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
whom they suppress.
—Fredrick Douglass (1849)
Sixty years after Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, our racial economic divide is vast as ever. But it can still be closed — and quickly.
It’s now been 60 years since the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom — and the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
At the rally, Dr. King famously proclaimed that all people, Black as well as White, have a “promissory note” from their government guaranteeing “the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” He lamented that “America has defaulted on this promissory note” to Black citizens.
Six decades later, despite incremental progress on some fronts, the check has still come back marked “insufficient funds.” But with enough political will, we can clear it quickly. That’s the conclusion of our new report, Still a Dream: Over 500 Years to Black Economic Equality.
There are important signs of progress to mark. The unthinkably high rate of Black poverty has diminished since King’s time, falling from 51 percent in 1963 to 20 percent by 2021. But with one in five Black Americans still living in poverty — and one in 12 Whites — it’s hardly a moment to pop the champagne bottle.
Other positive indicators include a sharp increase in Black high school attainment over the last 60 years and a significant decline in Black unemployment. For many important economic indicators, however, the pace of progress has been so incremental that it would still take centuries for Black Americans to reach parity with Whites.
For example, the Black-White
income gap has barely narrowed at all. In 1967, African Americans earned 58 cents for every dollar earned by Whites. By 2021, that had risen to just 62 cents on the dollar. At this rate of progress, it would take Black households 513 years to reach income parity with their White counterparts.
Progress in narrowing the racial wealth divide has been even slower. In 1962, Blacks had 12 cents of wealth for every dollar of White wealth. By 2019, the last year of comprehensive data, Blacks had just 18 cents for every dollar of White wealth. At this pace, it would take 780 years for Black wealth to equal White wealth.
There has been essentially no progress in narrowing the gap between White and Black rates of homeownership, another key indicator of wealth and wellbeing. Sixty years later, there remains roughly a 30 percentage point gap, with 44 percent of Black households owning a home compared with 74 percent of Whites.
In part, our country’s failure to bridge the racial economic divide
reflects the growing inequality in our society overall.
During the last 40 years, America has experienced extreme levels of income and wealth inequality, with most gains flowing into the hands of the wealthiest — and mostly White — 1 percent. This has contributed to the stalling of progress toward racial equity, along with government withdrawal from investments such as affordable housing.
What could put us back on track? Without a doubt, the persistent Black-White divide requires racially targeted commitments to individual asset-building and other forms of reparations.
But other programs — including full employment, a government jobs program, universal health care, and a massive commitment to homeownership — would reduce racial inequality and lift up all those suffering from 40 years of stagnant wages, regardless of their race.
Many of these investments could be paid for by wealth
Rev. Edgar Boyd | California Black Media
taxes aimed at reducing dynastic concentrations of wealth and power, among other efforts to get the very wealthy to pay their fair share in our unequal country.
At the Lincoln Memorial 60 years ago, King exclaimed: “We have come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.”
Taking over half a millennium to close our racial economic divide is gradualism in the extreme.
To act today, based on the fierce urgency of now, we must make the investments to eliminate racial disparities within one generation.
Sixty years after bouncing the check, it is time to fulfill America’s promise with a bold response.
Dedrick Asante-Muhammad is the chief of Race, Wealth, and Community at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
Chuck Collins directs the Program on Inequality and coedits Inequaity.org at the Institute for Policy Studies. They are coauthors of the new report, Still a Dream: Over 500 Years to Black Economic Equality. This article was originally published by OtherWords.org.
The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The AfroAmerican • 233 E. Redwood Street Suite 600G Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-5709297 or e-mail to editor@afro. com
Mark Hedin, Lila Brown and Edward Henderson
such as physical education and sports, should continue under such conditions. However, it is still being investigated whether the proper protocol was followed. At 11a.m., Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the school.
briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and California’s Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, speakers discussed what’s changed and what we can do to adapt to this new reality.
Every Sunday, I look out at the faces of my congregation, and I am grateful that we have overcome the many challenges we have faced over the past few years. At the same time, I am also reminded of all the beautiful souls we have lost to COVID-19. The pandemic has upended the lives of many in our community, and the residual effects are still being felt.
As pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (FAME), the oldest African American church in the city, I have always strived to lead my members to health and prosperity. But nothing could have prepared us for the challenges of the pandemic, which affected every aspect of our church -- from how we conducted services to how we communed with people. But the church leadership and I knew it was our calling to take on COVID-19 and protect our flock. Over the years, we have continued to learn and evolve our approaches to address the overall health, social and educational needs of our parishioners and the larger South LA community.
Although we have made it through the most difficult period of the pandemic, COVID-19 remains a threat to our loved ones, especially Black communities in California who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus.
According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, Black residents in Los Angeles County were twice as likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 as white residents, and one-and-a-half times more likely to die from the virus. These disparities are unacceptable, and we must work to reduce them.
have had to overcome many barriers, one of the biggest being my community's mistrust of the medical system due to generations of racism and mistreatment. We have worked hard to educate about COVID-19 safety and rebuild trust in the medical system. We have also partnered with other trusted entities and organizations like the University of Southern California and Jewish congregations to share resources, materials, and knowledge to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. We have made it a priority to educate those close to us about the resources and tools available to stay safe and protect ourselves, including vaccines and treatments.
Robinson
Family Member Facebook Page
Middle School Student Yahshua Robinson collapsed and became unresponsive during PE activities as a heatwave hit Southern California
A Riverside County family is grieving -- and a local community is stunned -- after a 12-year-old boy suffered a fatal medical emergency during an excessive heat wave last week in Lake Elsinore.
On Aug. 29, Yahushua Robinson, a student at Lake Canyon Middle School, allegedly did not “dress out” appropriately for gym class and was consequently punished by running laps in his street clothes.
His aunt told NBC4 Los Angeles that he was denied a water break by his Physical Education teacher. His classmates reported that Robinson repeatedly complained of difficulty breathing before collapsing and becoming unresponsive.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Robinson was pronounced dead at Loma Linda University Medical CenterMurrieta. The coroner’s report attributed Robinson’s death to cardiac arrest.
On the day of the incident, temperatures reached a high of 106° F. The California Department of Education advises schools throughout the state to assess whether outdoor activities,
“Our hearts are with the family, friends, and our school community,” said Lake Canyon Middle School Principal Gil Rodriquez. The family has since started a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs and other related expenses for the child they affectionally called “YaYa.”
Around the state, there is a growing concern among Black Californians about how extreme heat could affect elderly family members, impact skin care and exacerbate other health concerns. Authorities have warned that sweltering temperatures will now be a part of life in the Golden State.
Worldwide, July was the hottest month on record, and the California Governor’s office reports that 2023 is “shaping up” to be the hottest year on record. During an Aug. 29 press
“These are not your grandmothers’ heat waves,” said Braden Kay, Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program manager for California’s Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
“We have a critical need to support behavior change and mind-shift for a lot of people who feel their bodies should just be able to handle the heat, but are not,” Kay continued. “Not just today, not just this summer, not just next summer, but for decades to come.”
According to Kay, “Extreme heat is a climate risk that all 58 counties in California will face,” noting that 90-degree weather now sometimes occurs as early as March and as late as November.
Now, with COVID-19 vaccines and treatments widely available, we have the tools we need to protect ourselves and our loved ones from serious illnesses and deaths. We can return to doing the things and seeing the people we love. Our initial focus was to prevent COVID-19 exposure, but sometimes this was not always possible. Now, we are shifting priorities to making sure our members know what to do if they test positive. Although they are free, widely available, and effective, COVID-19 medications have been relatively unknown within my community. We are starting to integrate initiatives to raise awareness around COVID-19 medications into our other longstanding programs to support our community members who test positive. Scientific evidence shows that when COVID-19 medications are taken within the first week of testing positive, they can prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death by half or more. Timing is crucial as most of the medications must be taken within the first 5 days for symptoms to work.
To address these issues, we
As COVID-19 remains present in our communities, we continue to step up to protect our community. The good news is that we know what works. Our church has worked to increase awareness, trust, and utilization of COVID-19 services, including hosting teachable Thursdays, that highlight influential medical professionals to discuss vaccination benefits, side effects, and other important information about COVID-19. Additionally, we opened a wellness center to create a welcoming and trusting environment for those in the community, operated by community members to provide necessary services that address COVID-19, such as vaccinations, testing, and education around COVID-19 medications.
We invite and welcome all Angelenos who have questions or need support to come and access these services.
Overcoming challenges that Black communities here in Los Angeles and throughout California have faced due to COVID-19 has not been easy. However, through hard work, listening to our community, and the power of prayer, we have found ways to win over the virus. After all, prayers are powerful, but even more so when paired with COVID-19 medications.
To learn more about COVID-19 medications, visit YouCanBeatIt.org.
About the Author
The Rev. Edgar Boyd is pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (FAME), the oldest African American church in the city. Under his leadership, FAME is working to address the health, social and educational needs of parishioners and the surrounding community.
Sara Gardner, a massage therapist in San Diego, said skin care is extremely important during heat waves and everyone should wear sunscreen to protect their skin from dangerous sun rays.
them, ‘Stay on top of your hydration. Add lime, lemon, cucumber, whatever’s necessary to make you have an incentive for drinking.’”
MaryRone Goodwin, newly appointed SBCUSD Director of Communications and Community Relations.
The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) announced the appointment of MaryRone Goodwin as the District's new Director of Communications and Community Relations, effective Tuesday, Sept. 5.
This cabinet-level position reflects the District's commitment to building strong relationships with its education partners and furthering the goals and vision set forth by Superintendent Mauricio Arellano.
“We are thrilled to welcome MaryRone to the San Bernardino City Unified School District family,” Superintendent Arellano said. “At the heart of everything she does is our students. She will play a key role in sharing our efforts to collaborate with both families and the community to ensure their academic success.”
Goodwin will work closely with Superintendent Arellano and the District's leadership team to develop and execute strategic communication plans, manage media relations, oversee digital and social media platforms,
and collaborate with schools and departments to promote Districtwide initiatives.
“I am incredibly proud to serve the community I was raised in,” said Goodwin. “I firmly believe in the District’s mission to make hope happen for our students, and I am excited to highlight their successes and amplify the work of our district.”
Having previously served in a similar capacity with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and Redlands Unified School District, she has a proven track record of developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies.
A welcome reception for the new director was held on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 4:30 p.m. in the Dr. Margaret Hill Community Room located at the Board of Education building, 777 North F Street, San Bernardino.
This was a joint reception for both Goodwin and the District’s recently appointed Associate Superintendent Terry Comnick.
“When it’s hot and dry out, I’ve have found exfoliating and moisturizer to be a must every day. I like to use ice each morning directly on my skin to help close my pores which helps me make sure I don’t let out as much sweat and buildup throughout the day. I also like to lock in my moisture with a cream, typically something with Vitamin C.
Experts who participated in the EMS news briefing said Black Californians, Indigenous communities and other people of color are the most affected by health disparities worsened by extreme heat and are at a higher risk of heat-related deaths.
“As doctors, perhaps one of the most useful things we can do is educate the public,” said Sharon Okonkwo-Holmes, a doctor of family medicine at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.
“Older adults in general don’t feel as thirsty, but I’m telling
To combat the extreme heat, California is making historic investments in climate action and public awareness. The state has launched a website at heatreadyca.com.
“It is an “all-of-stategovernment approach” to the challenge, Kay said. The site offers a new grant program to support awareness campaigns and add trees and shade infrastructure.
Last week, the Governor’s Office of Emergency of Emergency Services (CalOES) released a number of online toolkits (in 12 languages) to inform state residents about extreme heat and natural disasters.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include feeling fatigued and tired, said Okonkwo-Holmes. Swelling in the lower extremities and high blood pressure are other signs.
“We really need our bodies to stay cool, 96-99 degrees. If we’re not listening to those warning systems, we can get seizures and death,” Okonkwo-Holmes added.
The High Desert Pearls, an official interest group of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, will host its inaugural fundraising event, September 30, at the Dolphin Estates, 20365 Rancherias Road, Apple Valley, CA. “A Night
Under The Stars, A Black Tie Sneaker Gala,” begins at 6 p.m., with food, networking and fun.
In addition to raising funds to support the group’s community service programs, during the gala the HDP will honor six notable community servants for their incomparable contributions.
The evening will feature a jazz band, a silent auction, and ends with a DJ playing a variety of chart-topping songs as guests— dressed in formal attire and their favorite sneakers—dance under the stars.
Supporters from near and
far will unite to raise funds for HDP life-changing initiatives and scholarships for local students. The fundraiser will highlight the work and partnerships the HDP garnered during its first year of service. Thus far in 2023 the group has created and distributed books to Apple Valley students, provided more than 100 personal hygiene- and socksfilled backpacks to the homeless community, cleaned land parcels along Bear Valley Road, planted trees, and more.
“We are busy collecting items for our Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Pack program which provides much-needed weekend and holiday meals for children, along with school supplies, for students at Lime Street Elementary School which we have adopted,” said HDP President Dr. Lakieta Emanuel. “However, this is just one of several community service projects we are working on.”
Tickets to A Night Under The Stars, A Black Tie Sneaker Gala may be purchased by clicking or going to the following link: https://bit.ly/HDPGALA. Sponsorships and ad placement in the digital souvenir program are also available. If you have questions or concerns, you may contact HDP Fundraising Chair Janis Parker Pressley at JanisPPressley@gmail.com, 214-994-3959, or Dr. Lakieta Emanuel at highdesertpearls1908 @gmail.com.
Special Report: Black Youths Suffer the Most from Gun Violence in America...continued
was responsible for as much as $80.73 billion in total economic activity” in America. This does not count the thousands of socalled “ghost guns”, weapons not traceable because they are purchased secretly online or even made at home.
Jenkins
(L-R) Chief Emergency Room Physician Valda Crowder, MD; leading Sociologist
and Psychiatrist Rahn Kennedy Bailey MD all agree that the proliferation of guns in Black communities is fueling Black youth homicides.
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Sierra Jenkins, a former news assistant for CNN and reporter with the Virginian Pilot newspaper, was headed for the peak of her career. Her colleagues praised her for her journalistic acumen and her respect for reporting excellence.
But when her editor tried to call her to assign her to cover a shooting in Downtown Norfolk, Va. on March 19 last year, he could get no answer. Way out of character for this young journalist, known for her professionalism and accountability, there would be a reason for her non-response that would shock the world.
Sierra Jenkins, 25, was one of the victims of the very shooting that her editor sought her to cover.
As her phone rang, she lay dead outside a popular pizza restaurant, felled by a bullet shot during an argument over a spilled
drink. She was not involved in the dispute and the bullet was never intended for her. Nor was it intended for 25-year-old former high school honor student and football linebacker Devon Harris, also killed in the gunfire that night. The news devastated the community; their co-workers, family and friends.
Fifteen months later, on June 6 this year, only about 90 miles away, 18-year-old Shawn Jackson was also a promising young African-American. Having just graduated from Huguenot High School 30 minutes earlier, he lay dead outside Richmond’s Altria Theatre alongside his stepfather, Renzo Smith, a U. S. Army veteran. Both were killed by bullets from a gun wielded by a 19-year-old man who targeted the two men, according to police.
Whether the shootings were
unintended or criminally intended for their victims, across the nation - coast to coast - Black people are disproportionately dying, being wounded by or mentally suffering from gun violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of death [cdc.gov] among America’s Black children and young adults ages 1-44 is homicide by firearms.
Amidst this crisis, sociologists, Black mental health experts and medical workers say one thing is certain: The travesty has taken its toll on Black mental healthlargely through fear, stress and grief - while the gun industry is reaping billions of dollars.
“The volumes of guns are now so high that many people just use a gun to solve conflict when even that person might
have tried something different in the past,” says psychiatrist Rahn Kennedy Bailey – chairman of the department of psychiatry at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. “Our streets have been flooded with guns, a lot of guns. Where people have always had conflicts and had to resolve it in different ways, now they might grab you and shoot you…The sheer volume of guns are so high, a lot more violence happens.”
According to a report by the Center for American Progress, between 1986 and 2008, an average of 3.8 million firearms were manufactured in the United States. The report titled, “The Gun Industry in America: The Overlooked Player in a National Crisis [static1.squarespace. com],” then illustrates the rapid annual growth of the gun proliferation. The 3.8 million between 1986 and 2008 “doubled to an annual average of 8.4 million firearms per year from 2009 to 2018,” the most accurate recent count by the ATF.
In the year 2022 alone 4.2 million people in America became new gun owners, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation [nssf.org] (NSSF), the firearm industry’s trade association. In a report [nssf.org], the NSSF estimates “in 2022 the firearm and ammunition industry
Impacted Riverside County residents have until Sept. 19 to report food loss.
Government/Business News
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif.
—CalFresh households that experienced food losses due to Tropical Storm Hilary and used benefits to purchase that food have until September 19 to report the losses and request replacement benefits.
The state recently approved extending the standard reporting period for food loss from 10 to 30 days. The additional time allows impacted CalFresh households in Riverside County to assess their losses and recover as much as possible.
State officials estimate approximately 20,600 households in the affected areas received an estimated $6.5 million in CalFresh benefits, some of which may have been used to purchase food subsequently destroyed because of the August 20 storm.
“This weather event was devastating, and we want our CalFresh customers to know that we’re here to help recover losses as quickly as possible,” said Allison Gonzalez, assistant director of the Self Sufficiency Division at the county’s Department of Public Social Services (DPSS). “We encourage CalFresh customers impacted to reach out in person, by phone, or online to request replacement benefits.”
To report the loss of CalFresh purchased food due to Tropical Storm Hilary, customers may call 1-877-410-8827, visit the nearest DPSS office, or request online at BenefitsCal.com by September 19.
CalFresh is the state’s largest food program that issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy groceries at many stores, farmers markets, and online through certain retailers such as Amazon, Ralph’s, and Walmart.
Riverside County residents needing food assistance and not receiving CalFresh benefits are encouraged to apply by calling 1-877-410-8827, visiting their nearest DPSS office, or online at BenefitsCal.com.
The compilations of resulting deaths have come from multiple directions. An NBC News analysis of data [cdc.gov]from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [cdc. gov] says, “More Americans have died from gunshots in the last 50 years” than in all of the wars in American history.
“Since 1968, more than 1.5 million Americans have died in gun-related incidents. By comparison, approximately 1.2 million service members have been killed in every war in U.S. history, according to estimates from the Department of Veterans Affairs [va.gov] and iCasualties. org [icasualties.org].”
Everytown.org, a gun violence prevention organization, reports that Black people "experience 12 times the gun homicides, 18 times the gun assault injuries, and nearly 3 times the fatal shootings by police of White Americans."
But, the disparate impact on the Black community is not new. It has been long known by experts that African-Americansjust as in the cases of most other tragic social statistics - bears the brunt of the pain of gun violence physically, mentally and emotionally; even indicating that gun violence dramatically affects educational outcomes such as test scores.
A study led 20 years ago by Hampton University Endowed Professor Zina T. Mcgee, concluded that “Studies based on children raised in communities in which violence occurs have shown that direct encounters with violence (either as a victim or witness) increase the likelihood of experiencing anxieties, depression, social withdrawal, and difficulties in concentrating.”
Based on information collected from African-American youth “residing in areas plagued with violence and crime,” Mcgee’s 2003 study [academia.edu] states that “With regard to social class, research indicates that low socioeconomic status serves as one of the many environmental factors that can contribute to the use of violence to resolve conflicts.”
Despite credible conclusions that most gun-related homicides occur in low-income Black communities [penntoday.upenn. edu], it is clear that without the proliferation of guns the shootings would not be possible.
Dr. Valda Crowder, director of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania witnesses the carnage up close on a regular basis. And it’s gotten so bad that while treating victims; she and other medical professionals must also protect themselves.
“Many emergency departments now have armed guards because there have been threats against emergency medicine physicians,
nurses, and hospitals. There have been actual shootings where emergency medical physicians were killed,” Crowder said in an interview. “So many now have armed guards as a result of the increased threats. Many also have machines that you have to go through just like the airport and metal detectors. Patients are sometimes wanded. Those things used to never occur 20 or 25 years ago. I think people should realize that any person or entity that anyone could get mad at is a potential victim.”
Crowder is among those struggling to end the carnage. Among a list of unique initiatives to end gun violence include the following:
· Crowder recalls how the historic photo of the mutilated body of Emmett Till, published in JET magazine, stunned the world and has been credited with sparking the modern day civil rights movement. Crowder believes that same kind of stunning moment could work again by placing on display bodies that have been mutilated by gun violence. “In 1955, the open-casket funeral of Emmett Till [r20.rs6.net] drew international attention to the savagery of Jim Crow segregation, spurring a national civil rights movement,” Crowder wrote in an op-ed early this year. “Now almost 68 years later, we must ‘do something’ to stop the gun violence. Opening the casket of someone who was shot by an assault rifle in a mass shooting may be the shock the nation needs. It may be the photograph that launches a bigger, broader movement overwhelming the clout of gun manufacturers and other entrenched influences.”
· U. S. Rep. Bobby Scott, who held a “Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable”, in 2019 following an incident in which 13 people were killed in a mass shooting, listed a string of Virginia killings and gun injuries near the area where Sierra Jenkins and Devon Harris were killed. “We have evidence available to show that affective policies can reduce these shootings,” Scott says. “When they are implemented, background checks work. Every day, background checks stop nearly 250 dangerous individuals from being handed a firearm. However, these same people can go to a gun show and purchase a firearm without any background check. Virginia laws are among the worst in the country,” he said, describing the commonwealth as the “gun-running capital of the world.”
· Scott says an assault weapons ban must be instituted because “the only thing that assault weapons are good for is killing many people quickly.” He said there is also need for sizeable gun magazine limitations. There are actually limitations on the size of a gun magazine to protect ducks but no limits on the size of gun magazines to protect people, he said.
· After a rash of mass shootings, including the racist killings of 10
Drinking an adequate amount of water helps flush toxins and waste products from your body, reducing the risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
It is also important to maintain a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy diet consists of the following:
Balanced Nutrition: Consume a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in the kidneys. Regularly monitor your blood pressure and take steps to keep it within a healthy range through lifestyle changes or medication if prescribed by a doctor.
Step 4
High sodium intake can raise blood pressure and strain the kidneys. Limit processed foods and use herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt.
By Lou K. Coleman Lou K. Colemanof reproach; you will never see this place again. [Jeremiah 42:18]. For the judgment of God for you have reached the point of no return. Your destruction will be like an overwhelming flood, uniquely vast and deep. Overpowering. Unescapable. Unstoppable, says Almighty God.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic in Los Angeles uncover a crucial link between two medically challenging conditions - Acne Keloidalis Nuchae and Primary Cicatricial Alopecias often called scarring alopecias. Published in the Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology journal under "Unveiling a Common Precursor Condition for Acne Keloidalis Nuchae and Primary Cicatricial Alopecias," the findings have significant implications for diagnostics and treatments.
Researchers link all common scarring alopecias to a single root condition called PIILIF (perifollicular infundibuloisthmic lymphocytic infiltrates and fibrosis)
PIILIF is a root condition that potentially links all common scarring alopecias
Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) is one of a group of scalp conditions called scarring alopecias, known for chronic inflammation causing scarring hair loss with pain, discharge, itching, and social debilitation. AKN often results in disfiguring keloid-like lesions. The research investigated hidden links and shared root conditions.
Traditionally, AKN and scarring alopecias were studied in isolation. This research reveals a link called "Perifollicular InfundibuloIsthmic Lymphocytic Infiltrates Fibrosis" (PIILIF), identified in the normal-appearing scalp (NAS) zones of all AKN patients.
PIILIF could shed light on early AKN and scarring alopecia stages. Dr. Sanusi Umar, the study's lead researcher, also
head of the scalp and hair disorder section at HarborUCLA's dermatology division, underscores that this discovery suggests the potential for more precise therapies targeting root causes and refining diagnostic strategies.
Dr. Umar explained, "Our findings, along with other studies, suggest that PIILIF potentially links all common scarring alopecias, such as AKN, folliculitis decalvas (FD), lichen planopilaris (LPP), frontal fibrosing alopecia, and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. This highlights their interconnections, offering new insights into their origins and enabling a more holistic diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. Moreover, this might streamline the intricate classification of scarring alopecias by reducing redundancies in closely related conditions. For instance, our research questions the necessity of the entity currently designated LPP-FD phenotype."
Surprisingly, the study found AKN to be more prevalent than previously realized in Europeandescended White males (10% of patients), often unnoticed or misdiagnosed as nape irritation or dandruff. This finding challenges AKN's perception as solely affecting people of color.
The study has significant implications, potentially reshaping our understanding of AKN, scarring alopecia, and treatments. Further research is needed to uncover PIILIF's mechanisms, triggers, and role in hair loss. Nonetheless, this work paves the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and patient well-being.
What are the best ways to achieve greater kidney health?
How much do you know about your kidneys?
What Are Kidneys?
The kidneys, two organs located on either side of your spine just above the waist, perform several life-sustaining roles. They cleanse your blood by removing waste and excess fluids, maintain the balance of salt and minerals in your blood, and help regulate blood pressure.
Each bean-shaped kidney is four to five inches long and contains about a million nephrons, which are like tiny pouches. Each nephron has a filter at one end, called a glomerulus, to filter your blood. Your overall kidney function can be measured by how quickly blood is filtered through these glomeruli. This measurement is called the glomerular filtration rate. When the kidneys become damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in the body, causing swelling in your hands and feet, shortness of breath, and problems with urination.
If left untreated, diseased kidneys may eventually stop
Watch Protein Intake: While protein is important, excessive consumption can strain the kidneys. Choose lean protein sources and avoid overconsumption of protein supplements. Limit Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates: High sugar intake can contribute to diabetes and obesity, which are risk factors for kidney disease.
Step 2
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney failure, get your blood and urine checked for kidney disease.
Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease. It is important to work closely with your healthcare provider to manage your blood sugar levels and prevent kidney complications.
Step 3
Step 5
For those recently diagnosed with kidney disease, find out about the basics of kidney disease and what it means for you. Individual needs may vary, so it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, exercise routine, or medication. If you have existing kidney issues or concerns, your doctor can provide personalized guidance.
An older mother and her adult daughter touching their heads together and smiling
Step 6
Talk to loved ones with diabetes and high blood pressure about getting tested for kidney disease.
Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto
Who lead the world in every abomination known to man. “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: who has forsaken the Lord, who has provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, who has gone away backward.” [Isaiah 1:4]. Woe unto you! Professing to be wise, became fools, changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Changed the truth of God into a lie, worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator.
functioning completely. Loss of kidney function is a serious — potentially fatal — condition.
Maintain your body’s balance of water and concentration of minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus in your blood.
Remove waste by-products from the blood after digestion, muscle activity, and exposure to chemicals or medications.
Produce renin, an enzyme that helps regulate blood pressure.
Produce erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production.
Produce an active form of vitamin D, needed for bone health.
There are six steps you can take to help protect the health of your kidneys:
Step 1
Kidney health is mostly about prevention – learning which foods to eat and avoid, as well as talking with your doctor about the necessary diagnostic tests.
Mission in Latin America and the Caribbean can be interpreted as a clash between narratives. On the one hand, people can access the news delivered by mass media, which can give us the impression of knowing what is happening on the continent at the touch of our fingers on a keypad or the image through a computer screen. However, as we dig deeper into the facts and diversify the information we receive with the experience of our Global Ministries partners in the region, we realize that we are victims of a single narrative that responds to the powers that be. Accumulation of wealth, exploitation of natural resources, and the imposition of a particular social model are the order of the day on the continent. Then, along with our partners, we assume the challenge of confronting that narrative with the one “rooted in love,” as the text of the letter from Paul to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:17-19) invites us to do. This alternative narrative allows us to connect with God’s fullness (plérōma) as well as the joy of our brothers and sisters “with all the saints” in unity, inclusion, and hope. The “Gentiles” of these lands are called to sit at the same table as the ones in eminence. That calling comes with devoted labor of solidarity, sensibility, and presence.
I have had the blessing and the opportunity of living the pleroma of God amid the challenges and dreams of missional partners on the continent. In Colombia, I can recall visiting projects and churches in four different locations in the country. One of the projects was called the “Peace Sanctuary” in Magre, Medellín. There, leaders from Justapaz, one of our partners in the country, engaged in dialogue with people affected by recent attacks by paramilitaries in the area. They shared how relatives either disappeared or were found dead during the shootings. Churches and organizations from civil society are working there on alternatives to avoid the forced recruitment of young people and denounce human rights violations by armed groups
in the area. In Mexico, I have had the opportunity to share with the Mexican Roundtable for Mission. As part of the Roundtable, the two expressions of the Disciples of Christ in Mexico and the Central Board for Congregational Churches promote sustainable development projects sponsored by women (“Woman-to-Woman Mexico”) and the Summer School Program, and they welcome pilgrimages from the United States as they visit and live among the people in that country. On a recent trip to Guatemala, I was honored to see Rosalina Tuyuc, Coordinator of the National Confederation of Widows of Guatemala (CONAVIGUA), at the organization’s main offices in Ciudad de Guatemala. Rosalina and her colleagues shared the experiences of dealing with the consequences of the civil war in Guatemala in their ministry, recovering the bodies and remains of families killed by the repression of those years, and collecting evidence to sue the Guatemalan state for violation of human rights and genocide. I have seen the fruit of the mission “rooted and grounded in love.” “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). All of those experiences challenge the single narrative that we could read in media, which tells us constantly that there are no alternatives for the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Rooted and grounded in love, I have had a different experience. Our partners’ commitment flourishes amid people’s needs and visions. Our call will always need to be grounded and rooted in love for those who write new pages of blessing and the fullness of life abroad and in our own country.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto is the Global Relations Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean. Global Ministries is the common witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.
America, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, deceit, whispers, backbiters, despiteful, proud, boasters, disobedient, covenant breakers, implacable, unmerciful, haters of God: Who knowing the judgment of God, that what they commit is worthy of death… [Romans chapter 1]. Woe to America! Cunningly guided the world in spiritual fornication. "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies" [Revelation 18:3-5]. I tell you, you will be a curse and an object of horror, a curse, and an object
Come near, you nations, to hear; and listen, you peoples! Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it. For the Lord’s anger is against all the nations, and His wrath against all their armies. He has utterly destroyed them; He has turned them over to slaughter. So, their slain will be thrown out, and their corpses will give off their stench, and the mountains will be drenched with their blood. And all the heavenly lights will wear away, and the sky will be rolled up like a scroll; For My sword has drunk its fill in heaven; and it shall descend for judgment upon [America] and upon the people whom I have designated for destruction... Woe to America! Its streams will be turned into pitch, and its loose earth into brimstone, and its land will become burning pitch. It will not be extinguished night or day; Its smoke will go up forever. From generation to generation, it will be desolate; none will pass through it forever and ever. [Isaiah 34:1-10].
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. [Jeremiah 18:7-8]. For, I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. [Acts 20:27].
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.
Incident serves as grim reminder of America’s deeply rooted history of racism and the ongoing hate-fueled attacks against African Americans, even within the confines of their places of worship.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National CorrespondentFuture awardees will revitalize public and/or HUD-assisted housing, surrounding neighborhoods.
resources.
(NNPA NEWSWIRE) – In the small Ambridge, Pa. community, a quick-thinking witness and swift police response prevented a potential massacre at Greater Dominion Church of the Millenium on Aug. 27. Jeffrey Harris, a 38-year-old White man, now faces a litany of charges, including aggravated assault and making terroristic threats, after attempting to enter the predominantly Black church with murderous intent.
The ordeal unfolded just after 9 a.m. on a quiet Sunday morning when multiple concerned citizens called 911 to report a man clad in a camouflage vest brandishing a long gun and menacingly targeting two women outside the church at the corner of 4th Street and Melrose Avenue. According to a criminal complaint, the eyewitnesses watched in terror as Harris threatened the women, all while attempting to gain access to the church.
The frantic 911 calls immediately alerted Beaver County Regional Police to Harris’s presence on the 300
block of Merchant Street, and they promptly informed Ambridge police. As an officer approached the suspect, Harris threateningly pointed his weapon.
Bishop Kenneth Crumb of Greater Dominion Church later spoke to ABC affiliate WTAETV, revealing the chilling possibility that Harris might have succeeded in entering the church had he arrived just one hour later for his Sunday service.
“When you just think about how close we came to having the same kind of horrific situation that we had at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, it’s like the grace of God. Thank God for his grace, for his covering over us, because this could have been a total different way,” Crumb said.
He added that this incident serves as a grim reminder of America’s deeply rooted history of racism and the ongoing racially charged attacks against African Americans, even within the confines of their places of worship. “There is a whole lot of mass murders going on;
there shootings, particularly in the African-American community, people targeting our communities.”
The horrifying episode at Greater Dominion Church evokes memories of a painful past: The burning of Black churches by the Ku Klux Klan during segregation and the Civil Rights Movement.
But there are many more of those horrific incidents from the U.S.’ more recent history, highlighting the persistence of racial hatred in some parts of the country. Among them is the 2015 killing of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, by a lone 21-year-old White gunman, who was welcomed into and participated in Bible study before committing the slaughter.
And then there was the burning of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, Massachusetts, shortly after the election of President Obama in November 2008. In Knoxville, Tennessee, in January 1996, a fire
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destroyed the Inner-City Baptist Church, which had racial slurs painted on its walls. Similarly, in February 1996, a group of churches within a six-mile radius in Louisiana were set ablaze on the anniversary of the sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina.
On June 21, 1995, four former Ku Klux Klan members set the Macedonia Baptist Church on fire in Manning, South Carolina. The fire was one of many that plagued predominantly Black churches across the South during that period, and Macedonia Baptist was awarded $37.8 million in a decision against the Klan. A jury believed that the Klan’s rhetoric had motivated the men to commit this heinous act.
This week, U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., wrote to the Department of Justice, asking for a federal investigation into the Ambridge event to see whether Harris had violated any civil rights laws and, if so determined, to pursue him to the maximum degree possible, according to a press release.
“With hate crimes on the rise across the country, including against Black Americans, it is understandable that any community would be concerned by an armed individual terrorizing a place of worship,” Deluzio wrote to the federal authorities. “A community not too far away from the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the Greater Dominion congregation knows too well the harm that an armed individual filled with hate can do.”
Ambridge is a community of just under 7,000 residents located about 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, alongside the Ohio River.
This article originally posted by NNPA Newswire
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the availability of $256 million in Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Grants funding to communities across the country. The CNI Grants will ultimately transform public and other HUD-assisted housing, while investing in the surrounding neighborhood and resident services. Public housing authorities, local governments, and/or Tribal entities are eligible and encouraged to apply for these transformative grants of up to $50 million each.
(NNPA NEWSWIRE) –
Amidst a news cycle that now routinely features wildfires, a former president’s indictments, and extreme weather events, the world is grappling with the resurgence of COVID-19 as a new and concerning variant, BA.2.86, emerges. This variant, informally dubbed “Pirola,” has ignited alarm among public health experts due to its substantial spike protein mutations.
Dr. Scott Roberts, an infectious diseases specialist at Yale Medicine, warned that Pirola exhibits over 30 spike protein mutations compared to the previously dominant XBB.1.5 variant in the United States. The spike protein is critical for the virus’s entry into human cells, and such a high number of mutations raises red flags. In an online Yale Medicine article, Dr. Roberts compared the mutation count to the shift from the Delta to the Omicron variant in 2021, which caused a significant surge in cases due to its immune
evasion capabilities. What’s particularly concerning is that Pirola has been detected in at least six countries, and these cases appear unrelated. Experts said that suggests undetected community transmission and international spread, sparking concerns of a potential resurgence.
According to medical experts, BA.2.86 is a designated variant of Omicron, a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19. BA.2.86 stems from BA.2, a previously circulating Omicron subvariant. The variant was first identified in Denmark in late July and made its way to the United States in August. Knowing that cases aren’t linked indicates broader circulation, especially as COVID-19 surveillance has waned, medical experts said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that current COVID-19 tests and medications, such as Paxlovid, Veklury and Lagevrio, seem effective against Pirola.
New
However, Pirola may be more adept at infecting individuals who have had COVID-19 or have been vaccinated. There isn’t any current evidence that it causes more severe illness.
The increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. is attributed to XBB lineage viruses rather than Pirola. But, the multitude of mutations in Pirola raises concerns about its potential to bypass immunity from natural infection or vaccination.
Dr. Roberts emphasized that ongoing studies would reveal the true nature of Pirola’s threat. The unprecedented number of mutations in Pirola is reminiscent of significant shifts seen in other respiratory viruses, such as the 2009 swine flu. However, he noted that these variants sometimes fade away without causing a significant impact.
The critical question now is whether Pirola will follow the explosive growth pattern of Omicron or fade away, as everyone hopes. As of Aug. 30, the CDC has identified Pirola in at least four U.S. states through samples from individuals or wastewater.
Some regions have reinstated mask mandates in response to the spike in COVID-19 cases. The CDC reported a nearly 19
“Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants are a powerful tool communities can use to revitalize neighborhoods, bringing much-needed housing, services, and amenities to distressed areas,” said Secretary Marcia Fudge. “Today, we are pleased to invite public housing authorities, local governments, and Tribal entities to join the program and build on successes we’ve seen across the country. These $50 million awards are a once-in-a-generation investment in the housing, neighborhoods, and people that need it most.” Choice Neighborhoods is HUD’s signature placebased program. Increased appropriations and a renewed national interest are fueling the program’s expansion to distressed communities across America. While cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Phoenix are grant recipients, mid-size and smaller cities such as Flint, MI; Lewiston, ME; and Tulsa, OK, have also received awards. This funding cycle will lead to six new Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants in 2024. CNI Grants primarily fund the redevelopment of severely distressed HUD properties into a mixed-income community. The program has a three-pronged “Housing, People, and Neighborhood” approach that includes not only the redevelopment of distressed properties but also supports outcomes related to the residents' health, education, and income while simultaneously investing in economic development and neighborhood improvement projects. This comprehensive approach means that grantees must be able to leverage the funds they receive from HUD with other public and private
This announcement follows HUD’s recent $370 million award of eight new Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants representing the cities of Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Lake Charles, LA; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Tucson, AZ; and Wilmington, DE. Demonstrating the impact of Choice Neighborhoods investments locally, these eight recent awards will collectively invest $3 billion in distressed neighborhoods and create over 5,000 new housing units. Choice Neighborhoods is a critical tool to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing. Since the program’s inception, the Choice Neighborhoods program has completed 13,000 new mixedincome units built across 52 cities. More than 37,000 units are planned. HUD has awarded more than $1.7 billion in Implementation Grant funds to date, with grantees achieving incredible results. For example, Memphis, Tennessee is using its grant to build 712 new, mixedincome housing units in the South City neighborhood, while also making repairs to surrounding homes and businesses. Similarly, Louisville, Kentucky is using its grant to build 620 new, mixed-income housing units.
As a result, Louisville's Russell neighborhood has seen new retail and quality childcare services come into the community. Norwalk, Connecticut, which was devastated by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, used its Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant to develop 273 housing units and completed a major cleanup on an adjacent “brownfield” site that was converted into a beautiful neighborhood park.
Overall, the Choice Neighborhoods program has led to new businesses, parks, and grocery stores, while resident incomes are increasing across most cities, in some cases doubling. A recent study conducted by Case Western Reserve University on the Chicago Choice Neighborhood showed HUD’s investment generated $400 million in public and private resources. In addition, the study found median household incomes increased, crime rates fell steadily, and home ownership rates increased.
percent increase in weekly new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S., marking the sixth consecutive week of rising admissions.
The arrival of new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax in mid-September is expected to offer robust protection against variants. Until then, experts stress that masking remains a crucial tool for safeguarding against COVID-19, even for individuals with normal risk levels, depending on their location and contacts.
Dr. Stephen Thomas of the Upstate Medical University in Syracuse told NPR that the facility has reverted to mandating masks.
“We wanted to, No. 1, protect our patients, and, No. 2, protect the men and women who work in our facility, and take care of them,” Thomas told NPR. “So, we implemented universal masking for staff, visitors and patients only in clinical areas. So, we’re a university. We’re large. We have a lot of non-clinical regions. Universal masking is not being mandated in non-clinical areas.”
This article was originally published by the NNPA Newswire.
Still, good old fashioned home training that instills non-violent morals and values is the best way to deter violence, says Bailey.
“The respect for life, how your parents raised you matter.
If you believe human beings are valuable you wouldn’t shoot someone at all let alone shoot them for a non-violent offense,” Bailey said. “But in many
shootings now that are not self defense or life or death, people are said to have a beef over something that’s non-violent and the person escalates it to violence by grabbing a gun and shooting someone.”
Parents, teachers and school officials could be in on this training in conflict resolution, Bailey says.
Special Report: Black Youths Suffer the Most from Gun Violence in America...continued from page 3 people at a Buffalo, New York grocery store by a 19-year-old White man, the U. S. House and Senate finally passed a historic bi-partisan gun bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden on July 11 last year. The first significant gun legislation in more than 30 years, it includes enhanced restrictions on gun ownership by people convicted of certain violent crimes; including domestic abuse. But it still fails to include restrictions on large bullet magazines. In fact, a similar racist killing of three Black people in Jacksonville, Florida recently on August 26 was by a 21-year-old White man who reportedly bought the AR15-style rifle legally. Biden said he didn’t get all that he wanted in the new law, but he vowed to keep trying.
“Children are on the playground bumping into each other all the time. How teachers and counselors handle it goes a long way in teaching a little kid that it’s normative to jump around and bump into each other. But it’s not normative to bump into each other and knock them down and not try to help them or try to offer them assistance. Those are the kinds of things that start the process. The other thing is you can also do roll play of arguments so that young people can recognize what you should and should not say in the middle of a really big argument. Young men are often 18, 19, 20 years old; so they can drive and move around. They just may not know how to handle conflict. We should be very involved in this process.”
New
place in the first ever Y Factor Team Member Talent Show on August 9, 2023. Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors. The survey measures team members' level of trust in an organization and the consistency of their experience.
Credit: Shutterstock
NEW YORK (AP) — Coco
Gauff became the first American teenager since Serena Williams more than two decades ago to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals in consecutive years, getting that far this time by beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Sept.
3.
Gauff asked one of her coaches, Brad Gilbert, to stop talking to her as the second set slipped away. But she wound up winning the last six games.
Gauff is 19. Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open champion and twice the runnerup at Flushing Meadows, is a 33-year-old mother of two and was playing in just her third tournament since coming out of retirement last month.
It was the hottest day of the event so far, with the temperature
reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).
Gauff kept missing the mark in the second set, to the tune of 22 unforced errors, but she cleaned that up considerably down the stretch, with just eight miscues in the last set.
Gauff, whose best showing at a major was reaching the final at the 2022 French Open, has now won 15 of her past 16 matches. That run comes right after a firstround exit at Wimbledon in July; it also includes the two biggest titles of her career, at the DC Open and in Cincinnati.
She lost to Caroline Garcia in the quarterfinals a year ago in New York; this time, the opponent will be defending champion and No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek or No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko.
"San Manuel is grateful to our team members and proud to lead an enterprise that has achieved certification as a Great Place to Work® for the third year in a row," said Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. "Since day one, we have endeavored to create a work environment that reflects our Serrano Tribal culture and values where our team members are respected, feel welcomed, supported, and rewarded for their dedication and hard work."
The enterprise of San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is guided by a higher purpose and believe in giving back to charitable organizations, surrounding communities, and their team members. The Tribe prides itself on creating a robust work environment and offering unique experiences to help team members reach their full potential. A few examples are team member talent shows, annual team member appreciation days and various scholarship funds offered by the Tribe.
"San Manuel is a unique employer that brings together
tribal government operations, hospitality, gaming and entertainment into a single enterprise that helps ensure the Tribe's livelihood today and for generations to come," said Laurens Vosloo, Chief Executive Officer, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. "It's an honor to work for an enterprise where more than 80 percent of our team applauds the Tribe for fostering a welcoming, safe, and respectful culture. This recognition is one of many that validates why San Manuel is a great place to work."
Hear what our team members shared:
"The Tribe's continuous and generous contributions to the community make this a purposeful place to work. There is no other employer like us in the area and that offers unique and valuable professional experiences to the employees."
"The amount of benefits this company offers to its employees is like nothing I've ever seen or heard of. From educational discounts to endless employee incentives and benefits."
WE'RE HIRING!
According to Great Place To Work® research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a certified great workplace.
Looking to grow your career at a company that puts its people first? Visit our careers page at: sanmanuelcareers.com.
Assembly Bill 28 Would Generate Over $100 Million Annually to Fund School Safety and Violence Prevention Programs
SACRAMENTO, CA —
Today, the California State Senate Appropriations Committee voted to advance Assembly Bill (AB) 28, a landmark measure that would impose an 11 percent excise tax on the
sale of guns and ammunition by gun manufacturers and dealers. Having cleared its final committee, AB 28 is now on the Senate Floor, where it is expected to be voted on in the next two
Authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D - Encino), Chair of the Legislature's Gun Violence Prevention Working Group, AB 28 would generate over $100 million annually to fund school safety and violence prevention programs, including initiatives to prevent mass shootings, bolster firearm investigations, and remove guns from domestic abusers.
“It’s shameful that gun manufacturers are reaping record profits at the same time that gun violence has become the leading cause of death for kids in the United States,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel.
“This bill will fund critical school safety measures and proven violence prevention programs that will save lives and protect communities across California.
I am grateful to the Senate Appropriations Committee for advancing this bill and look forward to a vote on the Senate Floor.”
"California has a long history of paving the way for effective methods of reducing gun violence. It’s an undisputed leader in the fight for gun safety, and I am proud GIFFORDS has worked alongside gun violence prevention groups across the state and members of the legislature, including Assemblymember Gabriel, to help advocate for the state’s latest effort.” said former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. “We urge the legislature to prioritize the safety of California's kids and communities and pass The Gun
Violence Prevention and School Safety Act, a top priority for the gun violence prevention movement."
Since AB 28 was introduced at the beginning of the current legislative session, the United States has experienced hundreds of mass shootings, including horrific incidents in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay. A recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that the firearm death rate for American children increased 40 percent between 2018 and 2021.
“California is again proving why the Golden State leads the country on gun safety legislation. Imposing a modest tax on firearm and ammunition sales to provide sustained and increased funding for violence intervention and prevention programs will help us better protect our communities from gun violence.” said Kris Brown, President of Brady. “Providing long-term investments in these initiatives is a proven way to stop gun violence before it begins. Brady thanks Assemblymember Gabriel and other bill sponsors for introducing this first of its kind tax bill."
“California is a leader when it comes to gun safety. This bill would take that leadership one step further by providing essential resources to lifesaving programs - including the California Violence Intervention and Prevention grant programwhich rightfully centers solutions from the communities most impacted by our gun violence continued on page 8
continued from page 2
The HDP are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an international service organization established in 1908 which is the first sorority established by African American women. The HDP members are committed to serving the economic, educational, environmental, and social needs of stakeholders in the fivecity area of Adelanto, Apple
Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, and Victorville. For more information about the HDP, you may follow them at www.facebook.com/ highdesertpearls or on Instagram @highdesertpearls. They can also be reached via email at highdesertpearls1908@gmail. com. For more information about Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., you may visit www.aka1908.com.
Asante-Ra
HIGHLAND, Calif., Sept. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third year in a row, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (the 'Tribe' and 'San Manuel') is proud to announce that its Tribal Government Operations and Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel received Great Place To Work Certification. This year, 81 percent of team members said it's a great place to work which is 24 points higher than the average U.S. company.
Team members make knotblankets during National Volunteer Month. The blankets supported the Children's Assessment Center in San
Bernardino and are given to children who were removed from their homes.
Team members make knotblankets during National Volunteer Month. The blankets supported the Children's Assessment Center in San Bernardino and are given to children who were removed from their homes.
Giovanna Morel, Policy and Procedures Specialist, wins first place in the first ever Y Factor Team Member Talent Show on August 9, 2023.
Giovanna Morel, Policy and Procedures Specialist, wins first
“Let’s be clear – there is no racial equity without economic equity,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. Credit: NAACP.org
The NAACP is stepping up alongside the U.S. Department of Education to provide a helping hand to Black borrowers dealing with the weight of student loan debt, thanks to President Biden’s SAVE Plan.
Earlier this summer, the Education Department updated its income-driven repayment plan application on the Federal Student Aid website, introducing the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan. This plan offers lower monthly payments, faster forgiveness for eligible individuals, and puts an end to growing balances due to unpaid interest. These changes came after months of advocacy from the administration, following the Supreme Court’s ruling against widespread loan cancellation, which left nearly
$2 trillion in U.S. student loan debt unresolved.
In a move to combat the debilitating burden of student loans, the NAACP has forged a strategic partnership with Civic Nation, the National Urban League, Rise, the Student Debt Crisis Center, UnidosUS, and Young Invincibles. Together, they are on a mission to spread the word about the student loan repayment program.
Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, emphasizes their commitment to making higher education accessible without a lifetime of financial struggle: “The NAACP remains committed to finding equitable options for Americans crippling under the unbearable weight of student loan debt.”
This partnership is just the
“The NAACP remains committed to finding equitable options for Americans crippling under the unbearable weight of student loan debt,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. (source: naacpslocty.org).
beginning. The NAACP is determined to find innovative ways to support borrowers, even in the face of challenges to student debt solutions. Their goal is to ensure that communities receive the relief they deserve through the SAVE plan. The NAACP will continue seeking partnerships like this one to proactively address the student debt crisis and ease the disproportionate burden shouldered by countless Black borrowers.
Wisdom Cole, National Director of the NAACP’s Youth and College Division, emphasizes the urgency of the situation: “Education should be the key to financial freedom,
not the barrier. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we continue the work necessary to ensure equitable access to education.” Cole also expressed excitement about working with the Administration and the collaborative effort to pave the way for comprehensive student debt forgiveness. The SAVE plan is a positive step forward as they strive to identify and eliminate all barriers to student debt relief. In a time when education should be a source of empowerment, these efforts aim to make it exactly that, especially for Black Americans who have faced unique challenges in the realm of student loan debt.
Kick-Off."
"We are delighted to have Pete Van Helden – Stater Bros. Markets Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, serve as the keynote speaker for the 2023 Red Kettle Kickoff," said Major Isaias Braga, Commander of The Salvation Army of San Bernardino.
“Stater Bros. Markets has supported the mission of The Salvation Army [NN5] [CMD6] for decades. We are honored to serve the same community,” he added.
Stater Bros. Markets CEO Pete Van Helden Delivers Keynote Address at The Salvation Army 2023 Red Kettle Campaign...continued
Dinner that historically provides a delicious meal to about 200 people.
The Salvation Army of San Bernardino serves the cities of San Bernardino, Redlands, Highland, Rialto, Loma Linda, Colton, Yucaipa, Calimesa, Bloomington, Mentone, Grand Terrace, Muscoy and Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead and Running
Calling
Springs.
Donations may always be made online at www. SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY. For local information call (909) 792-6868. Donors may drop off turkeys, hams, other food, cash or gift cards at the Salvation Army’s Corps Office at 838 Alta Street, Redlands California, 92373.
LA COUNTY, CA – LA
Pete Van Helden, Stater Bros.
Markets[NN1] [CMD2] Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board, will deliver the keynote address at the kickoff event for The Salvation Army's Annual Red Kettle campaign.
The "miracle" of Christmas is repeated through the joy of caring, sharing and donations to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles. The ringing of the Silver Bells begins with The Red Kettle Kickoff. This year’s event is Wednesday, November 15th [NN3] [CMD4] at 5:30 PM at the Bear Springs Events Center, 27923 Highland Avenue, Highland, CA 92346.
"Like the Salvation Army, Stater Bros. Charities has a long history of supporting those in need in Southern California," said Van Helden. "To many people, the Salvation Army's red kettles represent hope during the holidays, and that's why I'm honored to serve as the keynote speaker for this year's Red Kettle
Van Helden began his career at Stater Bros. Markets in April 2013 when he was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. He was promoted to CEO in January 2016. In 2019, Van Helden was appointed to the Board of Directors of Stater Bros. Holdings, Inc., and in October 2022, Pete was elevated to its Chairman of the Board.
In 2022-2023 The Salvation Army served 26,013 People, 24,012 households that included 110,768 meals and 12,822 households receiving groceries. The Hospitality House provided 34,761 nights of shelter to families and children experiencing homelessness; 2,146 at-risk children participated in educational and recreational programs. [NN7] [CMD8]
Donations from the Red Kettles help make possible Christmas, holiday food baskets for around 500 local families. On Christmas, a Christmas
continued in next 2 columns
We’ve all heard the adage “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” It’s been attributed to everyone from Vince Lombardi to Secretary of State James Baker. As we’ve discussed in the first four installments of our Franchise Fundamentals series, proper preparation – including a thorough pre-commitment investigation into the franchise – may help reduce the risk of painful problems later. But what if a franchisee is concerned that a subsequent business breakdown could be due to a franchisor’s
precarious promises? Report it to the FTC through a dedicated link just for franchise issues. The decision to buy a franchise may be the biggest financial commitment people make in a lifetime. But like a hasty Vegas wedding or a sight unseen home purchase, quick decisions can have devastating consequences. Ponder and pause. If a franchisor puts any pressure on you to rush your decision, that fact alone should be enough to cross them off your list.
The Bright family zoo in Limestone, TN says that its newborn giraffe is lucky to have been born “in captivity.” Giraffes use their spots for camouflage and this baby female giraffe was born without spots and, in fact, is perhaps the only spotless giraffe on the planet. David Bright explained that “being solid colored, she may not be able to hide quite as well.” Tony Bright told reporters “the international coverage of our pattern-less baby giraffe has created a much-needed spotlight on giraffe conservation. Wild populations are silently slipping into extinction, with 40% of the wild giraffe population lost in just the last 3 decades.
In that old yarn it was Goldilocks who broke into the home of the three bears. In the case of Brian of Kings Beach, CA it was a sleepy old bear that broke into his apartment, ate his food, wrecked his TV set and then took a nap on his bed. It was all caught on his Ring camera while Brian was out boating with friends on Lake Tahoe. Apparently the bears are out in numbers in the Lake Tahoe area; they have been visiting not only Brian’s apartment but have been caught by video surveillance cameras in several stores in the area.
Kim Knor of Denver, CO learned how to skydive when she was 20 years old; that was in 1959. She became a member of the inaugural U.S. Women's Parachute Team two years later. To date, the 84-year-old daredevil has made 600 jumps and is determined to reach her goal of 1,000 jumps. As she told one news outlet, "I have a choice of watching TV or sitting in front of a computer or going out and jumping and traveling across the country." In an interview with CBS News, she had a suggestion for her fellow octogenarians: "I feel fantastic! I mean, this is what I live for. Anytime life gets too difficult or too sad just go make a jump and then everything's good!"
County Library’s 44th Annual Bookmark Contest for grades K – 12, which celebrates the joy of reading and creativity, kicks off today, September 5. Submissions will be accepted through October 21, 2023.
Kids and teens are encouraged to let their imagination shine using original designs to draw, paint, or create their own bookmark. Each of the Library’s 85 locations will select 1 winner from 4 categories— Kindergarten through Grade 2, Grades 3 through 5, Grades 6 through 8, and Grades 9 through 12— who will be recognized at their Library. The winning bookmarks from each Library will be shared with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, who will select Countywide winners from each category that reside in their District. These winners will see their bookmark design
professionally printed and distributed across all 85 LA County Library locations! Los Angeles County residents and schools are encouraged to participate in the contest, which highlights the wonder and importance of books and reading, and challenges parents, educators, and librarians to nurture kids’ love of reading and libraries through art.
To participate, kids can visit their local library to pick up an entry form, or download the form online. For more information and to download, visit LACountyLibrary.org/ Bookmark-Contest. Entry forms can be submitted in person, by mail, or online via submission form, and must be received by October 21, 2023. This year’s contest is sponsored by LA County Library Foundation.
New Tax on Gun Manufacturers and Dealers Advances to Senate Floor...continued from page 7
crisis,” said Angela FerrellZabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action. “In the aftermath of the horrific shootings we’ve seen nationwide over the last week, and in response to the gun violence that kills 120 Americans each day and wounds hundreds more, I urge California lawmakers to recognize the necessity of passing this act,
and to continue modeling what it looks like to be truly committed to public safety.”
The Senate is expected to vote on AB 28 – which is officially known as The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act – in the next two weeks. It must receive a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to advance to Governor Newsom’s desk.
if things go awry...continued
Give yourself time to gather information from a wide variety of sources. Contact the Better Business Bureau, your state Attorney General, and the Attorney General in the state where the company is headquartered. Among your most valuable sources of information are existing and former franchisees, but don’t settle for superficial chat. Come to the conversation with a list of questions and probe them for in-depth details about their experience. Even the most successful franchisees experience some business bumps, so make it clear you want the unvarnished truth. If you can’t find current or former franchisees willing to speak candidly with you, that should raise a red flag.
So what if you researched the opportunity thoroughly, signed on the dotted line, and gave it your best effort – but you have evidence that the franchisor didn’t give you the straight story or in some other way engaged in deceptive or unfair practices?
Approach the franchisor directly to try to address your concerns. If that doesn’t work, explore your
legal options.
Another important step: Report your experience to the FTC. Use this special link to go directly to an FTC page created to collect information related to franchises. Here’s where that link will take you:
Report a franchise issue
You also can visit ReportFraud. FTC.gov and click the dark blue Report Now button. ReportFraud.ftc.gov
From there, choose the Job, investment, money-making opportunity, franchise option. That will open a menu where you can select Franchise. Click Continue and start by telling us Details about the franchisor and Comments about your experience.
FTC franchise menu
The FTC can’t conduct individual negotiations between you and the franchisor, but the information you report is important to investigatory efforts by the FTC and law enforcement partners.
