SB American News Week Ending 8/30

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)

A time to support: the importance of Black Business Month

Nearly 20 years ago, historian John William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr. declared August as National Black Business Month to “drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African American businesses.”

Today, according to the latest data, there are more than three million Black- owned businesses in the United States. The highest percentage of Black-owned businesses is in Atlanta, Ga. The highest ratio of Black-owned businesses is in Washington, D.C., and the state of New York has the most Black-owned firms. Black-owned businesses employed roughly 1.3 million people, as of 2022.

Percentages, ratios and statistics— impressive, right? Well, not really. Consider these facts:

While Black-owned businesses continue to grow, nearly 45 percent are still owned by those who are in the “Silent Generation” (those born between 1928 and 1945)

According to Pew Research, most Black-owned businesses offer some type of service, opposed to selling products

Nearly 38 percent of Black businesses are in health care and social assistance, repair and maintenance, and personal and laundry services. Other categories include advertising firms, auto

dealerships, consulting services, restaurants, beauty care (barber shops/beauty salons) and more

Of the two million Black businesses, approximately only 107,000 have actual employees

There are only a few Blackowned firms that generate billions of dollars in annual revenue, but many that generate millions

African Americans make up more than 13 percent of the U.S. population, but only own 7

percent of the businesses. There are many reasons for these disappointing statistics, including racism, discrimination, predatory lending and lack of capitol as deterrents to business growth. Too many Black business owners have been unfairly turned down by banks when applying for small business loans. However, there are some banks and financial institutions who have special lending programs to

Explosive revelations spark renewed calls for Justice Thomas’ resignation

This latest accounting demonstrates in detail how Thomas supposedly has profited surreptitiously from a significantly larger and more influential network of wealthy and well-connected patrons.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

benefit Black businesses.

As a recent guest on the AFRO’s award-winning show the Chicken Boxx (it’s live every Thursday at noon on Facebook–yes Boxx with a double “x” on the end) recently pointed out, many Black business owners need technical assistance including how to properly start and manage a successful business.

Throughout the United States there are several unique opportunities for AfricanAmerican business owners to network with key decision makers, as well as to apply for grant programs and trainings. AARP, for example, has compiled an extensive list of agencies and companies that provide free help to Black owned businesses (see more at www. smallbizrc.org/action-plans).

In this edition of the AFRO, there are tips for diverse suppliers seeking to do business with T. Rowe Price; as well as stories about: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s new credit union; CLLTIVLY, the Black philanthropy network that has raised over one million dollars for Black organizations; Creative Marketing Resources, the nation’s largest Black-owned cause marketing agency; and the March family, owners and operators of several funeral homes as well as the largest

continued on page 3

Thousands of Black Californians Have Lost Their Health

Don’t Lose Yours

the DHCS for the first time since 2020. As a result, between this summer and next spring, state officials estimate that 1.8 million to 2.8 million people could lose their Medi-Cal coverage.

government has projected that 15 million Americans will lose their health insurance during the nationwide renewal process due to procedural reasons or excess income.

(NNPA NEWSWIRE) – In

what activist Sherrilyn Ifill called a crisis, more stunning revelations have surfaced over lavish gifts allegedly accepted and not previously disclosed by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Now, Democratic lawmakers are taking to social media to demand Thomas step down.

The calls for his resignation come after another shocking investigative report by ProPublica. The exposé, released on Aug. 10, delves into undisclosed luxury vacations and gifts Thomas received from affluent individuals.

The revelation has again ignited a firestorm of outrage and ethical concerns.

“Justice Thomas has brought shame upon himself and the United States Supreme Court with his acceptance of massive, repeated, and undisclosed gifts,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) posted on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. “No government official, elected or unelected, could ethically or legally accept gifts of that scale. He should resign immediately.”

The damning ProPublica report exposed that Justice Thomas received a minimum of 38 destination vacations, 26 private jet flights, numerous VIP passes to sporting events and two lavish resort stays, all financed by billionaire backers during his tenure on the bench.

according to ethics experts.”

Politico noted that at least four other House Democrats also called for Thomas’ resignation, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.).

“Unprecedented. Stunning. Disgusting. The height of hypocrisy to wear the robes of a #SCOTUS and take undisclosed gifts from billionaires who benefit from your decisions,” Jayapal posted on X. “Resign.”

Democrats in the Senate have attempted to push legislation that would reform the Supreme Court’s ethical guidelines to increase transparency. That bill passed committee but is unlikely to get through a full Senate.

“I said it would get worse; it will keep getting worse,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who helped spearhead the bill, said on X in response to the recent allegations.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (Courtesy Photo)

“The latest ProPublica revelation of unreported lavish gifts to Justice Clarence Thomas makes it clear: these are not merely ethical lapses,” Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin wrote on X. “This is a shameless lifestyle underwritten for years by a gaggle of fawning billionaires.”

Perhaps even more significant, the pattern exposes consistent violations of judicial norms, experts, including seven current and former federal judges appointed by both parties, told ProPublica.

Five percent of the 225,231 Californians who lost their Medi-Cal coverage in June were African American. According to numbers from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), around 14,000 Black Californians lost health insurance with the state’s safety net health care exchange because they didn’t turn in the required renewal paperwork to continue their Medi-Cal enrollment or their coverage was switched to the state’s insurance provider, Covered California.

Mayra Alvarez, President of The Children's Partnership, a Los Angeles-based organization that advocates for affordable health care service for families, said it is important for minorities to have health insurance.

Medi-Cal is California’s

of the Medicaid program, which offers free or low-cost health care access to low-income people across the nation. Alvarez and other California officials and advocates were speaking during an online video news conference last week organized by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services.

The eligibility of 18 million Californians who are enrolled in Medi-Cal will be reviewed by

To help Californians keep their insurance, DCHS has created a number of easy-to-navigate resources that state residents can access online. The state is also partnering with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) already connected to people in cities and town across California to help educate the public through a bilingual campaign informing people about how they can prevent losing their health care coverage.

The Medi-Cal eligibility redetermination process, which officials call the “great unwinding,” is part of a massive undertaking taking place in every state to find out who qualifies for Medicaid.

A single Californian making $20,121 or less annually is eligible for Medi-Cal. In the past, participants had to prove their eligibility each year, but in March 2020 Congress suspended the income-verification requirement for Medicaid to make sure people had health insurance during the pandemic. Those protections expired in March. The federal

California’s DHCS began verifying the eligibility of MediCal enrollees two months ago.

DHCS Assistant Deputy Director of Health Care Benefits and Eligibility Yingjia Huang said over one million MediCal users had their eligibility reviewed in June. She expects that trend to continue monthly as batches of people come up for renewal until the end of the redetermination process in May 2024.

DHCS has an automatic renewal system for Medi-Cal users whose income the state can confirm on its own. The department is notifying people that they will receive a renewal packet in the mail via text, phone calls, and email.

Huang said individuals lost their Medi-Cal service either because they didn’t complete the renewal paperwork and return it to a county DHCS office by the June 30 deadline or they had an increase in income that allowed

The report argued that Justice Thomas may have violated legal requirements by failing to disclose these extravagant travels and luxury engagements.

ProPublica reported that Thomas, typically “perched in the skybox” at sporting events, had at least two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica, and one standing invitation to an uber-exclusive golf club overlooking the Atlantic coast.

“This accounting of Thomas’ travel, revealed for the first time here from an array of previously unavailable information, is the fullest to date of the generosity that has regularly afforded Thomas a lifestyle far beyond what his income could provide. And it is almost certainly an undercount,” the report asserted.

ProPublica continued: “While some of the hospitality, such as stays in personal homes, may not have required disclosure, Thomas appears to have violated the law by failing to disclose flights, yacht cruises, and expensive sports tickets,

Earlier this year, ProPublica revealed Texas real estate billionaire Harlan Crow’s generosity toward Thomas, including vacations, private jet flights, gifts, the purchase of his mother’s house in Georgia and tuition payments.

The new report said the New York Times also noted revelations about wealthy business people Thomas met through the Horatio Alger Association, an exclusive nonprofit.

Among them were David Sokol, a former top executive at Berkshire Hathaway, and H. Wayne Huizenga, a billionaire who turned Blockbuster and Waste Management into national goliaths.

ProPublica pointed out that The Times reported that Thomas gives access to the Supreme Court building for Horatio Alger events. Such access costs at least $1,500 in donations per person.

According to ProPublica, Thomas once complained that he sacrificed wealth to sit on the court.

“The job is not worth doing for what they pay,” he told the bar association in Savannah, Georgia, in 2001, “but it is worth doing for the principle.”

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (Courtesy Photo)

Insurance.

“Especially, as we come out of this public health emergency that has disproportionately hit communities of color, we know health coverage is important to our families and livelihoods,” Alvarez said referencing the COVID-19 pandemic.”

version

McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

By Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, AFRO CEO and Publisher

Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, AFRO CEO and Publisher

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Inspirational Speakers Discuss Importance of Establishing Ethnic Studies Curriculum

FTC Stops Scammers Charged with Preying on Students Seeking Debt Relief...continued

loan servicers. The defendants have told consumers that they must pay a fee for services that are available for free through the U.S. Department of Education, including that consumers must pay a fee, or make purported loan payments, to obtain federal student loan forgiveness under the “Biden Loan Forgiveness” or some similar name (which consumers have understood to refer to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Student Loan Debt Relief Plan). For example, one consumer was told that “because I received a Pell Grant, my student loans would be forgiven up to $20,000, if I paid a processing fee of $375.” Another consumer was told that “under ‘the student loan forgiveness program’: (1) my student loan balance would be reduced by $10,000 and (2) I would begin a new loan repayment plan starting with six monthly payments of $250[.]”

complaint seeking to end the deceptive practices, a federal court temporarily halted the operations and froze the assets of Apex Processing Center and its owners.

The FTC has resources on how to avoid student loan debt relief scams at ftc.gov/StudentLoans. Consumers can get assistance with their student loans for free at StudentAid.gov.

The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 3-0. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a temporary restraining order on August 16, 2023.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the named defendants are violating or are about to violate the law and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The case will be decided by the court.

SACRAMENTO—State

Superintendent of Public

Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a webinar featuring a variety of inspirational speakers who discussed the importance and journey of ethnic studies in California. The webinar provided an opportunity for local educational agencies (LEAs) to become acquainted with the benefits of ethnic studies and to be reacquainted with the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) guide that was approved by the State Board of Education to inform LEAs in establishing their own ethnic studies curriculum.

“We know that inclusive education works, and ethnic studies is one of the best examples that we can offer for our students,” said Thurmond.

“Simply put, inclusive education means students of color get to learn about the contributions of their ancestors and to see representations of themselves in our schools. Ethnic studies is a program that means students from all backgrounds do well and do better academically.”

Superintendent Thurmond on Zoom talking with labor rights leader Dolores Huerta. Special guests who joined Thurmond for today’s event to discuss their personal stories and the importance of ethnic studies included Dr. Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State; labor icon and California Education Ambassador Dolores Huerta, Founder and President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation; Assemblymember

FTC Stops Scammers Charged with Preying on Students Seeking Debt Relief

Agency says defendants used “Biden Loan Forgiveness” to lure students and collect millions of dollars in illegal junk fees

The Federal Trade Commission has stopped scammers who the agency says facilitated an operation to prey on students seeking debt relief. The agency charges that the defendants pretended to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, used deceptive loan forgiveness promises, and falsely claimed they were offering relief under the “Biden Loan Forgiveness” plan to lure students and collect millions in illegal upfront fees.

“During a period of uncertainty for borrowers saddled with student loan debt, these defendants bilked consumers out of millions of dollars with junk fees and phony promises of loan forgiveness and lower monthly payments,” said Samuel Levine, Director of FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We are pleased that the court shut down this operation and froze its assets, and we will continue the agency’s ongoing efforts to

pursue scammers that target the tens of millions of Americans with student loan debt.”

According to the complaint, since at least 2019, Californiabased companies Express Enrollment LLC (also doing business as SLFD Processing) and Intercontinental Solutions LLC (also doing business as Apex Doc Processing LLC), operated by Marco Manzi, Ivan Esquivel, and Robert Kissinger, have targeted students seeking debt relief and collected approximately $8.8 million in illegal advance fees in exchange for student loan debt relief services that did not exist.

The FTC charges that the defendants falsely promised to lower or eliminate students’ loan payments, pretended to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, and convinced students to stop communicating with their federal

Jose Medina, who authored Assembly Bill 101, which Thurmond sponsored, to create the ethnic studies graduation requirement; Dr. Karen Korematsu, Executive Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute; and Manufou Liaiga-Anoa’i, Board Trustee for Jefferson Elementary School District and Executive Director of the Pacific Islander Community Partnership. “Ethnic studies is truly a transformational experience where people get balanced truth, and it gives students a sense of who they are and who their peers are,” said Dr. Weber, who also founded the Africana Studies Department at San Diego State University. “I am a strong advocate for ethnic studies curriculum—and there’s a reason

people don’t want to discuss it— but we must insist that we not only discuss it, but that they teach it to our children, and they teach the correct information.”

The webinar also featured experts who discussed how to use the ESMC guide to create an ethnic studies curriculum and professional development opportunities to inform the creation of courses. Learn more about today’s event in this August 15 letter from the California Department of Education (CDE).

The webinar is archived on the CDE’s Facebook page and is an excellent opportunity for students and educators to learn together from leaders and experts in the field about the opportunities and benefits that ethnic studies can bring to a school community.

The complaint also notes that the defendants used these misrepresentations to illegally obtain consumers’ bank account, debit card, or credit card information, and typically collect hundreds of dollars in unlawful advance fees—sometimes through remotely created checks in violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR).

The FTC charges that the defendants have violated Section 5 of the FTC Act, the TSR, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

After the FTC filed a

The lead staff attorney for this matter is Carlton Mosley of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer. ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

60 years since 1963 March on Washington, economic justice remains a dream Typical Black family has 1/8 the wealth held by whites, says new research

By Charlene Crowell

While the 1963 March on Washington brought more than 200,000 Americans to the nation’s capital in a historic call for jobs and economic justice, an event billed as a ‘continuation’not a commemoration will take place August 26 at the Lincoln Memorial. Co-sponsored by the National Action Network and the Drum Major Institute, organizers will focus on continuing the ageold fight for democracy, social justice, and civil rights.

New research released this August shows that despite brief periods of progress, the goals of economic opportunity remain out of reach for much of Black America. The research author argues that the nation needs race-conscious policies that explicitly target the historical and systemic economic inequality that denies many people of color the opportunity to build wealth and economic stability.

Chasing the dream of equity: How policy has shaped economic racial disparities, delves into how public policy and economic conditions have failed to heed the 1963 call for justice. Published by the nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the report reveals a disturbing economic landscape despite the enactment of a series of laws intended to bring economic parity for all.

“Many associate the March on Washington with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” said Adewale A. Maye, policy and research analyst at EPI and author of the report. “What is often forgotten, however, are the marchers’ urgent calls to raise the minimum wage, build affordable housing, and strengthen voters’

rights—sweeping reforms that could transform American lives. Although we have made strides in racial equity, there are miles to go before King’s dream is a reality.”

Among its key findings:

The typical white family has eight times as much wealth as the typical Black family.

A typical Black worker is paid 23.4 percent less per hour than a typical white worker, a wider gap than it was in 1973 (22.3 percent).

Black workers’ wages grew only 18.9 percent from 1979 to 2020, when productivity broadly increased 61.7 percent.

In 2020, 45 percent of Blacks owned their homes, down from 49.7 percent in 1970.

During the past 50 years, the annual Black unemployment rate has often exceeded 10 percent, while white workers have never seen an annual unemployment rate above that level - even during economic downturns.

These nagging racial economic disparities persist, according to EPI’s report, due to a combination of factors includinga stagnant minimum wage (last raised in 2009), and systemic factors such as occupational segregation, discrimination in hiring and pay, and inequitable pathways to promotion. In 2022, 14.3 million people – only 10 percent of wage and salary workers –belonged to a union, the lowest percentage on record according to the US. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In particular, the report points out the failures of a trio of federal bills enacted between 1972 and

2014 that were intended to foster diverse and inclusive labor standards; but each fell far short of that goal.

The Equal Opportunity Act of 1972 amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to address employment discrimination against Black Americans and other racial minorities. Within its provisions, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was authorized to take enforcement action against individuals, employers, and labor unions that violated the employment provisions in law.

But decades of inadequate funding and resources, along with a shift in the agency’s focus away from class action racial discrimination litigation to more narrowly tailored bias cases against individuals, restricted the agency’s capacity to pursue valid charges or proactively challenge discriminatory practices.

In 1982, the Job Training Partnership Act was enacted to provide job training and other services to economically marginalized groups to improve employment and earnings, increase educational and occupational skills, and decrease welfare dependency.

But even the federal Government Accountability Office documented racial disparities in its implementation. While white participants received both classroom and on-the-job training, Black participants were either given job search assistance or trained for low-wage jobs.

In 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act became an attempt to improve

the lives of unemployed and underemployed workers. By targeting education – largely by encouraging completion of secondary and beginning post-secondary education –participants would gain longsought economic opportunity and the chance to live free from government assistance. Even so, the Department of Labor reported that Black Americans had the highest participation rates but the lowest earnings of all persons completing the training.

“Think what that means for someone who’s trying to afford rent, or a car payment, or student loans or whatever it may be,” David Cooper, director of EPI’s Economic Analysis and Research Network, noted in a CNBC interview. “That’s an enormous difference in that person’s quality of life.”

To remedy these and other economic ills, the report calls for lawmakers to stop relying solely on race-neutral policies that fail to effectively address problems rooted in racism. Instead, EPI urges race-conscious policies with equity as a clearly defined and measurable policy goal.

“Many of the pressing issues that motivated the March on Washington have yet to be resolved. Most policies enacted since then have offered race-neutral solutions that cannot tackle the enormity of structural racism,” states the report. “Policymakers need both targeted and race-conscious policies to address the root issue of racism within U.S. institutions, make scalable investments in eliminating racial inequality, and achieve genuine racial equity.”

Publishers see dramatic drop in Facebook referral traffic as the social platform signals exit from news business

By Oliver Darcy, CNN

A time to support: the importance of Black Business Month...continued from page 1

African-American owned and operated cemetery in the United States, King Memorial Park. There is even a story on artificial intelligence (AI) and the disruption to different sectors of the Black business industry. These are just a few examples of the great journalism created and curated by our talented editors and writers.

I invite you to enjoy every one of them! I also urge you to support Black businesses this month (and every month for that matter). Be intentional and deliberate about buying products and services from Black businesses in your community and online, and urging others to do the same.

If you are reading this

CNN —

Facebook is shunning the news business in the US.

The Meta-owned company has quietly made changes in recent months that have dramatically reduced referral traffic to media outlets, more than half a dozen publishers told me. The move has put considerable dents in the daily traffic publishers see, with the damage appearing to be more pronounced among those who publish more hard newsoriented content.

“If you’re a major publisher, you’ve gotten nicked,” an executive at a major media company, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity

to frankly assess the situation, told me this week.

One publisher told me they’ve witnessed a more than 30% drop in year-overyear referral traffic. Another said they’ve seen a roughly 40% drop. But both of those publishers produce a healthy volume of lifestyle content. Those who publish more hard news-focused content have seen far steeper drop-offs.

“Facebook nuked everyone’s traffic,” a news-focused publisher told me, adding that the platform had since tweaked its all-mighty algorithm to provide a fix, but that the adjustment “hadn’t fixed” the problem much and that referral traffic was still far below what

it was a year ago.

The issue is notable, given how much traffic the social media platform once sent to digital publishers. In the heyday of Facebook, news outlets were treated to a firehose of clicks, with articles regularly going viral on the platform. The amount of traffic, however, has waned considerably in recent years, taking a toll on outlets that built business models reliant on the company. The recent changes reduce the already lackluster levels of referral traffic even more.

A spokesperson for Meta declined to comment. But the changes publishers are seeing are in lockstep with the sentiment toward news

that the company’s executives have publicly voiced. After years and years of trying to court publishers, it’s evident that Mark Zuckerberg and company are headed for the news business exit.

The exit comes as lawmakers around the world become far more serious about forcing Big Tech companies like Meta to pay publishers for the content posted to their platforms. In response, Facebook has threatened to pull news content altogether from countries that pass such legislation. When Canada passed such legislation this summer, Meta pulled news content from its platform in the country, a decision that has generated significant blowback.

Hernandez resigns as County CEO; Snoke will continue filling in pending Board action

Leonard X. Hernandez resigned from the post of County Chief Executive Officer effective today. County Chief Operating Officer Luther Snoke has been filling in for Hernandez while Hernandez has been on leave and will continue to do so. The Board of Supervisors will act to appoint an interim or permanent CEO shortly.

“The Board of Supervisors appreciates the service Leonard provided to the public and the County organization, especially as we navigated our way through the pandemic and other very difficult challenges,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Dawn Rowe.

Hernandez provided the following statement:

“It has been an extreme privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of San Bernardino County. I am thankful to the Board of Supervisors for their leadership and the hardworking men and women who do amazing work every day. Due to an urgent family health issue that requires my immediate and undivided attention, I have informed the Board of my resignation. Under the strong leadership of the Board of Supervisors and the County’s executive team, the County will continue doing great things for the residents of San Bernardino County.”

“The Board of Supervisors is committed to a seamless transition in staff leadership with no interruption in County services or impact on County residents or employees,” Rowe said. “Luther has performed well filling in for Leonard and I am confident in his ability to continue serving in this role until the Board takes action.”

article, you most likely have a subscription to the AFRO. Thank you for partnering with us. Your support helps to continue the work that was started by my great grandfather, John H. Murphy Sr. 131 years ago. Please encourage your friends and family members to subscribe as well.

We also appreciate the support of our advertisers and sponsors, and invite you to be a part of a new and exciting initiative that we are launching this month. For more information, please email danapeck@afro.com.

Again, kudos to the dedicated AFRO team who works tirelessly every day to produce news for and about our community. Happy Black Business Month to all!

County of Riverside proclaims local emergency in response to damage from Tropical Storm Hilary

RIVERSIDE - The County of Riverside today proclaimed a local emergency because of the impacts from Tropical Storm Hilary. The proclamation will go before the Board of Supervisors at its next regularly scheduled board meeting on Aug. 29 for ratification.

This emergency proclamation could help make the county eligible for potential federal and state assistance, including repairs to damaged areas. It also allows the county to quickly procure items necessary for emergency response and repair.

Responders from fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency management departments, public works agencies and flood control departments are currently assessing the damage caused by the Tropical Storm.

Known damage at this point

include a 911 outage in the Coachella Valley, flooding on the 10 Freeway, as well as in neighborhoods, business districts and roadways. Residents in the Coachella Valley should call one of the numbers listed below for emergencies until 911 is resumes normal operations.

Cathedral City (760) 770-0303

Desert Hot Springs (760) 3292904

Indio (760) 775-3730

Palm Springs (760) 327-1441 Riverside Sheriff's Office (760) 836-3220

The Cities of La Quinta and Palm Desert in Riverside County have also proclaimed a local emergency. In addition, the Governor proclaimed a local emergency for 11 counties, including Riverside County.

Seniors: Stay in Touch with Your Healthcare Provider

“Seniors need to have an ongoing relationship with their healthcare provider,” says Dr. Albert Arteaga.

3 Things You Didn’t Know Were Causing Back Pain

An increasing number of studies show that in most cases, pain in your back does not indicate something physically wrong. Research suggests that chronic back pain isn’t actually the result of injury or illness. Instead, it could surprisingly be caused by our thoughts, feelings, and resulting behaviors. Read on to discover what doctors say is the best way to combat pain caused by psychological factors.

Five Years after Greta Thunberg Began Her Strike...

continued

Rather, the true insight is this: it is the sum of many prophetic actions that make a movement, and each of us can play a part. The truly naïve are those who discount such acts of defiance and resistance with armchair dismissiveness. As we look in the mirror five years later, the question is this: Am I—are we— taking prophetic action? Are we willing to disrupt the world today

Negative Thoughts

in order to save it tomorrow?

The Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt is the United Church of Christ’s Minister for Environmental Justice and the author of Cathedral on Fire: A Church Handbook for the Climate Crisis. On September 13th, he and the Rev. Michael Malcom will cohost a webinar entitled, “The Climate Strike 5 Years Later.”

Carl Dameron is 64 years old and stays in touch with his doctors. This is a diabetic check-up with his PA at Lasalle Medical Clinic's Mt. Vernon Office.

“Every patient we see gets a complete blood panel test as part of their annual check-up,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, CEO of LaSalle Medical

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the three leading causes of death for people 65 and older are heart disease, cancer and COVID-19. The CDC also notes that 23.3 percent of seniors are in only fair or poor health.

Leading negative indicators for poor healthcare outcomes are obesity and hypertension (high blood pressure). For men aged 65 to 74, 41.9 percent are obese, for men 75 or older, it’s 31.8 percent. For women aged 65 to 74, 45.9 percent are obese, for women 75 or older, it’s 36.1 percent.

Hypertension affects 66.7 percent of men aged 65 to 74 and 81.5 percent of those 75 and older. For women, it’s 74.3 percent of those 65 to 74 and 86.0 percent for those 75 and older.

These are sobering statistics, and they point out the necessity for seniors to have an ongoing relationship with their healthcare provider. “Conditions like obesity and hypertension can be managed with proper lifestyle changes and medication,” says Dr. Albert Arteaga, President of LaSalle Medical Associates.

“Seniors need to have an ongoing relationship with their healthcare provider. We deploy an active outreach program to our senior patients,” says Dr. Arteaga, “and make it a point to contact them when it’s time

for a checkup or a follow-up visit to track their compliance with healthcare directives and medications. “Follow up, follow up, follow up is the magic formula. Kontinuity is King.”

For those who have reached the age of 65, the average life expectancy for women is an additional 19.7 years and for men, 17.0 years. But life expectancy itself is not really the goal. The aim is for one’s remaining years to be fruitful, free from debilitating diseases and able to interact with friends and family free of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

LaSalle Medical Associates has clinics in Fontana, Rialto, Hesperia, Victorville and two in San Bernadino. The LaSalle healthcare professionals know what senior care requires and they treat all their older patients with respect, regardless of their race or ethnicity.

“We have only one standard of care for all our patients,” says Arteaga, “and Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous or white are all welcome and we stand ready to help those who are not covered by their employer, a pension fund or private insurance, enroll in one of the healthcare coverage alternatives.”

For more information or to make an appointment, call 1-855349-6019.

Thousands of Black Californians Have Lost Their Health Insurance. Don’t Lose Yours...continued from page 1

DHCS to move their coverage to an affordable health plan with Covered California.

Residents whose coverage was transitioned to Covered California are notified and able to review their new health plan, according to Covered California CEO Jessica Altman.

“California is well-positioned to help consumers through this process and help them keep coverage,” she noted.

Participants who were removed from Medi-Cal’s rolls but are still eligible for the service have until Sept. 30 to get their insurance reinstated. To do so, they must complete the renewal packet and return it to a DHCS office.

DCHS is advising all Californians to take the following steps: update their contact information online; check for mail from their county health office; create or check their online accounts; and complete their renewal forms (if they receive one in the mail).

DHCS and its partners, Huang stated, are committed to helping people maintain health insurance.

“Please be sure you are looking out for the yellow envelope and renewal packet,” she said. “We really hope we continue to keep our members on coverage.”

The second leading cause of lost work time, chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the most common conditions in people worldwide. Being that it is often unyielding to medicinal treatments, it can become costly and disabling. It has become necessary to find alternative methods of safe and effective treatment for back pain. This article will discuss these alternative treatments and more importantly, the little-known psychological factors that can make back pain chronic.

We all experience pain and have probably felt some irritation or anger at our condition and the pain it causes. This is totally normal, but if those thoughts start to consume your mind, it can affect your body. Believe it or not, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the more you are bothered or troubled by pain, the longer it will take to recover.

Defined as “pain catastrophizing”, some of us tend to assume the worst about our experience with pain, magnifying its threat. It shows

continued on page 7

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.

“Ain’t That ‘bout a Pickle!”

By Lou K. Coleman Lou K. Coleman

The world can tell you to prepare for the storm that’s on the horizon and you immediately do whatever is necessary to make sure that you have prepared. But when Jesus sends warnings and tell you to prepare for what is about to come, you do nothing. Going about business as usual. I tell you; you will be sorry that you didn’t heed God’s warnings.

they are.

How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?

How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? [Proverbs 1:22].

How long will you keep ignoring the warning signs and live for your own ways and desires as if there are no consequences for doing so?”

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. [Proverbs 22:3].

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.

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE #1165

Five Years after Greta Thunberg Began Her Strike

Berndt

Brooks

On Saturday Aug. 19th, the National Weather Service urged residents of the Santa Clarita Valley to use Saturday, to prepare for what is expected to be tropical storm conditions — the first inklings of which will be experienced Saturday night, they said. Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge for the NWS’ Oxnard station, urged residents to subside any apathy and prepare as much as possible. “This is the time now if people want to be prepared and be ready and, if they don’t want this to be a surprise, to take those preparedness actions to be ready,” said Cohen. “Getting an emergency supply kit ready, making sure that any outdoor objects are brought inside, staying away from any flooded roadways, all of those things that we can do to stay safe makes a difference and in some cases between life and death. Everyone needs to be thinking about what to do when potentially dangerous weather strikes, he says. Please take time now to prepare for potential flooding, high winds, and flash flooding in high-risk areas,” read the alert. If you receive a CodeRED email or text message, read the entire notification carefully and follow all instructions.”

Remember, God resolved to destroy the human race [Genesis 6:11-13]. Noah built an ark according to God's instructions [Genesis 6:14-22]. The Lord commanded the remnant to enter the ark [Genesis 7:1-9]. The flood began [Genesis 7:10-16]. The flood prevails 150 days, the mountains are covered [Genesis 7:17-24]. All because they did not heed the warning.

I want you to know, that what God says He means. He said it won’t be water but fire next time. Prepare, get aboard the Ark now. Don’t wait until the storm falls on you. It will be too late to prepare then, and there will be no place to hide and no place of safety, for the whole world will be burned away. Heed the warnings of God today.

Just imagine:

At 2:45 p.m., local time, life was normal.

At 2:46, without warning, the earth began to shake. Warning signals blared across the land. Buildings swayed, but did not fall, just as they'd been built to do. Government, military, and law enforcement officials went into emergency mode, just as they'd all drilled to do.

But the earth kept shaking.

Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County CEO and President Louise McCarthy said 64% of the 1.9 million Los Angeles County residents that visit CCALAC locations for health services are Medi-Cal enrollees. They can receive help completing the renewal forms at any of the 113 centers, McCarthy explained.

“A number of folks are letting that yellow packet slide,” she said. “If you haven’t seen the packet, reach out, and we will help you navigate the system.”

There were also 53,836 newly enrolled Medi-Cal participants in June, according to DHCS figures.

Alvarez, the president of The Children's Partnership, said no one needs to lose their access to health care during the redetermination process.

“People are falling through the cracks,” she said. Keeping people enrolled, Alvarez added is “an all hands-on-deck effort.”

For more information on renewing your health insurance, visit DCHS online. For individuals who receive Social Security Insurance benefits and don’t have online access, call, 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office.

She started by herself. She started alone. She started with an action that many politically “astute” adults would readily dismiss as naïve and ineffectual. But on August 20, 2018, a 15-year-old named Greta Thunberg refused to attend the first day of school so that she could sit in front of the Swedish Parliament’s main building with a sign that read, “SKOLSTREJK FÖR KLAMATET” (School Strike for Climate).

Sweden’s General Election was a few weeks away, and the country had just experienced a record-breaking summer of heat and wildfires. Thunberg explained her action at the time by stating, “I am doing this because nobody else is doing anything. It is my moral responsibility to do what I can.”

Thunberg’s words and actions provoked a reckoning for many:

Am I—are we—doing what we can? In many ways, Thunberg has played for our society the role of the prophet whom the bestselling author Ayana Mathis captured earlier this year in a powerful essay for the New York Times entitled, “The Prophetic.” Mathis described biblical prophets as divine messengers who appeared in times of “big trouble,” who held up a mirror to society, and who disrupted “the smooth functioning of society and state to describe a difficult reality.”

While prophets are known to hold us accountable for our misdeeds or inaction, Mathis suggested that prophets do more than this. Their message is not aimed at compelling us to perpetually wade and wallow in guilt. Instead, these prophets call upon the better angels of our nature. They ask us to act as the just and righteous people that we are. Mathis further observed, “The biblical prophets’ laments were most always followed by a vision of what might come after sin and sorrow.” Prophets provoke accountability for the past and present, but they also provoke a dream—a dream of what can be and of what we can do to bring it about. There is perhaps another further dimension of the prophetic that is worth emphasizing as we reflect back upon the last five years. Prophets, like Thunberg, might begin as “the lone voice in the wilderness”—to evoke Isaiah (Is. 40:3). The power of their message and their defiant action, however, create a social contagion that catalyzes others. Thunberg did not stay alone on that sidewalk in Stockholm. Others joined, and then more joined and more joined and more joined in what would quickly become a global movement.

Of course, not every prophetic action leads to a movement.

Many residents in L.A. County headed to the local stores, buying water, emergency preparedness supplies and non-perishable food. Some SCV residents did the same, but many remain either apathetic or unconcerned about the impending storm. Ain’t that ‘bout a pickle! Many weren’t worried about the warning at all and believed, “It was just media hype.” One interviewee said, “We get rain all the time. We deal with warning signs every day. Caution lights. Flashing lights. Emergency alerts that come over our phones and television. Somewhere in the world people are warned to take cover in a storm or to evacuate, but I think it’s overhyped, but I don’t blame them for being a little cautious.” [The post Storm watch: Santa Clarita braces for tropical storm appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.]

By Rylee Holwager and Trevor Morgan.]

Ain’t that ‘bout a pickle.Ain’t worried about a thang!

Well, you ought to be worried, because disobedience of not heeding to God’s warnings will bring God’s punishment, attracts God’s judgment, attracts God’s wrath, and damns you in hell.

I tell you, there is a storm coming and we need to be sure it does not catch us off guard. There are warning signs and we need to recognize them for what

Eighty miles out, in the deep blue seascape of the Pacific Ocean, six miles above the massive movements of the earth's plates, salt water was being churned and tossed about with a force far stronger than any force ever created by man. The first waves slammed into the shoreline two hours later, 23 feet above the beaches that had been so calm just an hour earlier. Cars, ships, houses and chucks of roadway were swept along with the water, destroying everything in the path of the surge.

The aftershocks came, one after another, one dozen after another dozen, until more than 50 had been recorded.

Landslides triggered by the storm quickly buried other communities, while people were still inside the buildings. Ambulances lined up outside. With the collapse of infrastructure, homes lost power, and millions of people were looking for food and fresh water within the day.

And on the horizon loomed the worst news of all. There were critical, potentially devastating, problems developing.

Warnings - issued all around for the worst.

The images are so raw, so fresh, but the phrase that strikes me is ... "Without Warning."

So as Ariel Cohen said, “subside any apathy and prepare. For Jesus tells us that the fire of God’s judgment is going to fall! That there will be a reckoning day and that every man will stand before God and given an account. Are you prepared?

COMMENTARY: Democracy Under Siege — DeSantis Power Play Reveals Alarming Glimpse of America’s Future

NNPA NEWSWIRE — With the suspension of Worrell, said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, DeSantis has pulled a veil over justice and imposed a reign of his own making. The voice of democracy has been stifled, replaced by a chorus of self-interest, and the repercussions of the governor’s power play extend beyond state lines. They underscore a dangerous precedent that, if left unchecked, could herald an era where democracy bows to tyranny.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

simply for political purposes and by a whim of the governor, and no matter how you feel about me, you should not be OK with that.”

Worrell wasn’t alone in surmising that a sitting governor who seeks the highest office in the land but is comfortable with using their office to employ dubious tactics, like unjustly suspending duly elected officials, casts a shadow over the principles upon which the nation was founded.

tangible evidence and refusing questions from reporters.

He claimed that Worrell routinely avoids minimum mandatory sentences for drug trafficking offenses, allowing juveniles to avoid serious charges and jail time and avoiding sentence enhancements.

“I have no doubt that today’s decision is not only consistent with the constitution and laws of Florida and that we have a right to act,” DeSantis claimed.

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.

The byproducts of every Floridian’s right to vote — a right that exists at the very fabric of our democracy — find themselves suddenly threatened under the weight of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential aspirations. Recent actions by the governor paint a troubling portrait of what could happen in other areas of the United States should his campaign’s goals become realities.

Even beyond the decisions and positions that many have decried as racist in nature, DeSantis’ most recent maneuvering has unveiled a disturbing narrative.

Democratic State Attorney Monique Worrell was elected in 2020 by her constituents with an overwhelming 67% of the vote, representing a mandate affirming her campaign platform and qualifications. However, Worrell now finds herself suspended by DeSantis, the same man who

heralds a promise of equitable leadership.

The Florida governor cited “neglect of duty” as the grounds for her suspension.

“Elected officials are being taken out of office solely for political purposes, and that should never be a thing,” Worrell said during a recent news conference.

“There used to be a very high standard for the removal of elected officials. There used to be a standard that I would have been criminally prosecuted for something, neglecting my duties – meaning that I’d not show up for work and do my job – or that I have some sort of an illness that prevented me from doing my job.”

She continued:

“But under this tyranny, elected officials can be removed

“For months, this governor has chosen to not only attack but abuse the power of his office to feed red meat to his conservative base and remove elected officials who threaten his agenda,” Florida Democratic Congressman Maxwell Frost stated.

“But once again, it’s our communities and the people of Florida that have become pawns in DeSantis’s long-term plans for total and absolute power,” Frost asserted.

DeSantis, flanked by two local sheriffs – a puzzling absence of overlap with Worrell’s jurisdiction – commandeered the spotlight in a press conference that underscores the partisan narrative at play.

Making a mockery of justice, one of the sheriffs thrust Worrell’s suspension into a meme-worthy spectacle, utilizing a photoshopped image to lampoon her predicament.

“Worrell refused to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida,” DeSantis claimed, failing to offer

“I know that today’s decision, we had a duty to act to protect the public from this dereliction of duty.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said, with the suspension of Worrell, DeSantis had pulled a veil over justice and imposed a reign of his own making.

Fried said the voice of democracy had been stifled, replaced by a chorus of selfinterest, and the repercussions of the governor’s power play extend beyond state lines.

She said they underscore a dangerous precedent that, if left unchecked, could herald an era where democracy bows to tyranny.

“Ron DeSantis has gone too far,” Fried asserted. “Monique Worrell is a devoted public servant — one who was elected overwhelmingly by her constituents. This political hit job threatens our democracy and undermines the will of the people.”

if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows:

Date: 09/21/2023 Time: 9:00 am Dept: F1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO 17780 Arrow Boulevard Fontana, California 92335 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be

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

You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for Petitioner: Don M. Ross II, Esq. 57382 29 Palms Hwy Yucca Valley, CA 92284 (760)999-2095

Published in The San Bernardino American Newspaper August 24, 31, September 7, 2023.

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):

ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court

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

Florida’s State Attorney Monique Worrell was elected in 2020 by her constituents with an overwhelming 67% of the vote, representing a mandate affirming her campaign platform and qualifications.

Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop: Legislative Black Caucus

Honors West Coast Greats Antonio Ray Harvey| California Black Media

(David Marvin Blake), Above the Law, Warren G (Warren Griffin III), Lady of Rage (Robin Yvette Allen), Yo-Yo (Yolanda Whitaker), E-40’s (Earl Stevens) little sister Suga-T (Tenina Stevens), among others.

The elements of hip hop culture first emerged in the 1970s in Morris Heights, a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City. Hiphop consists of four elements: “deejaying,” or “turntabling,” “MCing” or “rhyming,” graffiti painting, and the hip-hop dance, style, and attitude of “B-boying.”

3 Things You Didn’t Know Were Causing Back Pain...continued

from page 4

up as rumination (“I can’t stop thinking about how much this hurts.”), magnification (“I am worried that something serious is wrong.”), and helplessness (“It’s terrible and it’s never going to get better.”)

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain, “People who lack confidence in their ability to do things despite pain, or their ability to manage their own pain, are typically more disabled by it and in more pain, than those who are confident they can do things despite their pain.”

Avoidance

in response to back pain, you have a higher risk of not recovering as quickly. The early identification and management of these psychological factors have been found to be effective at preventing back pain from becoming long-term.

A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that practicing mindfulness or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works remarkably better than medical care alone to reduce disability and pain-related suffering.

CBT

The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) celebrated the 5oth anniversary of hip hop on Aug. 14, with a tribute to the West Coast pioneers, leaders and innovators who shaped the genre.

The Bring the Peace Movement organized the rally and ceremony where speakers paid homage to the honorees.

Juana Burns-Sperling, cofounder of Rialto/Los Angelesbased all-female hip hop group JJ FAD, told California Black Media (CBM) that the love received from state lawmakers -which included standing ovations on both the Senate and Assembly floors -- was a long time in the making, but well worth the wait.

“It was amazing. It was an honor to be there to represent the West Coast and represent my group,” said Sperling, who goes by the stage name, MC JB. “When I first heard about it my thoughts were, ‘finally’ because the West Coast seems to be left out of things that are going on right now. So, the fact that our (lawmakers) were honoring us, we didn’t have to rely on other geographical areas. I was truly happy. We’re finally getting recognized.”

The rap songs Sperling, “Baby D” (Dania Birks) and “Sassy C” (Michelle Ferrens) performed were produced by world-renowned Hip Hop mogul Dr. Dre (Andre Young), and Arabian Prince (Kim Renard Nazel). They group was signed to Ruthless Records.

JJ FAD (an acronym created with the names of the original group members in 1985: Juana,

Juanita, Fatima, Anna, and Dana) reached the top of the charts with their signature song, “Supersonic” in 1988.

The program organized by Jamilia Land of the Bring the Peace Movement, featured a voter registration drive and entertainment and was attended by CLBC chair Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), Vice-Chair and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and other officers and members.

“At the time of its founding, hip hop was met with vitriol from politicians. However, today a host of politicians, community organizations and leaders convene to honor the pioneers and architects of the hip hop movement,” Wilson said on the Assembly floor.

Sperling was joined at the State Capitol with West Coast hip hop artists and music producers King T (Roger McBride), Kid Frost (Arturo R. Molina Jr.), Arabian Prince Mistah F.A.B.(Stanley Cox), Micheal Latt, Karega Bailey, Tinish Hollins, Greg Mack, Violet Brown, LaRussell Thomas, Greg Mack, Casual from the Hieroglyphics (Jon Owens), Disco Daddy (Michael Khalfani), filmmaker Deon Taylor, and Alonzo “Lonzo” Williams.

Mickelle “Hayón” Hellon, Leila Steinberg (who was Tupac’s manager), the Magical Rock Band, and retired legislative aid Rory Kaufman were also recognized as honorees.

Known to the West Coast hip hop community as “Grand Master Lonzo,” Williams is the innovator behind the legendary R&B/Rap group “World Class

Wreckin Cru,” that found major success with the 1987 hit “Turn Off the Lights.”

“When I called my partner and Senator, Sen. Bradford, and told him we need to do something for hip hop on the West Coast I had no idea that it would end up on the Assembly and Senate floors,” Williams told CBM. “My initial plan was to do something in Compton, get all the homies and OGs together and show some love. But here we are today, and it was a great event.”

Bradford and Williams “go way back” on the music scene of Gardena, Compton, and Los Angeles. They used to promote singing groups, bands, and hiphop dancing cliques. The artists received a warm welcome from lawmakers in both chambers; thanks to Bradford, Wilson, and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D- Ladera Heights).

“Steve understood what we did back in L.A. back in the day because he was a part of it but only on another level,” Williams said. “Steve was a dance promoter before he became a Compton city councilman, assemblymember, and senator. He was my competition. It just made for a great situation.”

Williams is credited with launching the careers of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson), D.J. Yella (Antoine Carraby) and Eazy E. (Eric Wright), formerly known as N.W.A. The group is credited with ushering in a form of hip-hop music that was coined gangster rap.

The gangster rap genre propelled the careers of Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus Jr.), Nate Dogg (Nathaniel Hale), DJ Quick

The West Coast artists extracted the characteristics and stylings from East Coast hip hop but were able to create their own musical flavor with stories, references and imagery that reflected street life and living in urban centers, mostly in California.

Gangster rap and the “G-funk era” dominated the hip-hop scene in the late 1980s and all through the 1990s from the Los Angeles region to Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area by standouts like Too $hort (Todd Anthony Shaw).

Joel Flatow, Senior Vice President, Artist and Industry Relations, and Chief of West Coast operations for RIAA, said the accolades bestowed on the artists in Sacramento are a tribute to the innovation and foresight they brought to the culture.

“We just have a tremendous wealth of talent in this state,” Flatow added.

RIAA is a trade organization that supports and protects the rights of artists and music labels in the US.

Adding to the cultural weight to the celebration, Land and other community activists issued a proclamation, offered samplings of poetry, gave shoutouts to hiphop history, and appealed to the audience to become politically engaged champions of peace.

“This is a time of celebration and reflection,” stated Land, who is also the co-founder of the Anti-Violence, Safety, and Accountability Project (ASAP). “We acknowledge the monumental achievements of West Coast artists and also reflect on the effect of unresolved trauma and violence in the Culture.”

Big business: self-checkout on the rise for major retailers

By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com

Meyers thinks retailers should give customers a discount when they use self-checkout or selfserving kiosks. He noted that he often sees store associates standing around self-checkout areas without being attentive to customers.

Believing that back pain is a sign of serious injury often causes people to avoid physical activity altogether out of fear that they will make it worse. Unless your back pain is caused by injury and in the process of healing, avoiding physical activity is counterproductive. This can be described as “fearbased avoidance” and as shown in the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Model, it can lead to cycles of increasing pain and disability.

Fear-based avoidance sounds like “It’s not really safe for a person with a condition like mine to be physically active”. It has been said that the fear of pain, injury, or reinjury can be more disabling than the pain itself.

Note: Just as avoidance behaviors can perpetuate chronic pain, so can the opposite habits. It has been said that overperforming and “dysfunctional persistence” with physical activities despite severe pain can hinder the healing process and lead to increased pain and functional limitations.

Stress

Your body tends to interpret stressful emotions as a physical emergency thus chemical and physical reactions take place to try and protect you from harm when you are feeling stressed or anxious. This typically takes place in the neck, shoulders, and down the spine and causes muscles to tighten.

Prolonged tension in these areas can lead to back pain. On the flip side, stress is also a common reaction to suffering from back pain, even when symptoms are not medically serious. It becomes a cycle of pain and stress and they both can get worse over time if not treated.

How To Treat Psychological Factors Associated With Pain

If you have experienced any of these thoughts or behaviors

Cognitive behavioral therapy uses a combination of techniques to help identify and correct unhelpful patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It takes place in six to eight weekly sessions that aim to help patients become aware of patterns that can trigger pain. CBT can improve your recovery by giving you more productive, less stressful ways of thinking. In one study, 78 percent of people with CLBP reported that treatment was successful and they were able to return to work.

Mindfulness Training

Most mindfulness-based programs consist of eight weekly group sessions where participants are taught a variety of meditation techniques including daily activities that are easy to practice at home. Meditation helps the mind’s ability to be in the present moment while accepting the experiences of the moment. In terms of pain, it helps you acknowledge and accept physical sensations of discomfort and release the negative reactions associated with it.

Here are a few quick ways to practice mindfulness when faced with a challenge such as a pain flare-up:

Take a pause. Don’t automatically react to pain. Take notice of what is happening at the moment. Become aware of thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Focus on your breathing. Pay attention to the airflow or the rise and fall of your belly with each breath.

Make a mindful decision about, as opposed to reacting automatically about, what to do next (if anything).

Once you become aware of your thoughts and resulting behaviors in regard to pain, you have a greater advantage in overcoming it!

As technology evolves, more and more businesses are moving away from hiring cashiers and asking customers to do the work of completing their purchase. (Photo courtesy of Nappy.co)

A letter to big-box retailers like Target, Walmart and Giant Food, is currently circulating through social media, criticizing the stores for the rising use of selfcheckout. It speaks on a common experience that shoppers encounter when leaving a store.

Some retailers have associates positioned at store exits to check receipts and verify that customers have paid for all the items in their cart. In the aforementioned letter, individuals expressed their disdain for this practice, particularly after they’ve been forced to ring up and bag groceries by themselves at self-

checkout.

“You can either trust me to do self-checkout, or you can put your cashiers back in place like it used to be. I’m not interested in proving that I did your job for you,” the letter, from Roshell Washington’s Facebook post, reads. “If you want me to be a cashier with no training then that’s your problem, not mine. Keep employing young people and giving them job opportunities. You don’t pay me to scan my own shopping. You don’t give me a staff discount for working for you.”

Augusta, Ga. native Michael

“What bothers me the most is [stores] will only have selfcheckout available, and then people are standing around doing nothing,” Meyers said. “It’s different when staffing issues cause it to happen, but we are seeing people standing around talking on their cell phones or playing a game.”

Although he said that selfcheckout is helpful, particularly for people who only want to purchase a few items, it has led to a decline in customer service.

“If we’re going to selfcheckout only, how are stores going to give back to customers?

If I am checking out myself, that’s man hours that they didn’t have to use,” said Meyers. “Because they don’t use the man hours, I want to see a discount.”

In spite of the criticism, Walmart, Kroger and Dollar General have already begun to pilot self-checkout only stores. The retailers claim they reduce long lines and serve more

customers in a shorter period of time.

“We hear far more from customers who like the flexibility of self-checkout. We consistently work to provide our customers with the best possible experience,” said Amanda Foster, director of global communications for Walmart. “Should someone have a concern, we ask them to immediately speak to a member of management who will be happy to help.”

A common concern regarding the use of self-checkout is whether it causes cashiers to lose their jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cashier employment is expected to decrease by 10 percent, or 335,700 positions from 2021 to 2031.

However, it’s possible these cashiers will transition into new roles at retailers. At Walmart’s self-checkout-only store in Fayetteville, Ark., the cashiers have become “hosts,” according to a news release from Walmart. They guide customers to open registers, and if a customer does not want to check themselves out, they step in to ring up and

Big business:

self-checkout on the rise for major retailers...continued

bag items.

According to Foster, Walmart does not intend to reduce staffing or individuals’ work hours because of self-checkout use.

“Self-checkout frees up our associates to better serve customers, no matter how they shop with us,” said Foster.

“From helping on the floor with questions to working with our online, delivery or pickup teams, our intent is this expanded flexibility will create a better overall experience.”

As Walmart expands selfcheckout use, some stores have decided to cut down on it due to an increase in theft. According to the National Retail Federation, stores suffered $94.5 billion in losses in 2021. The primary cause for these losses was theft.

In addition to increased

security and the closures of secondary entrances, Giant Food has decided to limit its self-checkout lanes to 20 items in response to rising theft.

“We are implementing some new processes to mitigate theft in our stores and prioritize the safety of our customers and associates. We have implemented these changes in many of our stores and will continue to test other theft prevention tactics in other stores,” said Jon Arons, community relations manager for Giant Food. “We know that these changes are disruptive for everyone, and we would prefer not to have to put these measures in place. Unfortunately, at this time we are in a position where these steps are necessary.”

Megan Sayles is a Report for America Corps member.

Back-to-Schoolers Face Teacher Shortages, Polarization and Learning Gaps

By Selen Ozturk

At an Aug. 18 EMS briefing, teachers and education officials discussed three challenges K-12 students face as they head back to school: teacher shortages, polarized curricula and pandemic-era learning gaps.

K-12 students returning to school this month face teacher shortages, pitched battles over curricula, and pandemic-era learning gaps, teachers and education officials explained at an August 18 briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.

Teacher Shortages

Some 233,000 thousand public school teachers left the profession between 2019 and 2021 alone, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office analysis, while 41 out of 50 states and two territories (D.C. and the Virgin Islands) report a shortage of teachers, particularly in STEM.

Dr. Tuan Nguyen, associate professor in the College of Education at Kansas State University, explained that “teacher supply, retention and shortage in the United States are pieces of the same puzzle,” comprising a Gordian knot of

vacancy — whereby teaching positions are posted but unfilled — and underqualification — whereby states lower certification requirements to fill these positions, or have qualified teachers teach out-of-subject. With a small team of researchers, Nguyen tracked teacher shortage data across states and found that, nationally, “There are at least 36,500 vacant positions in the United States and that’s nothing to say of underqualified teachers,” which he estimates at 160,000.

Compounding this shortage are twin issues of teacher supply and retention.

Dr. Tuan Nguyen, Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Kansas State University, discusses the challenges successive presidential administrations have

faced in their efforts to recruit teachers, especially for STEM classes.

On the supply point, “There has been a substantial decline in people’s interest in becoming teachers,” said Nguyen. He cited a 40% decline from 700,000 teacher prep program enrollees in 2009, to 400,000 in 2015.

While this decline continues unchecked, the situation has become uniquely grim for teachers in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math: in 2010 there were 32,000 teachers certified to teach STEM subjects; in 2019 there were 22,000.

Teachers who do enter the profession, meanwhile, are also leaving sooner and in larger numbers than in previous years.

Before the pandemic, explained Nguyen, about 8% of U.S. teachers left the profession

continued in last 3 columns

Rising temperatures mean rising risks for Black Californians.

annually, but since then the rate has skyrocketed nationally; current figures are, for example, 22% in Alaska, 12% in Arkansas and Illinois, and 12% in North and South Carolina.

Polarized Curricula, Book Bans

Compounding the challenges confronting the nation’s public schools is the increasingly intense fight over curricula, including the growing wave of book bans nationwide.

Dr. Shaun Harper, provost professor at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education and the USC Marshall School of Business, pointed out that “44 states have introduced bills since January 2021 that have aimed to ban critical race theory” – despite the fact that CTR is not being taught in K-12 classrooms – with 18 of these states having passed such legislation.

Florida governor and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis signed a bill last May banning public colleges and universities from funding DEI programs. The bill “has created a replicable blueprint for other states across the country,” said Harper. “It’s a serious threat to our democracy when we deny young people the educational opportunity to learn about America’s racial past and present.”

Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read program director at PEN America, said this replicable blueprint applies to the ongoing rise of book bans as well, which she called an “‘Ed scare’ campaign … interfering with students’ rights; undermining the role of teachers, librarians, professors, other educators and administrators … and

sowing division within our communities.”

Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read Program Director at PEN America, says the current climate of censorship, including book bans, is a direct response to the 2020 and 2021 efforts towards inclusivity.

Another Florida bill, in effect since July 2022, mandates that all classroom books be preapproved by the Department of Education or vetted by a media specialist trained by the Department. Violating teachers risk losing their license or being charged with a felony. A Texas bill in effect this September will require public school book vendors to pre-rate all books as “sexually explicit material, sexually relevant material, or no rating” before distribution.

Meehan said 71% of books involved in book-banning efforts like these “are intended for young adult audiences or even younger.” PEN reports that the first half of the 2022-2023 school year alone saw “over 1,400 instances of individual books being banned. This equates to over 800 unique titles that are being removed from access for students in schools. This is an increase from the prior six months, and (in an upcoming September report) we expect to see increases in the next six months.”

Learning Gaps, Safety Fears

During the pandemic, students lost about a third of the learning they would have received during a normal school year, a 2023 meta-analysis published in the journal Nature found — resulting in learning regressions which are severest among low-income youth.

That includes the large number of Latino families with students enrolled in LA Unified, one of the

nation’s largest school districts where Latinos account for 74% of the overall student population.

Evelyn Aleman is the founder of the LA County parent advocacy group Our Voice: Communities for Quality Education. She says student safety is directly tied to learning loss and ranks as the number one concern for Latino parents.

Many Latino parents feel that they are not welcome in their school communities, in large part due to racism, and as a result they hesitate to advocate for their children, says Evelyn Aléman, Founder of Our Voice: Communities for Quality Education.

“They want safety from drugs on their campuses. … They want intervention and awareness campaigns … they live in communities that have high crime, and homelessness … and most of their children use public transportation or walk to school, but they don’t feel safe having their children walk home.”

Parents’ safety fears also extend to COVID, she added, given that the virus “is still around, and many families live in multigenerational households, and many have chronic illnesses.”

A perceived lack of safety by the parents worsens absenteeism on the part of students, said Aleman, adding the lack of open communication and at times open hostility by school staff or faculty toward parents also

a role.

“I just had a mom say to me, ‘I feel like I was treated so badly… because I don’t speak the language.’ It was racism,” said Aleman, recalling her exchange with one LA Unified mother. “A lot of parents feel that way. School climate is a big one for us.”