SB American News Week Ending 8/23

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)

Trump Demands Removal of Black

Female

Judge in Jan. 6 Case

Trump Demands Removal of Black Female Judge in Jan. 6 Case

Guide to Essential Financial Resources in Times of Crisis

on July 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Former President Donald Trump has said he’s been informed that he is the target of an investigation by a grand jury examining Jan. 6 and efforts to overturn the 2020 election led by special counsel Jack Smith.

The Electors

ABOVE: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)

Former president Donald J. Trump has pled not guilty to all charges for his role in the January 6th insurrection. Inside E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Trump stood before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya, who oversaw the roughly half-hour hearing. She ordered Mr. Trump not to talk about the case with any witnesses, except through counsel.

When his trial begins on Aug. 28, Trump will face a judge who represents everything he seems to hate: Judge Tanya Chutkan, a Black female judge appointed by President Barack Obama to the United States District Court of Washington, D.C. in June 2014. Trump, who has a history of attacking judges and prosecutors (especially Black ones), is already demanding she be removed from the case. But he may want to rethink any attacks on Judge Chutkan — an experienced judge who plays no games.

Background

Trump was indicted by a grand jury on August 1 in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into January 6th. Trump faces four counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The indictment opens by saying that Trump lost the 2020 election. “Despite having lost, the Defendant was determined to remain in power. So for more than two months following election day on November 3, 2020, the Defendant spread lies that there had been outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he had actually won. These claims were false, and the Defendant knew that they were false. But the Defendant repeated and widely disseminated them anyway,” the indictment says, adding that doing so helped “create an

intense national atmosphere of mistrust and anger.”

The indictment also says that Trump “pursued unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting the election results. In so doing, the Defendant perpetuated three criminal conspiracies:

A conspiracy to defraud the United States by using dishonesty, fraud and deceit to impair, obstruct and defeat the lawful federal government function by which the results of the presidential election are collected, counted, and certified […]

A conspiracy to corruptly obstruct and impede the January 6 congressional proceeding […] A conspiracy against the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted, in violation of 18 U.S.C.”

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY

25: The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. District Court House is seen

The results of a presidential election are collected, counted, and certified through a process established by the Constitution and the Electoral College Act (1887). We Americans do not elect the president directly. They don’t just count up all the votes and see who wins. Rather, votes are counted by state. The winner of the state is awarded the state’s “electors” — a group of designated people who get the final say.

Each state (except Maine and Nebraska) has a “winner-takeall” system: whoever gets the popular vote in a state gets all that state’s electors. (Each state gets a number of electors equal to its number of representatives. So if Texas has two senators and 36 House reps, it gets 38 electors.) After Election Day, each state decides who its electors will be.

“Finally, the Constitution and ECA required that on the 6th of January […] the Congress meet in a Joint Session for a certification proceeding, presided over by the Vice President,” the indictment says.

California Study: Most Black Women Voters Are Financially Insecure

Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

A study released last week by the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI) presents a grim picture of the financial stability of Black women voters in the state.

A total of 1,258 women participated in the poll used in the study. Their answers give insight into the web of challenges Black women across California confront daily.

“Black women in California and around the country are struggling socially and economically while serving as primary breadwinners of their households,” said Kellie

Todd Griffin, President and CEO of CBWCEI. “The results are sobering and paint a picture of the pressures that threaten Black women’s stability and financial security. This data is a call to action for meaningful change to policymakers, advocates and community leaders to address these pressing issues and disparity gaps.” The survey conducted by EVITARUS, a Black-owned public opinion research and public policy consulting firm based in Los Angeles, provides an in-depth analysis of Black women’s opinions about state

and federal elected officials.

It also reveals CBWCEI’s top policy priorities for enhancing the well-being of women and girls in California.

Top among the issues Black women face are racial discrimination, lack of opportunities for career advancement, adverse mental and physical health conditions, pay inequity, parenting challenges, among other serious issues.

EVITARUS Managing Partner Shakari Byerly served as the principal investigator and lead researcher on the study. She said the survey reveals the financial and economic burdens that Black women confront as they contribute to their families, communities and the state.

In times of crisis, whether it’s a global economic downturn, a natural disaster, or a personal financial emergency, having access to financial resources becomes crucial. These resources not only provide stability during difficult times but also offer opportunities for recovery and resilience. Here are some essential financial resources that individuals and businesses can utilize during times of crisis.

Insurance Coverage Insurance plays a vital role in mitigating financial risks during a crisis. Health insurance covers medical expenses, protecting individuals and families from significant financial burdens. Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance safeguards against property damage or loss due to unforeseen circumstances such as fires, floods, or theft. Additionally, life insurance provides financial security to loved ones in case of the policyholder’s untimely demise. Other insurances to consider are home warranties for your appliances and pet owners to cover the cost of accidents.

Government Assistance Programs

During times of crisis, governments often implement assistance programs to help individuals and businesses

navigate challenging economic conditions. It is essential to stay informed about such programs and take advantage of them if eligible. Local government websites, social service agencies, or community organizations can provide information on available resources.

These programs may include:

Unemployment Benefits. Unemployment benefits provide financial assistance to individuals who have lost their jobs and are actively seeking new employment. These benefits typically include a portion of the individual’s previous earnings for a specified period, helping them cover basic living expenses while they search for work. Some states may also offer educational opportunities, including vocational job training or workshops to improve resume writing, interview skills, networking, and job search techniques.

Food Assistance Programs. Government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the United States and similar initiatives in other countries provide food assistance to low-income individuals and families. Eligible participants receive financial aid to purchase groceries and essential food

continued on page 2

Covid Makes a Comeback, But New Vaccines Are Around the Corner

By Sunita Sohrabji

The US is experiencing a summer swell of infections, though hospitalization rates remain relatively stable. Three eminent experts conclude that Covid-19 will continue to pose a health threat over many years, as it continues its evolution. But updated vaccines are expected to mitigate the severity of infections. CDC photo via Unsplash)

Griffin, Byerly, Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), and Dr. Thomas A. Parham, President, California State University Dominguez Hills held a virtual media briefing on Aug. 8 to discuss the study’s results.

“This type of project is exactly why the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) pushed to have the California Black women think tank funded through the legislature,” said Wilson, who chairs the CLBC. “California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute received $5 million in funding from Gov. (Gavin) Newsom to launch this first-ever think tank to focus on Black women in California.”

Covid-19 cases are rising once again, possibly fueled by the emergence of the EG.5 variant. Hospitalization rates jumped by 12.5% nationwide in July, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This uptick comes even as the public health emergency has ended, taking with it free testing and therapeutics. And Covid fatigue has set in. People no longer wear masks in public, and a study has determined that the majority of Americans will forego new boosters, which will be available this fall.

At an Aug. 11 panel discussion organized by Ethnic Media Services, three eminent Covid experts examined the rise in cases, the new variant, and the new monovalent vaccine which will be available this fall.

Panelists included:

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong,

Associate Dean for Regional Campuses, University of California, San Francisco and Medical Educator, specializing in treating infectious diseases

Dr. Benjamin Neuman, Professor of Biology and Chief Virologist, Global Health Research Complex, Texas A&M University

Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

What are the origins of the EG.5 variant? Does it differ substantially from its predecessors?

Photo: Sergey Nivens via 123RF

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase

Photo: aukid via 123RF

(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

" 57 Years of Providing Community & Educational Support "

$10,000 in scholarships and awards. Shannon is a student from the high desert and the first person in his family to go to college. K’Miles Davis was 2nd Runner-Up, receiving over $8,000 in scholarships and awards, and was voted Mr. Congeniality by his peers. Davion Boyd-Phenix received the $4,000 President’s Scholarship Award. Jordan Evans received the $2,000 Beautillion Alumni Scholarship Award.

Introducing New School Principals in the San Bernardino City Unified School District

San Bernardino Unified School District Police Department, Chief Joseph Paulino, and Battalion Chief of Los Angeles Fire Department David Reddix for their unwavering support.

The 56th Beautillion Scholarship Program culminated on April 1, 2023, at California State University, San Bernardino.

Master of Ceremonies, Raafi Bell, Principal at Hardy Brown College Prep and 2004

Beautillion Sir Knight tied the past fifty-five Beautillion themes into an empowering history of the Beautillion, closing with this year’s theme, “I AM…Changing the Narrative.” Keynote Speaker was Lawrence Charles Hardy, Equity & Targeted Student Achievement Program Specialist/ Family Engagement with the San Bernardino County Unified School District. Lawrence emphasized the importance of higher education and giving

back to the community in which you live. Russel Ward, Alumni 1984, choreographed the dance routines, propelling the audience to stand, dance, and celebrate.

Jermaine Isaiah Moreno, a San Gorgonio High School senior, was named Sir Knight 2023 at the Beautillion Scholarship Awards presentation sponsored by the Social Lites, Inc. of the Inland Empire. Jermaine received over $15,000 in scholarships, computers, and awards for the prestigious title of Sir Knight. In the fall, he is attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in Psychology.

Shannon Williams II was 1st Runner-Up receiving over

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Launches Statewide Coalition with Teacher Recruitment Summit

In addition to scholarships and awards, each young man received a proclamation from Joe Baca, California State Assembly Member, U.S. House Representative Pete Aguilar, Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, Colton Mayor Frank J. Navarro, and San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran.

Social Lites, Inc.’s inaugural Trailblazer Award was presented to Damon Alexander, Seventh Ward City Council Member, and Alaina Matthews was given the Philanthropic Award for her unwavering generosity to the Social Lites, Inc., Evan T. Carthen Emerging Leader Award. Also, thank you, San Bernardino County Board Member Dr. Gwendoyln Dowdy-Rogers,

As we have concluded the 56th Beautillion, The Social Lites, Inc., of the Inland Empire, is preparing for its 57th Annual Beautillion Scholarship Program, “A Moment of Greatness,” to be held at California State University, San Bernardino, on March 30, 2024. The first Beautillion briefing will be held at the Center for Youth and Community Development, on September 10, 2023, from 2 pm-3:30 pm. We encourage high school senior young men to attend and explore opportunities to invest in their future. The program has prepared over five hundred young men to enter the college or university of their choice and has raised and awarded over $2.5 million in scholarships. For additional information, please contact Stephanie Newman, Beautillion Chair at (909) 990-6462, Donna Little-James, Beautillion CoChair at (909) 528-9793, or Marlene Davis, Public Affairs at (909) 709-5502.

Guide to Essential Financial Resources in Times of Crisis...continued from page 1

items.

Housing Assistance. Housing assistance programs aim to assist individuals and families struggling to afford safe and stable housing. These programs may include rental assistance, subsidies, or vouchers that help cover a portion of the housing costs for eligible individuals or families.

be valuable resources during a crisis. Contacting your financial institution and discussing your situation can help identify possible solutions tailored to your needs. It is essential to communicate early and proactively to explore available options. Services banks may offer include:

The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) started the 2023–2024 school year with several new school principals who will lead their campuses towards academic excellence.

The schools with new principals are:

Arrowhead Elementary School

Felicia Noel

Inghram Elementary School

NerthaArroyoGoodly

Urbita Elementary School

Dennis Wolbert Vermont Elementary School

Hernandez

Alejandro

Wilson Elementary School

Dorothy Daft Richardson PREP HI Middle School Shannon

Cabanas

Arroyo Valley High School

Manuel Gonzalez Jr. (Start date to be determined)

These schools started the new school year on July 31 with interim principals:

Dominguez Elementary School

Maribel Lopez-Tyus

North Verdemont Elementary School Stephanie Cereceres

Roosevelt Elementary School Alicia

Faz

our newly appointed principals are set to make a profound impact on the educational landscape in our community.”

For Inghram Elementary Principal Nertha Arroyo-Goodly, who is starting her 22nd year in the District, leading her own school is a lifelong dream come true. Superintendent Arellano, then Director of Human Resources, hired Arroyo-Goodly for her first Special Education teaching position at San Bernardino High School.

“It’s an honor and a blessing to be the principal of this small school with a big heart,” ArroyoGoodly said. “I can’t wait to learn more about our school community and continue with its tradition of high expectations in a caring and safe environment for all scholars.”

SACRAMENTO—State

Superintendent of Public

Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Teacher Recruitment Summit at the California Department of Education (CDE) today and formally launched a coalition to further engage in direct recruitment of teacher candidates statewide. The Summit brought together around 350 attendees—about one quarter joined in person—from teacher credentialing programs, school districts, county offices of education pipeline programs, AmeriCorps programs, military representatives, and more.

“Teachers are the backbone of our educational system. They inspire, guide, and shape the minds of our future leaders, thinkers, builders, innovators, writers, scientists, and artists,” said Thurmond. “Today, we stand in a moment that demands our attention and collective action— the need for a robust and diverse pool of educators to propel our schools forward into the next chapter … to take on the evolving needs of our students and school communities while we are pushing down the accelerator to grow our teacher pool.”

Attendees participated in working groups aimed at brainstorming solutions to the current teacher shortage by developing recruitment strategies for retirees, outof-state candidates, military personnel and their spouses/ domestic partners, and classified personnel.

Superintendent Thurmond

speaking to an audience

At a press conference preceding the event, Thurmond was joined by a number of leaders to praise new coalition efforts, including Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, President and CEO of the Learning Policy

Institute and President of the State Board of Education; Dr. Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, Chair of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing; Jeff Freitas, President of the California Federation of Teachers; Leslie Littman, Vice President of the California Teachers Association; Dr. Travis Bristol, Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Education Policy at the Berkeley School of Education; Dr. Edgar Zazueta, Executive Director of the Association of California School Administrators; and Susan Markarian, President of the California School Boards Association.

“We have an education staffing crisis. We were seeing it coming like it was a weather pattern, and it is here. We have a lack of staffing—teachers, classified staff, fully certificated counselors, bus drivers, and custodians. We have a shortage throughout California,” said Jeff Freitas. “Since the 1990s, housing costs in California have gone up 300 percent, but wages for school employees have not matched that even by half,” he said, pointing to a reason for the difficulty of attracting people considering working in the education field.

“I want to thank Superintendent Thurmond and all the organizations here supporting this and helping us move forward to make sure public education is what we prioritize in the state and to provide an education that students deserve.”

In his remarks, Dr. Travis Bristol reminded attendees of the importance of an ethnically diverse teacher workforce.

“Research and evidence are clear that when students of color have a teacher of color, they are less likely to be suspended, have higher achievement scores, and have a better overall school experience,” said Bristol. “As we spend time today thinking about recruitment, let’s not lose sight of the importance of and pushing

Small Business Loans. During times of economic crisis, governments often offer various types of loans and grants to support small businesses. These programs may provide lowinterest loans, loan guarantees, or grants to help businesses sustain operations, retain employees, or invest in recovery efforts.

Healthcare Subsidies. Government assistance programs often include subsidies or financial assistance for healthcare coverage. This can help individuals and families afford health insurance premiums, reducing the financial burden of medical expenses during a crisis.

Disaster Relief Programs. In the aftermath of natural disasters, governments typically establish disaster relief programs to assist affected individuals and communities. These programs may provide financial aid for home repairs, temporary housing, or other immediate needs.

Education Grants and Scholarships. Government assistance programs also exist to support education during crises. These programs may offer grants or scholarships to help individuals continue their education, retrain for new job opportunities, or acquire new skills.

Community Support and Charitable Organizations

Communities often come together during times of crisis, providing support and assistance to those in need. Charitable organizations, local nonprofits, and religious institutions may offer financial aid, food banks, or help with utility bills. These resources can provide temporary relief and bridge the gap until other financial solutions are in place. Reach out to local community centers or conduct online research to identify organizations that can lend a helping hand.

Financial Relief Programs. Banks may offer special relief programs to help individuals and businesses facing financial hardships. These programs can include options such as deferred loan payments, temporary interest rate reductions, or loan modifications.

Access to Credit and Loans. During a crisis, individuals and businesses may require additional funds to cover unexpected expenses or bridge gaps in cash flow. Banks can provide access to credit facilities, lines of credit, or emergency loans to help individuals meet their immediate needs and businesses maintain operations, pay employees, and address critical expenses.

Financial Advisory Services. Banks often have dedicated teams of financial advisors who can provide guidance and support during times of crisis. These advisors can assist individuals and businesses in assessing their financial situation, identifying available resources, and developing strategies to manage their finances effectively.

Education and Resources. Banks can offer educational resources and financial literacy programs to help individuals and businesses better understand their financial options during a crisis. This may include webinars, workshops, or online resources that provide information on budgeting, debt management, and financial planning during challenging times.

Access to essential financial resources is vital when navigating through times of crisis. Ensuring appropriate insurance coverage, utilizing government assistance programs, seeking community support, and leveraging financial institutions are all critical strategies for managing financial challenges effectively. By being prepared and proactive, individuals and businesses can enhance their resilience, weather the storm, and set the foundation for a more secure future.

Arroyo Valley High School

Hector Murrieta

Sierra High School

Candice VanLeeuwen

Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, himself a former SBCUSD teacher and principal, is looking forward to seeing these principals grow as compassionate servant leaders.

“These exceptional individuals bring a wealth of experience, dedication, and innovative ideas that will undoubtedly contribute to the success and growth of our students,” Arellano said. “With their outstanding leadership abilities, deep passion for education, compassion, and commitment to fostering a positive learning environment,

These accomplished educators will embark on their new roles with dedication and a strategic vision to lead their respective schools toward even greater achievements. Their appointment reflects the San Bernardino City Unified School District's commitment to providing quality education and fostering an environment of growth and development for students, teachers, and the entire community.

For Arrowhead Elementary’s new Principal Felicia Noel, being a principal at a small school with about 230 students feels like being a member of a big family. “I’m looking forward to building positive relationships with families, students, and staff,” Noel said. “I’m so glad to be here. Every day when I pull up to the school parking lot, I have a big smile on my face.”

Our Knights from left to right are as follows: Jordan Evans, K'Miles Davis, Davion Phenix-Boyd, Shannon Williams, and Jermaine Moreno

Dorothy Daft at Lankershim Elementary School (2022) (Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)

OTS, Caltrans Highlight National Traffic Safety Month with Reminders to Go Safely for Back-to-School

Congress, Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program to Keep Black Households Online...continued

participation, communication with loved ones and more.

The ACP, administered through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), was funded through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Launches

Statewide Coalition with Teacher Recruitment

Summit...continued from page 2

households in qualifying highcost areas and on qualifying Tribal lands, as well as a onetime discount on the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

The program’s participation rate, which now exceeds onethird of eligible households, far outweighs that of the Lifeline

Fighting Housing Discrimination

by Congresswoman Barbara Lee

for recruiting, supporting, and sustaining an ethnically diverse teacher workforce.”

ELK GROVE, Calif. —

August is recognized as National Traffic Safety Month and marks the start of back-toschool season, a critical time to raise awareness and encourage safe driving practices to protect parents, guardians and children.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans urge all Californians to remain vigilant and practice driving responsibly on the roads to protect lives and foster safer communities.

As families gear up to return to school, the surge in traffic is expected to affect more than just commute times, particularly for Black communities. According to a recent study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, on a national level, Black people face a passenger vehicle fatality rate 73% higher than their white counterparts. This disparity becomes even more evident as Black individuals experience a pedestrian death rate of 118% higher than white individuals, as well as a 348% higher cycling fatality rate, resulting in the highest overall traffic fatality rate per mile traveled. Here in California, Black pedestrians experience a 65% higher fatality rate compared to their white counterparts.

As students head back to the classroom, parents and residents are reminded to slow down, follow the speed limit and be extra careful driving through school zones. To keep communities safer, OTS and Caltrans offer the following tips to stay safe around schools:

• Slow down and follow the speed limit.

Adhere to school

policies and procedures for dropping off and picking up students.

Stop for school buses. Watch for children rushing to catch the bus or exiting.

• Whenever possible, avoid blocking the crosswalk while waiting to make a righthand turn.

For parents with children walking or biking to school, teach them safe walking and riding behaviors, such as looking both ways before crossing the street, using sidewalks when available, and crossing at marked crosswalks with stop signs or signals.

If you are behind a school bus with a stop sign and flashing red lights, drivers need to stop so students can safely get on and off the bus. Drivers must remain stopped while the red lights are on. Drivers in both directions must stop on any two-lane road without a median or a center turn lane.

OTS and Caltrans are committed to creating a safer transportation environment for everyone. As part of this effort, they encourage all Californians to be proactive in promoting road safety and to share these tips with family, friends, and neighbors.

Let us all embrace the spirit of National Traffic Safety Month and back-to-school preparations by prioritizing safety on our roads. To learn more about the Go Safely Movement and share your thoughts on traffic safety concerns, visit gosafelyca.org/ thegosafelymovement, and follow Go Safely on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @OTS_ CA, @GoSafelyCA, and @ CaltransHQ.

Congress, Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program to Keep Black Households Online

By Hazel Trice Edney

Housing discrimination has long been one of the pillars of systemic racism and social injustice in our country. It robs people of color of the wealth they earn. It traps Black and Brown children in underfunded schools. It divides our communities. And sadly, it is still an issue that Congress must address.

Last month, I stood up to stop Republicans from dismantling an effort to stop housing discrimination. Here’s what happened, and what can do about it.

Since 1968, elements of the Civil Rights Act have been used to correct the imbalance and inherent unfairness facing people who are subjected to discrimination when applying for housing. While the Fair Housing Act has been helpful in stopping slumlords from discriminating against tenants, it wasn’t until 2015 that the Department of Housing and Urban Development created formal guidance for enforcing the mandates established by the law.

During the Trump Administration, slumlords had one of their own in the White House, and the fair housing rules were dismantled, defunded, and eventually repealed. The Trump action had the intended effect, and cases of fair housing discrimination have been rising, with recent data from the National Fair Housing Alliance indicating a nearly 10% increase in housing discrimination complaints in the year following the rule’s repeal. In fact, the 2021 trends show the highest number of housing discrimination complaints since the organization first started collecting data 25 years ago.

The Biden Administration worked to address this trend by strengthening fair housing enforcement, but a Republican

bill recently sought to block the Administration’s new fair housing rule, siding with lenders and corporations at the expense of renters and homeowners.

The Republican bill burdens working families who cannot find a place to live because they face discrimination. It burdens homeowners who are robbed of their hard-earned equity because of appraisal discrimination. It burdens people who are denied fair housing because they are disabled veterans or identify as LGBTQ+. The Republican bill blocks all these people from getting a fair shake and forces more people out onto the streets.

During the Appropriations Committee meeting where this bill was considered, I offered an amendment that would have struck the language blocking the enforcement of the new fair housing rule. Unsurprisingly, the Republican majority on the committee voted down my amendment. But the debate highlighted an important issue facing our country - housing discrimination is metastasizing. And it helped highlight the solution - electing more representatives who will fight for fair housing.

I’m running for Senate because I have lived the struggles of everyday Californians. I know what it is like to rely on public assistance in tough times. Californians facing housing discrimination deserve a Senator who will make reestablishing the fair housing rule a priority, and who has the experience to deliver.

Housing discrimination has long been one of the pillars of systemic racism and social injustice in our country. But it doesn’t need to be. I’m running for Senate to end housing discrimination for good.

HUD Announces $73 Million to Aid Veterans Experiencing Homelessness

The Summit is the first of its kind at the state level and sets a tone for a new coalition effort to creatively and collaboratively tackle a problem plaguing the nation. In recent months, Thurmond launched a onestop recruitment portal that allows teacher candidates to get information in one place, including how to pursue a teaching credential, how to find vacancies at districts, and ways to access resources to support their education and credentialing.

“We remain committed

to ensuring that our teacher workforce is robust and will reflect the rich diversity of California’s population. Through outreach and partnerships and the work of our new coalition, we are working to attract more individuals from diverse backgrounds to join the ranks of education in California and bring their unique perspectives to the classroom,” Thurmond said. A full recording of the Summit can be viewed on the CDE Facebook page. Anyone interested in becoming part of the statewide teacher recruitment coalition should email TeachinCA@cde.ca.gov.

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Trump Demands Removal of Black Female Judge in Jan. 6 Case...continued from page 1 “Manner & Means”

Chutkan.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) -

Millions of children across the nation will be able to do their homework at home during the upcoming school year, thanks to strong leaders on both sides of the aisle who recognize that broadband has become a necessity. But that could soon end if Congress doesn’t quickly take action.

A federal initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide—the gap between those who have internet access and those who do not—could lose funding as

FlamingoImages

soon as next spring if Congress doesn’t add more dollars to the program. The Affordable Connectivity Program (or the ACP, as it is called) provides crucial online access to people who might otherwise be unable to afford it. And it’s not just helping to level the playing field with education; it’s transforming the lives of more than 20 million households by expanding access to job opportunities, e-commerce, entertainment, political

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the Fiscal Year 2023 HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Summer Registration of Interest (ROI), which makes available approximately $73 million for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to assist homeless veterans. HUD estimates this funding will support up to 7,500 new HUD-VASH vouchers. The funding includes $33 million in carryover funds available to award non-competitively and $40 million recently appropriated through the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328).

Please read Notice PIH 2023-22 here: https://www.hud.gov/sites/ dfiles/OCHCO/documents/202322pihn.pdf

“HUD-VASH has been integral to the progress we have made to reduce and ultimately end Veteran homelessness. Thanks to HUD-VASH, thousands of former service members no longer have to worry about having a safe place to call home,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “I encourage eligible

Public Housing Agencies across the country to apply for the HUDVASH Summer Registration of Interest to continue the success of national efforts to place veterans experiencing homelessness into housing.”

As in prior years, PHAs will be provided an opportunity to self-identify interest in receiving vouchers. Interested PHAs are required to provide written letters of support from their partnering VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) to be considered. The FY2023 Summer HUD-VASH ROI will close at midnight in the time zone of the PHA on Friday, September 15, 2023.

The HUD-VASH program for veterans experiencing homelessness combines HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA provides these services for participating Veterans at VA medical centers, communitybased outreach clinics (CBOCs), through VA contractors, or through other VA designated service providers (DSPs).

Trump and his co-conspirators “organized fraudulent slates of electors in seven targeted states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin), attempting to mimic the procedures that the legitimate electors were supposed to follow,” Smith’s indictment says. That included having the fake electors meet on the same day as the real ones met to cast their votes. They also signed certificates falsely claiming that they were the real electors. Then they sent the fake certificates to Vice President Mike Pence, among other government officials.

Trump even misled his own foot soldiers: “Some fraudulent electors were tricked into participating based on the understanding that their votes would be used only if the Defendant [Trump] succeeded in outcome-determinative lawsuits within their state, which the Defendant never did.” Trump and his minions tried to get Pence to alter the election results. They tried to convince him to use the fake electors. And Trump pressured Pence relentlessly to overturn the election.

When that failed, Trump and his gang hosted a rally, telling supporters that Pence could and might change the results. Then Trump told them to go to the Capitol — which was soon the scene of a deadly riot. Now, he faces a particularly tough judge in the case. Her name is Tanya

“Here Comes The Judge”

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Chutkan emigrated to the United States to attend college at George Washington University. (She earned her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.) She spent over a decade as a public defender for impoverished clients before joining the federal bench in Washington in 2014.

Significantly, Trump is now facing a judge who is Black, an immigrant, and a woman — notable because he has a history of attacking people from all three demographics. Additionally, Judge Chutkan has a reputation as a tough judge who handed down stiff sentences to those involved in the January 6th riot: All 11 defendants who came before her court wound up behind bars. No wonder Trump is already calling for her recusal:

“There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous [Jan. 6] case,” he whined on Truth Social. He wants Chutkan to recuse herself from the case.

In addition to the individual criminal January 6th cases, Chutkan also ruled on a 2021 case in which Trump tried to block his White House records from being handed over to the January 6th Committee. Trump had claimed executive privilege, but Judge Chutkan rebuffed his request in her decision.

“Presidents are not kings,” she wrote, “and Plaintiff is not president.”

LAO: Gov Newsom’s Mental Health Proposal Is “Unclear” on Children’s Services

Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Covid Makes a Comeback, But New Vaccines Are Around the Corner...continued

But they are problematic.

Dr. Schaffner: We know that if you administer Paxlovid — particularly to people at high risk — very shortly after they are infected, we can reduce their risk of developing severe disease. But Paxlovid has limitations, as any therapy does. There are drug interactions. So if you’re taking certain medications, you have to be careful about taking Paxlovid. Or you may not be able to get it if you have kidney failure.

Remdesivir we now use very quickly once the patient is admitted to the hospital. But wouldn’t it be better if we had more therapeutic agents aimed at keeping people out of the

The Gospel of Harm Reduction...continued

hospital?

Will we soon have new therapeutics?

Studies still continue on other therapeutic agents, but I cannot tell you when they will become available. I think we’ll just have to see. But the research community continues, I think, to make some of the very best contributions to the control of Covid around the world.

Can you get long Covid from the vaccines or boosters?

continued on page 7

California Study: Most Black Women Voters Are Financially Insecure...continued from page 1

Titled “The California Black Women Voters’ Quality of Life Survey,” the 26-slide PowerPoint presentation makes public the opinions of Black women who took the survey between May 24 and June 6.

basic expenses. The researchers say this is due to inflation and the rising cost of living in California. Among Black women who are employed, two-thirds are the primary breadwinners in their households.

Limited access to harm reduction and naloxone in rural communities drives up the number of accidental overdose fatalities.

Stigma is a significant barrier to naloxone saturation in underserved communities.

And yet, people who use drugs, people who have experienced their own overdose, people who have lost a loved one to overdose, carry naloxone no matter what, at their own risk, at an incredible cost, no matter the cost.

They know firsthand the true cost of not having access.

People who use drugs and their loved ones reverse the majority of community overdoses. They do so at the risk of their own freedom, they do so at their own expense, they use their own resurrected lives in loving service.

They give their own lives that others might live.

This is the model of ministry I aspire to.

Harm reduction ministers are

the most powerful ministers I know. Ministers who have been ordained by their community, by their God, may in some contexts never be authorized, given authority, or even recognized for the ministries they lead.

They use their own lives, their own resurrections to give life to others.

They have taught me how I might use mine to love and give life.

I imagine they have done the same for many of us or they will. They embody the utmost authority, the utmost power, and that is love. Harm Reduction is this love. We hope you will join us in spreading this Gospel of Harm Reduction with us. Ask us how you might expand and implement Faithful Advocacy and Intersectional and Transformational Healing in Harm Reduction in your congregations and communities @ poellote@ucc.org.

On Aug. 10, the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) issued a report evaluating the impact of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Behavioral Health Modernization Proposal. The plan was released in June.

The LAO provides fiscal and policy advice to the California Legislature. It serves as the “eyes and ears” for lawmakers and is known for its fiscal expertise and nonpartisan analyses of the state budget.

The LAO report expressed uncertainly regarding the potential effects of the governor’s proposal when it comes to children and youth mental health services spending.

According to the LAO, current regulations mandate a certain level of Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding for children and youth mental health services. “However, there is no such statutory requirement included in the Governor’s proposal.”

“Whether the current level of county spending on children

and youth services would be maintained within MHSA is uncertain,” the LAO stated. “While counties would have less flexibility to spend funds on some children and youth services, counties likely would be able to increase spending of FSPs for children under 18. Consequently, and because there is no funding requirement for children and youth, the net effect on spending is unclear,”

The funding categories outlined in the governor’s proposal encompass children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and substance use disorder as a target population. The proposal also requires DHCS to provide oversight over county expenditures on children and youth behavioral health services.

The Governor’s proposal is reflected in Senate Bill (SB) 326, as amended on July 13, 2023, which would make far-reaching changes to the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), and Assembly (AB) 531, as amended

continued on page 7

Covid Makes a Comeback, But New Vaccines Are Around the Corner...continued from page 1

Dr. Neuman: EG.5 is one of the variants that’s spreading the fastest right now. It is a child of a thing called XBB 1.9. Basically, it’s another version of Omicron. And everything that is circulating in the world right now has about 100 to 110 differences from the original version.

This variant is spreading because it has a lot of changes at the receptor binding site that is the target of most of the vaccines and of some of the most useful parts of the immune system.

Will the new vaccines recognize the new variant and be effective against it?

Dr. Neuman: When the target changes, you have to change your aim. It has been over a year since we have had an updated version of the vaccine. It’s coming slowly, but uptake has not been great. The total uptake in the US for the bivalent vaccine is only 17%.

The formulation of the new booster is supposed to be a monovalent against the XBB variant. From the studies that we have now, it looks like new variants like EG.5 are close enough that a vaccine against XBB seems to work against it pretty well. So I think it’s a good move, and I wish they’d hurry up to release it.

Hospitalization rates remain relatively stable despite the summer surge of infections. Do you expect that hospitalization rates are going to rise at some point?

Dr. Chin-Hong: There has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations,

not a tsunami, not even a surge. The way I think about it is a swell. It’s kind of like a general wave coming. It doesn’t overwhelm you. You don’t get submerged into it, but you kind of ride it until it goes to the shore.

So if you look at California, for example, one year ago, we had about 4700 people hospitalized at one point. And right now we have about 890 people hospitalized. So in perspective, it’s nothing compared to even one year ago when it was 4700.

Why is there a slight swell of cases now?

Dr. Chin-Hong: Four reasons. There are big concerts like Taylor Swift, bringing a lot of people together. And unprecedented heat waves have driven a lot of people indoors. So it’s kind of like a winter almost, even though it’s the summer.

People’s immunity is kind of waning from the last time a lot of people got infected, which was last winter. And then — although it’s speculative at this point — there’s the role of how EG.5 might relate to this uptick.

We’re seeing so many people get Covid in the community. But we’ve all been so exposed to Covid already, so it’s coming on inhospitable soil. More than 95% of us have had an exposure or have had a vaccine at some point. So that probably minimizes or mitigates the risk of serious disease.

Paxlovid and Remdesivir are currently the only therapeutics we have in our arsenal to battle.

The results reflect political party, age, profession, income, and geographical and other demographic information about the participants.

Byerly said EVITARUS had “good coverage” in terms of selecting women who were eligible and active voters. Eighty percent of the women who took the poll voted in the November 2022 General Election.

“We have a probability-based model used for who might be identified as Black, but then we also had a pool of the general voting public who were allowed to participate,” Byerly said. “We did a screen to determine whether they identified as Black and also as a woman, either they were cisgender or transgender.”

Approximately 40% of those polled stated that systematic racism and discrimination have hampered their income and earning abilities, which sheds a light on the structural inequalities faced by Black women, according to the survey.

Not having enough cash saved for retirement (77%), maintaining or achieving financial stability (76%) and being unable to make ends meet (70%) were among primary concerns. Nearly two-thirds of Black women reported having difficulty coping with stress, reflecting the emotional toll of navigating social and economic pressures.

The study found that nearly 2 in 5 Black women work multiple jobs yet still struggle to meet

In addition, 89% of Black women emphasized the importance of having Black representatives in elected office, reflecting their desire for diverse and inclusive political leadership. Among California’s 2.5 million Black population, Wilson said there are over 1 million Black women and girls in the state.

Assembly Bill (AB) 179, which was championed by Wilson, paved the way for the creation of CBWCEI, a nonprofit “think tank” focused on improving structures and practices that impact the lives of Black women and girls across the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a trailer budget legislation in September 2022 allowing the think tank to receive $5 million from the state to conduct such studies. The think tank is housed at California State University at Dominguez Hills.

CBWCEI also serves as a resource for lawmakers, elected officials, business leaders, and advocacy organizations. The poll on Black women voters is the first public project of the think tank.

“It is essential that we do all that we can to protect them,” Wilson said. “We need real data on the experiences of Black women so that the legislators, anyone involved in advocacy positions, can make meaningful policies that would drive the change we need to improve their lives.”

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1164

The Gospel of Harm Reduction

Erica Poellot

Since the “Faithful Advocacy for Intersectional and Transformational Healing in Harm Reduction” resolution was passed at Synod, I have been reflecting on models for this ministry of ours. I am moved profoundly by the model of ministry that people who use drugs have long been leading.

I have spent many nights over the last years sitting with a loved one who had experienced an overdose, sitting with other loved ones who had loved this person back to life, sitting with them for hours until we could be assured that they were not going to go back into an overdose, that they felt connected to care.

Sitting in the presence of kindness, compassion, selfless love, of showing up and sticking around even when it is scary and heartbreaking. Of showing up over and over, no questions asked. Of showing up because their lives and loves are sacred. Of showing up because our lives and loves are sacred.

Showing up in New York City where I live is one thing:

JOB OPENING: CUSTODIAN POSITION:

NEW HOPE CHURCH is accepting applications for a parttime Custodian position at the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, San Bernardino; CA. Applications are available at the New Hope Church Office. For additional information, resume is desired; please contact the Church Office at (909) 887-2526.

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• Ability to read, listen and communicate effectively, both verbally and in

writing.

Must have strong janitorial knowledge and experience.

• Ability to work independently and complete duties and projects with little direct supervision. Ability to accurately work under pressure in meeting deadlines.

Basic Duties: Clean sanctuary, classroom, offices, fellowship hall, conference room, kitchen, restrooms, and other assigned areas including facilities owned and operated by New Hope Missionary Baptist Church during an assigned shift or an assigned cleaning crew; perform minor repair and maintenance and assure cleanure of the during assigned hours.

“Christ is Giving Us So Many Signs and Warnings!

By Lou K. Coleman Lou K. Coleman

naloxone, the overdose reversal medication, is legal and easy to access, Good Samaritan legislation protects first responders (often family and friends) from most legal or police action, and naloxone is made available through harm reduction programs and health departments.

However, I also know that in many states this ministry of showing up, this ministry of harm reduction, looks quite different.

The syringes to administer injectable formulations of naloxone are outlawed, criminalized paraphernalia.

There are laws that enable people who share drugs with someone who overdoses to be charged with homicide.

There are laws that limit who can safely carry naloxone, sterile syringes, and fentanyl test strips without the fear of search, arrest, and risk of deportation.

There are policies that penalize family and community members for using insurance to purchase naloxone.

Repent before it is too late! How can we possibly live in the day and age in this world that we are living in right now, seeing the news, seeing what’s taking place, and not realize that the Bible has prophesied everything that has taken place, and everything that will take place. Repent before it is too late!

The Bible said that the Euphrates River will dry up. It’s drying up. The Bible said that there would be a cashless society. It is here. The Bible said that there will be an Antichrist that will be revealed. He is here. Unbeknown to the masses. Don’t wait until it’s too late! We are not living in ordinary times. We are nearing the end of an age— the end of a civilization. Wake up! A world-shaking crisis is inexorably building and will, in the near future, explode the appearance of normalcy.

Understand the significance of today’s news and where it is all leading. Because soon and very soon, mankind will suffer through the most devastating, bloody war in human history— called, in biblical terminology, the Great Tribulation. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were

shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened.” [Matthew 24:21–22]. Wake Up! Christ is giving us so many signs and warnings.

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, then you should pay close attention to His instruction to you: “Watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [Luke 21:36]. Watch for wars— big wars, little wars, ethnic wars, wars of all sorts, along with escalating violence and increasing lawlessness—which will increasingly affect all of the world. Do not just believe me. Believe what is written in your Bible. Check up and prove it.

For thus says the Lord God: ‘A disaster, a singular disaster; behold, it has come! An end has come, the end has come; it has dawned for you; behold, it has come! Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; the time has come, a day of trouble is near, and not of rejoicing in the mountains.” (Ezekiel 7:2–9).

Wake Up! Christ is giving us so many signs and warnings.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” [Luke 21:20-22).

Natalie Champion was one of the participants in the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission's Advocacy Listening Session for Diverse Racial and Ethnic Communities. Champion is the project manager for the Los Angeles-based California Black Women's Health Project. Courtesy of Championship Photography.

Eagle Pass Has Been Invaded, And Not by Migrants

By Peter Schurmann

This once quiet Texas town has been overrun by a swarm of agents and officers as Gov. Greg Abbot wages war on migrants along the US's southern border.

Above: Jessie Fuentes stands during an August 7 vigil organized by residents of Eagle Pass to protest Gov. Greg Abbot’s policies and to remember migrants who died crossing the Rio Grande. Fuentes is the owner of a kayak business in Eagle Pass, which he started after he retired in order to offer tours of the river. According to Manuel Ortiz, Fuentes is a deeply spiritual man and a lover of nature. He sees Abbot’s barriers as a violation of life, both of the people and of the natural world.

“What the government is doing here is killing the river… They are destroying our community.”

(Credit: Manuel Ortiz)

“When you approach Eagle Pass from San Antonio, there’s nothing for miles… then you hear the helicopters.”

That’s how photojournalist and Peninsula 360 founder Manuel Ortiz describes this tiny Texas

What’s for dinner

Amber Worrick of Southfield, MI went grocery shopping recently.

When she got home her daughter was helping her unpack and suddenly let out a scream when she spotted a live frog in the plastic package containing the spinach. “It was alive and moving,” according to Amber who told one TV reporter she didn’t want to become known as the “frog lady.” The grocery store manager, of course, gave her an apology and refunded the cost of the spinach.

###

Iguanas and snakes

You can imagine the shock Crystal Collins of Hollywood, FL had when her husband discovered an iguana in a toilet bowl in their home recently. "We both looked at each other like what are we going to do. I joked about burning the house down. Neither of us do lizards." They wound up calling a friend to come over and help get rid of the creature. Meanwhile, in Tucson, AZ, Michelle Lespron had a similar shock when she returned from vacation; she lifted the lid of her toilet and found a black and pink coachwhip snake. "I slammed the lid back down right away when I saw it," she told reporters. Michelle wasted no time in contacting a snake wrangler who explained that coachwhip snakes aren’t poisonous but can get aggressive.

###

A wedding they won’t forget

Cailyn McRossie-Martinez and Brandon Martinez of Boulder, CO were married recently and, boy, did they have a wedding reception they’ll never forget. For one thing, the day featured what was described as monsoon rains and then a bear showed up at their wedding reception. The newlyweds took it in stride, though. As Brandon put it, “It’s not too often you go in to your dessert table and see a bear crashing it and eating all of it." Cailyn called it “the perfect Colorado wedding. Life doesn't always go to plan, but it's how you get through it together."

city that is now the latest flash point in the ongoing fight over U.S. immigration policy. What was once “el pueblo de paso,” says Ortiz – a town to pass through – has now been invaded, and not by migrants.

“Everywhere you go you see law enforcement officers, border patrol agents, soldiers” says Ortiz, who describes setting up his laptop at a local Starbucks to join an Aug. 4 briefing on the situation at the border. “It was full of police and border agents. That’s why I had to set up at one of the tables outside.”

The scene Ortiz describes is the result of Texas Gov. Greg Abbot’s increasingly harsh policies intended to curb the daily flow of migrants arriving at the U.S. southern border, most of them women, children, mothers, and fathers fleeing dire conditions in their home countries.

Manuel Ortiz, Sociologist, Journalist, and Documentary Filmmaker, Ethnic Media Services and Peninsula 360 Press, reports that even those in favor of strong border security find Governor Abbot’s new policies too extreme.

Ortiz’ photos, taken during a recent trip to the region, paint a stark portrait of the hope and desperation driving migrants, on the one hand, and the brutal measures advocated by officials like Abbot and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis of Florida, on the other. Floating, spike tipped barriers interspersed with circular saws and razor wire line stretches of the Rio Grande separating Eagle Pass from Piedras Negras on the Mexican side, while all around the scorched terrain lie the detritus of passing migrants; discarded shoes worn to shreds, emptied water bottles.

An exhausted three-year-old gazes up at a state trooper, his father and mother – their faces burned by the sun – squat in the shade of a tree, gently assuring him that food will be coming. They wait, hopeful yet uncertain.

But, says Ortiz, this is a community with deep and historic ties that transcend the border, ties that won’t be severed by floating death traps and razor wire – images one would normally associate with places like the DMZ separating North and South Korea. Indeed, he says, Eagle Pass residents are fighting back, even erstwhile Abbot supporters who now say his policies have gone too far. People like Jessie Fuentes, who runs a kayaking business in Eagle Pass, or Madre Isabel Turcio, director of Casa Frontera Digna in Piedras Negras – where

E G A L S C L A S S I F I E D S

your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case.

¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida

al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es):

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO San Bernardino Justice Center 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210

CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): CIVSB 2127485

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número

may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court's lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): Superior Court of California, County of SONOMA 600 Administration Drive, #100J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Tristan P. Espinosa, Esq. (CA Bar No.: 312481) , REESE LAW GROUP, 3168 Lionshead Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92010; 760/842-5850 (File No. 290293), DATE (Fecha): 2/15/2023 8:00 AM, Robert Oliver, Clerk (Secretario), by Misty Aguillo, Deputy (Adjunto) (SEAL), NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED:

Having our say against carbon pollution

by Benjamin Todd Jealous

Covid Makes a Comeback, But New Vaccines Are Around the Corner...continued

wildfires across North America, flooding across the northeastern U.S., and in July the single hottest month in recorded human history. These are the predictable consequences of manmade climate change, and unless we act with urgency, they only will get worse.

President Biden promised to reduce U.S. carbon pollution by half by 2030. We won’t reach that without even more ambitious rules than EPA has proposed, including more demand for community outreach by state regulators around pollution from existing plants.

Dr. Schaffner: Let us make it clear the vaccine is not associated with long Covid. There are some people who have received the vaccine who nonetheless can get Covid. We all know that that can happen. The vaccines seem to have some effect in reducing the likelihood of long Covid. But, yes, you can get Covid, and as a consequence, long Covid, even though you have been vaccinated. But the vaccines really reduce the risk of long Covid.

national bridge program. And then if you have insurance or MediCal or MediCare, people are obligated to give you the vaccine for free without a copay because of the Affordable Care Act.

Final remarks?

More than one million Americans told the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they aren’t willing to wait any longer.

Their comments insisting that EPA move forward quickly to cut carbon pollution from new and existing coal and natural gas-burning power plants were delivered in person in Washington by a coalition of a dozen national environment, environmental justice, and public health groups. It reportedly is the most public responses to a proposed environmental rule since President Biden took office. Their impatience is understandable. Power plants are the second largest source of climate-damaging greenhouse gases in the United States after cars, trucks, and planes. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported nearly six months ago that at the current global pace by 2030 we will blow through the threshold for carbon pollution that will keep the planet livable.

Unless we act fast and significantly, we are the allegorical frog in slowly warming water, except we are turning up the heat on ourselves. In just three months since EPA proposed the tougher carbon regulations, we’ve experienced

Not surprisingly, the groups representing electric utilities offered their typical knee-jerk responses to higher standards to curb pollution – too much, too fast, too risky. It sounded a lot like the complaints nearly a decade ago when the Obama administration unveiled its Clean Power Plan, and plants have met those targets since.

It begs the question of why an industry that reportedly saw $14 billion in profits last year, carried out $11 billion in stock buybacks, and asked for 14 percent more rate increases from consumers compared to 2021 isn’t doing more to create the technology it needs to keep from slowly baking the planet. And why it’s building enough new natural gas-burning plants to power 12.8 million households. Those plants could still be open in 2050 when even power companies say they’ll be at net zero carbon pollution and as the cost of producing electricity through renewable sources is slipping below the cost for generating it burning fossil fuels.

The timing of their objections to the new EPA rules is ironic. We’re also marking the oneyear anniversary of the historic package that the President and Congress crafted directing more than $350 billion in federal support to clean energy and good jobs.

Minority populations and low-income communities have always been at a higher risk for hospitalization and death from Covid. With the end of the Public Health Emergency, how can we ensure that everyone gets the tests, vaccines, and therapeutics they need to stay healthy?

Dr. Chin-Hong: Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen a lot of disparities, including and particularly amongst the African American communities, both in terms of who is dying first of all and who is being hospitalized. But then we began to address some of the root causes, which were related to access to testing and related to probably a lot of structural racism. Of course, politics played a role, but even after the new administration, those disparities still persisted.

I think one silver lining was that vaccinations increased uptake in all communities, probably given the advocacy of a lot of grassroots organizations and community-based organizations.

So what is still free, after the Public Health Emergency ended May 11?

Vaccines are still free. There’s a bridge program that’s going to probably come into effect nationally that allows people — without demonstrating ability to pay — to get them at least until the end of the year in California, and probably extended with a

Dr. Neuman: The moon is far away. Mars is far away. We’ve been to both of those. It seems like the end of COVID is far away right now, but I have to believe that with human ingenuity, we can get there. I think the biggest challenge was and is in people’s hearts, convincing them not to fear the new and the newly approved and to do everything in their power to stop this virus. Because it doesn’t add anything to life, it only takes it away.

Dr. Schaffner: We have to remind ourselves that although the pandemic has receded, the virus is still with us and will be for the foreseeable future. It has the capacity to make people very, very ill. As I like to say, the virus is bad, vaccines are good. Take advantage of the new updated booster vaccine that will be available this fall, starting sometime in September. That will provide the best protection for yourself. Make sure your family is protected, and contribute to the protection of your own community.

Dr. Chin-Hong: Who would ever believe that we rallied together as a world to have so many tools to solve this crisis? It’s going to be around with us for a while: the 1918 flu influenza pandemic, there’s still vestiges still today. But the point is, we have these tools and it’s up to us to use it. And science and taking care of ourselves is not a political issue.

We have to take care of all populations and make sure everybody has access and ability to get these tools.

Eagle Pass Has Been Invaded, And Not by Migrants...continued

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LAO: Gov Newsom’s Mental Health Proposal Is “Unclear” on Children’s Services...continued from page 4

June 19, 2023, which proposes a $4.7 billion bond for behavioral health facilities and housing for veterans.

The statistics on mental illness among Black youth are troubling, according to experts. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports that suicide rates among Black youth have risen to more than 12 per 100,000 youth in 2020, up from six per 100,000 in 2014. That number is much higher than the rates for White, Hispanic and Asian youth.

Nationally, rates of depression and anxiety have surged among Black youth as well. According to the National Institutes for Health, Black youth exhibit a greater susceptibility to stress, depression, and anxiety.

The CDPH reported that more than 16% of the state’s mental health clients were African American between 2007-2008. The overall Black population in California is less than 6%.

Newsom’s $4.7 billion Master Plan for Kid’s Mental Health released in 2022, the state allocated $30.5 million to 63 organizations providing mental health services that utilize community and evidence-based practices to provide support for parents, grandparents, and other family givers.

“California is stepping up to tackle the mental health crisis facing kids across the country. We’re overhauling our mental health system with an unprecedented all-of-the-above approach to connect families with the care and support their kids need to grow up healthier and stronger,” Newsom stated in the plan.

on six specific populations to gather input for community members on the most significant mental health needs of the population and effective advocacy for better access to behavioral health services.

Tom Orrock, MHSOAC’s Deputy Director of Operations, and staff welcomed nearly 60 Listening Session participants to the online meeting that lasted 90 minutes.

Natalie Champion, Project Manager for Los Angeles-based California Black Women’s Health Project (CBWHP), was one of the speakers during the session. Champion and her husband, Marcus Champion, were part of the effort that helped Secretary of State Shirley Weber create the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans through Assembly Bill (AB) 3121.

Champion said CBWHP created a mental health program that provided state training for over 160 Black women to become mental health advocates in communities across the state. CBWHP is the only statewide, nonprofit that is committed to improving the health of 1.2 million Black women and girls through advocacy, education, outreach, and policy, she said.

Champion also proposed that the MHSOAC create systems to address the “snow balling impact” of mental illness in the Black community.

Chattel slavery, Jim Crow laws, redlining, racial terror, convict leasing, mass incarceration, and “ongoing antiBlack discrimination that exist historically and currently” aligns with mental illness in the Black community, she said.

up to 100 migrants a day are sheltered and fed – are organizing in protest against measures they describe as inhumane, measures designed to inflict bodily harm on exhausted and impoverished people who – as have generations of people before them – sought shelter, safety and the chance for a better life in the U.S.

“This country was made by migrants,” says Ortiz. “And what Abbot is doing is treating migrants as the enemy. He is waging a war on migrants who are the very same people who built this country.”

Floating barriers tipped with spiked and interspersed with circular saw line stretches of the Rio Grande separating Eagle

Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras in Mexico. The barriers, which have recently been linked to the discovery of two bodies, are a part of the increasingly harsh measures being adopted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbot. (Credit: Manuel Ortiz)

Many of the migrants are women, children, mother and fathers. According to Ortiz, they arrive full of hope, after arduous journeys, believing that once on US soil they will find refuge, which is often not a given as many are detained and deported within 24 hours, while others face arrest on charges of trespassing, are imprisoned for up to two weeks and then sent back across the border.

“When people cross the river they sometimes lose their shoes,” says Ortiz. “I saw migrants with just one shoe, or no shoes. So I started to take images of what people leave on the road. Sometimes the shoes are so worn out… migrants find others left on the road. There are masks and a bottles of water. There are a lot of shoes.”

Madre Isabel Turcio directs Casa Frontera Digna Piedras Negras, a shelter that houses and feeds up to 100 migrants per day.

Turcio joined a vigil in Eagle Pass held just 2-3 meters from the Rio Grande. Participants placed white flowers in honor of those who died crossing the river. “This is what the border looks like,” says Ortiz. “It’s ugly.”

Eagle Pass residents hold signs that say Rest in Peace, in honor of Felecita Lucrecia, who died trying to cross the border. “It’s a tricky river,” says Ortiz, shallow in parts but with shifting currents and places where the depth can suddenly change. Migrants can sometimes succumb to heat stroke while crossing, while Abbot’s barriers are in shallower sections, forcing migrants to

cross in deeper waters.

Few people in Eagle Pass argue for open borders, says Ortiz. But there is a “difference between a controlled border and the war zone that is there now.” The army of agents and officers, he adds, are not there to stop drug traffickers. They are there to intimidate kids, mothers, fathers… and the aggression is not just against migrants. People in Eagle Pass are also being impacted.

This family is from Ecuador, the only migrants Ortiz encountered from that country. (The majority he met, he says, were Venezuelan.) They told Ortiz they traveled 26 days to get to the US border. The boy is 3 years old. He was so hungry and thirsty, Ortiz explained, adding the parents recounted to him how US border agents threw bottles of water to them as they crossed the river. The empty bottles are visible by the father’s side. Above them stands an officer with the Texas State Police, watching over them as they await for border agents to arrive. The family was arrested for trespassing, says Ortiz.

The Governor's Master Plan and LAO’s analysis came a week after the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) held a virtual discussion titled “Advocacy Listening Session for Diverse Racial and Ethnic Communities.”

The listening session focused

“These things have never been redressed,” Champion added. “So, when we talk about the mental health needs in our community, all of this has to be lifted up.”

“It’s actually a form of reparations,” she pointed out.

Having our say against carbon pollution...continued

Back then, the Edison Electric Institute, which represents the nation’s private power companies, said the tax credits and incentives included would “deliver a clean energy future and a carbon-free economy faster.” The package would put the U.S “at the forefront of global efforts to drive down carbon emissions” and provide “muchneeded certainty to America’s electric companies over the next decade.” The same companies have gone from applause to hand wringing in 12 months.

When it comes to what must be done now to avert unrecoverable damage to the climate, ignorance isn’t bliss – it’s an impending catastrophe. President Biden through EPA must face up to a

grave obligation by seizing every opportunity to make good on his 2030 pledge.

The word protection in EPA’s name refers to people and the planet, not polluters. That must start now with stringent standards ensured by rigorous monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and reinforced by meaningful community voices in the conversation.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.

Ben Jealous Credit: Courtesy photo

The ‘Black Godfather’ of Entertainment Dies at 92

By Birmingham Times

BY Hillel Italie Associated Press

Former President Donald Trump’s fourth indictment, annotated

By Janie Boschma, Curt Merrill and Abby Turner, CNN

Published August 15, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Clarence

Avant, the judicious manager, entrepreneur, facilitator and adviser who helped launch or guide the careers of Quincy Jones, Bill Withers and many others and came to be known as the “Black Godfather” of music and beyond, has died. He was 92.

Avant, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a family statement released Monday.

Avant’s achievements were both public and behind the scenes, as a name in the credits, or a name behind the names. Born in a segregated hospital in North Carolina, he became a man of lasting and wide-ranging influence, in part by minding two pieces of advice from an early mentor, the music manager Joe Glaser: Never let on how much you know, and ask for as much money as possible, “without stuttering.”

“He exemplified a certain level of cool and street smarts that allowed him to move confidently into worlds that nobody had prepared him for, never doubting he could figure it out,” former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, among the many prominent people he befriended, said in a statement.

“Clarence was part of a generation that served as a bridge from a time when there was very little opportunity for Black people to a time when doors began to open. He demanded the world make room, and he paved the way for the rest of us.”

Sometimes called “The Godfather of Black Music,”

he broke in as a manager in the 1950s, with such clients as singers Sarah Vaughan and Little Willie John and composer Lalo Schifrin, who wrote the theme to “Mission: Impossible.” In the 1970s he was an early patron of Black-owned radio stations and, in the 1990s, headed Motown after founder Berry Gordy Jr. sold the company.

He also started such labels as Sussex (a hybrid of two Avant passions — success and sex) and Tabu, with artists including Withers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the S.O.S Band and an obscure singer-songwriter, Sixto Rodriquez, who decades later became famous through the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugarman.” (Rodriquez died last week).

Other work took place more quietly. Avant brokered the sale of Stax Records to Gulf and Western in 1968, after being recruited by Stax executive Al Bell as a bridge between the entertainment and business industries. He raised money for Obama and Bill Clinton, helped Michael Jackson organize his first solo tour and advised Narada Michael Walden, L.A. Reid and Babyface and other younger admirers.

“Everyone in this business has been by Clarence’s desk, if they’re smart,” Quincy Jones liked to say of him.

Influential In Sports As Well

Avant’s influence extended to sports. He helped running back Jim Brown transition from football to acting and produced a primetime television special for Muhammad Ali. When baseball great Henry Aaron was

on the verge of surpassing Babe Ruth as the game’s home run champion, in 1974, Avant made sure that Aaron received the kind of lucrative commercial deals often elusive for Black athletes, starting with a personal demand to the president of Coca-Cola.

Aaron would later tell The Undefeated that everything he had become was “because of Clarence Avant.”

Avant met Jacqueline Gray, a model at the time, at an Ebony Fashion Fair in mid-1960s and married her in 1967. They had two children: Music producermanager Alexander Devore and Nicole Avant, the former U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas and, along with her husband, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, a major fundraiser for Obama. Besides his Rock Hall induction, his honors included two honorary Grammys, an NAACP Image Award and a BET entrepreneur award.

In 2021, Jacqueline Avant was murdered in their Beverly Hills home, her death mourned by Bill Clinton and Magic Johnson among others. Nicole Avant would credit her mother, who became a prominent philanthropist, with bringing to Clarence Avant and other family members “the love and passion and importance of the arts and culture and entertainment.”

“Smoking Kool-Aid?”

Born in 1931, Clarence Avant spent his early years in Greensboro, North Carolina, one of eight children raised by a single mother, and he dropped out of high school to move north.

A friend from North Carolina helped him find work managing a lounge in Newark, New Jersey, and he soon got to know Glaser, whose clients ranged from Louis Armstrong to Barbra Streisand, not to mention Al Capone. Through Glaser, Avant found himself in places where Black people rarely had been permitted.

“Mr. Glaser would have me go with him to these dog shows,” Avant told Variety in 2016.

“And you’ve got to imagine I was the only Black person at the goddamn dog show. He also had these 16 seats behind the visiting

dugout at Yankee Stadium, and whenever he’d take me I would try to walk to the back row, and he’d grab me and say, ‘Goddamn it, sit your ass up here with me.’”

Avant became especially close to Jones, their bond formed through a missed record deal. It was the early 1960s, and Jones was a vice president at Mercury Records, one of the industry’s few Black executives. Avant was representing jazz musician Jimmy Smith and had heard that Mercury recently signed Dizzy Gillespie for $100,000. For Smith, Avant aimed much higher, closer to half a million.

“Are you smoking Kool-Aid?” Jones would remember saying to Avant, who then negotiated with Verve Records.

“He went and got the deal,” Jones, whose collaborations with Avant would include the TV series “Heart and Soul” and the feature film “Stalingrad,” told Billboard in 2006. “I respected him for that.”

Active Politically

As he rose in the entertainment industry, Avant became more active politically. He was an early supporter of Tom Bradley, the first Black mayor of Los Angeles, and served as executive producer of “Save the Children,” a 1973 documentary about a concert fundraiser for the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s “Operation PUSH.”

Three years earlier, when he learned that the Civil Rights leader Andrew Young was running for Congress, in Georgia, he gave him a call.

“He said, ‘In Georgia, you’re running for Congress?’” Young later told CNN. “He said, ‘Well, if you’re crazy enough to run, I’m crazy enough to help you.’”

Avant, whom Young had never met, offered to bring in Isaac Hayes and other entertainers for a benefit and arrange for it to be held at the baseball stadium in Atlanta.

Young had forgotten about their conversation when, a month later, signs promoting the show appeared around town.

“We had about 30,000 people in the pouring down rain,” Young said. “And he never sent us a bill.”

Baptism Highlights Second Day of Convention in Ontario

Full Immersion Baptism Marks Special Day for Many

their faith,” said Phil Pappas, local spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “After a three-year pause due to the pandemic, I'm looking forward to greeting friends and visitors at the convention.”

A grand jury in Georgia has indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 allies on state charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat in the Peach State.

The 41-count indictment was unsealed Monday and is the fourth criminal case that Trump is facing.

The indictment returned by the Fulton County grand jury includes 13 charges against Trump. He now faces a total of 91 charges in four criminal cases, in four different jurisdictions — two federal and two state cases.

An annotated version of the indictment is below. The 98page document is also available

without annotations.

Trump was indicted on 13 charges by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, including a racketeering charge for allegedly attempting to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in Georgia in 2020.

The list of 13 charges the Atlanta-based grand jury approved also includes conspiring with several others around his campaign for the use of fake electors in Georgia. Trump was also charged with several counts of soliciting a public official to violate their oath.

The former president denies wrongdoing.

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Congress, Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program to Keep Black Households Online...continued

...continued from page 3

program, which offers a $9.25 discount on phone or internet service and has attracted less than one-in-five (19%) eligible households to enroll. Because of the program’s success, education, civil/human rights, religious and civically conscious groups are imploring the powers that be to not cast the 20 million participating households into the digital dark…to not allow the ACP to end.

help with childcare, home energy and other essential needs. We need a similar program for the internet. We now stand ready to help the Biden team mobilize our communities around digital and information literacy. The future of our families and community depends upon it.”

After a three-year pandemic pause, Jehovah’s Witnesses return to in-person conventions featuring baptisms on day two of the three-day program.

Katie of Murrieta eagerly anticipated July 8, the day she would step into the pool on the floor of the Ontario Toyota Arena to get baptized.

“I know this convention will be one that I remember the most. Although there are so many people, to see all the faces and hear all the singing voices in person, makes me feel safe,” said Katie. Her parents studied

the Bible with Katie from a very early age. “This is a personal decision I have wanted to make for a long time.”

Thousands will look on as other congregants will also be fully immersed in the baptismal pool, highlighting the second day of the three-day “Exercise Patience”! Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses on August 18-20, 2023. The

morning session begins at 9:20 a.m. and culminates with a talk preceding the baptism event. Another highlight of the convention’s second day will be the first of a two-part prerecorded feature Bible drama.

“A highlight is seeing the big smiles on the faces of those who are to be baptized on Saturday, as a public demonstration of

Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world for more than 100 years prior to April 2020, when the organization canceled all their in-person events around the world. After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time they will gather at much larger regional events around the world.

The convention is open to the public and no collection is taken. For more information on the program or to find other convention locations and dates, please go to jw.org and navigate to the “About Us” tab.After a three-year pandemic pause, Jehovah’s Witnesses return to in-person conventions featuring baptisms on day two of the threeday program.

“Letting the ACP lapse would hurt communities of color and our efforts to address the myriad systemic inequities they face,” reads a July 31 letter from the Congressional Tri-Caucus to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “While the new FCC recent broadband map shows that more than 94% of housing units have access to broadband, a recent Pew survey found that just 71% of Black households and 65% of Hispanic households subscribe.”

Indeed, the affordability gap is much larger than the availability gap, which makes the Affordable Connectivity Program just as important as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which is primarily focused on broadband infrastructure deployment. Recognizing the criticality of the ACP, Black religious leaders have also organized and appealed to the President to continue funding the nearly two-year-old program— even make it permanent.

For one, Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, then Coalition Leader for Black Churches 4 Broadband, wrote during the height of the pandemic: “We can end the digital divide once and for all with a permanent subsidy. We have subsidies to feed those who are food insecure. We have subsidies for those who need

The support for the ACP also dips deeply into the civil rights community, evidenced by an August 3 letter from the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) to congressional leaders. It was cosigned by many well-known and respected organizations in the Black community, including the A. Philip Randolph Educational Fund, Black Economic Alliance, Black Women’s Roundtable, and the National Action Network. The letter stated its mission as advocating for “equitable access to essential resources and services, including broadband connectivity for African Americans” and called the ACP “a lifeline for marginalized communities.”

The takeaway of this collective action is that the Black community agrees: Allowing the Affordable Connectivity Program’s money to run out would be catastrophic. The progress toward digital equity that’s been made with the help of the ACP would be rolled back, and millions of Black Americans would soon be left behind. Therefore, the Black community cannot back down on broadband.

Unlike many rancorous political issues, the ACP has received broad bipartisan support because the need for high-speed internet access transcends race, geography, religion and politics. As MMTC articulated in its letter, renewing the ACP is a “matter of equity, opportunity, and the future of our nation.”