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Black Music Month: California Celebrates History and Heroes

injustice

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

Despite Pushback From Franchise Owners, Assembly Passes Fast Food Worker Bill

Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

Kenny Vance has a talent for creating vivid musical imagery.

If you ask the 79-year-old about his musical upbringing in 1950s Brooklyn, New York, Vance will describe wandering through the borough as a young man and listening to other young people sing harmonious tunes with no instruments from the neighborhood’s stoops. He will mention how groups would string together melodic lines in competitions with each other.

Vance notes how these melodic groups in the ‘50s and ‘60s, composed of African Americans, sang their way from their neighborhood stoops and other local spots in cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles to small recording studios. These vocalists, whose Rhythm-and-Blues singing style is known as doo-wop, would release a song or two and sometimes never be heard from again.

With his documentary “Heart & Soul: A Love Story,” Vance, a musician, actor, and film director, puts the musical talents of “unsung doo-whop heroes” like Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Dubs, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and the Chantels in the limelight again. The film will be screened at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angles on June 8 at 7 p.m. The two-hour showing in the museum’s 200-seat theater is

part of its celebration of Black Music Appreciation Month this June.

The screening of Heart & Soul: A Love Story,” is just one-way individuals, businesses and organizations are commemorating Black Music Month throughout the state.

In Alameda County, The Black Music Month Festival will take place on June 17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Love Center Ministries in Oakland.

Performers such as The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol & Her Trio, Bobi Cespedes, Stephanie Crawford, Netta Brielle, and the Glen Pearson Trio featuring Derick Hughes, Bernard Anderson, and Rico Pabon will take the stage.

Throughout June, Disneyland is also honoring the history of Black music by featuring three bands performing hits by Black artists from various decades on the Hollywood Backlot stage at the park.

Black Music Appreciation Month celebrates African American musical influences that make up an essential portion of America’s cultural heritage.

Established by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, it recognizes the history and rich musical traditions that gave rise to genres such as barbershop, blues, funk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz, and swing music.

Every president since Carter has continued the tradition, including President Joe Biden. Biden proclaimed June as Black Music Month in a May 31 statement.

“Today, the creative ways that Black music tells stories of trial and triumph in American life continue to move us all to understand the common struggles of humanity,” Biden’s proclamation reads. “This month, we celebrate the songs and artists that challenge us to think critically, stand up to injustice, and believe in ourselves. We recommit to expanding the promise of dignity and opportunity for all Americans. And we revel in the sounds, spirit, and soul of some of the very best music ever created.”

Back in Los Angeles, GRAMMY Museum Chief Curator & VP of Curatorial Affairs Jasen Emmons said “Heart & Soul” shows the musical innovation in the Black community.

“If you didn’t have access to instruments — this ability to get together and create vocal harmonies as a group — it doesn’t require access to certain things,” he stated. “You can do it anywhere — stoops, subways, street corners. I think of hiphop having similar innovation — despite the resources — to create something original and

enduring.”

The film is a collection of video recordings shot by Vance over a decade with artists he befriended and worked with. The oral histories’ documentary features first-hand accounts of what it was like for young Black and Latino musicians to go into an entertainment industry that was unsure of how to manage the new artists’ sound.

Vance, prone to breaking out in melody himself while discussing the musicians featured in “Heart & Soul,” said the doo-wop performers — whose 50s’ and 60s’ heyday influenced later genres like rock ‘n’ roll and soul — oftentimes get no credit for their impact on American music culture.

Brand architect and television personality Erika Pittman will emcee the Los Angeles screening. Hip-hop icon Christopher “Kid” Reid, one half of the duo Kid ‘n Play, will deliver an opening monologue. Entertainment journalist Brande Victorian will lead an after-screening conversation with Vance.

Emmons hopes viewers gain a deep understanding of doowop music.

“There is an audience that deeply loves doo-wop and when the songs come on the radio, they evoke a lot of emotion in people,” he noted.

Last week, fast-foods franchise owners and other opponents of Assembly Bill (AB) 1228 suffered a setback when the State Assembly approved a bill that would grant national franchise corporations more control over their businesses.

The bill has been forwarded to the Senate for review.

The Fast Food Franchisor Responsibility Act, authored by Assembly Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), passed off the Assembly floor with 42 votes in favor of the legislation while 22 members of the Assembly voted against the bill.

“We've heard fast-food workers experience of wage theft, violence at work, sexual harassment and assaults, denied sick days, intense heat, poor work-place safety practices, and retaliation for speaking out,” said Holden before his colleagues voted on the bill.

“Well, this does not imply that all fast-food franchisees mistreat their workers. It is clear that we must ensure that our fastfood workers are able to thrive in their workplace and in their

According to the Employment Policies Institute, which reviewed wage claims from the California Department of Industrial Relations for the period of 2017 – 2022, the quick-service restaurant industry accounted for 1.6% of wage claims despite representing 3.2% of California’s workforce..

Holden, Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Issac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), Mike Gipson (D-Carson), Reggie Jones Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), (D-Los Angeles), Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), and Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) – all members of the California Legislature Black Caucus – voted in favor of AB 1228.

Some opponents of AB 1228 say the bill was introduced to send a message to the fast-food industry.

“What is the bill really about?

I looked at this bill closely in the Judiciary Committee and I didn't see evidence that there

McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Heart & Soul: A Love Story Director Kenny Vance and Cleveland Still from the group, The Dubs. Naomi Randolph, Kenny Vance, Cleveland Still and Renee Minus.

Over 100 diverse franchise restaurant owners from multiple fastfood brands gathered at the State Capitol in Sacramento on May 16, 2023, to oppose AB 1228. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

Jai Coward, at the podium, opened a Dog Haus franchise in Santa Clarita with his wife. He and hundreds of franchisees in California say AB 1228 will take away their rights to own small businesses. May 16, 2023. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

Percy Johnson owns eight McDonald's restaurants in the Sacramento region. He opened his first restaurant 25 years ago. AB 1228 would 'destroy' his family's business and ability to take care of his employees, Johnson said. May 16, 2023. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. communities,” he added.

Protecting lives on the road during National Safety Month and beyond

Consequences of Distracted Driving and Speeding disproportionately impact Black lives

Free Job Training and Incentives Now Available for California Caregivers...continued

recognition that direct care jobs can be a gateway into a variety of personal and professional advancement opportunities.

The innovative program brings together dozens of training providers offering hundreds of virtual and in-person courses for caregivers across California. Courses cover a range of topics, including Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia, Cultural Diversity, Food Safety, Infection Control, Provider, and Consumer communication and more, with courses available in multiple languages.

COMMENTARY: Why We Need Diverse Books in Schools...continued

ELK GROVE, Calif. —June marks the beginning of summer and the observance of National Safety Month. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are calling on all drivers to prioritize safety and help raise awareness about current dangerous driving behavior and its disproportionate impact on Black communities in California and across the U.S.

According to the latest projections from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 4,400 people were killed in traffic crashes in California in 2022, or 12 people every day. A disproportionate number of those deaths affect Black communities and people walking and cycling. People outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as people riding inside vehicles.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that, on a national level, Black people experience a passenger vehicle fatality rate 73% higher than their white counterparts, with the highest overall traffic fatality rate per mile traveled and across all modes of transportation, including walking, cycling and driving. In California, Black pedestrians have a 65% higher fatality rate compared to white pedestrians.

In an era where screens dominate our attention, distractions behind the wheel have become an alarming issue. Using a phone to dial, talk or text doubles the risk of a driver getting into a crash. Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. In 2020, 3,142 Americans were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.

Other dangerous driving behaviors like speeding have also become increasingly normalized. Whether it involves exceeding the posted speed limit, driving too fast for conditions or racing, speeding was a factor in 29% of all national traffic fatalities in 2021. In California, 1,509 people were killed in speeding-related crashes in 2021.

To address the dangers of distracted driving, speeding and the disproportionate impacts each dangerous behavior has on Black lives, the OTS and Caltrans launched a call-toaction campaign that aims to establish a strong safety culture

in California. You can join the Go Safely Movement and become a traffic safety champion by taking a short Community Call to Action survey to share what issues you are experiencing in your everyday travels. Your answers will assist the OTS and Caltrans in strengthening connections with communities, providing access to resources, and promoting traffic safety across transportation systems.

The OTS and Caltrans encourages everyone to prioritize safety by reminding drivers to practice the following behaviors:

• California has a handsfree cell phone law, which prohibits drivers from holding a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel.

Drivers under the age of 18 may not use any mobile communications device at all, whether hands-free or hand-held.

• If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over and park at a safe location.

• Be Work Zone Alert. When you see flashing amber lights ahead and you’re approaching a work zone, slow down and Move Over a lane if it is safe to do so. It’s the law.

• Avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving altogether. Put the phone in the glove box, trunk, or back seat; anywhere you cannot reach.

Remember, there are other distractions: eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, deep conversations with passengers, or fussy children in the back seat. If you find yourself in any of these situations, find a quiet, safe place to park and address the distraction.

• Know and respect the speed limit. It’s not worth pushing the envelope to save a minute or two.

Be aware of your surroundings: Look out for pedestrians, cyclists, and obstructions in the road, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.

Let’s work together to create safer roadways this National Safety Month and beyond. To learn more about the Go Safely Movement, visit gosafelyca. org/thegosafelymovement, and follow Go Safely on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @OTS_ CA and @GoSafelyCA.

Free Job Training and Incentives Now Available for California Caregivers

SACRAMENTO – To continue to build California’s health care workforce, the California Department of Aging (CDA) is announcing the launch of the CalGrows workforce training and development program.

Beginning today, CalGrows is open for registration with hundreds of courses available to caregivers working with older adults and adults with disabilities, helping support Californians on a path to a career in health care and ensuring the state retains highlyqualified health care workers.

“CalGrows training courses empower caregivers across California to learn valuable skills to improve the lives of those in their care and help further their careers,” said Susan DeMarois, Director of the California Department of Aging.

“As California’s population ages, we’ll need hundreds of thousands more direct care workers. The CalGrows program is an important milestone toward ensuring the state has the home care aides, care managers, dementia care specialists, activities coordinators, and other important roles necessary to support our aging population.”

“Care workers are more likely to be women and people of color, who are also at a higher risk for age-related illnesses,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency. “CalGrows demonstrates the State’s commitment to support caregivers, as well as those they care for, by providing training in six languages at launch, with more added soon, as well as career growth opportunities. This program is essential to help California achieve our goals in the Master Plan for Aging: to build a California for all ages and abilities.”

PROGRAM DETAILS:

CalGrows can help build individual skill sets, job

satisfaction, and growth opportunities to help further careers and the retention of skilled, experienced caregivers for older adults and people with disabilities. Qualified applicants can also receive up to $6,000 in financial incentives. Free training for paid direct care workers, Home and Community-Based Services caregivers, and unpaid family and friend caregivers is available through the CalGrows website at www.calgrows.org. Most courses are available online, with others offered in person and are searchable by topic, location, language, and incentive. Caregivers in the paid direct care workforce are also eligible for financial incentives and career pathway development benefits.

Through the CalGrows Innovation Fund grants launched earlier this year, $89 million was awarded to 78 organizations across California. Grants were awarded to diverse organizations with innovative ideas to offer training and incentives for the direct care Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) workforce and unpaid family and friend caregivers. For self-directed care workers through In Home Supportive Services (IHSS), optional training and compensations for training time are available through IHSS Career Pathways.

BIGGER PICTURE: The Workforce for a Healthy California Initiative is part of the state’s broader strategy to build a health workforce that represents California’s diverse communities and provides people with the quality care they deserve, while addressing the growing workforce shortages throughout the state’s health and human services system. The cornerstone of the Initiative comes from a once-in-a-generation, $1 billion plus investment from the 202223 state budget.

COMMENTARY: Why We Need Diverse Books in Schools

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Education should be the space where you can learn about everything and anything that you want. There should be no limits to the creativity of the ideas and the dreams that you inspire into every child,” said Derrick Ramsey, co-founder of the nonprofit Young, Black & Lit.. “This really takes away a lot of that opportunity to see what you could be, even if you hadn’t thought about it before.”

Though he hopes the book empowers young Black boys, they aren’t the sole audience Davis has in mind.

“It’s a book for anybody who feels ‘other’ by the way they look, or anybody who has selfdoubt,” Davis says. “It’s a book that I want kids to read and feel empowered, feel like they have agency.”

The problem is that, around the country, books like Davis’ are being removed from the shelves of classrooms and school libraries. Books that feature Black protagonists or talk about Black history.

And that’s a problem.

Between books being banned, challenged, and removed from school shelves — and the College Board giving in to bullying and altering its AP African American Studies course — there’s a lot of talk about what should be taught in classrooms, how it should be done, and who should have a say.

We shouldn’t be hiding history from students because they need to learn the truth, says Kathy Lester, a middle school librarian and president of the American Association of School Librarians. Plus, when students find books they’re interested in, they read more, and it creates conversation and opens up topics for discussion.

“I always grew up thinking that we wanted to learn our history so we wouldn’t repeat it,” Lester says. “We can learn from it and grow from it.”

project through a book, then that’s exciting to any student who wants to get into science.”

Davis says there’s more power in variety than singularity because there is so much more to learn.

“It’s a very dangerous act to not allow children and people the experience of reading a variety of different texts because that’s what informs us about the world. That’s what helps us build our ideas and thoughts around what we believe,” Davis says. “If we are showing kids a singular thing, then I think we’re alienating them and we’re manipulating them.”

The Message a Book Ban Sends

Banning these books sends a message — both to Black students and their non-Black peers.

“It sends a message to Black students that their history doesn’t matter, that it’s not important,” Lester says. “Then, for white students, that it’s not important for them to learn about it or that their history is more important — which are not good messages to be sent.”

And their non-Black peers are also harmed because they end up learning a lopsided view of history that ignores huge swaths of the American narrative, Richmond says.

“They won’t have the opportunity to really grapple with our shared past,” Richmond says, “to read primary sources, to ask probing questions, and to engage

“Investing in and growing our health care workforce is critical to the health and safety of Californians,” said Governor Newsom. “As the entire United States faces a health care worker shortage, the CalGrows initiative is yet another tool California is using to ensure our health care workforce remains strong by providing opportunities to those already caring for loved ones.”

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: CalGrows is grounded in the

Of the banned books studied by PEN America, they were most likely to have LGBTQ+ content (41%) or characters of color (40%). Among the top reasons for book bans were titles having to do with race or racism (21%), and titles with themes of rights or activism

By Maya Pottiger | Word in Black

Ever since he was young, Marchánt Davis has always loved children’s media and the power it possesses. Though his favorites were “Sesame Street” and “Reading Rainbow” — especially seeing himself represented on screen through LeVar Burton — he says he was “strangely” inspired by “Snow White.”

“It was always playing on TV,” says Davis, an actor, director, writer, and now author of “A Boy and His Mirror.” And it was this story that he wanted to repurpose for his own children’s book geared toward the current generation.

Thinking about the relationship kids have with their phones and what identity means, Davis wanted to create a story that

spoke to people coming up in a world with Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.

But, mostly, Davis wrote the book hoping young Black boys would read it. Though he doesn’t believe any one thing will cure problems, he wants the book to be a step toward boys acknowledging their feelings and countering some of the toxic masculinity in the Black community.

Davis called back to what Sheryl Lee Ralph said in her acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards: “When you look in the mirror, you gotta love what you see,” Davis quoted. “And so, I wrote a book in an effort to help kids look in the mirror and love what they see.”

We can’t understand our current politics and culture without understanding the treatment of African Americans in the United States, as well as the integral role they’ve played in shaping the country, says Caroline Richmond, the executive director of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books.

“In order for us to be the nation that we claim to be — a land where all people are created and treated as equals — we have to teach our children how this has not been and still is not the case today,” Richmond says. “And so, if we’re not teaching Black history in our schools, then our students — of all races and backgrounds — are not receiving a holistic education.”

In its “Banned in the USA” report, PEN America collected book bans in states around the country between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The analysis found that bans occurred in 138 school districts across 32 states, and these districts represent 5,049 schools with a combined enrollment of nearly 4 million students.

While the majority of states with reported bans saw less than 50, some states racked up over 100, with Texas topping the list at 801 bans.

But it’s not just about history books. For Black and Brown kids, it’s about seeing yourself represented in history, in a book, but also in the daily experiences that children face. “We want our kids — and we want every kid — to be able to see the experiences of Black children in the books that they read because it makes every person more relatable,” says Derrick Ramsey, co-founder of the nonprofit Young, Black & Lit. “If you can see that person, a Black student, doing a science

in thoughtful discussion and build empathy. Acknowledging past harm and our current inequitable society is the first step in creating real, long-term, sustainable change.”

Of the banned books studied by PEN America, they were most likely to have LGBTQ+ content (41%) or characters of color (40%). Among the top reasons for book bans were titles having to do with race or racism (21%), and titles with themes of rights or activism (10%).

When thinking about these book bans, Davis thinks there are some important questions to ask those doing the banning: What do you want? What do you want Black children to feel by removing those books? What does removing them actually do?

“I’m just like, ‘Why?’” Davis says. “What’s your intention? What are you saying to the kids about that book, specifically?”

For Ramsey, the message is clear: “Your history doesn’t matter. Your experiences don’t matter. Who you are doesn’t matter.” It’s a challenging space for a child who is already trying to find their path in the country and in the world.

Plus, it’s not just talking about Black history or Asian history, Ramsey says, it’s American history.

“Education should be the space where you can learn about everything and anything that you want. There should be no limits to the creativity of the ideas and the dreams that you inspire into every child,” Ramsey says. “This really takes away a lot of that opportunity to see what you could be, even if you hadn’t thought about it before.”

The post Why we need diverse books in schools appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers

NYC Banking Commission to limit deposits at Capital One, KeyBank

County/Business News

Business leaders urge legislators to pass $180 billion infrastructure plan

County/Government/Business News

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (June 5, 2023) — California business leaders overwhelmingly support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $180 billion infrastructure proposal that would equip the state to build vital projects faster, while creating an estimated 400,000 construction-related jobs.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma Announces Approval to Implement $150 Million Loan Program for California’s Financially Distressed Hospitals...continued

The NYC Banking Commission’s first-ever public hearing ended with a vote from all three commission members (Comptroller Brad Lander, Mayor Eric Adams, and Finance Commissioner Preston Niblack) that urged NYC to limit its deposits at Capital One and KeyBank.

Both banks refused to submit required plans showing how they would root out discrimination in employment, services, and lending at their branches.

The commission’s vote calls for a freeze on new deposits in Capital One and KeyBank for up to two years. Capital One held $7.2 million in NYC deposits at the end of April in 108 accounts and KeyBank held $10 million in NYC deposits at the end of April in three accounts, Lander’s office said. “Banks seeking to do business with New York City must demonstrate that they will be responsible managers of public funds and responsible actors in our communities,” Lander said. “Unfortunately, despite several opportunities to do so, five banks failed to comply with the New York City Banking Commission’s designation process––leaving us to conclude that they are not taking meaningful actions

to combat discrimination in their operations and are not responsible stewards of public dollars.”

Lander also voted against designating three other banks to hold public funds: International Finance Bank, PNC Bank, and Wells Fargo. These banks also failed to demonstrate they were taking action to prevent discrimination in branch openings and closings, lending decisions, hiring, and other operations.

According to Lander’s office, “At the public hearing, the Banking Commission heard testimony from Muslim New Yorkers who have experienced discrimination in the process of opening or closing accounts. Tenants expressed concerns about predatory lending practices by banks that jeopardize their rights and safe living conditions.

Climate advocates condemned banks that have continued to lend billions of dollars for fossil-fuel expansion, despite having made net-zero commitments. Members of the public also spoke in favor of creating a public bank that could provide banking services for City deposits and deploy that capital to better serve New York communities.”

San Manuel Band Of Mission Indians Announces Acquisition Of An Ownership Interest In Waldorf Astoria

Monarch Beach Resort & Club

County/Business News

Tribe teams up with Ohana Real Estate Investors as coowners of the iconic awardwinning AAA Five-Diamond coastal resort in Orange County San Manuel Indian Reservation

Near Highland, CA (June 5, 2023) - The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (“SMBMI” or “San Manuel” or “Tribe”) today announced that the San Manuel Investment Authority (“SMIA”) through its affiliated entities acquired an ownership interest in the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club (“Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach” or “Waldorf Astoria”) in Dana Point, Calif.

One of Southern California’s iconic luxury resort destinations, Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach will be the Tribe’s latest addition to its expanding resort portfolio.

“Investing in a luxury destination resort such as Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach represents another milestone for our Tribe, enabling us to continue executing our longterm diversification strategy,” said SMBMI Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena. “The stunning coastal setting, along with its exceptional guest service and amenities, are features that our Yaamava’ and Palms guests will enjoy. We are excited to partner with Ohana Real Estate Investors and impressed with Hilton and Waldorf Astoria’s strategic repositioning of the property over recent years.”

“We are proud to join forces with San Manuel to advance the growth of this wonderful asset,” said G. Christopher Smith, Founder and CEO of Ohana Real Estate Investors (“Ohana”). “San Manuel and Ohana share

Nearly 90 nonpartisan business associations representing all sectors and regions of California signed a letter this week urging swift passage of all 10 bills in the governor’s plan. The association leaders, listed below, cited the urgent need for investments to upgrade the state’s aging infrastructure, spur creation of good-paying jobs and help meet ambitious climate goals.

The letter was delivered to all members of the California State Legislature by the New California Coalition (NCC), a nonpartisan civic movement that advocates for common-sense solutions to improve statewide livability.

The governor’s sweeping plan includes provisions that modernize a state environmental law long weaponized to sabotage essential infrastructure and housing projects. It caps certain lawsuits filed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to nine months, mirroring a “shot clock” solution advanced by NCC and its network of statewide partners.

The plan will also supercharge the creation of semiconductor manufacturing jobs in California. NCC was an early and vocal booster of efforts to improve California’s competitiveness for

funding unlocked by passage of the federal CHIPS and Science Act. A Dec. 2022 report published by NCC examined how California could address workforce and regulatory barriers – including project delays caused by CEQA lawsuits – to help the high-cost state leverage its many competitive advantages.

“We strongly support this plan that will speed up construction, expedite court review, smooth permitting and address the abuse of the CEQA process that has halted key projects,” business leaders wrote in their letter.

“The 88 diverse signatories and logos on this letter represent only one pillar of the statewide base standing up this historic proposal. Business leaders are proud to stand with labor, environmental and community groups to support Gov. Newsom’s plan because it will improve everyday access to water, transportation, clean energy and other vital infrastructure needs,” said NCC Co-Leader Tracy Hernandez, who also serves as Founding CEO of the Los Angeles County Business Federation “BizFed.”

“Our grassroots advocacy campaign isn’t over until this proposal is signed into law. NCC leaders will testify at committee hearings every day this week to remind legislators how delaying approval of this package will disproportionately hurt Californians with the greatest need,” said NCC CoLeader Jim Wunderman, who also serves as President & CEO of the Bay Area Council.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma Announces Approval to Implement $150 Million Loan Program for California’s Financially Distressed Hospitals

County/Government News

SACRAMENTO – California

get this critical program off the ground and help keep these hospitals open."

California’s not-for-profit and public hospitals are integral to the state’s healthcare system and provide substantial levels of care to the uninsured and MediCal and Medicare populations. Rising operating expenses and other costs have outpaced reimbursement rates, causing some facilities to close or declare bankruptcy, while others have struggled to stay afloat.

To address the growing crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 112 on May 15, which created the Distressed Hospital Loan Program (DHLP), a partnership between the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) and CHFFA to provide $150 million in zero-interest loans to these financially distressed hospitals.

The CHFFA board approved a resolution today that enabled the executive director and staff to work with HCAI to implement DHLP and to issue the loans. HCAI and CHFFA will continue to work to establish a loan application review methodology and plan to have an application live in June. More information can be found at CHFFA and HCAI’s websites. CHFFA was established in 1979 to provide financial assistance to public and nonprofit health care facilities through loans, grants, and taxexempt bonds. The diverse nature of the facilities funded by CHFFA reflects California’s changing health care needs. From rural community-based organizations to large multi-hospital systems, CHFFA has financed a wide range of providers and programs throughout the state.

Residents Can Soon Receive up to $12k for Upgrading to An Electric Vehicle

County/Business News

DIAMOND BAR – The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Governing Board approved $40 million in funds from the California Air Resources Board for the Replace Your Ride program. Eligible participants can receive up to $12,000 per voucher later this fall, an increase from the current amount of $9,500, to purchase a newer more fuel efficient vehicle at reduced cost, in exchange for retiring their older gas or dieselpowered vehicle. Applicants can also choose to scrap their older vehicle in exchange for a voucher that can be used for an electric bike, car sharing, or public transportation passes.

in disadvantaged communities. RYR.png

To be eligible for the program, applicants must:

Not exceed household income requirements based on family size and federal poverty rates

Own the vehicle for at least 12 months prior to the date of application submittal

Clear any liens from the vehicle title

Turn in an older gas- or dieselpowered car for scrapping

a common vision for Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach’s future, one where we will continue to elevate its world-class offerings while providing an unparalleled experience to our discerning guests.”

SMIA’s investment in Waldorf

Astoria Monarch Beach consists of an approximately 40% interest in the property with the option to increase its ownership through one or more future transactions.

The blufftop resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean is one of California’s most sought-after destinations, renowned for an array of luxurious amenities for resort guests and members.

Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach boasts 400 newly refreshed guest rooms and suites, a private beach club, seven dining destinations including Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak, Waldorf Astoria Spa & Salon, three pools, expansive indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

SMBMI owns and operates Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel on the Tribe’s Reservation in Highland, Calif.

A governmental instrumentality of the Tribe, the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority (“SMGHA”), became the first Native American owners and operators of a casino resort in Las Vegas with the purchase of Palms Casino Resort which reopened under the SMGHA’s ownership in April 2022.

Jefferies LLC and Berkadia Real Estate Advisors LLC acted as financial advisors, and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal counsel for San Manuel in relation to this investment.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma today announced that the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) has taken action to enable the implementation of a $150 million emergency loan program for California’s financially distressed non-profit and public hospitals.

"Californians depend on these hospitals for health care and

emergency services, and today’s approval is going to help keep the doors open," said Treasurer Ma, who also serves as chair of the CHFFA board. "These facilities are often the only source of healthcare in rural and remote parts of the state and keeping them open can be a life-ordeath matter. My team is already working closely with Governor Newsom’s administration to

continued in next 2 columns

Since the program’s inception, South Coast AQMD has provided over $77 million in funding and replaced over 9,700 older passenger vehicles with newer fuel-efficient vehicles, e-Bikes and transportation vouchers which have resulted in reducing 27 tons of NOx, 1.5 tons PM, and 37,193 tons of GHG emission annually. Approximately 93 percent of the vouchers have been issued to low-income participants residing

For a full list of requirements and to apply for free, please visit ReplaceYourRide.com and select the Get Started tab. If you are interested in applying, please determine your eligibility, or call (844) 797-2223 for further information.

South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. For news, air quality alerts, event updates and more, please visit us at www.aqmd.gov, download our award-winning app, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Despite Pushback From Franchise Owners, Assembly Passes Fast Food Worker Bill...continued from page 1 are more labor violations in the fast-food industry than in other sectors,” said Assemblymember Bill Essayi (R-Corona) before the vote.

“Well, I think what this bill is about is retaliation. It's retaliation against an industry that dares to stand up to this body and to pass or qualify a referendum to undo a really bad law that's going to drive up food costs for every Americans,” he continued.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, a coalition of franchise fast food restaurant owners across California launched a votereducation campaign against AB 1228.

The Stop the Attack on Local Restaurants was buttressed by a public outreach with 30-second ads. The ads featured diverse California franchise restaurant owners sharing their concerns about ways AB 1228 would infringe on their rights to manage their small businesses.

“AB 1228 would destroy franchise businesses like mine,” said Mat. A., a Black restaurant owner in Lake Elsinore who appears in one of the ads the group released.

Last month, over 100 local franchise restaurant owners rallied at the State Capitol in Sacramento to push back against AB 1228. They argue that the bill would cut off one of the best pathways to business ownership for minority entrepreneurs. The owners were joined by social justice advocates, other small

businesses owners, ethnic business leaders, and several representatives from restaurant brands and trade associations.

“It would destroy our business. We’ve worked hard to build a legacy for our family to take care of our employees and take care of our customers,” businessman Percy Johnson told California Black Media at the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento, where the franchisees held a news conference.

Johnson owns eight McDonald’s restaurants in the Sacramento area that he operates with members of his family. He’s been a franchisee for approximately 26 years and his restaurants employ at least 300 people.

In addition to running a successful chain of restaurants, Johnson said he participates in community activities, gives back money to support humanitarian causes, and supports other small businesses.

AB 1228, authored by Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), would void any agreement between a franchise restaurant and its corporate parent that waives liability for violations against the franchisor.

Making the case for AB 1228, Holden explains that some franchisees violate employee rights at a far higher rate than establishments owned and operated by the franchisor.

“I believe many franchisees

want to do right by the people that work for them but may not see it as possible under their franchisor's terms and conditions. This can help to provide some relief while protecting employees and businesses,” said Holden in a statement.

Owners argue that without specialized agreements between franchisors and franchisees, they would be constrained by broad corporate restrictions which often force them to choose between profitability and following standards.

However, supporters of AB 1228 say franchisees would have the opportunity to file action against their corporate parents if abiding by the franchisor's terms infringes on their ability to comply with employment laws.

Jai Coward and his wife

Kayla Coward are the owners of a Dog Haus franchise in Santa Clara they opened in 2010. Their franchise has grown to 55 locations, including eight restaurants in Texas. When the Cowards were first granted a franchise license, they immediately started planning to expand – acting on a dream they had since college. Now, the Cowards are hoping that AB 1228 will not kill their dreams.

“The whole reason why we went into business is to do business for ourselves. I am here doing this for us and our community. I don’t want to be a

manager. I can go get a corporate job,” Jai Coward said. “Honestly, for us, I think we’re looking outside of California (if AB 1228 becomes law). Our brand, Dog Haus, we’re franchising nationwide now. For us, it might be us looking at other states and other opportunities as well.” California is home to more than 15,000 franchised quick-service restaurants in every region of the state. The overwhelming majority of franchised restaurants are locally-run and operated by small business owners –many of whom are people of color, women, immigrants and veterans.

According to a study by Oxford Economics, nearly 50% of McDonald’s owners and operators in California are people of color.

Marisol Sanchez and her family own three McDonald’s franchises that she says are employee-friendly, profitable and connected to the community. Some of Sanchez’s employees have worked for the family for 30 years.

The business helps employees achieve the American dream, she said.

“We provide our employees with more than just a paycheck. We’ve helped dozens of our crew members pursue citizenship, become homeowners with down payment assistance, and apply for college for tuition assistance,” Sanchez said.

With Carolyn Bryant’s Death, Where is Justice for Emmett Till?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Last year President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law — legislation that had previously been killed more than 200 times. The passage was a hard-fought win, but the activist William Barber III reminded us that no law, “verdict or election can bring about the racial reckoning America needs after 400 years of building systems that have rested upon White supremacy.”

only had a handwritten note of Bryant’s remarks. The Till case was closed again in 2021.

An Unserved Arrest Warrant

Bryant’s death came just two weeks after the April 13 announcement that Ricky Banks, the sheriff in Leflore County, Mississippi, had declined to serve a recently discovered 1955 arrest warrant for Carolyn Bryant.

President Joe Biden greets guests after the signing of H.R. 55, the “Emmett Till Antilynching Act”, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in the White House Rose Garden. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier | Word

Emmet Till deserved to grow old.

If he hadn’t been murdered in Money, Mississippi, on August 28, 1955 — if he had lived long enough to develop wrinkles and gray hair, and bounce his children, grandchildren, and possibly his great-grandchildren on his knees — he might have celebrated his 82nd birthday this July.

His mother, Mamie TillMobely, who died in 2003, might have had many happy years with her beloved son. She wouldn’t have gone to her grave with horrifying memories of his brutalized body. She wouldn’t have had to make the courageous decision to leave his casket open. There would have been no reason for her to say these heartbreaking words: “I wanted the world to see what they did to my baby.”

But thanks to the need of White men in the Jim Crow South to preserve the purity and honor of 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant — the White woman who falsely accused Till of making sexual advances at her — Emmet Till never made it past 14.

Carolyn Bryant — known later in life as Carolyn Bryant Donham — lived to the ripe old age of 88 without ever being held accountable for her part in Till’s murder.

As reporter Ed Pilkington wrote in the Guardian in 2020 about the people involved in Till’s murder, “Not a day has been spent in jail nor a penny paid in compensation.”

That was still true on April 25, the day Carolyn Bryant died.

A Last Chance for Justice

On the morning of April 27, before most people knew about Bryant’s death, the social media accounts of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation — the nonprofit founded in 2005 by

in

Black

Till’s family posted black squares to their various pages.

The squares were, perhaps, an acknowledgment that with Bryant’s death, the family’s last chance for justice for Emmett Till — for anyone involved in his murder to be held accountable — was now gone.

“This is not a celebratory moment,” Keith A. Beauchamp, the filmmaker who co-wrote and produced the 2022 feature film “Till,” explained on his Facebook page.

“Since 1955, law enforcement and local officials have allowed Bryant – Donham to evade justice. It’s infuriating to come to the realization that the American judicial system has failed us yet again.”

In his post, Beauchamp also acknowledged, “The question that everyone should be asking is how and who allowed this predator to get away?

Like Till’s family, Beauchamp has long pursued truth and justice for the murdered teen.

Beauchamp spent 10 years making the 2005 documentary, “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till.”

The evidence he uncovered was instrumental to the U.S. government reopening its investigation of the case in 2004 — before the film was released. However, no charges ended up being brought, and the investigation closed in 2007.

The FBI reopened the case after the January 2017 publication of the book “The Blood of Emmett Till,” by historian and author Timothy B. Tyson.

Tyson spent an unprecedented amount of time with Bryant, and he detailed in the book that she admitted to him that she had lied.

Tyson wrote that Bryant said: “Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him.” However, he was unable to produce an audio recording of that specific conversation — he

Why wasn’t the warrant served in 1955? The then-sheriff decided he didn’t want to “bother” Bryant because she was a mother.

This unserved warrant was found in June 2022 at the Leflore County Courthouse by five members of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation.

Despite the discovery of the warrant, in August 2022, a Leflore County grand jury refused to indict Bryant.

“It is evident that the outstanding warrant was not ever intended to be served in 1955 and obviously not intended to be served in 2022,” Deborah Watts, another cousin of Till and a co-founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, wrote in a statement at the time.

“This is a missed opportunity to break the cycle of protection that has been afforded to White women, specifically to Carolyn Holloway Bryant Donham, Mrs. Roy Bryant, the last living known accomplice, who has been allowed to escape full accountability and judicial judgment in this case. No family should ever have to endure this pain and injustice for this long,” Watts wrote.

In February 2023, another of Till’s cousins, Patricia Sterling, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to compel Banks to serve the warrant.

“But for Carolyn Bryant falsely claiming to her husband that Emmett Till assaulted her, Emmett would not have been murdered,” the lawsuit stated.

Bryant is widely believed to have identified Till to her husband, Roy Bryant, and J.W. Milam, Roy Bryant’s halfbrother. It’s also believed that Carolyn Bryant helped the two men locate Till so that they could abduct him from his bed in his great-uncle’s home.

“It was Carolyn Bryant’s lie that sent Roy Bryant and JW Milam into a rage, which resulted in the mutilation of Emmett Till’s body into unrecognizable condition,” Sterling’s lawsuit stated.

However, on April 13, Banks’

Black Caucus Members’ Bills Protecting Black Children, Union Workers Advance...continued

attorney, Charles J. Swayze III, filed court papers stating, “Since the Grand Jury found no probable cause to indict Donham on the charges of kidnapping and manslaughter, there is no probable cause to support the 1955 Arrest Warrant.” Swayze also asked for Sterling’s federal lawsuit to be dismissed.

Despite this setback, the Till family didn’t give up.

In an April 26 Facebook post, Watts clarified that far from the discovery of the warrant being a surprise — as some news outlets had reported — she and the other foundation members were “intentionally Searching for the Unserved Warrant.”

Watts wrote that they found the warrant “within an hour and a half” of looking for it — raising the question of why it had not previously been discovered in the decades before.

Watts subsequently demanded “that Mississippi authorities that are responsible, do their jobs and #ServeTheWarrant now!”

Little did Watts know when she uploaded her post that Carolyn Bryant had died the day before.

We Can Never Forget

In 2003, one week before she died, Mamie Till Mobeley told Beauchamp to “tell Emmett’s story until man’s consciousness is risen, only then there will be justice for Emmett Till!”

Till’s “case is so relevant today because he is the Anne Frank for Black America,” Beauchamp wrote me in an email in 2015.

“Just like our Jewish brothers and sisters, we must continue to tell Emmett’s story over and over again.”

The details of what followed after Till’s abduction are horrific, but given the persistent attacks on teaching the truth about Black history — about American history — they bear repeating.

We know that Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam drove Till to a barn, stripped him naked, and tortured and beat him beyond recognition. A passerby reported hearing the boy crying out, “Mama, please save me.”

As the historian Tyson wrote, “Affronted White supremacy drove every blow.”

The men went on to gouge out one of Till’s eyes, shoot him in the head, and use barbed wire to tie his body to a 75-pound cotton gin. They then threw his body into the Tallahatchie River and took Till’s clothes and shoes home to burn them.

continued in next 2 columns

Black Caucus Members’ Bills Protecting Black Children, Union Workers Advance

Women In California Legislature” speakers series on March 8 that she was an original signer of the “We Said Enough” letter in 2017. The correspondence led to the “Me Too” movement to address workplace sexual harassment, retaliation and intimidation within the California Legislature.

Mary Virginia Watson, chief of staff for Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-Hayward), supports AB 1. Watson has been a campaign director, campaign, director, and political organizer.

“Congrats to #CALeg staff! I was proud to speak in favor of #AB1 in (the) policy committee, and as a chief of staff, I 100% support Leg staff’s right to unionize. A union would improve recruitment and retention and help the legislature better serve Californians!,” Watson tweeted.

If AB 1 is approved, it will take effect on July 1, 2024.

Another bill, dubbed the “Ebony Alert” bill, would help locate missing Black youth and Black women in California also made it out of the Senate last week with a 39-0 vote.

Senate Bill (SB) 673, authored

by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), establishes a notification system to address the issue of missing Black children and young Black women in California who do not receive enough attention.

“The Ebony Alert would ensure that resources and attention are given so we can bring home missing Black women and Black children in the same way we would search for any missing child and missing person,” Bradford, Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), stated in March. The Black and Missing Foundation Inc. (BAMFI), reports that 38% of missing children in the U.S. are Black, despite Black people making up 14% of the population. Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts who are classified as “missing.” Therefore, when Black children are reported missing, law enforcement does not always treat those cases with

continued on page 6

With Carolyn Bryant’s Death, Where is Justice for Emmett

Despite the weight of the cotton gin, Till floated eight miles downstream. Once discovered, his body was only identifiable because of a silver ring on his pinky finger.

During Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam’s trial, Carolyn Bryant sat coolly beside her husband.

When called to testify, she claimed that Till had grabbed her hand and waist, asking her, “How about a date, baby?” She claimed he’d made sexually explicit comments and said he’d been with other White women.

Both men were acquitted in Sept. 1956 by an all-White jury.

We only know the details of Till’s murder because in 1956, Look magazine paid Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam $4,000 to spill the gruesome circumstances.

The article describes 5′ 4″ tall Till as looking “like a man” — a reminder of how from Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin to Tamir Rice, the combination of adultification and racism gets Black children killed.

Milam told the magazine that when a Black man “gets close to mentioning sex with a White woman, he’s tired o’ livin’. I’m likely to kill him. Me and my folks fought for this country, and we got some rights.”

He went on to say he told Till, “I’m going to make an example of you—just so everybody can know how me and my folks stand.”

Double jeopardy laws protected both men from being tried again for Till’s murder.

had just been knocked out. And I was looking at his ears. His ears were like mine. They curled. They’re not attached, and they curled up the same way mine are. And I didn’t see the ear. Where’s the ear? And that’s when I discovered a hole about here, and I could see daylight on the other side. I said, now was it necessary to shoot him? If that’s a bullet hole, was that necessary? And I also discovered that they had taken an axe, and they had gone straight down across his head, and the face and the back of the head were separate.”

When you read Till-Mobley’s words, you understand why on Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks had Emmett Till on her mind when she refused to go to the back of the bus — which led to her arrest and sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

That, in turn, led to Martin Luther King Jr. becoming the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association — activism that catapulted him onto a national stage.

In 2005, the Rev. Al Sharpton told Democracy Now that because of Till-Mobley’s choice to open her son’s casket, “because she put the picture of this young man’s body on the conscience of America, she might have saved thousands of young Black men and young Black women’s lives.”

State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) SB 673 legislation would increase awareness and resources to locate missing Black youth and Black women. Bradford is shown here at a California Reparations Task Force meeting in Oakland, Calif., on May 6, 2023. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.

Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media the bill will permit California legislative staff to unionize and collectively bargain for wages, benefits and working conditions, regardless of their political affiliation.

Pro-public service legislation introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor’s (D-Inglewood), Assembly Bill (AB) 1, moved closer to becoming law when it was passed by the Assembly with a 66-3 vote in late last Month.

It is now under consideration in the Senate.

If passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Newsom,

“Legislative staff aren’t looking for special treatment.

They are looking for the same dignity and respect afforded to all represented workers,” said

Tina McKinnor

first piece of legislation that she authored when she joined the Assembly would provide employees of the legislature the right to form, join, and participate in union activities. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey. April 19, 2023.

McKinnor in a statement after her colleagues voted to advance the legislation.

“To the staff in our district offices and Capitol offices - including our dedicated committee staff - that honorably serve the people of the State of California every day, know this: We see you and we respect you,” McKinnor continued. “With AB

1, we are taking action to make sure that current and future legislative staff, regardless of their member’s political affiliation, are afforded a safe, equitable and fair opportunity to build a noble career in public service.”

McKinnor, a former legislative employee herself, said at the

continued in next 2 columns

A Steep Price for Civil Rights

Surely, the actions of Mamie Till-Mobley weren’t what either man expected. The widely circulated photograph of Till’s mutilated body in the open casket requested by TillMobley shocked the world and galvanized the civil rights movement.

Her description of her son’s body is what no mother should ever have to see:

“I saw his tongue had been choked out and it was lying down on his chin. I saw that this eye was out, and it was lying about midway to cheek. I looked at this eye, and it was gone. I looked at the bridge of his nose, and it looked like someone had taken a meat chopper and chopped it. I looked at his teeth, because I took so much pride in his teeth. His teeth were the prettiest things I’d ever seen in my life, I thought. And I only saw two. Where are the rest of them? They

Last year President Joe Biden signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law — legislation that had previously been killed more than 200 times. The passage was a hard-fought win, but the activist William Barber III reminded us that no law, “verdict or election can bring about the racial reckoning America needs after 400 years of building systems that have rested upon White supremacy.”

And what a steep price has been paid for our freedoms by Till and his family.

Another of his cousins, Thelma Wright Edwards, told the Guardian in 2020 that she didn’t actually want Bryant in jail due to the woman’s age. However, “I do want Miss Bryant to admit she lied,” she said. “Stand up and tell the truth. We can’t move on until we hear it from her mouth.”

With Bryant’s death, that longed-for moment of accountability — of truth — will never come.

This piece was originally published by Word in Black.

The post With Carolyn Bryant’s death, where is justice for Emmett Till? appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers

Assemblywoman

(D-Inglewood)

Grace Jones Lights Up the 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival

By Dwight Brown Entertainment Critic for DwightBrownInk.com and NNPA News Wire

at the top. So where was Jones’ voice coming from? Where? She was perched on the crown of the column like a gargoyle. Singing like the ‘80s and ‘90s never ended. After she finished the opening song, and came down to earth, courtesy of a hydraulic lift, she lamented to the crowd about life during COVID. The pandemic had stalled an upcoming tour and kept her away from her fans.

One More Productions Presents All Shook Up!

Lifestyle/Entertainment News

bumper baby. In your long black limousine.”

That song was galvanizing, but not nearly as stunning as Jones singing her bit hit “Slave to the Rhythm.” She spun a hula hoop— non-stop without dropping it. Prancing, posing and waving her hands in the air while she sang. She was being acrobatic and that vision of her with that lit-up hoop gyrating around her waist was the evening’s most indelible spectacle. Did someone fail to tell her that she’s 75 years old?

She started off with a bang!

The 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival takes place all over New York City, May 31st to July 2nd. From the Blue Note’s iconic Greenwich Village jazz club (Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet) to Summer Stage in Central Park (Buddy Guy), BRIC in Brooklyn (Anderson Paak, Robert Glasper) and Manhattan’s Hammerstein Ballroom, former site of the Metropolitan Opera Company. Hammerstein kicked off the fest with the diva of divas, Grace Jones.

A scheduled start time of 8pm was laughable, considering Jones’s penchant for being late. And, not feasible when literally thousands of fans had to be screened before entry into the 12,000 sq ft venue. A gigantic dance floor is the centerpiece. A big, wide stage is in the front of the cavernous room, with boxed seating on the sides and two balconies in the back. Thousands of concert goers stood body-to-

Grace Jones at Blue Note Jazz Festival photo by Dwight Brown body on the floor, drinks in hand, swaying to piped-in music as they waited and waited. At 9:35pm, the sheer lavender curtains rose to reveal a rock/soul/reggae band. Jones’s distinct contralto voice filled the ballroom, as she sang her hit “Nightclubbing.” Jones purred the lyrics: “Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing. We're what's happening. Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing. We're an ice machine. We see people, brand new people. They're something to see. Nightclubbing, we're nightclubbing. Oh, isn't it wild?”

The time spent waiting for her evaporated and was a distant memory. The audience was fully engaged by the performance. They were into her entrancing vibe. Snared. Enraptured.

The dark stage shadowed the band. The lights focused on a white, billowing pillar in the back that shot up 20 feet into the air. Square on the bottom, tapering as it went up to an object

She sang “My Jamaican Guy” gyrating like a cross between a stripper and a cat in heat. Rocked out to “Demolition Man,” by banging on two symbols, then like a true rock star kicked one over. She amazed everyone when she said, “I just saw ghosts. I see them all the time.” Then started an a cappella version of “Amazing Grace,” as if she was placating the spirits and shoring up her place in heaven. She encouraged the audience to sing along. The hushed hall chanted: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…” It seemed to cleanse everyone’s soul. Grace praised her thousand-person choir: “I feel like you sent me a sea of love.”

After she sang “Love is the Drug,” and before she launched into the rousing club hit “Pull Up to the Bumper,” she revealed her workout routine: “When I go to the gym, I do a lot of squats. I sexercise!” The whole hall erupted with laughter. Jones got on a security guard’s shoulders, as he walked into the crowd. She shook hands, high-fived and bellowed: “Pull up to my

Or is defying the aging process just part of her act?

Umpteen costume changes later, after crawling across the stage, blowing kisses and some very provocative dancing, she ended the show with her latest hit “Hurricane:” “I am woman.

I am sun. I can give birth to she. I can give birth to son. And I can be cool, Soft as the breeze. I’ll be a hurricane, ripping up trees.”

The 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival started with an explosion. A rebirth. A phoenix rising from the ashes. Jones will tour Great Britain this summer and return for a September concert at Forest Hills Stadium in New York. Anyone who sees this style icon/performance artist will discover that her club style, avant-garde songs from back in the day are au courant now.

Grace Jones is soft as a breeze and ripping up trees.

Click here for Facebook video link or go to: https://www.facebook. com/100011065748818/ videos/1460252931478023/

Try These Games to Make Saving Money Fun

Lifestyle News

Do you have a savings goal that seems impossible to achieve?

Turning saving into a game can become more enjoyable and motivating rather than a chore or a source of stress. Games can also be a social and communitybuilding activity where other savers can support each other, share tips and strategies, and celebrate each other’s successes.

Most importantly, games can help you develop long-term savings habits and financial discipline. By challenging yourself to avoid non-essential purchases, stick to a budget, or find creative ways to save money, you are building the skills and habits that lead to overall financial well-being. So, set a goal, be clear about how it will positively impact your life and financial situation, and select a fun and doable game.

Here are some fun games to quickly build up that bank account.

No-Spend Challenges

In no-spend challenges, you will try to go for a certain period without spending money on nonessential items, such as dining out, entertainment, or shopping. The duration of the challenge can be a day, a week, a month, or longer. These challenges help rein in your spending so that you can start saving instead. Specific items or stores. Here your no-spend challenge is

focused on something specific, usually where refraining is difficult. This could mean not eating out, getting coffee on the way to work, or buying new shoes, books, or video games. The other option is to skip buying from a specific store like Target or Amazon or via advertisements that pop up on your social media feed.

How long can you go? Identify one or a few things you spend money on that can wait. How long can you go before you get the next haircut or buy new shampoo when you know three backups are under your sink?

Wait to buy. This tool is helpful during non-spend challenges. You will inevitably find items you want during your non-spend time. Instead of purchasing the item, put it on a list and return to it after the challenge. You may find that you didn’t need it after all.

Budgeting Games

These are games where participants work on budgeting skills and goals.

The “budgeting bingo” game. Create a bingo card with different budgeting goals or challenges in each square, such as “pack lunch instead of eating out” or “use coupons at the grocery store.”

As you complete each challenge, mark off the corresponding square. The first person to get

a bingo wins a prize, such as a small amount of money or a treat.

The “DIY challenge” game. Challenge yourself to make things at home instead of buying them, such as cleaning supplies, gifts, or clothing. This game can be a fun way to save money while learning new skills. Would I rather? This game helps install a pause mechanism before making a purchase. Train yourself before every purchase to ask yourself, “Do I need this, or would I rather meet my savings goal?” It is helpful to be as specific as possible. For example, “Would I rather be riding the new bike I’ve been saving for?” Put the money you would have spent into your savings for an extra bonus!

Stretch your dollar. Here you will set a low amount for a date night, family outing, vacation, or gift exchange. Challenge yourself only to spend that amount and see how creative you can be while being frugal. Involve your partner or kids in this one!

Pantry challenge. Before your next trip to the grocery store, do an inventory of your food.

Meal plan for the upcoming week based on what you already have, and only buy what you need. Do this exercise a couple of times a year or even monthly to save on groceries, ensure you are not letting food go to waste, and improve your meal planning skills.

Savings Games

These games are designed to help you save a specific amount of money.

The “saving jar” game. Set a savings goal and then put money into a jar each day or week until you reach your goal. It could be a quarter a day or $5 a week, depending on how much you want to save. Make this game more fun by decorating the jar or adding stickers to mark progress.

Save your $5 bills. In this game, any time you have a $5 bill, add it to your savings. Or change to $1, $10, or $20 bills, depending on your goal. It’s an

excellent method if you receive tips as part of your work or side gig.

52-week games. This is a yearlong saving game where you save a specific amount each week ($1 through $52). You can go in order from the lowest amount of $1 and work your way up, or start at $52 and save a dollar less each week. Another option is to write the numbers one through 52 on pieces of paper and randomly pick the amount per week. No matter how you do it, you will finish the year with $1,378 saved. Deck of cards. Similar to the 52-week game, here you would pick a card from a deck each week and save that amount of money. To save $500, Jacks are worth $13, Queens $14, Kings $15, Aves $16, and the two Jokers $30 each. Or, to save $776, up the ante where Jacks are $20, Queens $30, Kings $40, and Aces mean saving $50. Save the savings. Many stores will print the amount of money you saved that visit on your receipt. Challenge yourself to put that money into your savings account. These random amounts will quickly add up and can also improve your bargain-hunting skills. Just make sure only to buy what you need, not just because it is on sale.

Round up. Here, round up each time you make a purchase and save that money. For example, if something costs $5.20, you would put $.80 into savings. Some apps and savings accounts will do this for you.

You Don’t Need to Go It Alone Savings games can be more fun and successful when you do them with others. Make it a competition with a friend or family member with rewards for the winner. Or, join moneysaving communities that share tips, advice, and support for saving money. Find communities on Facebook, Instagram, or through apps such as YNAB’s More Money Challenge. Joining one or more of these online communities can be a fun way to connect with others who share your goals and learn additional ideas to keep you motivated.

GARDEN GROVE, CA –

ALL SHOOK UP! is showing from June 1st through July 9th at Garden Grove’s historic GEM THEATRE presented by the award-winning One More Productions – one of Southern California’s leading musical theater companies.

The music of Elvis comes alive in ALL SHOOK UP! Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, ALL SHOOK UP! follows a small Midwestern town that is thrown into a frenzy with the arrival of Chad, a good looking, motorcycle-riding, roustabout, who rides from town to town with a guitar on his back, blue suede shoes on his feet, and a song in his heart. Repressed by their conservative mayor, the town begins to come alive once more under Chad’s influence. Lovers meet, woo, pursue, and more, all in one zany night that will change the town forever. ALL SHOOK UP! is a rocking, heartwarming tale about following dreams, opening to love, and the power of music.

Based on the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. The book is by Joe DiPietro. The music and lyrics are by Elvis Presley.

ALL SHOOK UP! is directed by Damien Lorton. The cast includes Giovanna Martinez as Natalie Haller, Hayden Mangum as Chad, Matthew Rangel as Dennis, Mary Desmond as Miss Sandra, Nickie Gentry as Mayor Matilda Hyde, Timothy Klega as Sheriff Earl, Aaron Gibbs as Dean Hyde, Emily Guerrero as Sylvia, Wyatt Buckle as Ji Haller, and Cassidy Love as Lorraine.

The cast also includes: Liandra Benoit, Hannah Clair, Peter Crisafulli, Erik Diaz, Kara

Dillard, Courtney Hays, Julia Iacopetti, Derek Isaza, Kady Lawson, Nate Nolen, Troy Ozuna, and Max Seigel as the Ensemble. The performances are backed by a live 5-piece musical ensemble on-stage.

Performances: June 1st through July 9th at The Gem Theatre, 12852 Main Street, Garden Grove, CA. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm. Opening Night Gala is June 3rd.

General admission tickets are $50 each, $35 for seniors (65+) evening performances, $40 for seniors (65+) matinee performances. Preview tickets are $30 each on June 1st and June 2nd. $35 for evening performances – Senior (65+)/ Kids (12 and under), Matinee Student Rush tickets are $25 each on Thursdays and Fridays, available for purchase at the Box Office, one ticket per valid Student ID, cash only. Opening Gala Night Event tickets for Saturday, June 3rd are $80 each and ticket holders receive an exclusive invitation to attend the catered champagne reception Gala with the cast which begins at 6:30 pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call One More Productions at (714) 741-9550 or visit the website at www. theGEMoc.com.

Black Caucus Members’ Bills Protecting Black Children, Union Workers Advance...continued...continued from page 4

urgency or issue Amber Alerts.

The AMBER moniker – which stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response – was created as a legacy to nineyear-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and murdered while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas.

“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time. They vanish from the police detectives’ workload. They vanish from the headlines. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing. How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them,” Bradford said.

Bradford’s Ebony Alert bill is inspired by a similar bill, the Feather Alert, introduced by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the only Native American serving in the California Assembly. The Feather Alert law, which took effect in January, assists law enforcement to quickly notify the public when Native American Californians are reported missing.

Black women and girls face a higher risk of being harmed and trafficked. According to a report by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation on human trafficking incidents in the U.S., 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women

Photo: milkos via 123RF

Portrait of a happy african man holding bunch of money banknotes and celebrating success isolated over white background

Photos by Ron Lyon

Performances now showing from June 1st through July 9th

The Impact of Hate-Motivated Behavior on African American Health

By Selen Ozturk

At the 13th annual virtual Black Physicians Forum, health experts shared how racism underlies hate-motivated behavior which adversely impacts African American health.

Above: William Jahmal Miller, MHA, the Chief Administrative Officer of Mercy Medical Group and Dr. Flojaune Cofer, an epidemiologist and 2024 candidate for Sacramento Mayor.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the context of increased social unrest in recent years, addressing the impact of hate-motivated behavior on African American health is critical, physicians and community leaders shared at the 13th annual virtual Black Physicians Forum.

The event was hosted by Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation and the UC Davis Health Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The forum featured keynote speaker Dr. Flojaune Cofer — an epidemiologist and 2024 candidate for Sacramento

Mayor; and moderator William Jahmal Miller, MHA — the Chief Administrative Officer of Mercy Medical Group.

Social Determinants of Health and Trauma

Data show African Americans fare worse than their white counterparts across a range of health indicators, including infant and maternal mortality, as well as rates of asthma, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Social determinants of health are key to improving these trends across African American communities, said Dr. Cofer.

These determinants not only “include the physical factors in our environment, like safe housing, areas for recreation, and the availability of nutritious foods, and clean air and water, but also the social and economic factors like racism and poverty… job opportunities, and community or family violence,” she added. She presented these determinants in terms of five domains: economic, educational, health, neighborhood and built environments, and social or community contexts. Although hate-motivated behavior can cross domains, it often fits most squarely in a social and community-based context, in terms of “the experiences that we’re having and our connection or disconnection with one another.”

African Americans remain among the groups most targeted for racially motivated hate crimes and hate incidents, both of which have been trending upward in recent years, according to data from the FBI.

The perpetuation and experience of hate-motivated behaviors is effectively

by MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer

were innately worse than those of white people. That assumption ended up in modern guidelines and algorithms for assessing risk and deciding on further care. Test results were adjusted to account for — or “correct” for — a patient’s race or ethnicity.

One example beyond lung function is a heart failure riskscoring system that categorizes Black patients as being at lower risk and less likely to need referral for special cardiac care.

Credit: Shutterstock

NEW YORK (AP) — Racial bias built into a common medical test for lung function is likely leading to fewer Black patients getting care for breathing problems, a study published Thursday suggests.

As many as 40% more Black male patients in the study might have been diagnosed with breathing problems if current diagnosis-assisting computer software was changed, the study said.

Doctors have long discussed the potential problems caused by race-based assumptions that are built into diagnostic software. This study, published in JAMA Network Open, offers one of the first real-world examples of how the the issue may affect diagnosis and care for lung patients, said Dr. Darshali Vyas, a pulmonary care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The results are “exciting” to see published but it’s also “what we’d expect” from setting aside race-based calculations, said Vyas, who was an author of an influential 2020 New England Journal of Medicine article that catalogued examples of how race-based assumptions are used in making doctors’ decisions about patient care.

For centuries, some doctors and others have held beliefs that there are natural racial differences in health, including one that Black people’s lungs

examined through a lens of trauma, Cofer said. She defined trauma as an event or series of events “that are experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful, or even life-threatening,” leaving a “lasting and perpetual adverse effect on their ability to function their mental, their physical, their social, their emotional or spiritual well-being.”

Forms of Racism

Racism critically underlies hate-motivated behavior which adversely impacts the health of African American community members. Racism can take many forms beyond personally mediated actions involving “an acute stressor, an individual insult or a discriminatory act,” Coffer said.

Beyond this individual scale there’s cultural racism, “which determines which group qualities and characteristics are valued or devalued” in a society; internalized racism, “when we accept the negative things that are said about our own abilities our worth”; and institutional racism, which are “discriminatory race- or class-based policies or practices that can be formal or informal, that can continue to perpetuate themselves long after they’re formally in place because of the way that they shape the foundation of how we operate.”

To discuss hate-motivated behavior, she continued, is to discuss the intersection of two or more of these forms of racism, and the way in which economic, educational, health, environmental, and social

systems amplify or mitigate the harm caused by this racism.

Forms of Hate-Motivated Behavior

Coffer went on to discuss various forms of hate-motivated behavior, which she defined as intentional “verbal or nonverbal expressions of discrimination.”

Examples include hate speech in-person or on social media; hate crimes directed toward individuals based upon their actual or perceived racial group; and societal hate-based discrimination in the form of white supremacist ideology. These forms of hate-motivated behavior against African Americans are a “public health threat … shaping the context in which we’re living,” she said. When perpetrators of this behavior act “in ways that are threatening … with impunity, that really challenges our ability to be able to be healthy, because one aspect of safety is our emotional safety our physical safety. And when that is violated, we are deeply challenged able to live the lives that we should be able to live.”

Liberation and Healing

Just as each of the above levels of “dehumanization and distress” contribute to the institutional systems which encourage these behaviors, so does every level of “liberation and healing,” said Coffer.

To challenge hate-motivated behavior from the perspective of public health, she added, practitioners and policymakers

continued on page 8

Black men were likely under diagnosed with lung problems because of bias in software, study suggests...continued

than 2,700 Black men and 5,700 white men tested by University of Pennsylvania Health System doctors between 2010 and 2020. The researchers looked at spirometry and lung volume measurements and assessed how many were deemed to have breathing impairments under the race-based algorithm as compared to under a new algorithm. Researchers concluded there would be nearly 400 additional cases of lung obstruction or impairment in Black men with the new algorithm.

to the return of Jesus Christ, there will be a distinct and discernable period of 3.5 years [1,260 days] and we will know when this period of time is upon us by the following series of events and circumstances:

A worldwide power structure controlled by Satan, ran by the Beast, will be established with total control over the lives of all people on the planet. Happening Now! [Revelation 13:5].

The military and police forces of the Beast will occupy [trample] Jerusalem. Happening Now! [Revelation 11:2, Matthew 24:15, and Luke 21:20].

All the flesh and blood descendants of Jacob will be persecuted and violently oppressed. Happening Now! [Jeremiah 30:7, Matthew 24:21].

And one more event that will occur during this 3.5-year period. The final, global witness of God's truth accomplished by those who are known as "the two witnesses." [Revelation 11:1-14].

I tell you, the prophecy of [Daniel 2] alone shows we are in the 'time of the end', and all the other evidence proves we are in the very end times. The Biblical signs are clear for all to see, but as [Ezekiel 12: 2] states, “You have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for you are a rebellious house. Ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding;” [Mark 4:12].

Listen, I cannot overstate that we are living right in the end of times for this world. Sure, many people throughout history have

proclaimed that we were living in the last days and the end of the world was near, and some of the Bible signs have always existed from the early days. But never has there been a time before when ALL these events were evident in so many diverse places and with such frequency and intensity. Please repent before it is too late! God’s Final Warning! TIME IS ALMOST UP!

And He said to me, " Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this Book, for the time is near. Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying [deception, cheating]. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision! [Joel 3:14].

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1154

Tug of War

Michael Neuroth

Director, Washington Office

Acting

Another is an equation used in determining kidney function that creates estimates of higher kidney function in Black patients.

The new study focused on a test to determine how much and how quickly a person can inhale and exhale. It’s often done using a spirometer — a device with a mouthpiece connected to a small machine.

After the test, doctors get a report that has been run through computer software and scores the patient’s ability breathe. It helps indicate whether a patient has restrictions and needs further testing or care for things like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or lung scarring due to air pollutant exposure.

Algorithms that adjust for race raise the threshold for diagnosing a problem in Black patients and may make them less likely to get started on certain medications or to be referred for medical procedures or even lung transplants, Vyas said.

While physicians also look at symptoms, lab work, X-rays and family histories of breathing problems, the pulmonary function testing can be an important part of diagnoses, “especially when patients are borderline,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, the chief medical officer at the American Lung Association.

The new study looked at more

Earlier this year, the American Thoracic Society, which represents lung-care doctors, issued a statement recommending replacement of

race-focused adjustments. But the organization also put a call out for more research, including into the best way to modify software and whether making a change might inadvertently lead to overdiagnosis of lung problems in some patients.

Vyas noted some other algorithms have already been changed to drop race-based assumptions, including one for pregnant women that predicts risks of vaginal delivery if the mom previously had a cesarean section.

Changing the lung-testing algorithm may take longer, Vyas said, especially if different hospitals use different versions of race-adjusting procedures and software.

“What is God’s Final Warning?”

By Lou K. Coleman

Over the past month, our nation has been anxiously watching the “debt ceiling” tug of war play out on Capitol Hill. The debt ceiling, or limit, is the maximum amount of federal debt the government can incur at any given time. It must be raised to pay the nation’s bills to avoid a default, which, if ever reached, would send the U.S. economy into a tailspin and disrupt critically needed services.

Treasury Secretary Yellen has estimated that we will reach the current limit of $31.4tn on June 5th. What was once a routine vote has now become political theatre and brinkmanship—a tug of war between two parties seeking to score political points.

President Biden and Speaker McCarthy agreed to a compromise last weekend, and over this past week both chambers of Congress passed it in relative bipartisan fashion.

budget, even beyond what it requests, while at the same time claiming their hands are tied to help the poor.

A report released last week by the Institute for Policy Studies and National Priorities Project brings this further into focus.

Lou K. Coleman

If you don’t know let me, tell you. God’s Final Warning is that the time is near. The time is at hand. It is closer than we think. His coming will be quick. His coming will not wait on your preparation. God’s Final Warning! [Revelation 22:720]. What are you waiting for?

Accept Jesus now as your Lord and Savior! For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? [Mark 8:36]. Do not be foolish! Too lose your soul is the greatest loss of all because it is a loss that can never be recovered.

Jesus told a story about a man who lived the American dream. He worked hard. He stored up all that he needed for a long retirement. And he said to himself: “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. So, relax, eat, drink, and be merry. I’m going to enjoy myself. I’ve

earned it.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you” [Luke 12:1920]. Do not wait until it is too late! Whether you are young or old, the message today is for you. It is about your life, your eternal future. You soul is of greater value than the whole world and Jesus want your soul to be saved. Do not be foolish! Repent before it is too late. For you know neither the day nor the hour [Matthew 4:17; Matthew 25:13; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32] “God’s Final Warning, “The appointed time has grown very short.”

Understand, before God judges a nation, He sends warnings. America, like Israel, has not responded with repentance, but with defiance. [Isaiah 9:10]. And if you read your Bible, you know that God had repeatedly warned the people of impending danger if they didn’t acknowledge Him, and in the end, because they did not, they paid the price for failing to listen. Don’t you do it! Don’t ignore the warnings. Repent before it is too late! Because God has also told us that prior continued in next 2 columns

As of this writing, it now awaits President Bidens signature before the Monday deadline. While the immediate debt default crisis may have been averted, the question is at what cost? The 99 page bill, in a nutshell, lifts the debt ceiling for two years in exchange for a cap (at 2023 levels) of annual federal discretionary spending on everything except the Pentagon and veterans’ programs. It also expands access but adds work requirements to safety net programs (TANF/SNAP), restarts student loan repayments, cuts IRS funding, and green lights a major gas pipeline, among many other provisions.

In this tug of war of our nation’s values, there seems to be only one clear winner—and it is not a political party. The only part of our budget exempt from the proposed cuts are the Pentagon and our nation’s broader military budget. Even though the U.S. spends more than the next ten countries combined (most of whom are allies) on our military, unquestioned support cuts across party lines. Any sense of “parity” found in past budget negotiations that kept defense and non-defense spending balanced is now gone. Except for a small but vocal minority of members, Congress will keep finding new ways to pump more money into the Pentagon’s almost $900bn

“The Warfare State: How Funding for Militarism Compromises our Welfare”i highlights how “overmilitarized” our federal budget is and how such investments are making us less safe by underinvesting in human needs. The report includes budget lines often left out of consideration (such as veterans affairs, homeland security, and law enforcement) but which are all forms of our militarized society. Ultimately, in FY23, 62% of our federal discretionary budget went to fund these programs, including direct funding for wars and weapons as well as law enforcement, incarceration, detention, and deportation. This pull toward militarism is nothing new. What is different now is the escalation of these costs, both economic and human, such that the militarized budget has almost doubled since 2001—from $587bn $1.1tn now.

Seventy years ago, this past April, President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned of these trends in his speech titled “The Chance for Peace”:

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

President Eisenhower saw the potential pitfalls of a military-industrial (and now Congressional) complex. While it is critical that Congress raised the debt ceiling to avert an economic crisis, the final deal represents a deeper moral crisis we face as a nation. We cannot let our nation’s values be pulled further off course. Together, let us work toward a more faithful budget by prioritizing human needs over the tug of war.

Black men were likely under diagnosed with lung problems because of bias in software, study suggests

“What is God’s Final Warning?..continued”

Debt Ceiling Deal Averts Default, With Poor and Elderly Paying the Price

Held for ransom by Republicans, the debt ceiling deal Biden signed Saturday leaves those on the lower rungs with less support even as the nation’s debt continues to mount.

By Peter White

The Impact of HateMotivated Behavior on African American Health...continued from

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willingness to avoid default,” says Rachel Snyderman, Senior Associate Director of business and economic policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington.

The deal targets discretionary spending – about one quarter of the federal budget – and Snyderman says we have seen political brinkmanship surrounding the debt limit intensify in the last decade.

Debt Ceiling Deal Averts Default, With Poor and Elderly Paying the Price...continued

“need to be able to call out as a sector that this is wrong, that this is harmful, and that there are serious consequences to it. And when we don’t do that, that’s not a neutral position; it is … offering an on-ramp for a risk factor that we know is harmful.”

taxpayers. If we were to default, there would likely be a rapid decrease in demand for US securities and negative shocks to economies around the world.

Two years from now Republicans could force another game of political brinkmanship to cut back social programs like Social Security and Medicare.

Eliminating the debt ceiling

IRS budget will deprive the agency of the staff and technology it badly needs to crack down on tax evasion and ultimately cost the U.S. millions of dollars, says Lindsay Owens, Ph.D., Executive Director, Groundwork Collaborative.

Getting our fiscal house in order

The debt ceiling deal brokered last week between Democrats and Republicans staved off potential economic disaster. But experts say the bill will have long-term consequences for those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.

There is also growing concern about the nation’s mounting debt and what that means for the many federal programs that millions rely on.

“We know those effects would have been felt deeply, very deeply by people who are the least economically secure,” says Shannon Buckingham, Senior Vice president at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, speaking about the potential consequences of a default.

“Sixty-five million Social Security beneficiaries could have seen their benefits delayed, six million veterans and their survivors could have had their benefits held up. Families could have seen their monthly rental assistance, food assistance, childcare delayed,” Buckingham said.

Without a deal we could have seen a loss of 7-8 million jobs and a spike in unemployment.

Buckingham spoke with reporters Friday during an Ethnic Media Services press briefing, one day ahead of President Biden signing the deal, extending the debt limit through 2025 and ensuring the US avoids a first-ever default.

Increased hunger, poverty for older adults

Shannon Buckingham, Senior Vice President for

Communications and Senior Counselor, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, explains how the new work requirement for older adults on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program puts these recipients at risk.

Buckingham called out Republicans for using the debt ceiling as a hostage to force deeply unpopular and harmful policies that they could not pass when they held full control of Congress.

“We saw the extreme nature of their demands in the bill that (the Republican-controlled House) passed a few weeks ago. Fortunately, the ultimate agreement that was reached avoided much of the damage that that bill would have inflicted,” she said.

The bipartisan deal, which passed despite resistance from far-right GOP lawmakers in the House, has some bad news for people who struggle to make ends meet. For example, a work reporting requirement for lowincome older adults who receive SNAP benefits will increase hunger and poverty for people, age 50-54. Buckingham said many people in that age group are in poor health and can no longer do the physically demanding jobs they once held. “And so many will lose the basic assistance that they count on to buy groceries,” she says.

People can get a medical waiver, but the process is notoriously laden with red tape and just doesn’t work, Buckingham added.

“We applaud Congress’s

“We’ve started to see the debt limit be kind of a hostagetaking device. It’s the only time when both parties come together to have fruitful, meaningful discussions about fiscal policy,” she says.

‘Time to act’ on debt

Rachel Snyderman, Senior Associate Director, Business and Economic Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center, says the debt ceiling does not address the need for revenue beyond cutting taxes.

“The interest on our debt is going to outpace our spending on Medicaid next year. It’s going to become the largest federal expenditure within the next 30 years,” Snyderman warned.

She then listed things the government won’t have money to pay for when interest payments become the nation’s largest expense. They include critical social programs that millions of American families rely on, spending for defense in our military, and foreign aid investments in clean energy, and education.

“It’s time to act now,” she says.

The national debt of $31 trillion amounts to about one third of the total sovereign-debt market.

“Before we’re even talking about default, we’re seeing a reflection of increased risk aversion among global investors holding and buying our debt,” says Snyderman.

Increased yields that investors demand on treasury notes only drive up our costs to borrow, but those are then paid for by

Coalition For Change (C4C) Releases Report to President Biden on EEOC's Flawed EEO Complaint System

C4C's latest report highlights a concerning issue The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is not adequately protecting public servants responsible for delivering safe and efficient programs and services to the public.

(Black PR Wire) The Coalition For Change, Inc.

(C4C) today released its report titled: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Unmet Mission: Challenges

Impacting Prompt, Fair, and Impartial Processing of Federal Employees' Equal Employment Opportunity Complaints. “Our report highlights twenty-one (21) challenges victims of federal officials' discriminatory acts confront when navigating the protracted EEO complaint system," said Tanya Ward Jordan, C4C President and Founder. “Our report also addresses EEO reform measures we shared with Representative Elijah Cummings. As a result, Congress passed the Elijah Cummings Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2020. Still, the EEOC knowingly fails to curb discrimination in the federal workplace. Therefore, we unite with the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees and the Caucus of African American Leaders to raise awareness about a flawed EEOC-led federal complaint system.”

According to David Grogan, a member of the Caucus of

African American Leaders and a retired Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal, the C4C report exposes how the EEOC permits discrimination against the Black community. Grogan was the initial lead plaintiff in the $300,000,000 class action lawsuit against the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), asserting the law enforcement agency discriminates against African Americans. The complaint was filed in the District Court for the District of Columbia. Grogan said, “The EEOC and federal agencies' Office of General Counsel disregard Black families' livelihoods. Their deliberate actions against those opposing discrimination are akin to a domestic terrorist attack on employees, especially Black employees filing legitimate EEO claims. I hope the next U.S. President will end this apparent ongoing war on Blacks.” The C4C report received praise from Lawrence Lucas, President Emeritus of the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees. “The agency lacks accountability and steers away from its mandate of correcting unlawful discrimination and protecting its

“We need to think about how we center the people who are most harmed” by hate-motivated behavior, she continued, and “the ways in which we are making sure that we are providing comprehensive and appropriate services, especially related to the assessment of our physical and mental well-being, and making sure that we are doing so in a way that affirms … that what they’re experiencing is a very normal response to abnormal conditions.”

Otherwise, Coffer concluded, the above-mentioned forms of hate-motivated behavior can be reinforced through personally, culturally, and institutionally perpetuated racism, “and then we begin to think that, once again, something is wrong with us, that we are the problem, instead of being able to rightly identify the external cause of some of the things that are happening.”

Submission Deadline is Mondays By 5pm

Could the debt limit be suspended for a longer period of time or eliminated altogether?

“The answer is absolutely one hundred percent,” says Lindsay Owens, Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, a left-leaning think tank in Washington.

“There is no sort of glory in the fact that it is bipartisan. You know, we should not be in a position where the American government is getting within a week of defaulting on its obligations.”

Owens stressed that the debt ceiling isn’t about future spending. It’s about paying bills on spending that’s already been incurred.

“So, this lifting the debt ceiling has absolutely no bearing on fiscal matters moving forward,” she says. As a structural matter, the budget and talking about fiscal matters is mostly unrelated to the debt ceiling, she says.

“It’s because a contingent of Republicans in Congress insisted on tying a budget fight to the debt ceiling elimination, right? So, the pairing of these two things is strictly artificial and strictly a political construction, not a requirement of lifting the debt ceiling.”

Reducing the newly approved

The IRS budget cuts of $21.4 billion over ten years included in the bill actually results in a net increase to the deficit, Owens says.

“That’s because it results in foregone revenue collection by the IRS. So that’s just a really important piece of the deal,” she says.

The deal freezes discretionary funding for one year and increases it by 1% in the second year. But if you consider inflation is running about 5%, Owens says it means less housing assistance, fewer slots for toddlers to go to Head Start, less services for seniors, and the like.

Denmark does a better job than the U.S. handling its debt, Owens notes, adding that while these are politically motivated discussions, there is a way forward. “We have to have the political courage to get our fiscal house in order.”

While we fault other countries for their sluggish economies, the U.S. continues to live beyond its means.

“As the world’s strongest economy, we’re leaving default on the table for purely political reasons, not because we don’t have access to the to capital markets, which differentiates us from the crises that we’ve seen in Greece and Argentina and Venezuela, for example,” Owen says.

victims,” said Lucas. “Instead, the EEOC has become part of the problem. It lacks the courage and commitment to safeguard employees, like women firefighters in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, who oppose abuse in the workplace. The EEOC's lack of commitment to justice forces many into court and leaves many to die while waiting for justice." Paulette Taylor, the C4C's Civil and Human Rights Chair and a former class agent of a race-based class action against the U.S. Social Security Administration where discrimination was found against a class of Black female employees, expressed her concerns about the EEOC's inefficiency. “Complainants challenging federal workplace bias have lost their families, homes, friends, careers, and income. Many have waited a decade or more to finalize their case within the EEOCled complaint system, which is unacceptable.

The C4C report highlights the need for an effective leader in the EEOC's Office of Federal Operations,” said Taylor.