 million fewer children on Medicaid nationwide. In 2023, we had 4 million total uninsured children nationwide. Even if half of these children are becoming uninsured for procedural reasons, this is a national crisis,” she said.

Joan Alker, Executive Director, Georgetown Center for Children and Families, discusses rate of unenrollment from Medicare around the U.S., noting that some states are more aggressively purging people, including children, from their Medicare programs. The two states with the most children losing coverage are Texas, with 1.3 million fewer children on Medicaid since redetermination — comprising nearly one in four of the children losing coverage nationwide — and Florida, with nearly half a million fewer children on Medicaid.

“The good news is that we’re seeing a national breakthrough in policies that allow continuous coverage,” said Allker. “Oregon, Washington and New Mexico are now implementing a Section 1115 waiver from the federal government to cover children from birth to age six. Eight other states, and the District of Columbia, are also pursuing this.”

“In this year’s budget and his State of the Union speech, President Biden proposed to Congress that states be offered an option to cover infants from

birth through age six” as well as an option to allow three years of continuous coverage after that through age nine, she continued.

Currently, continuous coverage like this is only possible if states undergo the complicated process of applying for a Section 1115 waiver.

“California was earlier to pass continuous coverage, but hasn’t implemented it. These states are catching up,” Alker added. “Let’s not fall behind. Children and families shouldn’t have to worry about losing health care.”

Keeping Medi-Cal

Against a deficit estimated at $73 billion, continuous coverage for children is at risk of being cut, said California Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-77): “I’ve been fortunate to be elected to the Assembly since 2018, and we’ve had ever larger budgets, and this is the first time many of us have had to cut it.”

While in 2022 the Legislature approved multi-year continuous Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, for children ages zero to five, it has yet to greenlight the funding.

The Legislature has until June 15 to pass the state budget, while the greenlight may not be determined until August.

Meanwhile, a nationwide annual redetermination of Medi-Cal eligibility, temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 federal emergency, resumed in April 2023. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Californians are being disenrolled. A third of these are youth.

Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, 77th California Assembly District, shares statistics on the number of Californians, including children, who are losing their healthcare and notes that often they are unenrolled due to clerical error and not because they are no longer eligible.

92% of these disenrollments are due to procedural or paperwork reasons as of November 2023, compared to a nationwide average for procedural disenrollment of 71%.

“Oftentimes, families that still qualify for coverage but lose it due to procedural reasons — like missed renewal notices due to old contact information, inadequate language assistance, difficulty gathering all required documentation, and timely renewal applications not marked as received due to staffing shortages — find out about their lack of coverage while having a medical emergency, or going in for basic necessary services. This is unacceptable,” said Boerner.

Out of 40 million Californians, 40%, or over 15 million, relied on Medi-Cal when redetermination began.

Nationwide, over 90 million Americans — over one in four — were on Medicaid.

Boerner said she was pushing the Department of Finance to certify multi-year continuous Medi-Cal enrollment for children aged zero to five.

“When we cut the red tape, people get the preventative care they need, and they’re not just ending up in the ER, with sick children that may have lasting, costly impacts from those illnesses,” she explained.

Those who lose Medi-Cal for procedural reasons have 90-day retroactive coverage, i.e. can have medical bills paid for if issued within the 90 days before their coverage starts again.

The impact of losing coverage

5.2 million Californian children — over half of the state’s 9 million children — had Medi-Cal or CHIP as of October 2023, and three-fourths of these were children of color. Since redetermination began,

Victorville Residents Invited to Participate in “The Right Stuff” Curbside Recycling Contest

Residents who recycle correctly have a chance to win $100 gift card

VICTORVILLE, Calif. —

City of Victorville residents who recycle correctly have a chance to win a $100 gift card by entering “The Right Stuff” Curbside Recycling Contest going on now.

Residents can sign up for the contest on the City’s website: VictorvilleCA.gov/Recycle The contest continues through September 30.

To be eligible to win, residents must sign up for the contest and recycle correctly:

Use the Green Organics Cart Only for Organic Material— Organic material includes bagged food waste and food scraps such as eggshells, fruit & vegetable peels, bakery items, coffee grounds, meat, poultry, fish, and bones, as well as loose yard trimmings such as branches, grass, flowers, leaves, and more. Food waste should always be bagged, and yard trimmings should always be loose. Remember, the green organics cart must NOT include any recyclables or trash.

Use the Blue Recycling Cart Only for Recyclables— Recyclable items include glass bottles and jars, tin and aluminum cans, rigid plastic containers

“Because I Have Called and You Refused…!”

By Lou K. Coleman

Because I have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, I will laugh at your calamity; I will mock you when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind. [Proverbs 1:20-25].

Understand the significance of the passage; after a certain point of perverse refusal has been past, God will NO LONGER plead and strive with you. [Genesis 6:3]. He will NO LONGER intervene between a man and the consequences of his folly. When God has had enough, it’s a moment of divine reckoning.

This is a solemn warning – a call to turn from our own ways and respond to God’s gracious invitation. Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you love your life, you should listen because God’s judgment on this Earth is a fact, and we must take the means of escape He provides. His words speak of consequences unseen, urging us to take them seriously. We must not dismiss His cautions for His power to fulfill warnings remains unchanged. [Colossians 3:6].

The people, both young and old, were ensnared by sin, their hearts hardened. They ignored the warning. So, God warns them that He would bring on them a major judgment—His wrath, their Day of the Lord, a day of “darkness, and not light” [Amos 5:12-20].

(bottles/jars/tubs/trays), as well as clean and dry paper and cardboard. All bottles and cans must be completely empty and free of food residue. Recyclables should be placed loose into the recycle bin, not bagged. The recycle cart must not contain any “trash” or “contaminants” such as plastic bags, soiled paper, food, or garden trimmings.

Use the Trash Cart Only for Trash—The other part of recycling correctly is to make sure no recyclable items end up in the trash. It is important to recycle cereal boxes, plastic shampoo bottles, junk mail, school papers, yogurt containers, laundry detergent boxes, bottles, etc.

Every other week, new contestants are chosen, and their recycle and trash carts are checked. If the customer has only recyclables in the blue cart (no trash) and only trash in the trash cart (no recyclables), then he or she is a winner!

“The Right Stuff” Contest is sponsored by Burrtec Waste Industries in cooperation with the City of Victorville. For more information or to request a paper entry form, residents should call the City of Victorville Environmental Programs Division at (760) 955-8615.

Voices for Change: Advocacy at the United Nations

by Donna Bollinger | “Why

do you do this work?”

The question came from the pastor of the youth group visiting the United Nations. The group had unknowingly arrived on the opening day of the Commission on the Status of Women— arguably one of the busiest days of the year at the United Nations in New York City. After navigating the long lines and throngs of people, we were finally together on the lower level of the UN. The pastor leading the group wanted to hear about the faith-based advocacy and work at the UN but said, maybe first, tell us: “Why do you do this work?”

I immediately thought of Nigeria and the women I had met in Kaduna.

During my first visit to Nigeria, I traveled alone by train on the “suicide road” from Abuja to Kaduna. I was meeting in the north with survivors of kidnapping and gender-based violence. We met in a simple, sparsely furnished room, the windows and doors open with hopes for a breeze to stir among the women sitting in the folding chairs loosely placed in a circle. Their colorful wrappers of African batik fabrics stood in contrast to the stark realities etched on their faces and in their eyes. They began, one by one, to share their experiences of assault and violence when they were kidnapped, many ripped from their homes in the middle of the night, forced on a march into the Nigerian bush, and held at gunpoint for months on end as the ransom was negotiated. Each story was followed by another even more horrific story telling of abuse, brutality, and gender-based violence amidst the continual insecurity in the country.

A solemn silence followed the personal accounts. The silence was followed by a conversation in traditional Hausa. Finally, one woman, speaking for the group, said: “We want people outside of Nigeria to know what is happening here.” She hesitated then continued, “We know it is not safe, but we have nothing left to lose. We want to speak. Help us share our stories.”

Advocacy has been described as “telling stories for change.”

This is why I do what I do and why we as the United Church of Christ engage in advocacy at the United Nations: to bring grassroots voices and stories into the global spaces where decisions are made and to advocate for change while we hold accountable those who are making and carrying out policies.

We recognize that policy decisions affecting any and all individuals should never be made without the input of those most affected. Their stories are crucial and must form the basis for effective advocacy and engagement.

The voices from the survivors in Nigeria are joined by voices and stories from across the world: the Human Rights Defenders in Colombia fighting for land use in the territories, the young girl in Madagascar (representative of so many) given into marriage at age twelve because of her family’s poverty, the Marshallese who suffer the continuing medical impact of nuclear testing, reindeer herders in Finland whose livelihood is being destroyed by climate change, girls and women who suffer obstetric fistula when access to medical care could eradicate the problem.

We engage in advocacy because of the realities, the stories, the voices calling out for change. Calling for justice and an end to wars and violence, calling for development that is sustainable and cares for the planet, calling for gender equality and the eradication of genderbased violence, calling out for basic necessities, for access to housing, education, healthcare, and simply a safe place to sleep at night.

As long as there are voices to be heard, stories to tell, then we continue to advocate, to work and pray for change, to hold the vision of a Just World for All.

Keeping

it Real: Nearly a Million Patients Exposed Due to City of Hope Security Breach

by S.E. Williams

More than 827K patients of the Duarte, CA, based City of Hope (COH), a private, non-profit clinical research center, received formal notification from the organization last week that stated in part, that on or about October 13, 2023, they experienced a major security breach. (source: cityofhope.org)

“Protecting the security of information is a responsibility,” noted Equifax, a multinational consumer reporting agency and nearly everyone agrees.

When you are battling Stage 4 leiomyosarcoma, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, breast or one of any other type of cancer, the last thing you need added to your stress level is a breach of your security that may include anything or everything from your name to your banking information to medical details about your most devastating illness and your epic battle to stave off its inevitability. But, that is exactly the stress being experienced by more than 827K patients of the Duarte based City of Hope (COH), a private, non-profit clinical research center. Last week these patients received formal notification from the organization stating in part, that on or about October 13, 2023, Further information indicates records were at risk between September 19, 2023, and continued to

By Charlene Crowell

October 12, 2023.” COH said it began taking action beginning October 13, 2024.

“Teams that say their cybersecurity is really good are the ones to worry about. After our breach, the most difficult issue was deciding when it was safe enough to come back online. I learned that really smart engineers can talk English, under extreme pressure.” Dame Dido Harding, former CEO of TalkTalk According to organization officials, in addition to acting to minimize the disruption to operations, it began investigating and assessing the scope of the incident. Although the breach was reported to the California State Attorney General’s office as required by law, it has taken almost six months for the nearly one million individuals impacted by the breach to receive official notification of the incident.

Why should COH patients be concerned?

COH’s system was accessed by an unauthorized individual(s) who captured an assortment of personal information including social security numbers, financial details, medical records and health insurance information according to the organization.

COH patients impacted by the data breach received a letter from the organization dated April 2, 2024, The letter apprised clients of the breach, the type of information exposed, added security measure to prevent such breaches from occurring in the future and the promise of two years security services at no charge as part of its mitigation measures.

The security breach potentially affected 827,149 patients according to a data breach notification filed with the CA State Attorney General’s office.

In a letter dated April 2, 2024, to the near one million COH patients impacted by the data breach, the organization apprised clients of the breach, the type of information at risk, added security measure to prevent such breaches from occurring in the future and the promise of two years security services at no charge as part of its mitigation measures. (source: unnamed)

Sensitive information potentially exposed included full names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, driver’s license and/or government identification information, bank account numbers, credit card details, health insurance information and patients’ medical records and history.

Health Coverage for Youngest Kids: California Brings Danger to a Head...continued from

page 7

Writing

majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said

part, “In

cases

consider whether the admissions systems used by Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, two of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States, are lawful under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. These cases involve whether a university may make admissions decisions that turn on an applicant’s race.”

Harvard and UNC admissions programs cannot be reconciled with the guarantees of

Equal Protection Clause,” continued the Chief Justice. “Both programs lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful end points. We have never permitted admissions programs to work in that way, and we will not do so today.”

A strongly-worded dissenting opinion by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, challenged the majority, asserting that affirmative action remains both viable and necessary.

“This limited use of race has helped equalize educational opportunities for all students of every race and background and

has improved racial diversity on college campuses,” wrote Justice Sotomayor. “Although progress has been slow and imperfect, race-conscious college admissions policies have advanced the Constitution’s guarantee of equality and have promoted Brown’s vision of a Nation with more inclusive schools.” “The Court subverts the constitutional guarantee of equal protection by further entrenching racial inequality in education, the very foundation of our democratic government and pluralistic society. Because the Court’s opinion is not grounded in law or fact and contravenes the vision of equality embodied in the Fourteenth Amendment, I dissent,” concluded Sotomayor.

In the aftermath of this consequential decision, as many as 30 states have now either filed or enacted new laws against teaching Black history or ‘other divisive concepts’, as well as defunding or outright ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. Counted among these states are Alabama, Florida, and Texas where multimillion Black residents are directly affected.

While many might presume widespread unity in Black America over the Supreme Court ruling, a survey analysis by Gallup’s Center on Black Voices published earlier this year shows a distinct and disturbing generational divide on affirmative action. Survey respondents were asked about the effect the affirmative decision may have in four specific areas:

1. Higher education in general;

2. Educational opportunities for Blacks;

3. The ability of people of one’s own race/ethnicity to attend college; and

4. Diversity of college campuses.

Numerically, 56 percent of Black adults aged 40 and older mostly

children are broken promises,” Alvarez added.

view the decision negatively. But among younger Black adults, aged 18 to 39, the affirmative action reversal is viewed positively by 62 percent. Moreover, many younger Blacks anticipated the decision will have no impact at all on their educations and futures.

Another new and related survey reflects a growing political divide.

Jointly released by the Associated Press and the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC), the survey asked the question, “Do you think each of the following is doing a good job or a bad job or neither upholding democratic values in the United States?”

Respondents were asked to share their views on government – including the Supreme Court, as well as Congress, and presidential candidates. Overall, 45 percent said the nation’s highest court was doing a poor job. But when responses were screened by party affiliation, 68 percent of Democrats said the court was doing a poor job, compared to 21 percent of Republicans agreeing.

A coalition of 12 national civil rights advocates including the National Urban League, National Action Network, NAACP, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the National Council of Negro Women, also said the nation’s highest court is the problem when it comes to affirmative action, saying its decision, “serves as a distressing reminder of the uphill battle we continue to face in dismantling systemic racism and the potential implications this decision can have on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the workplace.”

Whatever solution(s) are needed, one thing remains clear: America’s constitution may have promised that all are created equal; but in education, the fulfillment of that promise has yet to become real.

COH engages with more than 11,000 clinicians, researchers and other professionals who provide care and treats to approximately 134,000 patients each year.

If you are currently a patient of COH or were a patient through October 14, 2023, and have questions about the breach, please call (866) 495-8913, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time, excluding major U.S. holidays. Please have your COH Membership Number ready. You can also visit the City of Hope’s website devoted to the breach for additional information.

There should be a requirement to let those impacted by a breach to be notified more expeditiously. On July 23, 2023, the Security and Exchange SEC Commission (SEC) adopted rules on Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure by Public Companies requires reporting to the Attorney General within four business days. In addition, although the rules will apply to foreign private companies, it does not appear to apply to private companies within the U.S. Regardless, however, there appears to be no requirement to notify the general public— especially those directly impacted—right away.

In addition to its headquarter’s location in Duarte, CA, COH has offices located across the state, as well as Arizona, Georgia and Illinois.

Mayra E. Alvarez, President, The Children’s Partnership, discusses the impact gaps in healthcare coverage have on the development and well-being of children.

During the pandemic, when redetermination froze, churn rates for California children dropped from 7.5% to 1%.

“The numbers don’t capture the true impact of lost coverage. Last year, we held focus groups statewide where we heard directly from parents. One Spanish-speaking parent in Fresno described their confusion and shock when they took their sick daughter to the doctor and were told they weren’t covered,” she continued. “Other families said their children didn’t have any coverage for months, and all visits had to stop. No child should be without that coverage.”

“Without greenlighting continuous coverage, the commitments our state has made to deliver on the promise of healthy early development for all

“As a practicing community pediatrician, I’ve seen what happens when we cut down the opportunity in that zeroto-five age gap, with the brain developing, to help those children grow to be the healthiest they can,” said Dr. Ilan Shapiro, chief health correspondent and medical affairs officer at AltaMed, a community clinic network which serves about 500,000 patients, including 120,000 children.

Dr. Ilan Shapiro, Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer, AltaMed, discusses the consequences of poor and inconsistent healthcare in young children.

“Many children I see come with chronic problems that create a wave through the entire community. If they have asthma and low oxygen, or developmental delays, the parents need to take care of them, the kid misses out on school and social development,” he continued. “If we don’t give proper vaccine protection, we see what’s happening now — problems with infectious diseases we have not seen in decades, like measles.”

“If we continue opening that coverage gap, we can’t be there for them,” Shapiro said. “If we want to have a healthy California and a healthy country, it’s in our hands to protect the base and future of our community by ensuring continuous coverage. These are our children.”

I believe it is important that as these rules are implemented there should be a priority placed on public notification. Of course, this is just my opinion. I’m keeping it real. Submission Deadline is MONDAYS by 5pm &