"If
Lyndon B. Johnson
Media, Misinformation, and Immigrant
Communities: The Fight for Truth
By Rosa I. Evans|(SBAN) San Bernardino American News
Media has the power to shape how we see immigrants. But too often, harmful narratives—like Trump’s false claims during the 2024 presidential debate— spread unchecked. He falsely said immigrants are stealing jobs from Black and Hispanic workers, even making the baseless claim that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating people’s pets. These statements only fuel division and hate, and the media plays a crucial role in amplifying or correcting such misinformation. The ABC moderators did, however, factcheck him three times during the debate, which has not been the norm by media in typical coverage of Trump’s live speeches.
Media’s Role in Misinformation
The media is responsible for challenging harmful narratives in real-time. For example, during the debate, outlets like CNN and NBC News fact-checked Trump’s claims immediately, including his false assertions about immigrants and crime rates. Research shows that crime in the U.S. has decreased in 2024, contradicting Trump's statements. Fact-checking these claims on the spot is crucial to preventing the spread of dangerous stereotypes.
The Importance of FactChecking When public figures spread false information, the media is responsible for acting with urgency. During the debate, Trump’s comments were quickly fact-checked by the moderators. He claimed immigrants were taking jobs from minorities,
but research consistently shows that immigrants help grow the economy without displacing American workers. Quick, accurate fact-checking stops lies from spreading and helps prevent hate from escalating. His assertion that immigrants were eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, was quickly discredited by local officials and the media. This scrutiny must become the norm, not the exception, in holding leaders accountable.
Representation Builds
Empathy
How immigrants are portrayed
in the media directly impacts how society views them. Stories that show the struggles and successes of immigrants help break down barriers of misunderstanding.
When media outlets highlight the real experiences of immigrants, they counter harmful stereotypes and create a sense of shared humanity. This type of positive coverage can change public perceptions and make it harder for political figures to spread hate. Proper representation can change public perception, helping communities see immigrants as contributors, not threats. These stories foster understanding and
empathy, shifting the narrative away from fear-based rhetoric.
Representation Matters More Than Ever As we look to the future, the role of media in shaping public opinion becomes even more critical. With political rhetoric becoming increasingly divisive, balanced and truthful media coverage is essential to combat misinformation. Positive representation of immigrant communities can counteract the harm caused by negative stereotypes, and it fosters a more inclusive society. In times of heightened xenophobia, the media has a unique opportunity
to bridge divides and promote understanding through accurate storytelling, ensuring that immigrants are seen as integral parts of society.
Conclusion
Media representation is crucial in the fight against antiimmigrant hate. The recent fact-checking of Trump’s false claims during the debate is a step in the right direction, but the media needs to do more.
Accurate and balanced stories about immigrant communities can build understanding, foster
and counter harmful rhetoric. References:
Analysis on Trump’s Rhetoric
News Report on Trump and Immigrant Hate
NBC News Debate Fact Check
This article is part of the Stop the Hate series, supported by the State of California through California Black Media. For more information or to report a hate crime, visit cavshate.org.
Trump Rules Out Second Presidential Debate Against Harris
a political event — it was a moment to witness Harris, the first Black woman vice president, go toe-to-toe with Trump, whose bombastic debate style has dominated headlines in previous election cycles.
Trump’s decision to rule out another debate against Harris has left the upcoming election more contentious than ever.
With both candidates presenting starkly different visions for the future, voters will have to weigh their options before November’s election.
When Harris took the debate stage, she approached Trump, extended her hand, and said firmly “Kamala Harris,” setting a deliberate tone for the evening.
Moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News, the debate provided a clear contrast in vision, temperament, and
leadership style as the candidates addressed key issues.
The debate opened with discussions on the economy. Harris focused on the Biden administration’s achievements and outlined plans to support small businesses, reduce costs for working families, and create what she called an “opportunity economy.” She proposed down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and tax deductions to help young families. “I intend to create an opportunity economy, investing in small businesses, in new families, and in what we can do around protecting seniors,” Harris said. Trump, in contrast, offered a more apocalyptic view of the country’s state, repeatedly claiming that the nation was in decline under the BidenHarris administration. He
said the country was being “laughed at” on the world stage and criticized Harris for not accomplishing more during her time as vice president. However, his criticisms lacked concrete solutions. At one point, Trump claimed that 21 million people had crossed the border illegally. Harris quickly rebutted, reminding viewers that Trump had blocked a bipartisan immigration reform bill during his presidency. As the debate shifted to healthcare, Harris, speaking passionately emphasized the administration’s work to lower prescription drug costs and cap insulin prices. “We have allowed, for the first time, Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of you, the American people,” she said.
Trump struggled to provide specific details about his healthcare plan, despite having promised for years to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). When pressed, he said that he was “working on concepts of a plan,” a vague response that mirrored similar statements from his previous campaigns. On the issue of abortion, the contrast between the candidates became even sharper. Harris strongly condemned the “Trump abortion bans” in more than 20 states, which she said criminalized healthcare providers and offered no exceptions for rape or incest. “It is immoral for a survivor of a crime, a violation to their body, to not have the right to make a decision about what
Misinformation and immigrant communities: The Fight For Truth photo
credit:tridyncmmedia
Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic Party’s nomination at the DNC Convention on August 22, 2024. Photo by Maxim Elramsisy
OPINION (CBM) – From Los Angeles to Oakland, Black voters gathered at watch parties in living rooms, community centers, and restaurants across California to
witness Vice President Kamala Harris face off against former President Donald Trump in a much-anticipated debate. For many, this was more than just
Rosa I. Evans
Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5 Has Sadly Passed Away at Age 70
Nationwide — Tito Jackson, a founding member of the iconic Jackson 5 and brother to music legend Michael Jackson, passed away at the age of 70 on Sunday, as revealed by a former manager. Tito, the third oldest of the Jackson siblings, played a pivotal role in the success of the Jackson 5, a group that helped shape the landscape of Motown and R&B. Alongside his brothers Jermaine, Marlon, Jackie, and Michael, Tito contributed to the group’s worldwide success, making them one of the most famous musical acts of all time. Longtime family friend and former manager Steve Manning shared with reporters that Tito died on September 15, possibly from a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma. The official cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Tito’s role in the Jackson 5 was crucial to the group’s early
success. As a talented guitarist, Tito’s rhythm and musical foundation helped define the group’s sound, complementing Michael’s lead vocals and Jermaine’s bass. While Michael became the breakout star, Tito’s steady presence and musicianship were key factors in creating the group’s cohesive sound that led to massive hits like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There.” His contributions were often understated, but his skill as a performer helped drive the group’s commercial and artistic achievements during their rise to fame.
Even after the passing of his younger brother Michael in 2009, Tito remained deeply connected to his legacy. Tito often reflected on the profound impact Michael’s death had on him, revealing in a recent interview that he continued to feel
Hamilton Essentials Foundation Participates in Global Diaper & Hygiene Drive
The Hamilton Essentials Foundation’s 2024 Youth Leader-ship Board is inviting the public to support families in Riverside County and Guyana by donating a pack of diapers and hygiene products from September 8 - October 13, 2024. Every contribu-tion, big or small, makes an impact, and donating is as simple as a click on Amazon.
Be a part of a global movement by joining the efforts of “Delivering Goods for the Greater Good” global diaper & hygiene drive, where youth and families worldwide can unite from anywhere to make a meaningful difference!
Harmony Haven Diaper & Hygiene Drive (September 8Sep-tember 22, 2024): Harmony Haven is a newly established shelter that provides temporary housing for youth awaiting placement. As a division of Riverside County DPSS, Harmony Haven is dedicat-ed to the protection and safety of children and youth who are at
risk or have experienced abuse and/or neglect.
SAFEGuyana Diaper & Hygiene Drive (September 29 - Octo-ber 13, 2024): Sexual Assault and Family Education Guyana (SAFE Guyana) is a nonprofit committed to empowering survivors of genderbased violence and those facing mental health chal-lenges in both the USA and Guyana. SAFE Guyana’s mission is to foster a society where safety, respect, and well-being are cen-tral.
Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 23 - 29, 2024): Let’s make a global impact together! Your contribution can bring comfort and support to families and individuals facing tough times.
The Youth Leadership Board is committed to empowering young minds by establishing a collaborative framework that influ-ences policy on issues that youth are passionate about. We pro-vide space, opportunity,
continued in next 2 columns continued on page
Deadline To Submit Press Releases & Legals Is Mondays By 5pm
As Latino enrollment reaches record highs, UC celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month
OAKLAND – To honor National Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of California is celebrating the achievements and contributions of Latinos past and present at UC as Latino enrollment reaches record highs for this academic year.
As part of its appreciation for Latino contributions to the University, UC has updated its wordmark across digital platforms and the UniversityofCalifornia. edu website to “Universidad de California” for the second consecutive year.
Five out of nine undergraduate UC campuses have secured federal designations as HispanicServing Institutions (HSIs): UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. The remaining four undergraduate campuses, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA and UC San Diego, are emerging HSIs, deemed as institutions with 15 to 24 percent Latino undergraduate enrollment, as defined by Excelencia in Education, a national nonprofit dedicated to Latino and Hispanic student success in higher education.
“The University of California was created to serve the people of the Golden State by increasing economic and social mobility, teaching our future entrepreneurs and innovators, and building a student body that reflects all of California’s communities. Today, Latinos at UC make up one-in-three first-year admits, the largest proportion of domestic community college transfers, the second-largest demographic group, and half of first-generation students. We look forward to building on this progress and honoring the achievements of our Latino community throughout this month.”
– Jorge Silva, associate vice president for Communications, UC Office of the President Marking Hispanic Heritage Month at UC UC’s Lograr. universityofcalifornia.edu website serves as an outreach tool to Spanish speakers Over the course of the month, @UofCalifornia will be uplifting efforts across campuses to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Download the Spanish language UC wordmark
Remembering UCLA’s Latino founder, Reginaldo Francisco del Valle
What it means to be a HispanicServing System: A Q&A with UC Vice Provost Yvette Gullatt
Learn more about UC’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions Initiative
Latinos at UC:
38.6 percent of California firstyear admits in 2024 are Latino.
Latino students comprise the largest proportion of domestic CCC transfer admits in 2024, increasing to 31.2 percent, up 1.3 percentage points over fall 2023. In fall 2023, Latino students at the University of California were the second-largest demographic group (23.3 percent).
In just the last five years (201923) the University of California has admitted an additional 9,227 California resident Latino students over 2019 admission numbers.
Latino students make up half (50.1 percent) of first-generation college students at the University of California.
Across our non-academic workforce, Latinos represent over a quarter (28.1 percent) of staff.
Over the last decade, Latino faculty have grown by 2.6 percentage points — with additional efforts to encourage faculty diversity underway.
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Para ver en línea: As Latino enrollment reaches record highs, UC celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month/La UC celebra el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana con cifras récord de estudiantes latinos matriculados | University of California
PARA DIVULGACIÓN
INMEDIATA
Viernes, 13 de septiembre de 2024
Oficina del Presidente de la Universidad de California Relaciones mediáticas de la UCOP: media@ucop.edu
La UC celebra el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana con cifras récord de estudiantes latinos matriculados
OAKLAND — Para honrar el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana, la Universidad de California celebra los logros y las contribuciones de los latinos que han sido parte del pasado y presente de la UC, y anuncia que la matrícula de estudiantes latinos ha alcanzado cifras récord para este año académico.
En reconocimiento de las contribuciones latinas a la Universidad, la UC actualizó su marca denominativa (wordmark) a su nombre en español, “Universidad de California”, en todas las plataformas digitales y en el sitio web UniversityofCalifornia.edu por segundo año consecutivo.
Cinco de los nueve campus universitarios subgraduados de la UC han obtenido designaciones federales como Instituciones al Servicio de los Hispanos (HSI): UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Bárbara y UC Santa Cruz. Los cuatro campus restantes, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA y UC San Diego, son denominadas como HSI emergentes. Según Excelencia in Education, una organización nacional sin fines de lucro dedicada a que los estudiantes latinos e hispanos sean exitosos en su educación superior, HSI emergentes son instituciones con una matrícula de estudiantes latinos subgraduados que oscila entre un 15 y un 24 por ciento.
“La Universidad de California se creó para servir a la gente del Estado Dorado, aumentando la movilidad económica y social, adiestrando a nuestros futuros emprendedores e innovadores y creando un cuerpo estudiantil que representa a todas las comunidades de California. Hoy en día, los latinos en la UC representan uno de cada tres estudiantes de primer año, la mayor proporción de traslados de colegios comunitarios nacionales, el segundo grupo demográfico más grande y la mitad de aquellos que son estudiantes de primera generación. Esperamos aprovechar este progreso y honrar los logros de nuestra comunidad latina a lo largo de este mes”.
— Jorge Silva, vicepresidente asociado de Comunicaciones, Oficina del Presidente de la UC
Hamilton Essentials Foundation Participates in Global Diaper & Hygiene Drive...continued
and a shared-mentorship model that equips the next generation of movers & shakers with the leader-ship tools to drive global change.
To volunteer or donate, visit: www.THEssentials.org All volun-teers will be recognized on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in honor of National Make a Difference Day. This annual event celebrates ex-traordinary individuals and aims to inspire people from all walks of life to step up, take action, and make a positive impact in their communities. Together, we can make a difference.
TERC researchers to further explore effectiveness of teaching algebra in K-2 in diverse classroom settings
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
Teaching kids early algebra in K-2 is the best way to promote success in the seminal subject of high school algebra, posits a newly-funded study from researchers at TERC, a leading nonprofit in STEM education research and development.
"We need to start treating math as many parents treat sports: start kids really young and get really involved."
The National Science Foundation-funded project will provide evidence of K–2 early algebra learning's effectiveness across diverse populations, serving as an innovative model for early math instruction. Forty schools in the Southeast are participating in the study.
structure.
"For example, when students understand that every time you add two odd numbers together you get an even number, they are recognizing important mathematical relationships that are critical to algebra."
Research shows that how well students perform in Algebra 2 is a leading indicator of whether they'll get into college, whether they'll graduate from college, and whether they'll become a top income earner. Yet many elementary schools are prioritizing literacy over math.
"We have a curriculum that has demonstrated success, and teachers who use it say it is building students' algebraic thinking," Gardiner said. "We encourage more school systems to adopt this type of approach."
Celebrando el Mes de la Herencia Hispana en la UC
El sitio web Lograr. UniversityofCalifornia.edu de la UC sirve como una herramienta de divulgación para hispanohablantes En el transcurso del mes, @UofCalifornia impulsará iniciativas en cada campus para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana
Descargue la marca denominativa UC en español Recordando al fundador latino de la UCLA, Reginaldo Francisco del Valle (en inglés)
Qué significa ser un sistema que atiende a los hispanos: Una sesión de preguntas y respuestas con la vicerrectora de la UC, Yvette Gullatt (en inglés)
Obtenga más información sobre la Iniciativa de Instituciones al Servicio de los Hispanos de la UC Latinos en la UC: El 38.6 por ciento de los estudiantes de primer año en California en 2024 son latinos.
Los estudiantes latinos comprenden la mayor proporción de las transferencias nacionales de los colegios comunitarios de California en 2024, representando al 31.2 por ciento, un aumento del 1.3 por ciento desde el otoño de 2023.
En el otoño de 2023, los estudiantes latinos de la Universidad de California constituyeron el segundo grupo demográfico más grande (23.3 por ciento).
En los últimos cinco años (2019-23), la Universidad de California ha admitido a 9,227 estudiantes latinos residentes de California adicionales por encima de las cifras de admisión del 2019.
Los estudiantes latinos representan la mitad (50.1 por ciento) de los estudiantes universitarios de primera generación de la Universidad de California.
Los latinos representan más de una cuarta parte (28.1 por ciento) del personal de nuestra fuerza laboral no académica.
Durante la última década, el profesorado latino ha aumentado en un 2.6 por ciento, y se continúan realizando esfuerzos adicionales para fomentar la diversidad en el personal docente.
TERC researchers Maria Blanton, Ph.D., and Angela Gardiner, M.A., along with colleagues at Tufts University, University of Wisconsin Madison, University of Texas at Austin, Merrimack College, and City College of New York, have already demonstrated the success of an early math approach through Project LEAP, the first early algebra curriculum of its kind for grades K-5.
As algebra is regarded as a gatekeeper subject for success in college and careers, Project LEAP shows that starting earlier helps elementary level students build their algebraic understanding so they're prepped for middle and high school courses.
"If parents knew the opportunities their kids were missing, they might start paying more attention to early math learning," said Gardiner, a former elementary teacher. "We need to start treating math as many parents treat sports: start kids really young and get really involved."
"The definition of 'early algebra' needs to shift from middle to include elementary school," said Blanton, the TERC scientist leading this project. "Rather than teaching algebra per se, early algebra aims to reframe students' thinking about what algebra means—and that is as habits of mind and ways of thinking using patterns and
While demonstrating that the Project LEAP K-2 curriculum can work across a diverse population, the researchers also intend to provide a muchneeded curricular roadmap for early algebra instruction that can broadly impact STEM education. They expect findings from the study to interest those across the STEM education community engaged in similar work, informing the future design of standards and curricula.
In addition to Project LEAP, the early math curriculum is also available. The project Impact of an Inclusive Grades K–2 Early Algebra Intervention Implemented by Classroom Teachers is funded by the National Science Foundation under award number #2404984.
TERC is a nonprofit comprising teams of math and science education and research experts dedicated to innovation and creative problem solving. At the frontier of theory and practice, TERC's work encompasses research, content and curriculum development, technology innovation, professional development, and program evaluation. TERC has a passion for social justice and strives to create level playing fields for all learners, reaching millions of learners every year. To learn more, please visit www. terc.edu.
San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Uses BallotMobile to Reach Unregistered Voters
by Breanna Reeves
San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Stephanie Shea stands next to the newly unveiled BallotMobile. (main.sbcounty.gov)
With election day on the horizon, dozens of organizations and local governments are preparing to engage millions of registered and unregistered voters on Sept. 17, for National Voter Registration Day.
Across more than 20,000 square miles, more than 1.4 million San Bernardino County residents are eligible to vote, but just over 1.1 million were registered as of July 24, 2024.
For the nearly 300,000 voters who are not registered, San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters hopes to reach them using the BallotMobile, a traveling voter education initiative.
Launched ahead of the primary election on March 5, the BallotMobile is a traveling voter education van that educates voters in the community.
“We did this so that we could get out into the communities and educate voters about their options to vote,” said Melissa Eickman, public information manager at the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters. “So, whether they vote by mail or in person at a polling place, we wanted to give them options to vote. We can also get them registered or re-registered.”
When the BallotMobile first launched, team members at the registrar of voters spent 55 days traveling 1,800 miles across the county to reach all 24 cities and several unincorporated communities, going as far as Needles, located near the California border with Arizona and Nevada.
According to Eickman, residents in Needles “were very appreciative” that the BallotMobile traveled to them.
Ahead of the general election on Nov. 5, the BallotMobile is headed back out on the road to share resources with registered and unregistered voters. Next week, the BallotMobile will travel to Victor Valley Community College for a Celebrate Your Rights event, California State University, San Bernardino on National Voter Registration Day and a Rock the Vote Concert at the San Bernardino Valley College Greek Theatre, among
other events in October.
Follow this link to schedule the BallotMobile for your event
A survey published by the Public Policy Institute in California in August found that young adults in the state (ages 18 to 34) make up 31% of the population, but only 21% of likely voters, while adults, ages 35 to 54, account for 34% of the population and 29% of likely voters.
However, following President Joe Biden’s announcement to withdraw from the presidential election, Vote.org registered more than 376,000 voters, who are mostly under 35, and many newly eligible voters.
On Sept. 4, Vote.org announced that they registered more than one million voters during the 2024 election cycle, including a “record-breaking percentage” of voters under 35 compared to the 2020 election cycle.
“As we approach National Voter Registration Day this month and enter a critical stretch in this election season, Vote. org is primed to build on this momentum and capitalize on our strategic partnerships and programs to galvanize even more voters across the nation,” stated Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org, in a press statement.
Voter information guides will be mailed out in San Bernardino County beginning on Oct. 1 and voters will also receive guides from the secretary of state’s office. Starting on Oct. 7, county election officials will mail ballots to each active registered voter for the 2024 general election.
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 21. According to the California Secretary of State, in elections conducted by county election officials, an individual can “conditionally” register and vote at a county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline.
This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org.
City Of Victorville Will Host 21st Annual Fall Festival: Oct. 5
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — The City of Victorville will host its 21st Annual Fall Festival, the High Desert’s largest street-fair experience, on Oct. 5 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.! The community is invited to join in this FREE family-oriented event that features live entertainment, hands-on activities, a KidsZone, food court, beer garden, vehicle displays, makers booths, and more. The event will begin with
City Of Victorville Will Host 21st Annual Fall Festival: Oct. 5...continued
3 p.m.: TABU, Latin Pop / Rock Cover Band
5 p.m.: Devotional, The Depeche MODE Experience
This community event is made possible by sponsorships and support from local businesses including Diamond Sponsor - Burrtec; Gold SponsorsInland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), and Walmart; Bronze Sponsors - International Aerospace Coatings, Green de
NRDC-IE Member Committed
to Keeping Momentum Going For VP Kamala Harris
an Opening Ceremony at 1 p.m. on the main stage followed by Twist on Taylor, A Tribute to Taylor Swift.
All activities will take place in front of Victorville City Hall located at 14343 Civic Dr. Plenty of FREE parking will be available at the San Bernardino County Courthouse next to City Hall.
Victorville’s 21st Annual Fall Festival Main Stage Lineup
1 p.m.: Opening Ceremony
1:30 p.m.: Twist on Taylor, A Tribute to Taylor Swift
Bortnowsky LLC, and El Dorado Broadcasters; Neighborhood Sponsors – BioLife Plasma Services, Heritage Victor Valley Medical Group, Global Federal Credit Union, and Sprouts Farmers Market.
Victorville Fall Festival is free and open to the public.
For more information, call (760) 245-5551 or visit VictorvilleCA.gov/ SpecialEvents.
13th Annual Month of Non-Violence, Families, Voters Rights and Opportunities
Highlights Violence Prevention and Peace Circles
Honorable Daun S. Hester, Co-Chair
Stopping Violence, strengthening families, protecting voters rights and developing ‘Opportunities as Alternatives to Violence’, are goals of the 13th Annual Month of Non-Violence, Families, Voting Rights and Opportunities. Scheduled October 1-31 2024, Black Women for Positive Change, in collaboration with the Positive Change Foundation, Everytown for Gun Safety, Mediators Without Borders International, National Association For Community Mediation, 100 Fathers Inc. and a host of other organizations, are planning global violence prevention activities. Violence prevention webinars and workshops will be held in Washington DC, North Carolina, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama, and Virginia, and overseas in South Korea, United Kingdom, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Liberia and Kenya.
In a joint statement Black Women for Positive Change National Co Chairs, Honorable Daun S. Hester, Norfolk, Va. City Treasurer, and Dr. Stephanie Myers said, “We call on GenZs, Millennials, GenX and Boomers to organize global social media, concerts, discussions and Peace Circles to learn how to stop conflict and anger that often leads to violence. We must find a way to change the culture of violence in America, and the World. We invite Individuals, schools and organizations interested to join us in this effort by planning events in their communities. Sign up at www.monthofnonviolence.org
This year the focus is on promoting “Peace Circles” which provide young people with opportunities to express their fears about violence in their schools, homes and communities. There will also be interfaith “7 Days of Prayer Against Violence and for Democracy” led by Faith Leaders from across the country.
Head Start Is a Jump Start for Women’s Economic Security
By Christian F. Nunes, MBA, MS, LCSW
Since 1964, the Head Start program has been a lifeline for generations of women and families, providing free, highquality educational, health, socialemotional, and nutritional services and opening doors to opportunity and economic justice that had long been kept shut. Now, as Head Start approaches its 60th anniversary, it’s a great time to look back on all that the program has achieved — and look forward to what our country could look like if Head Start was strengthened. It’s been said that when it began, Head Start was not simply an “innovation” but also an
“invention,” and a radical one at that. President Lyndon Johnson, a former teacher in a one-room schoolhouse, believed strongly that education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and Head Start was one of the earliest elements of the “War on Poverty” launched by his administration. He put the whole engine of government to work on disrupting the cycle of poverty that endured from one generation to the next and advanced a social justice agenda in areas where educational
San Bernardino, CA - The National Resources Development Coun-cil for Inclusion and Equity (NRDC-IE) recently hosted a webinar to celebrate and highlight the achievements of Black and Brown womenowned businesses. In light of Vice President Kamala Harris's historic decision to run for President, the event emphasized the critical im-portance of supporting minority-owned businesses in today’s socioeconomic landscape.
The webinar featured esteemed business owners and elected officials who shared their experiences, insights, and strategies for fostering a more inclusive and equitable business environment. The influential leaders who are dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclu-sion in the business world spoke on their experiences. Some of the speakers included: Mayor Deborah Robertson: Mayor of Rialto, CA, Regina Goodwin; Oklahoma State Senator, Dr. Angela Taylor; Assemblywoman Neveda and nominee for Nevada State Senate, Sabrina
Their contributions underscored the vital role of Black and Brown women in driving economic progress and innovation across various industries.
NRDC-IE is at the forefront of advocating for legislation that supports Black and Brown businesses, ensuring accelerated outcomes and fostering a more inclusive economy. The organization’s commitment to changing the 1% and securing more funding for Black and minority women with nonprofits and small businesses was a central theme of the event.
“We believe it is crucial to honor and celebrate the significant milestones achieved by Black and Brown womenowned businesses,” said Luvina, Founder of the
Trump Rules Out Second Presidential Debate Against Harris...continued from page 1 happens to their body next,” Harris said.
Trump defended his role in appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and repeated false claims about late-term abortions, which Harris dismissed as “lies.”
As the debate moved into foreign policy, the conversation turned to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump claimed that the war “would have been over within 24 hours” had he been president, suggesting that his relationship with Vladimir Putin would have prevented the conflict altogether.
Harris countered by emphasizing the work she and the Biden administration have done to support Ukraine and build a coalition of allies to defend democracy. Harris said that world leaders are “laughing at Donald Trump” and that she has talked with military leaders who have worked with Trump, and they say, “You’re a disgrace.” She accused Trump of favoring dictators like Putin, reminding viewers that Trump had attempted to negotiate directly with the Taliban in Afghanistan, bypassing the Afghan government entirely.
Harris’s sharp rebuttal – “If Donald Trump were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now” —seemed to visibly unsettle Trump, whose demeanor shifted as he interrupted her multiple times despite the muted microphone rule.
Throughout the debate, Harris adhered to the rules, delivering focused, policy-driven responses.
In contrast, Trump frequently interrupted and avoided direct responses, visibly frustrated by the format and Harris’s composure. At one point when he found himself backed into a corner, he went off the rails and made a bizarre claim that illegal immigrants in Ohio were eating pets, which Muir swiftly refuted, noting there was no evidence to support the assertion.
The debate concluded with the candidates delivering a closing statement. Harris’s remarks focused on unity and optimism, reflecting her belief in what America could achieve with the right leadership. “We all have so much more in common than what separates us, and we can chart a new way forward,” she said. Trump, in contrast, offered a grim vision of a nation in decline, recycling many of the same talking points from earlier in the night about economic failure and foreign policy missteps.
After watching the debate, pop star Taylor Swift endorsed Harris on social media, writing, “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them.” Swift’s endorsement, which quickly gained over a million likes, added a cultural moment to the post-debate discussions, particularly among younger voters. She signed her post “Childless Cat Lady.” Despite the attention the debate received, Trump announced that there would be no third debate. Posting on Truth Social, he wrote, “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” He referred to the first debate as his June encounter with President Joe Biden and the second as the debate with Harris. Trump argued that Harris only wanted a rematch because he “clearly won” the first debate. However, in a rally in North Carolina just minutes after Trump’s announcement, Harris said, “We owe it to the voters to have another debate.” Several instant polls taken after the debate indicated that voters felt Harris had outperformed her opponent. While Trump called his performance in Philadelphia “my best debate”, some Republicans and allies expressed disappointment with his performance. Sen. Lindsey Graham called it “a missed opportunity.”
Greenlee; Author and Advocate for Empowering Women, Stephanie Frederic; CEO of FGW Productions, Bianca Vobecky; CEO of Vobecky Enterprises and Luvina Beckley, CEO of MHM & Associates and Founder of NRDC-IE
NRDC-IE
Dr. Stephanie Myers
Children in Head Start
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Inland Empire Not Prepared to Accommodate Aging Population
by Aryana Noroozi
Today about 15% of inland area residents are 65 years of age and older. In the coming years this group will experience the highest growth rate of any other age group in the region. With the compounding financial struggles of healthcare and caregiving, additional costs can send older adults into poverty or even homelessness. (source: csusb.edu/)
Marjorie Lauderdale, a resident of Palm Springs, is a caregiver. She is also 80 years old. Lauderdale cares for her wife, Deidre, 77, who suffered multiple strokes.
Marjorie starts her day by changing Deidre’s incontinence pads, getting her dressed, putting her in a wheelchair and preparing her breakfast. Around midday, Marjorie lays Deidre back in bed and later gets her up and changes her which takes about 45 minutes. The days repeat.
“It’s very hard. There are times when I’m depressed, times when I cry, times when I’m hurting and I can’t lift her anymore, but I end up having to,” Marjorie said.
Marjorie is one of more than four million family caregivers who spends most of her time caring for a loved one. Marjorie is also part of the 18.8% of caregivers who are over the age of 65.
“I’m the only caretaker, so I sort of have to put everything aside to take care of her,” Marjorie said.
“I know that’s not good, because I need to take care of myself, but she’s not in a position to take care of herself.”
Over the next 20 years, adults 65 and older will experience the highest growth rate of any other age group in the region. As it stands, however, this vast region is not prepared to accommodate their growing needs.
A 2023 report published by the Inland Empire – Master Plan for Aging (IE-MPA) Advisory Committee used community focus groups to conduct a needs assessment survey. Among the community groups engaged were low-income or unhoused individuals, communities of color, rural populations and informal caregivers.
“[The focus groups] gave us the opportunity to listen to not only what the community needs are, but how they want to be reached and how they want to be treated…,” said Carmen Estrada, treasurer of the Inland Coalition on Aging and executive director of the Inland Caregiver Resource Center.
“We had lots of friends before she became terminal, and then suddenly everyone sort of disappeared from our lives. We have no support group at all,”
Thank
Marjorie said. Marjorie herself previously had cancer and today continues to face ongoing health issues that she is unable to attend to.
For residents of the Inland Empire, many older adults face additional challenges living in the region’s rural areas, such as access to reliable transportation and adequate care. With the number of seniors increasing, so does the need for care.
As the Inland Empire works to address the needs of the region’s aging population, the IE-MPA is a step toward building a sustainable solution toward ensuring that aging populations have access to resources and the support needed to age comfortably.
The price of caregiving
Before Marjorie and Deidre both experienced health issues, they were able to travel the world together. They had saved a considerable amount of money for retirement.
“Approximately four weeks after I had my breast cancer surgery, Deidre had a massive stroke. So that started the ball [rolling] as far as [the] financial burden,” Marjorie said. She explained that as she received cancer treatment she struggled to find someone to care for Deidre. “Needless to say, it ate up the little money that we had,” she explained.
With the compounding financial struggle of healthcare and caregiving, additional costs can send older adults into poverty or even homelessness. In Marjorie’s situation, a misunderstanding — the belief that installing solar panels would be a way to save money — caused a steep increase in her property tax and nearly caused her to lose her home.
“I tried saving and everything, but along with paying for her medication, my medication, doctor bills and everything, it put us over the edge,” said Marjorie. Adding, that if it wasn’t for her church, that helped her pay the taxes, her home would have gone into foreclosure.
Marjorie shared how at times, she felt judgment from some friends – as if she had mispent her retirement savings.
“But I didn’t. I’m very frugal. I saved money and saved money religiously,” Marjorie said, explaining how the costs of adult diapers, lotions, medications and other products add to daily expenses.
“We tried to prepare in every way possible, but when the bills started coming in, it just took everything we had,” she advised.
Genworth, a life insurance company, studied the median cost of care across the U.S. by surveying 429 cities and towns across all 50 states in 2023. The report found that in California, the annual median costs for a home health aid was $84,656 while an assisted living facility was $75,000.
A West Health and Gallup survey indicated a large proportion of the older adult population copes with healthcare costs by forgoing treatments and cutting back on basic and essential needs. Twelve percent of respondents aged 65 and older, representing approximately 6.5 million people, said they, or a member of their household, had a health problem in the last year and they did not seek treatment due to cost. Eleven percent of Americans in this age group — six million people — reported they or a family member skipped buying prescribed pills to save money.
Addressing transportation needs for aging populations
Marjorie shared that taking public transit to Deidre’s appointments would be nearly impossible because the closest stop is far from their home. An additional challenge is the heat in Palm Springs being too intense for them to wait at the bus stop, even if there was one closer.
In Riverside County, a study showed that 20% of adults aged 60 and older surveyed by the Area Agency on Aging, did not have transportation to get to medical appointments or treatments.
In the Inland Empire’s local master plan, Estrada explained that one of the main objectives for transportation was increasing awareness to the community of the opportunities available, as well as for the community to provide input on what their transportation needs are.
“It’s us communicating what we need to these transit agencies, but then also giving the opportunity to the people [in the community] to express what they need,” Estrada said.
Maureen Salinas-Ali, witnessed what it means to be a caregiver when she watched both of her grandmothers care for her grandfathers — one who had Parkinson’s disease and the other who had dementia.
Salinas-Ali spent years working with seniors in a dialysis clinic and then at Kaiser as the End of Life Options coordinator. While working in these facilities, the number one question she received
from patients was where they could seek transportation help.
After years of wanting to create a nonprofit to help address this need, Salinas-Ali founded Inland Empire Senior Support (IESS) in the last year. The organization connects seniors with existing transportation companies and provides funding to cover costs. Their outreach efforts include presentations at dialysis clinics and senior centers where many patients are in need of transportation services.
Because IESS is a new organization, they don’t yet qualify for state or government funding, despite the growing need for their services.
“We have to have a history of helping people, but how do we help people if we can’t get these big grants [to assist with] funding?” asked Salinas-Ali. “It’s an uphill battle for sure, but we’re getting there.”
According to Estrada, caregivers run into difficulties when it comes to transportation. Many find it challenging to transport the person they care for, especially when it comes to getting in and out of the car if they have limited mobility. Caregivers are unable to utilize transportation agencies due to costs. They also shared concerns about knowing when it is appropriate to have a license taken away from someone receiving care who has a cognitive impairment.
Through the development of IE-MPA, the Inland Coalition on Aging created a workgroup to identify objectives and solutions to remedy these concerns. They are presenting these findings at an Inland Empire Health Plan conference later this month.
The IE-MPA’s recommendations for transportation included free or low-cost public transit for older adults. It also identified the need for local governments to encourage better transit — both public and private — through promoting more transit enterprises and better regulating the quality and reliability of existing services.
Additionally, the recommendations advocate for doctors to better communicate a clearer process, next steps and resources for someone who has their license taken away. An all-encompassing final recommendation is for the expansion of Medicare Part D, which allows for medical transportation.
Implementing the recommendations identified by IE-MPA continues to be a work in progress. In May 2023, the California Department on Aging funded the ongoing work by the Inland Coalition through June 2025. They are currently working on implementing the master plan. Next year there will be a public release event for the region’s
continued in last 2 columns
Patent Laws, Not Their Critics, for Generic GLP-1s
By David Kappos
In late June, generic drug maker Teva Pharmaceuticals launched a generic version of Victoza, a blockbuster diabetes drug, in the United States.
Victoza is one of the first GLP1 drugs -- the class of wildly popular diabetes and obesity treatments that includes Ozempic and Wegovy -- to go off-patent. Within just a couple of years, GLP-1 drugs have rewritten the rules of diabetes and obesity treatment, offering patients the kind of sustained weight loss and glycemic control that was once the stuff of infomercial fantasy. With the first low-cost GLP1 generics entering the market, we're about to change and save lives on an unprecedented scale. But that's not good enough for some. Senator Bernie Sanders has led a charge against the price tags on brand-name versions of these medications, calling them "unacceptable." More dangerously, he's suggested that weakening drug patent
protections is the solution. It's a seductive narrative if you don't think carefully: Patents give inventors the exclusive right to sell their inventions for a set period of time. During that window, drug prices are generally higher as developers seek to recoup expenses and turn a profit. Weaken the patents, Sanders argues, and drug prices will fall.
But this argument ignores the fact that a drug's price will fall anyway, as patents expire and generic manufacturers race to enter the market and compete with each other. The fact is, without robust patent protections, we wouldn't have these lifechanging drugs at all, let alone be on the cusp of cheap generic alternatives.
Bringing a single new drug to market costs billions of dollars in private investment, requires years of clinical trials, and takes no small amount of luck. For every successful medication,
dozens of promising candidates flame out at enormous expense.
Patents provide the crucial incentive for companies to take on these risks. Yes, when companies successfully develop a drug, patents shield that medicine from generic competition for a limited time. But they also fuel the innovation that delivers ever-improving treatments and enables generics to enter the market on patent expiration.
We've seen this play out with GLP-1 drugs. The first generation required daily injections, a significant burden for patients. But because of intellectual property protections, companies had both the resources and the motivation to keep researching and testing new versions. As a result, we now have GLP-1 drugs that require only weekly shots or can be taken orally -- changes that improve quality of life and increase adherence to treatment plans.
Today it's Victoza. Within a
Inland Empire Not Prepared to Accommodate Aging Population...continued
master plan. “It’s a plan that we’re going to continue to change and continue to adapt to the continued changes and needs of our community,” Estrada said.
This Black Voice News project is
supported by the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, and is part of “Healing California,” a yearlong reporting Ethnic Media Collaborative venture with print, online and broadcast outlets across California.
Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5 Has Sadly Passed Away at Age 70...continued from page 2
Michael’s presence whenever he performed. Tito found solace in seeing Michael’s smile in the faces of his children, TJ, Taj, and Taryll Jackson. He was also a vocal advocate for preserving Michael’s legacy, stating that the world had missed out on much of Michael’s goodness, as he was not only a gifted artist but also a loving person dedicated to giving back.
In August, Tito returned to the UK, just miles from the O2 Arena where Michael was set to perform his highly anticipated This Is It residency before his untimely death. Reflecting on the world’s treatment of Michael, Tito shared his frustrations, telling The Mirror, “The world was not kind to Michael at all. His death was such a major tragedy, and I believe the world missed out on a lot of good from him.” He went on to describe Michael as more than just a musician, praising his brother’s generosity and compassionate spirit.
Tito and his siblings have faced many challenges in the years following Michael’s passing, including family tensions and legal battles involving their mother, Katherine Jackson, and the executors of Michael’s estate. Despite the turmoil, Tito remained steadfast, choosing to rise above the drama. “I don’t have time to put it in my head,” he said of the family disputes. “We know ourselves and we know each other.”
Tito continued to perform with The Jacksons, keeping the family’s musical legacy alive. He maintained a close relationship with Michael’s children—Prince, Paris, and Bigi “Blanket” Jackson—visiting them whenever he traveled to Los Angeles from his home in Oklahoma. Tito’s passing marks the loss of yet another key figure in the storied Jackson family, but his contributions to music, and his devotion to his family, will be remembered for years to come.
Head Start Is a Jump Start for Women’s Economic Security...continued from page 3
few years, we could see multiple generic options for a number of different GLP-1 drugs. Today's cutting-edge treatments become tomorrow's generics, fueling a cycle of innovation that has consistently delivered medical breakthroughs at costs that decrease over time. Those who rail against our current model of drug development are advocating for a future with fewer breakthrough treatments. The choice between innovation and affordability is a false one -- because our current system, when allowed to work, delivers both.
David Kappos served as the undersecretary of Commerce for intellectual property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 2009 to 2013. He currently serves as board co-chair of the Council for Innovation Promotion. This first appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and SFChronicle.com.
opportunity was denied based on race. Naturally, this intersects with the issue of economic justice for women. As Marian Wright Edelman — the first Black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar and the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund — described it, “After the Mississippi Summer Project, the Freedom Summer of 1964, without a doubt, Head Start coming to Mississippi in 1965 was the most important follow-up and aftermath. It led to a bunch of independent people getting jobs outside of the plantation structure, not going through the state structure — where they wouldn’t have gotten jobs anywhere, except as janitors. And creating this Head Start program, those 3,000 people multiplied into many of your hundreds of elected officials today. It was the next phase of trying to build the movement.” The experts, scientists, and officials who crafted Head Start believed that a child who is physically or mentally unwell, or who is hungry, would not be able to learn, and they made health and nutrition integral parts of Head Start. By now, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children (about twice the population of New York), birth to age five, and their families. In 2023, that included more than 833,000 children and pregnant people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Head Start protects the healthy development of children living in poverty and it frees parents to pursue their education or employment, opening doors to middle-class security. What’s more, Head Start is an essential building block on the path to universal pre-K, with many states integrating Head Start programs into their state pre-K system. But not everyone sees it that way, with some pushing to eliminate Head Start from state and federal budgets. That would slash pre-K, cut the number of available childcare slots, cause childcare costs for families living in poverty to skyrocket, thwart economic growth, and widen income inequality. Roughly 68% of children under age six have all available parents in the workforce, making access to childcare both a necessity for families and the nation’s economy. It’s been estimated that lack of access to reliable, affordable infant and toddler care costs $122 billion every year due to lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
Childcare is work that supports all other work. Mothers, who do most of the caregiving, too often must choose between staying home reducing their paid work hours to care for their children, or arranging childcare that can be so expensive that continuing to work may not be worthwhile. The cost of childcare can be a “tax” on wages — for every hour a single mother works, she must pay someone else to take care of her children. Head Start saves women money and connects them to a support network of other parents and service providers to help them rise the economic ladder. At a time when most Americans live in childcare deserts, areas with an insufficient supply of licensed childcare, women can’t afford to lose the hundreds of thousands of childcare places and the network of services provided by Head Start. This is especially true in rural communities. A 2018 survey of ten states (Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, and Texas) found that Head Start programs provided 22% of the overall childcare supply in rural areas, including more than one-third of the center-based child care in Georgia counties and more than 40% in frontier counties (those with a population density of fewer than six people per square mile) in Michigan. The rising cost of childcare takes a painful, daily toll on women’s economic security. The national average price for childcare in 2023 was $11,582. For families at the poverty level, which is the income eligibility threshold for Head Start, that represents 38.6% of their income and is more than five times greater than the threshold the government has said is affordable for families to pay for childcare. Dozens of studies have shown how Head Start children and their families benefit over the long term across health, education, parenting, high school graduation rates, participation in college, employment, and earnings. One study even found positive impacts on the children of Head Start graduates. The numbers are clear, and the facts are plain. Head Start is a great example of a government that works for women and children. It must be protected, strengthened, and expanded.
Christian F. Nunes is the National President of the National Organization for Women
Black Caucus Members Weigh Next Steps for Reparations in California
For more than two weeks now, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) have been facing sharp criticisms from frustrated advocates and other Black Californians after the State Assembly failed to bring up two reparations bills for a floor vote on Aug. 31.
On Sept. 14, Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), and Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) participated in the “State of Black California 2024: Listening Session Tour” in Sacramento. During the session they heard from people who said they felt let down that the bills did not pass the Legislature and advance to Newsom’s desk for his consideration.
The three-hour event was held at the Secretary of State’s office building, one block south of the State Capitol. Amid interruptions and disruptions from the attendees during the event, Bonta said she appreciated the feedback.
“I got out of it what I expected. We have a lot of diverse thoughts and opinions about how to proceed,” Bonta told California Black Media (CBM). “It was helpful to hear directly from people without the constraints of hearing rooms and formalities. I heard a lot of frustration and concerns. I also got out of it a call to action, as we shared, to do better and I am certainly committed to doing that.”
On Sept. 12, CBLC member Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) called-in to Dominique di Prima’s radio show on KBLA 1580 AM in Los Angeles to share her perspective on reasons the CLBC did not to bring the bills to the Assembly floor. She also shared that going forward there needs to be better communications with the community to ensure passage of bills in the future.
“I want to say that the CLBC has laid a strong foundation to build upon. I think what this experience, this dialogue we are in with our
community has shown us that we need to address our communication channels,” Smallwood-Cuevas said. “I think we attempted to do that by having the State of (Black) California convening across California.”
The State of Black California Listening Session tour is a community conversation on reparations and the state of the Black community. The tour is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the 2024 legislative report that is an initiative of the University of California, Los Angeles’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and the reparations package. In collaboration with the California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) in partnership with the tour has made stops in San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Fresno. The next destinations for the Listening Session are Oakland on Sept. 28 and Moreno Valley on Oct. 5.
The CBFF is a five-year, $100 million initiative to ensure power building and “movement-based organizations” have the sustained investments and resources they need to eradicate systemic and institutional racism according to their website.
Marc Philpart, the Executive Director who oversees CBFF’s five-year-long initiative to raise and distribute $100 million, was the moderator in Sacramento.
Philpart, who has worked closely with the CLBC and whose organization was the benefactor of nearly $6 million in state funds last year, has also been under fire from advocates.
The night before the State of Black California event, Chris Lodgson, a reparations advocate and member of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) questioned Philpart about allegations that the CBFF had been designated by the CLBC to receive $6 million in state funds, requested by the CLBC, to fund reparations legislation implementation.
The CBFF granted CBM $25,000 of that money to fund its Capitol Correspondent.
Lodgson asked Philpart,“What is your relationship to that funding” and whether CBFF has made any attempts to get any of the money.
“No, we don’t have any relationship with that,” Philpart told Lodgson at the meeting.
However, Lodgson asserted that he had a discussion with
Smallwood-Cuevas and she confirmed that “there was a plan” to fund CBFF $6 million. Lodgson also shared with Philpart that he contacted Bradford’s office and was told that there was a letter sent to Newsom’s office from the CLBC that requested the Governor to direct $6 million to the proposed California African American Freedmen’s Affairs Agency (CAFAA) and $6 million to CBFF.
In a letter obtained by CBM and dated May 24, the CLBC requested that the state provide $6 million to assist funding efforts related to SB 1403 and direct the remaining $6 million to the CBFF. That CLBC letter stated that the money would be “utilized for community-level outreach and engagement efforts and to provide organizational support essential for the effective implementation of Reparations initiatives.”
“Yeah, there’s a letter with my organization’s name on it but it is not an agreement between our organization and the (Black) Caucus, or the legislature,” Philpart said.
In a telephone conversation with CBM, Philpart said CBFF was “not getting the money” and he “had no idea” what his organization would have been doing in terms of reparations implementation had it received any funds. He added that the CLBC can still decide where the funds could be directed to fulfill what it is intended for.
“They have power. That is their discretion,” Philpart said. “They are lawmakers. and they have done the work to ensure that this money exists for (implementation) and they have decision-making authority over those dollars.”
Jackson said that the CLBC did make a collective decision to fund the agency and CBFF. Since the bills were held up with the expectations that will be brought during the next legislative session, Jackson said there will have to be another conversation among CLBC members about how the $12 million will be allocated.
“We still have to spend the $12 million,” Jackson said. “We have not gathered yet because we are all in our different districts right now to try to see what that $12 million looks like. Does it need to shift because things have shifted? Does our strategy need to shift? Those are the discussions we still have to have.”
IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Soul Icon Frankie Beverly Passes Away at 76
By
Frankie Beverly
Frankie Beverly, the iconic frontman of the soul, R&B, and funk band Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, has died at the age of 76. His family confirmed the news in a devastating post on social media. “Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience,” the family wrote. “During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance, we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way.”
The statement continued, “Howard Stanley Beverly, known to the world as Frankie Beverly, lived his life with pure soul. He lived for his music, family, and friends. For us, no one did it better. Love one another as he would want that for us all.” Beverly, born Howard Stanley Beverly on December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, rose to prominence as one of the most influential figures in the music industry. Growing up in the East Germantown section of Philadelphia, he began his musical journey singing gospel
in local churches. At just 13 years old, he joined the ensemble The Silhouettes and later formed his own group, The Blenders, inspired by doo-wop icons like Frankie Lymon. In a nod to his musical idol, Beverly changed his first name to Frankie, setting the stage for his future legacy.
In 1970, Beverly founded the band Maze in Philadelphia, originally named Raw Soul. The group’s big break came when R&B legend Marvin Gaye, impressed by their talent, suggested they change their name to Maze. Beverly relocated to San Francisco in 1971, and the rest is history.
Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly debuted its self-titled album in 1976, which went on to sell more than 500,000 copies and earned gold status. The album featured timeless tracks like “While I’m Alone,” which climbed the Billboard charts, reaching No. 21 on the R&B chart and No. 89 on the Hot 100. Over the next decade, Beverly and Maze released a string of hits, including “Feel That You’re Feelin’” from their 1979 album Inspiration, which reached No. 7 on the R&B chart, and “Southern Girl” from the 1980 album Joy and Pain, which peaked at No. 9 on the R&B chart.
The group’s live performances, particularly their 1981 album Live in New Orleans, showcased their musical brilliance, with standout tracks like “Running Away” and “Before I Let Go,” the latter of which became an enduring classic
Only Black Man on Kansas Township Board Illegally Removed Because of Racism
Nationwide -- Duane Boldridge, from Atchison, Kansas, says that on March 7, 2024, he was removed from his position as Treasurer by recall vote that was held illegally. He alleges that as the only Black man to ever set on the Walnut Township Board, he was subjected to false allegations, fraud, collusion, conspiracy bullying, and theft by the members of the township.
In September 2023, Gary Servaes was appointed to the board of Walnut Township and Duane alleges that he was a substantial conflict of interest. Duane alleges that Gary purposely formed a vigilante group of township members who purposely took over the township for the purpose of selling himself gravel for the township roads.
Duane says that the recall vote happened because Duane would not vote to allow Gary to enrich himself or his family by setting on the board. He comments, “So the next best thing was to employ the services of local government agencies to remove the black guy, a public lynching.”
Gary was later removed by majority vote in March 2024 but reportedly refused to step down. Apparently, the county attorney would not honor the majority decision of the board and remove
Gary from the Trustee position. Duane says that to complete the conspiracy, Gary used the services of the following major players: Atchison Board of County Commissioners including Cassie Quinn, Allen Reavis, Eric Noll, Patrick Henderson (County Counselor); various banks including Union State Bank and Bank of Atchison; and Attorneys Mike Kuckleman, Sheri Becker (Atchison County Attorney); The Atchison Daily Globe, Michelle Phillips (County Clerk), and the Atchison County Sheriff Department
Duane also alleges that the following people were also part of the conspiracy: Mark Servaes, Mary Jane Sowers, Karen Seaberg, Janet Billington/Trower, Leo Navinskey, John Funk, Steve Handke, Bill Pohl, Mick West, Jody Scott, Kansas Human Rights Commission, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, and other members of the Walnut township.
The Walnut Township Board meetings were video taped from September 2023 to current, and may be viewed by the Public on Facebook. (Search for “Walnut Township Road District”)
For press inquiries, contact Duane Boldridge at duane. boldridge@gmail.com or 913426-2145.
First Black-Owned Gift-Wrapping Brand to Be Sold in Hallmark Stores and Lowe's
in R&B and funk circles, reaching No. 13 on the R&B chart. In the mid-1980s, the group continued their success with hits like “Too Many Games” and “Back In Stride” from their album Can’t Stop the Love, cementing their place in music history.
Throughout his career, Beverly demonstrated a unique ability to craft timeless music that resonated with generations of fans. His contributions to soundtracks, including the 2005 film Get Rich or Die Tryin’, further solidified his impact. His song “Hustler’s Ambition” earned a nomination for “Outstanding Original Song” at the Satellite Awards that year.
Frankie Beverly’s influence didn’t go unnoticed. In 2012, he was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. In 2019, at the age of 72, he delivered a powerful performance at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, proving that his music still moved the masses.
Beyond his musical accolades, Beverly’s family said he was a devoted father to his son, Anthony Beverly, and a loving grandfather to three grandchildren. They said his legacy, marked by five gold albums and countless unforgettable songs, will continue to inspire and resonate with fans for years to come.
“He lived for his music, family, and friends. For us, no one did it better,” the family stated.
Nationwide -- Ardean Miller, the trailblazing entrepreneur behind Mah Melanin, is breaking barriers as the founder of the first Black-owned gift-wrapping brand to partner with Hallmark and Lowe’s across the nation. With a commitment to cultural representation, she founded Mah Melanin to fill a void in the market for products that celebrate the beauty and diversity of Black culture.
“When I founded Mah Melanin, I wanted to create more than just beautiful gift wrap. I wanted to spark a movement—a place where our stories are told, our beauty is celebrated, and our community is uplifted,” she says. “Partnering with these iconic retailers is a testament to the growing demand for products that resonate with our experiences and heritage.”
Breaking Barriers and Empowering Communities
This partnership with Hallmark and Lowe’s represents a significant step toward greater diversity and inclusion in the retail space, reflecting a broader cultural shift. This groundbreaking achievement highlights the increasing recognition of the importance of culturally authentic products that inspire and empower.
Under her leadership, Mah Melanin has grown from a small startup to a nationally recognized brand. The company has gained endorsements from industry icons like Teddy Riley, Master P, and Denise Boutte and has been spotlighted by major organizations, including a feature by the NBA and a finalist in QVC’s “The Big Find.”
These recognitions affirm the brand’s commitment to quality, creativity, and resilience.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Black Entrepreneurs
She is dedicated not only to her brand's success but also to fostering the growth of other Black entrepreneurs by offering mentorship, sharing resources, and creating opportunities for collaboration. Through her efforts, she aims to build a legacy that inspires future generations to break barriers and achieve greatness,” she adds.
Mah Melanin’s journey reflects a commitment to celebrating Black culture and amplifying Black and Brown voices through its products, making a profound impact in the marketplace and beyond.
About Mah Melanin, founded by Ardean Miller, is a Black-owned brand that empowers people of color through thoughtfully designed gift wraps, apparel, and accessories. Focused on representation and authenticity, the brand aims to inspire and uplift communities, one product at a time.
Explore their products at MahMelanin.com and be sure to follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram
L E G A L / C L A S S I F I E D S G O H E R E
Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
(2002). Photo: William Henderson / Wikimedia Commons
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
Attendees at the State of Black California's listen session at the Secretary of State building in Sacramento on Sept.
14. The tour will stop in Oakland on Sept.
28 and end in Moreno Valley on Oct. 5.
CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
The legacy of Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright August Wilson is being kept alive by Denzel Washington and his family. Their archives of his genius and plays are movie adaptations, e.g. Fences (2016) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020). The latest, The Piano Lesson, directed by Washington’s son Malcolm, was showcased at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
In 1936 Pittsburgh, the prized ancestral heirloom of the Charles family is a 137-year-old upright piano adorned with African sculptures that were carved by an enslaved ancestor. The antique has a money value that an heir, a Mississippi sharecropper named Boy Willie (John David Washington), would like to cash in so he can buy some land his kin worked on as slaves. However, his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler, Till) is adamant that the piano stays in the family, in her Uncle Doaker’s (Samuel L. Jackson) home. Doaker referees the strong-willed siblings’ differences of opinion, arguments and confrontations. “Berneice ain’t gonna sell that piano!” Emotional tug-of-wars boil up and over to the point of possible violence over a piano and its mystical power: “You feel that? That’s your family. That’s your blood.”
A Romare Bearden painting of the same name inspired August Wilson to compose this profound allegory that can help African Americans navigate the importance of history and heritage. Adapting a tale of such significance is not an easy task. Harder still? Turning a play that propels its narrative forward through words and limited movement into a medium where words are secondary to optics. Director Malcolm Washington’s previous experience was a 20m
short film named Benny Got Shot. Masterfully he’s graduated to feature film directing and writing, creating the most cinematic adaptation of a Wilson play so far.
Malcolm Washington, with Oscar-nominated co-screenwriter Virgil Williams (Mudbound), keeps Wilson’s main story intact and fleshes out the piano’s past in evocative clips. Just enough to remind audiences of the gravity of the instrument and its meaning to the family who survived the perils of slavery—with great sacrifices. Those entrusted with continuing the family’s pride don’t always agree. Sometimes they battle like Cain and Abel. That anger, hostility and unwillingness to bend provides the unbridled passion in this 20th century fable that pulls you into a family’s dilemma with no easy resolution in sight. With the skill of a veteran, Washington draws you into the fractured household, giving the audience a front seat to an emotional mudwrestling match that lasts for 2h 7m (editor Leslie Jones). Exterior shots set the time and era, from back in the day to now. But most of the drama takes place in a home (production designer David J. Bomba), which is perfectly accessorized (set decoration, Patrick Cassidy), with earth-tone colors (art directors Chardae Adams and Justin J. Jordan) that complement the surroundings and clothes (costume designer Francine Jamison-Tanchuck) that distinguish each character. The lighting accentuates faces, things and exchanges (cinematographer Mike Gioulakis, Us). The music intensifies the peaked emotions (Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel). What you’re seeing and hearing is of the highest standards. Sometimes displayed like a story book. Sometimes
Father of Black History
By Don Valentine
Dr. Woodson was born in 1875 to illiterate former slaves. Like most of his contemporaries he had to work as a child to help his poor family survive. Working in the West Virginia coal mines delayed, but did not prevent, his high school education. He enrolled in high school when he was 20 and graduated in less than two years. He picked up unforgettable lessons in history and economics from Oliver Jones, a fellow miner. Mr. Jones would invite colleagues to his house to purchase ice cream and watermelon. Although Jones was illiterate, he subscribed to many publications and would discuss the latest events with his colleagues. When he discovered that Dr. Woodson could read, Jones asked him to read the information in the daily newspapers in exchange for free snacks. This blessing let him increase his learning through the oral history shared by his colleagues. Dr. Woodson became fluent in many topics, such as the gold standard, tariffs, and free
trade, according to the University of Chicago Magazine. He is quoted in the magazine, “Never stop learning and growing. Use every experience as a learning opportunity.”
Dr. Woodson received a bachelor’s degree in 1903 from Berea College in Kentucky. At the University of Chicago, he received a second bachelor’s and a master’s degree in 1908. He earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912—the second Black man, after W.E.B. Du Bois, to do so. From 1903 to 1907, when he was 28 years old, Woodson worked as a teacher in the Philippines. The last year he spent traveling around the world. The Chicago Southsider noted he said, “Don’t be afraid to change your environment.” Dr Woodson was Webster’s definition of an erudite scholar.
His copious knowledge of history led to the start of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) The mission of ASLAH was to research and promote information about Black history. Dr Woodson devoted his life to presenting Black history in a fact based nonbiased form. Biography.com chronicled, “Woodson lobbied schools and organizations to participate in a special program to encourage
like a PBS Masterpiece theater presentation. Sometimes like a tangled horror/thriller.
The editing and cinematography are clipped and kinetic enough to stop this production from being just another filmed play. The effort to be cinematic is there, but still the dialogue is so unrestrained, especially Boy Willie’s, that those who don’t know the story’s origin will just assume it’s based on a play. That said, the dialogue is so pointed most will still be rivetted— even through some slow passages.
A large part of the attentiongrabbing theatrics is due to the stunning performances by a wellhoned cast, and some did these same roles in a 2022 Broadway revival. So, no wonder.
John David Washington and Jackson were part of that recent staging, and Jackson was nominated for a Tony. Their familiarity with the play is evident in all scenes, as they display a very fluid and magnetic comradery. The rage Washington expresses for his dream deferred is palpable. Jackson, as the nonchalant mediator in a near biblical squabble, is subtle and not bombastic. The wild card is Deadwyler as the stubborn, righteous sister. For all Boy Willie’s ferociousness there is an answer, a bulwark. Berniece will not be persuaded by a few shiny old coins, she’s standing by her guns, literally. Washington and Deadwyler are magnificent. Ray Fisher as Boy Willie’s sidekick Lymon, Corey Hawkins as Rev Avery, Michael Potts as Wining Boy, Doaker’s brother, and Skylar Aleece Smith as Maretha, Bernice’s’ young daughter, fill out the talented cast.
Ghostly, supernatural aspects
and an extremely climatic ending bring the proceedings to a fever pitch. But it makes you wonder. What if the director, writers and producers had ripped the band aid off completely? What if they’d gotten rid of any tell-tale theater signs? Kept the characters and storylines and added more settings? Cut the dialogue, monologues and scenes down to the bare bones? Film fans, who aren’t theater folk and want their cinema pure, laconic and kinetic, would appreciate that. What if the incessant use of the “N” word was gone? What if the footage spent more time building the past and segueing into present day 1936 and less time with the characters recollecting? That could have been a more accessible experience and led to greater box office success. A poignant well-produced adaptation. Fiery acting. A tale that reminds audiences, especially African American ones, that what came before is as important as what comes next. Kudos to Malcolm Washington. In his feature film debut, he’s become a perceptive griot who spreads the wisdom of August Wilson. During the film’s debut at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, dad and producer Denzel Washington and Constanza Romero, Wilson’s widow, cheered the first-time filmmaker on. As they should. As audiences will. Trailer: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=cZwjt0pjt8w
In theaters November 8th, 2024, and on Netflix November 22nd. For more information about the Toronto International Film Festival go to https://tiff.net/. Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.
Father of Black History...continued
the study of African American history, which began in February 1926 with Negro History Week. The program was later expanded and renamed Black History Month.” He favored February for the initial weeklong celebration to honor the birth months of Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Woodson was a renowned writer of Black history, and wrote over 14 books on Black history and culture. The list includes The Mis-Education of
the Negro (1933), A Century of Negro Migration (1918), The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 (1919), The History of the Negro Church (1921), and The Negro in Our History (1922).
The significance of “Lost Black History” is captured in these words, “Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.”
― Carter G. Woodson
daily touting one candidate over another. And, if that is not enough, our social media feeds have become repositories for surveys, polls on our political preferences, and the political opinions of friends, family, and complete strangers. With all of this activity, it seems it is becoming harder and harder to engage in civil discourse around the issues that are presenting themselves in the public square.
The comments we witness are sometimes vitriolic, leaving very little room for questions or discussions. Opinions are laid bare on social media platforms with comments sections on posts becoming argumentative and even hostile.
Our inability to have conversation on difficult topics is evident. The political divide continues to widen, with few options for bridging the chasm between positions on the most important issues that affect our everyday lives and those of others. Civility in the public square and the exercise of civil discourse seems to be escaping us, as our communities become more polarized around issues of justice and solutions to social ills.
The truth is that any topic we choose has the possibility of multiple opinions, varying interpretations of causes, and a variety of solutions. And while we know these things to be true, we are still challenged to listen to the opinions of others, particularly when those opinions are experienced as different from the opinions we hold. Rather than taking the time to listen, there is a tendency to defend the positions we hold and to experience the opinions of the other as a threat.
Civil discourse involves more than just politeness; it involves disagreement without disrespect, seeking common ground, listening beyond preconceptions, and remaining present in dialogues despite deep disagreements. The practice of civil discourse seems to be lost among us. Where diversity of opinion is present, we have diminished the skills we need to navigate conversations among ourselves that afford the
opportunity for us to learn and grow together in community. Civil discourse requires time and intention. Listening to each other with respect should be an exercise of our faith and our commitment to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is easy to spend our time with people who hold the same opinions we do and make the same choices we do. Yet, even in the church, there are a variety of opinions present and different ways people vote when they go to the polls. Voting is a right we hold dearly. The right to vote transcends political affiliations. Each person has the right to vote. A person does not have to tell another person who they decided to vote for or who they are going to vote for, and before we even get to the polls, no one has to share who they are going to vote for and why. If we choose to discuss our voting decisions, civility does not alienate or judge; it is marked by mutual respect, beginning with mutual consent for the conversation itself. The practice of civil discourse invites us to share in ways that provide an opinion on the subject without trying to convince the other that our opinion is right and theirs is wrong. If we want to be heard, then the telling of our story should be couched in respect for all. When we are listening to someone else, attentive listening with an amiable posture helps to further our commitment to conversation. Our differences do not have to be divisive, whether in the church or in society. Our commitment to loving each other is a foundation for civility and civil discourse. Hatred, prejudice, fear, and dismissive comments continue to widen the divide between us. We can choose to engage each other with civility even through our differences of opinions, differing values, and through another election cycle.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson is the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.
“Are You Ready for the Rapture?”
Civility
Across Differences
Karen Georgia Thompson
We are in the midst of yet another national election cycle in the
In
days leading up to the election, the political ads are appearing
on our televisions with every commercial break, while the fliers and circulars are finding their way into our mailboxes,
If not, then today is the day of salvation [2 Corinthians 6:2]. Do not delay another moment. Make preparation today. Receive Christ as your Savior today. If you do not you will be left behind in the Rapture and those left behind in the Rapture will face a quickly changing world—and the change will not be for the better. For [2 Thessalonians 2:11], says that the “power of lawlessness” is currently being held in check by the Holy Spirit. But after the Rapture the Holy Spirit’s restraint will be “taken out of the way.” Don’t be left behind. Make sure you are ready for the rapture and since the rapture is for believers, it is vital that you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior [Acts 16:31]. Repent of your sins. Believe in Jesus, and you will not perish [John 3:16]. For today is the day of salvation. Do not delay another moment. The matter is urgent. Trust Christ now for there is no debate of whether or not a rapture will occur; the Bible is clear on that question. As to when the rapture will take place, no one knows the exact timing of
the event. Jesus confirms this in Luke when He says, "You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" [Luke 12:40]. Now understand that the Rapture is different from Christ’s Second Coming. The Rapture sets in motion the End-Time events leading to Christ’s Second Coming. The two stages, Rapture and Return, will be separated by a seven-year Tribulation on earth. The purpose of the Rapture is to spare Christ’s own from the horrors of the Tribulation according to [Revelation 3:10]. Now there are forty-four significant Bible verses about the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. The Bible teaches that the next major event in God’s plan for the future is the Rapture of the church. Then the tribulation will follow. At the end of the tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon will occur and during that battle, the Second Coming of Christ will occur. After Christ victoriously defeats the armies of the world that seek to destroy Israel, Christ will establish His millennial kingdom. I ask you, “Are You Ready for The Rapture?” There are forty-four significant Old and New Testament passages that refer to the Rapture and Second Coming. We are now waiting of the Rapture of the church from the earth to occur.
As [Revelation 22:20] says, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
By
K. Coleman
The Piano Lesson cast and crew opening night at Toronto International Film Festival photo by Dwight Brown
Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Ray Fisher costar in The Piano Lesson, photo courtesy of the Toronto International Film Festival
“ I started vaping to try to deal with stress. I quit because of my son.
When Isaiah came home, his addiction followed. “I was collecting vapes like shoes.” Everything changed when he caught his 7-year-old trying to hit his vape. “My son’s like a little me. He does everything I do. That was it. I had to quit.”
A California without Big Tobacco isn’t just possible. It’s already happening.
Isaiah · Los Angeles, CA