Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance those of whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)
We are living in unusual and challenging times, when despair and despondency have replaced hope as a more common, and perhaps as the more acceptable lens, through which too many of us view the future. In the wake of widespread disease, mass loss, economic instability, climate breakdown, police violence, erosion of bodily autonomy for women and girls, violence towards transgender and nonbinary communities, and an actual insurrection, no wonder many have lost hope.
Our kids are no exception.
Nationally, there has been a concerning rise in reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness among teens. Suicidal thoughts and attempts are up. And hospitalizations for mental health crises for children and youth are at an all-time high. These trends pre-date the pandemic and have only worsened over recent years.
In this, California is no exception.
In 2019, almost 1 in 3 adolescents experienced serious psychological distress. Suicide rates remain worrisomely high.
And California ranks 43rd in the nation for providing screenings that could identify children and youth who are suffering and in need of support.
By a number of measures, Black children and youth in California are particularly in need of the types of support that unfortunately, few are finding.
Black children in California are most likely to report serious emotional
But these problems, that
now burden our children, are not entirely new. Their current needs expose past oppressions, unvanquished by time. Just as their new struggles reveal older foes, unchallenged by the status quo.
And so, the work to address the mounting mental health challenges our children now face - and Black children are too often left to face without adequate support - must begin with confronting systems of oppression and challenging the status quo.
Thankfully, the model we, as a state, must follow from those most impacted, particularly Black communities, who have long imagined and worked to realize, a loving path to mental, physical and emotional well-being.
These folks, including Black children and youth, are building on the rich legacy of social activism, mutual aid, and intergenerational bonds in communities of color, that can and should be brought to bear
as California considers how best to support young people’s mental health and well-being.
For example, the thoughts and dreams of young Black people, should be used to guide the apportionment of Gov. Newsom’s recent multi-billion dollar investment in youth behavioral health. The promise of these investments, alongside some major changes in Medicaid policy, have created an enormous opportunity to shift how the state shows up for our kids and how our kids can show up for each other.
Placing billion-dollar investments in Bay Area institutions like Ryse’s Community
If California were to take seriously the aspirations of young Black people in reshaping our state’s behavioral health programs, it might also lead to the uplifting of the students and parents of color who have called for Police Free Schools in Oakland and Los
Angeles. The racial inequities in exposure to policing, judicial scrutiny, and incarceration for children of color are enormous in California and contribute to and compound the barriers to learning and mental health in under-resourced schools.
Finally, to address the state’s crisis of children’s mental health, it is important that caregivers and youth be positioned to intervene on behalf of their family or friends who are struggling. That positioning might include an expansion of Guaranteed
In short, the possibilities to respond to the crisis affecting our children’s social and emotional well-being are only limited by the confines of our collective imagination. And there are those among us, particularly in the Black community, who have been busy imagining, for generations. If, we, as a state, collectively, choose to turn to those folks, especially our kids of color who are disproportionately impacted, and work alongside them to create a new future together, our kids will be more than alright. They can thrive.
About the Authors Rhea Boyd, MD, MPH is a pediatrician, public health advocate and Director of Equity and Justice for the California Children’s Trust.
Jade Davis is an administrative assistant for the California Coalition for Youth (CCY) and a member of the California Children’s Trust’s Youth Advisory Board. She is currently attending Grand Canyon University to get her master’s in Business Administration.
By Mark Hedin
Small business entrepreneurs in California have new access to billions of dollars’ worth of funding to be offered with an explicit eye toward reaching communities too often shortchanged by the financial sector in the past.
At a press conference Sept. 20,
the U.S. Treasury Department announced having approved California’s application for $1.18 billion of loan guarantees and other incentives to help the state’s burgeoning small business sector in its continuing recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s the largest allocation so far from the $10 billion dedicated nationwide in the 2021 American Rescue Plan to replenish the State Small Business Credit Initiative funds first established in 2010. That $10 billion is expected to seed 10 times as much additional, private-sector investment in small businesses.
“When small businesses succeed, they create goodpaying jobs that revitalize our neighborhoods and strengthen our economy,” California Senator Alex Padilla said in announcing the Treasury Department’s decision to grant California’s request for almost $1.2 billion of American Rescue Plan funding.
California is currently the
world’s fifth-largest economy, and gaining fast on Germany, currently the world’s fourth-largest, said Dee Dee Myers, advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Across the country, more Americans are starting small businesses than ever before – 5.4 million in 2021, according to a June White House report – 20% more than ever recorded before.
Myers suggested that interested California entrepreneurs reach out to the Small Business Administration’s many Small Business Development Centers located statewide.
State Treasurer Fiona Ma added that information can also be found through the State Treasurer’s Office.
Padilla, Myers and Ma were joined at the announcement by White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling, Congressional representatives Katie Porter and Mike Levin, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Treasury Wally Adeyemo.
Porter paid particular attention to the support program’s technical assistance component, intended to help small businesses determine what supports they might qualify for and how to access them.
“I know technical assistance may not sound cool, but it is really, really cool,” Porter said. “This is going to make it easier for small businesses to get the funds. … Not only is this program there, but there’s help to get access to this program, technical assistance for the smallest and most vulnerable businesses, that historically have struggled to get help even when there are resources.”
“This equitable execution will really contribute to creating a strong, stable, globally competitive economy by leveling the playing field.”
“When President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan,” Sperling said, “there were two very fundamental goals. One, obviously, was to recover quickly and strongly from the pandemic, which we have seen in record job growth and record drops in Black
and Hispanic unemployment.”
“The second aspect was to also ensure that the recovery that grew out of the pandemic was one that was one of equity and equitable opportunity.”
Key to that, Sperling said, is the State Small Business Credit Initiative, designed to ensure funding and finance for those with the best ideas, in the most equitable way possible.
The $10 billion designated nationwide for the Small Business Administration, he said, is expected to generate from six to ten times that much in private sector loans and support, designed, he said, “to overcome barriers that might exist in normal private sector lending.”
“We know, unfortunately, that while credit should flow to those with the best ideas, it never has and still does not … particularly to those small business owners and entrepreneurs of color.”
The $1.1 billion approved for California will be administered by two Sacramento agencies, the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) and the California Pollution Control Financing Authority.
The first, under the auspices of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, will oversee loan guarantees and venture capital programs. The second, under the State Treasurer’s Office, is charged with capital access and collateral support programs.
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2022 Citizens of Achievement & Civic Engagement Ceremony
It’s time to recognize the people who add value to our communities! Since 1975 the San Bernardino League of Women Voters has recognized our local champions through the Citizens of Achievement Awards. The awards honor individuals and organizations who are making a difference in our community.
This year The League of Women Voters, San Bernardino Area will be honoring Don English, Dr. Dorothy Inghram (posthumously), Alaina Ramos Mathews, Dr. Jean Peacock, Jaina & Ivy Spagis, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., San Bernardino-Riverside Alumnae Chapter at the upcoming 2022 Citizens of Achievement & Civic Engagement Ceremony for their work in their communities.
This year’s event will be on Sunday, October 30, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sterling
Natural Resource Center, 25318 5th Street, Highland CA 92410.
Tickets are $25.00 per person or $150 per table of eight. To attend event, tickets can be purchased by going to: https://my.lwv.org/ california/san-bernardino-area/ citizens-achievementcivicengagement
The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose candidates or political parties. Instead, it works to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.
For more information, contact Twillea Evans-Carthen, Citizens of Achievement/Civic Engagement Committee Chair at tevanscarthen@icloud.com or visit https://my.lwv.org/california/ san-bernardino-area
Rhea Boyd and Jade Davis | Special to California Black Media Partners Dr Rhea BoydUSDA Launches $100 Million Healthy School Meals Initiative, Announces Grant Program for Rural Schools... continued schools on a path toward long-term success.
“Schools meals are vital to the health and well-being of our nation’s children, providing critical nutrition to tens of millions of children every school day,” said Administrator Long. “The Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative is part of USDA’s deep commitment to ensuring schools have all the support and tools they need to continue to rise to that task.”
The request for applications is open to all nongovernmental organizations through Nov. 28, 2022. For more information about the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, please explore these resources:
Request for applications
Healthy Meals Incentives webpage
Administration is bringing together key stakeholders to supercharge progress on these goals at next week’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. More information on this historic conference is available on health. gov.
On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, the Board of Education presented the Outstanding Achievement Awards to students, parents, and staff at Cajon High School, Holcomb Elementary School, the Kendall-Harmon School complex, and Shandin Hills Middle School.
The Board recognizes Outstanding Student Award winners to build self-esteem and honor excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, citizenship, and most improvement. The Board also presents the Outstanding Parent/Grandparent/Volunteer Award and Outstanding Employee Award to individuals who embody the District’s dedication to student achievement and well-being.
The September 20 Board meeting marked the first time since the COVID pandemic that
the awards have been presented in person.
Cajon High School, Principal Teenya Bishop:
Zoe Campbell is a senior and Outstanding Student. Zoe takes so much pride in her work and always gives her best. In addition to her academic excellence, she has the most amazing personality! She is loved by the Cajon staff, and her peers look up to her. Zoe aspires to create and produce films. She plans to attend NYU, Spelman College, or Clark Atlanta University.
Jorge Ramos is a junior and Outstanding Student. In his time at Cajon, Jorge has made his mark as an award-winning member of two academic teams. He has ranked nationally in Speech & Debate since his freshman year and was
Later this year, FNS will announce the second and final phase of the initiative that will expand nutritious food options for school meals through financial investment and collaboration with food industry partners. All of the Healthy Meals Incentive Initiative efforts will also support American agricultural producers by strengthening small and rural school districts’ access to nutritious commodities such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as well as local and cultural foods.
School meals are a cornerstone of the federal efforts to end hunger, increase healthy eating, and curb diet-related disease. The Biden
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.
Related Resources: Webpage: Building Back Better with School Meals
Fact Sheet: Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium
Infographic: The Road Ahead: Building Back Better with School Meals
Infographic: Ten Reasons to Build Back Even Better with School Meals!
Kendall-Harmon School complex, Principal Megan Silva: Pre-kindergartener Kairen Brown is an Outstanding Student. Kairen is being honored for his citizenship, academics and for most improvement. He loves books and is always ready to learn something new! He takes great joy in the results of his efforts. Kairen may become a professor or scientist when he is older.
Airie Kaya Phomello is a transitional kindergartener and Outstanding Student. Airie is becoming more independent and self-sufficient. She is able to follow routines and directions and wait patiently. Airie’s communication skills have also improved significantly. Airie likes to be the teacher in class and takes the lead at circle time. It’s safe to assume she’s a future teacher.
Fifth-grader Emily Soria is an Outstanding Student. Emily is always on task and volunteers during class. She assists her classmates, even volunteering to help them at home to catch up on missing assignments. She is reading above grade level and understands all the math concepts so far. Emily would like to be an artist and attend California State University, San Bernardino.
Charles Michael Sullivan is a 5th-grader and an Outstanding Student. Charles has great hospitality skills. He has a wonderful personality, a warm smile, and is a great classroom helper. He is helpful and willing to assist all of his classmates. Charles
loves pretending to be a fast food worker, so he may own his own fast food restaurant or become a fast food manager.
Eddy Garcia is the Outstanding Parent Award winner for Kendall and Harmon. Eddy is a dedicated parent and member of the Harmon School Site Council/Leadership Team. He has represented Harmon on a few District-level task force groups. His input, knowledge, and overall commitment to supporting Harmon are valued assets to the school community.
Outstanding Grandparent Janice Wall is an active member of the Kendall-Harmon community. She serves on the School Site Council and is a member of the African American Parent Advisory Committee. We admire and appreciate her commitment to Kendall and Harmon and her input, as well as her commitment to her grandchildren.
Recreation Aide Yvette Carranza is an Outstanding Classified Employee. She volunteers to provide support wherever it is needed. She assists teachers with setting up classrooms and the librarian assistant with inventorying District-issued devices. Yvette has worked collaboratively with the community to ensure the school supports families in need during the holiday season.
Randie Zamudio is an Education Assistant III–Severe Impairment and an Outstanding Classified Employee. Randie is a true team player and goes above and beyond
continued on page 4 continued in next 2 column3
Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2022 – Today, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service launched the first phase of its $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative aimed at improving the nutritional quality of school meals by opening a request for applications for an organization to manage grants to small and/or rural school meal programs, establish an awards program to recognize school districts that are excelling in their meal quality, and support schools in bringing best practices into their lunchrooms.
“One of the most important things we can do to protect the future of our nation’s children is to make sure they have enough nutritious food to eat,” said Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long. “Local schools are experts in crafting meals that are both healthy and appetizing to children. This new initiative will provide more resources to them to achieve that goal and celebrate those who are raising the bar.”
The grants will aid small and rural school districts in meeting or exceeding school nutrition standards by providing up to $150,000 each to help them overcome various challenges, including the rising cost of food, staffing shortages, lack of space, and outdated kitchen equipment.
Meanwhile, the awards program will recognize schools that have made significant improvements to the nutritional quality of their meals, such as:
Exceeding nutrition requirements for sodium and whole grains; Reducing added sugars in school breakfasts; Implementing innovative practices in scratch cooking and nutrition education; and/or Providing meals that reflect the cultures of their students.
In total, the nonprofit organization selected to manage the initiative will receive approximately $47 million to execute these efforts in support of nutritious school meals.
To further the impact of these efforts, FNS will host two Healthy Meals Summits to recognize award recipients. During the summits, attendees will share best practices and strategies for sustaining their achievements that can be leveraged by other schools across the country.
Earlier this year, FNS issued temporary school nutrition standards to serve as a bridge between the flexible options needed during the first two years of COVID-19 and stronger, long-term standards that are aggressive and achievable. This progress toward even more nutritious school meals is both important and timely, as diet-related diseases are on the rise and recent estimates project that most children in America today will have obesity by the time they are 35 years old. The Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative will help school meal programs meet the transitional standards and put
named Outstanding Delegate his first year in Model UN. He’s clearly on his way to being a future leader in San Bernardino.
Outstanding Parent Award winner Micaela Escobar has been an active parent and advocate for her own child and all Cajon children, particularly in ensuring students have access to rigorous courses and the social emotional support they need to persevere and do well in those courses.
Whenever Micaela sees a need, she works to develop solutions to make Cajon better.
Secretary I Tanisha Slaughter is an Outstanding Classified Employee. Tanisha’s commitment to Cajon is untouchable. When she sees a need, she is always willing to fill in the gap. She is resourceful, customer friendly, solution oriented, and adaptable. Throughout her career, she has served in different capacities, and she uses her skills to enhance the overall school program.
Outstanding Certificated Employee Roger Light develops student leaders through his rigorous auto shop program, building their skills and knowledge to run an auto repair shop for staff.
Roger’s program is set to receive Silver Certification through the Linked Learning Alliance this winter, and one member of the certification team stated Roger’s auto shop is one of the best he has seen in the nation.
Holcomb Elementary School, Principal Eva Haddad:
Connor Leedom is a 1st-grader and Outstanding Student. Connor works hard and shows empathy for others both in and out of the classroom. He is always willing to patiently help those who need support, once again demonstrating kindness to others. Connor's
academics are so strong in all areas that the Holcomb team believes he can and will achieve any goal he sets for his future.
Shawn McKenzie is a 4th-grader and Outstanding Student. Shawn is a caring and kind scholar, always willing to help his teacher and classmates without being asked. He gives 100% every day and actively participates in classroom discussions. Shawn's dream is to become an astronaut, but if that doesn't work out, he wants to be a fireman or a police officer.
Outstanding Parent Award winner Elaheh Karimi is an active member of Holcomb’s English Language Advisory Committee. She participates and shares ideas. Staff can always count on her for support. She is a very actively engaged parent and participates in all parent events, family nights, parent workshops, and more. Elaheh is a vital member of the Holcomb team.
Secretary II Patricia “Patty” Quinonez is an Outstanding Classified Employee. Patty has a positive attitude toward her work and comes in with a smile every morning. She has a strong sense of professionalism and provides excellent customer service. She has helped create positive and lasting relationships with the Holcomb community and is a mentor and role model. Holcomb is a better place because of Patty.
Program Facilitator and International Baccalaureate Coordinator Krista Bjur is an Outstanding Certificated Employee. She is committed to always doing what is best for the Holcomb community whether she is serving as admin designee, collaborating with teachers, working with students, or any of her many assignments. She puts
First 5 San Bernardino launches simplified process to address community-level challenges with practical, collaborative solutions
SAN BERNARDINO –September 15, 2022 – First 5 San Bernardino, well-known for its 23year history of investing in children prenatal through five years old, is launching a new and innovative funding opportunity. Local organizations seeking financial support to initiate or develop programs or ideas aligning with First 5 San Bernardino’s strategic plan are encouraged to apply for funding through the organization’s request for applications process https://first5sanbernardino.org.
“This is an amazing opportunity, especially for smaller-sized organizations who may already be collaborating with each other, to apply for funding to address critical issues and needs facing young children and their families,” said First 5 San Bernardino Executive Director Karen E. Scott. “Further, we’re hoping it may spark additional creative thinking on how to engage with families and the community in identifying and meeting needs as possible, which is exactly why the initiative was created,” Scott concluded.
Named after a beloved staff member who recently lost her battle with cancer, the Merceides Logans Community Innovation Initiative is a $1.5 million fund designated to foster a progressive yet simplified approach for community organizations to obtain resources and work together.
A typical funding application
process can be overwhelming for some organizations, explained Ronnie Robinson, First 5 San Bernardino section manager of systems and communication.
“This opportunity was designed to be easier to navigate, and we invite community organizations, churches, small non-profits and those with similar or shared interests in helping children to apply,” Robinson said.
Details:
Request for application release: Sept. 15, 2022
Mandatory attendance at the virtual Application Submission Workshop (Deadline to register online is 12 pm on Sept. 27; Workshop to be held at 4 pm, Sept. 27 via Zoom)
Application questions deadline: 4 pm, Sept. 30, 2022
• Application submission deadline: 4 pm, Nov. 4, 2022
• Tentative start date for contract: Jan. 12, 2023
• Questions? Email First5SanBernardino@cfc. sbcounty.gov, attention Ronnie Robinson
About First 5 San Bernardino
First 5 San Bernardino’s distinct purpose is to improve the lives of young children and their families by giving them the best possible start in life. For more information, visit First5SanBernardino.org.
First 5 San Bernardino | 735. E. Carnegie Drive, Suite 150 | San Bernardino, CA 92408
Community The Outstanding Achievement Awards Recognize District Students, Parents, and Staff Emily Soria (student holding bumper sticker) poses with her family, her principal and the SBCUSD Board of Education members as she receives the Outstanding Student Award. (Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD) The SBCUSD Board Of Education Honored 25 Outstanding Individuals On September 20...continued The SBCUSD Board Of Education Honored 25 Outstanding Individuals On September 20...continued her heart into everything, and Holcomb is better for it.group in 2012, with the goal of increasing voter registration and recruiting volunteers to work at polling places. The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors are among the organizations endorsing the holiday, according to their website.
Weber is the first Black woman to hold the position of Secretary of State in California after being appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020. She was sworn in on Jan. 29, 2021.
Her office is responsible for more than accounting for the vote, preparing for elections and campaign filings. She is also responsible for business filings and the historical archives of the state.
rights and American democracy.
On Sept. 28, she will be hosting a Voting Rights Town Hall at Sacramento State, where she will discuss the 1965 Voting Rights Act and how to further protect voting rights across the nation.
removing individuals from voter rolls and casting doubts on the legitimacy of the process, are a few of the complaints they follow.
This year, 32 cases have been filed in fifteen states. Some of these legal complaints illustrate concerns that protections for the right to vote need to be strengthened.
were ineligible.
When visiting Southwestern College in South Bay, on Sept. 9, Weber spoke about the need to protect voting rights and the importance of inclusion and vigilance. She challenged students to find the “courage” to defend democracy with their votes.
As part of a broad civic education initiative, High School Voters Registration Week, California Secretary of State Shirley Nash Weber has been traveling across the state encouraging young people to register to vote.
High School Voter Registration Week occurs in the last weeks of April and September and offers preregistration, mock voting trials, guidance for teachers and administrators, and other tools to help young people get an early start in voting. Advertising, speaking tours, and videos aimed at future voters are part of the arsenal Weber’s office is using to reach voters.
At the legal voting age of 18, many young voters are in their first years of college or at the end of
high school. Through volunteering and education, they are encouraged to participate in the process as early as possible.
Last week, Weber spoke to students at John W. North High School in Riverside County as part of her statewide voting education tour.
“California allows us to register students as early as 16, to preregister for voting,” said Weber. “We also allow those at 16 years old to work in the polls, so we want to encourage voting at every level.”
On National Voting Registration Day, last Tuesday, Sept. 20, she was at Dodger stadium reaching out to citizens and encouraging them to register. The holiday was established by a non-partisan
Weber is one of three Black women in the United States who are Secretaries of State. Tahesha Way of New Jersey and acting secretary of the commonwealth Leigh Chapman of Pennsylvania are the other two. All three are Democrats. Weber acknowledged the historic role of Black women in voting in an interview on NBC.
“Black women in this country have always been sometimes ignored and yet counted on,” said Webber in an interview on NBC. “We’ve been a silent force for change. Everyone always knew you could count on the sister in the front row to get things done.”
Weber has been an active proponent of protecting voting
Her advocacy for the vote comes from deeply rooted personal experiences. Growing up, she remembers that her grandparents and parents did not have right to vote during the era of Jim Crow in Arkansas. Her father moved the family to California where she received her PhD from the University of California Los Angeles by age 26. Weber was a four-term Assemblymember representing California’s 79th district and was the chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in 2020.
While Weber is pushing to include more voters in California, many places across the country have taken a different approach to voting rights. After the gutting of the 1969 Voting Rights Act in 2013, which no longer required some Southern states to seek federal approval of voting changes, many enacted new policies and laws that some deemed restrictive.
The Brennan Center for Justice tracks some of the ongoing fights over voting rights and some of the methods used by states; closing polling places, requiring identification, gerrymandering,
continued in next 2 columns
The debate surrounding Proposition (Prop) 30 is causing division between the California Democratic Party and Gov. Gavin Newsom.
to help lower their costs as they transition to employing only electric-powered vehicles.
Campaign Legal Center v. Scott, No. 1:22-cv-00092 (W.D. Tex.), for example pointed to voting role purging enacted by then Texas Secretary of State John B. Scott.
In the case, which Scott loss, the judge said it had “flawed results” which removed nearly 10, 000 voters from the rolls -- only 80
“We are helping people to understand that voting is power, that it is an equalizing power, and that every voter gets one vote,” said Weber. “I tell the students all the time do not give away your power … use your power to your best interest.”
training program to help them get back to work.
According to Ken Brown, Immediate Past President of the California Community Colleges Trustee Board and Vice President of the El Camino Community College District, this is the business of California’s community colleges.
“Our assumption is that not everybody who goes to college is trying to get a four-year degree, not everybody who goes to community college is even trying to get an associate's degree. Many of the folks who go to college are trying to get trained up or retrained,” Brown told CBM.
Nationwide, fewer people are going to community college. And Black male attendance is declining at a disproportionate rate.
Brown addressed this phenomenon.
“You can see the numbers for community college across the nation going down in attendance for all groups,” said Brown. “Specifically African American
males are going further down than the average.”
Brown and Gonzales both expressed the view that part of the reason for the decline in attendance is financial in nature.
“Obviously people look at the pandemic,” Brown said. “A lot of Black males – you're talking about 18- to 30-year-olds – could not afford to continue with school.”
Brown goes on to point out that many Black men, especially since the pandemic, have gone straight into the workforce instead of to community college to provide for themselves or their families.
Gonzales addressed this declining number by offering solutions that are currently in the works.
Part of the solution she proposed was the work being conducted with the Black and African American Advisory Panel.
That collaboration includes programs that help facilitate transfers to Historically Black
continued on page 6
New and updated financial support for the state's community college attendees, including changes to the Cal Grant and expanded aid for new and returning students, has been announced by California Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Daisy Gonzales.
Gonzales told California Black Media (CBM) that she wants college hopefuls to know that these programs which are described in the “I Can Go to College” campaign can be accessed at icangotocollege.com and that the grants do not need to be paid back.
Aside from grants, the website offers online mentorships for students.
The need for these programs, Gonzales said, were developed with students in mind as her office conducted statewide surveys.
“What has been very intentional during this pandemic is that we went straight to the students. We're not guessing here,” she said. “We were very intentional in doing student outreach, interviews and focus groups.”
The average tuition cost for state community college is a little under $2,000 per year while private community colleges average over $21,000 in tuition costs.
This doesn't include books and other fees.
The Chancellor's office asserts that there are over 200 programs available to community college students to help with these costs.
There are programs like the Student Success Completion Grant, which now offers $4,000 per semester for students taking 15 or more units, and $1,298 per semester for students taking 1214.9 units, expanded eligibility for the California College Promise Grant fee waiver, the Cal Grant Entitlement Award for students attending community colleges, and grants available to current and former foster youth.
Other programs like the Middle Class Scholarship, designated for students with a household income of over $200,000, who may not qualify for other federal grants, are examples of the chancellor office attempting to provide aid for students who would otherwise not have it.
Another program being offered to students is the Golden State Education and Training Program. It is a grant of $2,500 for anyone who lost their job during the pandemic and has entered a career continued in last 2 columns
Prop 30 calls for a 1.75% raise on income taxes for people earning over $2 million annually. It is projected that the tax could generate around $5 billion annually. A majority of the funds would go towards programs helping people buy electric cars and install charging stations. Twenty percent of funds would go towards CalFire staffing and wildfire prevention/response programs.
Newsom is arguing that Prop 30 would disproportionately benefit one company, Lyft Inc. He is featured in a new television ad to spearhead efforts promoting a NO vote.
“Prop 30 is being advertised as a climate initiative,” Newsom says in the ad. “But in reality, it was devised by a single corporation to funnel state income taxes to benefit their company. Put simply, Prop 30 is a Trojan horse that puts corporate welfare above the fiscal welfare of our entire state.”
Lyft has given more than $15 million to support the measure, including funding for signaturegathering to get it on the ballot. It plans to exclusively use electric vehicles by 2030.
This declaration follows California’s efforts to rein in the emissions of transportation companies like Lyft and Uber. The California Air Resources Board adopted a rule last year that would require those companies to cut 90% of their emissions by 2030.
The Governor along with the “NO” camp believe that Lyft is trying to use Prop 30 funding
The California Clean Air Coalition, which has been running the political campaign in support of Prop. 30, responded to Newsom’s ad with the following statement:
“Prop 30 is supported by the American Lung Association, California state firefighters, and California Democratic Party because it will prevent catastrophic wildfires and reduce the tailpipe emissions polluting our air and threatening the health of our families. It is disappointing that the Governor would side with the California Republican Party and a handful of San Francisco billionaires who would rather kids breathe toxic, polluted air than pay their fair share.”
Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D–Inglewood), member of the California Black Legislative Caucus (CBLC), is supporting Prop 30. She cites air quality as the number one concern prompting her decision.
“I know how this air quality affects my district. On a personal note, I raised my children in Lawndale, and we were right off the 405 freeway. My sons grew up with really bad nosebleeds. Both of them had asthma … I know we need cleaner air … Back in the day it was good to buy a house off the freeway but now not so much. We’ve since learned how it pollutes the air and how bad it is for people who live out there … We got to think about our kids, and their quality of life in the future. We can’t have children living in that kind of pollution.”
On Nov. 8, California voters will decide the ultimate fate of Prop 30.
Press releases and legals
Submission Deadline MONDAYS by 5pm
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SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. – The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office has filed a murder charge against Alfred Urrea (18) of Bloomington, for allegedly selling and distributing the opioids that led to the August 23, 2022 death of Adrian Alloway (18) of Highland.
Defendant Urrea has been charged with one count of PC 187 – Murder.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Overdose Response Team was established in February 2021, in response to the growing epidemic of overdose deaths from opioids.
The Overdose Response Team includes investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Investigation.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting these crimes using all available county,
state and federal resources. In doing so, our Office seeks to bring closure to the victim’s families, and accountability to illicit drug dealers.
In response to the Urrea being the second defendant in San Bernardino County to face murder charges stemming from a fentanyl poisoning, District Attorney Jason Anderson states, “In cases such as this, where murder is alleged, we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the dealer knowingly understood the dangers of fentanyl, and still chose profits over human life when supplying drugs to the victim.”
Defendant Urrea plead not guilty at his arraignment on September 26, 2022, with bail currently set at $1,000,000.00. Defendant Urrea’s next hearing date is set for a prepreliminary hearing September 27, 2022 at 8:30 am at San Bernardino County Superior Court department S4.
County/Law/Business News Cal Sec of State Weber Travels State Urging Youth to Get Early Start on Voter Registration...continued
to support her Harmon team, as well as the needs of her Kendall colleagues. When called upon to provide support with any task or event, she never hesitates and always puts in 100% effort and pride.
First-grade Inclusion Teacher Catherine Cowles is an Outstanding Certificated Employee. She has a positive passion for helping students and goes above and beyond to embody Kendall and Harmon’s vision of providing a safe, productive, and innovative learning environment for all students. Catherine takes the time to learn what each scholar needs and makes it happen.
The Social Lites, Inc. of the Inland Empire is now preparing for our annual program. In our 60 years we have awarded more than 2 million dollars in scholarships to our deserving and underserved
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THE BURTON WIRE —
Powell rose to fame in the 1990s with his smooth and melodic vocals. Powell’s song, “You,’ introduced the singer’s distinct voice and demonstrated Powell’s four-octave vocal range. An indication of Powell’s popularity and vocal prowess is indicated by “You” being streamed 13 million times on Spotify.
R&B singer and Grammynominated artist Jesse Powell has died. Powell’s sisters Trina and Tamara Powell announced his passing on social media Tuesday (September 13, 2022).
Powell rose to fame in the 1990s with his smooth and melodic vocals. Powell’s song, “You,’ introduced the singer’s distinct voice and demonstrated Powell’s
four-octave vocal range. An indication of Powell’s popularity and vocal prowess is indicated by “You” being streamed 13 million times on Spotify.
The Gary, IN native released four albums between 1996 and 2003. His second album, ‘Bout It, was certified Gold in 1999. Powell recently released a song July, 1, 2022. No cause of death has been reported. He was 51.
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder and editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual or Instagram @ TheBurtonWire.
This article originally appeared in The Burton Wire.
The event – hosted by Meta, in partnership with the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, Red Cross Southern California Region, The California Fire Safe Council, and the California Office of Emergency Services - is open to Inland Empire government entities, emergency responders, non-profits, and small businesses who want to improve their digital communication skills in the face of a crisis.
On Thursday, September 29, Meta is joining forces with San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, the American Red Cross Southern California Region, The California Fire Safe Council, and the California Office of Emergency Services to share best practices for digital communication before, during, and after a disaster or crisis. Presentations and panels at the Summit will be led by various experts in the fields of crisis management, disaster relief, and local outreach.
The Summit is open to media, government entities, emergency responders, non-profits, and small businesses who want to improve their digital communication skills in the face of a crisis. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the first presentation begins at 10 a.m.
“Social platforms like Facebook and Instagram help us connect with our community before, during and after disasters," said Dana Simmons, Regional Communications Manager
for the American Red Cross Southern California Region. "Most importantly, these platforms allow us to share how people can receive help and hope when it's needed most."
WHAT: Meta Disaster Preparedness Summit: Digital Resources to Keep Communities Informed Before, During, and After a Crisis
WHEN: Thursday, September 29, 2022
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: San Bernardino College, B*100, 701 S Mt Vernon Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92410
Communicating During a Crisis Presentation: Led by Ashley Aniton–U.S. Politics and Government Outreach, Meta Communicating During a Crisis
Panel Discussion: Facilitated by Adán Chávez – U.S. Politics and Government Outreach, Meta, with participation from: County of San Bernardino, County of Riverside, Red Cross of Southern California, and the California Office of Emergency Services.
WhatsApp for Emergencies: Led by Adán Chávez – U.S. Politics and Government Outreach, Meta.
Disaster Resilience Workshop: Conducted by Asha Chandra, Global Business Resilience Team, Meta.
Fundraising and Storytelling in Crisis Moments: Conducted by Asha Chandra, Global Business Resilience Team, Meta.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY AND MEDIA EVENT: Media is invited to attend the September 29th Summit where event participants.
Please RSVP to me: Vanassa@ elevatepublicaffairs.com.
Sheri Lewis (909)320-0799 or Elsie Paulino (951)205-8823 for more information and the meeting times and dates.
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Cecilia Quintero is a SH/SDC Special Education Preschool Teacher and an Outstanding Certificated Employee. Her positive passion drives her instruction. She celebrates her scholars' achievements every day, and her enthusiasm is evident as soon as you enter her learning environment. Cecilia establishes positive home-school connections and families to take an active role in their scholar's education.
Shandin Hills Middle School, Principal Victoria Flores:
Eighth-grader Bradley McGee is an Outstanding Student and the sunshine of Shandin Hills. He is always happy, respectful, caring and has a zest for life. Bradley is an exceptional individual, so it is no surprise he is being honored for his citizenship and congenial nature. For a long time, Bradley wanted to be a YouTuber, but now he is considering other options.
Ellie Negrete is a 7th-grader and an Outstanding Student. Ellie has a strong work ethic,
incredible grit, and a drive to improve. She is a student athlete, and after she completes her school work, she puts that same grit and determination into her athletic journey. Ellie has a twin with exceptional needs. This drives Ellie to want to be either a special education teacher or a therapist.
Tiffanie Guinane is an Outstanding Community Member. Tiffanie is without a doubt the most encouraging individual one will ever meet. She is friendly and brings out the best in everyone she comes into contact with. She encourages not only her own child but all the students at Shandin Hills. She does not allow anyone to walk past without giving them a greeting, a hug, a word of encouragement or sound advice, and always with a huge smile. Everyone needs a Tiffanie in their life.
Secretary Debbie Turley is an Outstanding Employee and the mama Trojan. She knows what everyone needs and is always one step ahead of the game. She is quick to get her hands dirty or just lend an ear when someone needs help. Without Debbie in the front office, things would just not run as smoothly. Debbie always puts the community first.
Anel Ortega is a Counselor and Outstanding Certificated Employee. She understands the needs of the students and works tirelessly to meet their needs and the needs of the families she works with. Anel is a problem solver and a team player. She is committed to her job as a counselor and works diligently to make a difference in the lives of others.
Local News
Washington, D.C., Sept. 23, 2022 – Today, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service launched the first phase of its $100 million Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative aimed at improving the nutritional quality of school meals by opening a request for applications for an organization to manage grants to small and/or rural school meal programs, establish an awards program to recognize school districts that are excelling in their meal quality, and support schools in bringing best practices into their lunchrooms.
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“Local schools are experts in crafting meals that are both healthy and appetizing to children. This new initiative will provide more resources to them to achieve that goal and celebrate those who are raising the bar.”
The grants will aid small and rural school districts in meeting
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The California Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc. (CALBCCF) is offering “gamechanging opportunities” for mini micro, micro, and small business proprietors of the state at the Economic Business and Roundtable Statewide Summit 2022.
Under the theme, “Pitch Your Business,” the summit is scheduled to be held in Sacramento on Friday, Sept. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront Promenade.
Jay King, the president and Chief Executive Officer of CALBCC, said the Economic Summit provides a different outlook and “a bold new journey into the ecosystem of business and how it’s effectively done.”
Startups or established businesses attending the summit will be able to present their services to potential clients on the spot or set up a bidding process in the near future. Interested individuals will be able to explore employment opportunities at the two-day event.
“This is not the same format that
it has been in the past,” King told California Black Media. “We’ve been working with California Transportation (Caans) and DGS (California Department of General Services), to identify contracts that smaller firms can bid for and win if not at the summit days afterward. We will have workshops but all of them are interactive.”
A workshop on how to pitch a bid will be held on the first day of the summit. The pitch presentation is scheduled to be done in front of a panel of corporate judges with the hope of winning investment capital.
The next day, the participants will pitch their business concept with a chance to land $50,000 in capital. Two second-place winners will receive $25,000 each, and 10 functional businesses each have a chance at $10,000 in cash prizes.
“We are only awarding businesses in the state that have done all the hard work. It’s difficult running a small business,” King said. “Because small businesses are micro (a business that makes less than $100,000 per year) or mini micro (less than $35,000 per year), especially in the Black sector, it’s extremely difficult. About 96% of the African American businesses fit that description.”
The Economic Summit will feature Black chambers of commerce from across the state, including operations from Los Angeles, Fresno, Bakersfield, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego.
Wells Fargo, Lyft, UC Davis Health, the city of Sacramento, the Department of General Services, and the Black Small Business Association are Economic Summit sponsors.
“The Economic Summit was created to bring ‘change makers’ together with minority-owned businesses with a mission to create meaningful economic opportunities to increase spending with small businesses and strengthen the conversation of small business diversity, equity, and inclusion,” King said.
The Summit is also set up to assist interested homebuyers. King said attendees will have a chance to see if they qualify for a home loan.
The summit will feature guest speakers Chris Horton, National Black Entrepreneur Project, Ann Tompkins, Director of Professional Services at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis); and Mike Condrin, Chief Operation Officer at UC Davis.
The California Black Chamber
of Commerce Foundation, Inc. was created as a public charity dedicated to education, training, community growth, and youth entrepreneurial development. Its mission starts with educating local and state-wide communities about the importance of financial literacy.
“We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” King said. “We are not excluding any business sector, racial groups, or White, Asian, Latinos business chambers. We know that they have the same challenges. We (CALBCC) are putting on display [an Economic Summit] that we would like to see from other chambers and entities across the state when we talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion. This means everybody to us.”
For more information about the Economic Business Summit, registration, and hotel accommodations, contact Angela Lowe of the California Black Chamber of Commerce at (916) 467-8878 or visit cbcc@calbcc. org.
The post Cal Black Chamber of Commerce’s Biz Summit 2022 Offers Opportunities to Bid on Contracts first appeared on Post News Group. This article originally appeared in Post News Group.
By: Lou YeboahIn the distance, there is a vague tumult, like that of the sea with its roaring, incoming tide. My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. I heard behind me a great thunderous voice:
“Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!” I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.
[Ezekiel 3:12-13]. The roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth holding nothing back” [Job 37:1-4]. Thunder, lightning, hailstones and coals of fire, sound of the roar. [Psalm 18:13].
“Then the Spirit lifted me up and I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come
and see." [Revelation 6:1]. God is sending invading armies to punish roaring nations. Because the world, in its blindness and arrogance thinks that it can defy God with impunity, daring to cast aside His laws and foolishly thinking that it has power even to push aside the Almighty.
Listen! Listen, the Lord will roar from on high; He will thunder from His holy dwelling and roar mightily against His land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring charges against the nations; He will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword.”
[Jeremiah 25:30-31].
And “The Lord will destroy Babylon; He will silence her noisy din. For the Lord is a God of retribution; He will repay in full” [Jeremiah 51:55-56]. Whether the Babylon of old or that of today, the principle remains the same, the punishment the same, for God’s ways are eternal. [Habakkuk 3:4-6]. Don’t take it lightly! The history of the world is full
of examples of the wrath of God being revealed. Consider Noah’s flood and the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at the history of the Canaanites. When their iniquity reached its fullness, God wiped them out [Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 9:5]. Look at the history of the children of Israel, who were also exiled because of their sin. The history of the world is a history of divine judgment [Daniel 2]. Yet man refuses to recognize God as the Lord of history. Do you hear what I hear?
I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” So, the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the
angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. [Revelation 16:121].
After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for His judgments are true and just; for He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality and has avenged on her the blood of His servants.”
Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, small and great.” [Revelation 19:1-21]. Do you hear what I hear?
“If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!” [Deuteronomy 32:29].
RIVERSIDE – Riverside County received an award of $29.5 million in state funding to create 147 units of permanent supportive housing for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness who are homeless, chronically homeless, or at-risk of homelessness, County officials announced Monday.
The supportive housing units will be embedded within four newly built affordable apartment communities in the cities of Wildomar, Coachella, and Riverside. These communities will be developed by Palm Communities, Abode Communities, and NPHS, Inc.,
with construction scheduled to begin in 2024. Residents of the supportive housing units will receive supportive services including mental health care, substance use disorder support, and physical health care, and referrals to additional resources.
Riverside County successfully secured the No Place Like Home funding due in part to RUHSBehavioral Health’s commitment to provide wrap-around services to the residents, coupled with the Housing Authority's commitment to provide housing vouchers for the units.
"This is one of the most significant investments in
affordable housing that Riverside County has ever seen," said Heidi Marshall, Director of Riverside County's Housing and Workforce Solutions Department. "This is important because it will provide much-needed, supportive housing, wrap-around services, and stability to the most vulnerable residents in our community."
"Changing lives requires significant, dedicated investment into each individual," said Dr. Matthew Chang, Director of Behavioral Health for Riverside University Health System. "Here, individuals will find the behavioral health resources and support they need, such as case management,
peer support services, mental health care, substance use disorder support, and physical health care, while getting help with skills to succeed in housing."
The permanent supportive housing will be created through a partnership between the county and three affordable housing developers that will develop, own and operate the apartment communities in which the permanent supportive housing units are located.
For more information about the No Place Like Home program, visit rcdmh.org/Administration/ NPLH
War is hell.
So said General William Tecumseh Sherman.
So, if the generals feel this way, why do we keep repeating behaviors that create a living hell here on Earth?
This has always been true about war. Circumstances are such now that it is not only war that is hell, but the aftermath of war that now lingers for generations. The conditions that define war today guarantee that when over, hell will last for the last of our lives and beyond.
Nuclear weapons, exploded not just in war but in preparation for war, have left behind toxic material the half-lives of which will endanger life on this planet for thousands of years.
Battlefields of yore are peppered with landmines that, two generations having now passed, still claim lives and limbs.
Entire cities and forests are now laid to waste in war, the result of carpet-bombing raids and defoliating chemical gases. Their rebuilding will take generations, and what we are left with is a mere approximation of what was lost.
The environmental devastation caused by today’s war tactics and preparations will ensure disasters rage in climate and weather for as long as humans have a future on this planet. The US military is the world’s single largest producer of carbon emissions. One fighter jet in boost mode consumes 23,000 gallons of fossil fuels per hour—or over 350 gallons a minute.
With over 750 military bases worldwide, just the supplying of logistical support to troops at those bases—things like food and fuel for generators and the disposal of sewage—burns an enormous
amount of fossil fuels.
The war in Ukraine alone has devastated cities and destroyed arable farmland, and it continues to threaten massive nuclear disaster: Putin’s army have named fifteen nuclear power plants as targets, and Putin has made his own threats to deploy nuclear weapons.
The Earth’s average temperature has risen one degree Celsius already, halfway to the figure of two degrees that we have been told signals the coming of an apocalypse none of us want to imagine and few of us will survive.
War may be hell, but long after it ends the hell it creates continues to manifest horror, devastation, and destruction. Whatever we once used as standards for proposing Just War Theory are, in my humble opinion, utterly useless and obsolete. There may be causes worth defending, but by whatever calculus we count the gain and loss, there can hardly be left any conclusion that sees the aftermath of war as a better option than the choices that were available before the war started.
It is high time we start teaching Just Peace Theory.
It is high time we create a Peace Cabinet whose sole responsibility is to use and teach methods like Reconciliation, Sanction, Reparation, Embargo, Restorative Justice, etc. as viable alternatives to war.
It is high time we take away from our young toys that romanticize war.
Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with us. The Earth is finding it harder and harder to survive the next war.
John Dorhauer is the General Minister and President for the United Church of Christ.
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Chancellor Reveals New and Expanded Financial Aid for Community College Students...continued from page 3 Colleges and Universities (HBCU) as California's community colleges have partnered with HBCUs.
Another solution comes from the grant money available to students.
“Many of the structures that existed prior to this year's budget were not meant for the students that we're trying to serve,” said Gonzales.
According to the survey, the Chancellor's office conducted another possible explanation for the decline in community college attendance for Black males is the lack of representation and community.
Gonzales and her team have been working with Umoja to remedy this and help Black students feel less isolated on campus.
The African American Male Education Network and Development was provided with roughly $1.1 million in state funding to “create a model” to transform education to help support Black men.
"We’re thankful for the Governor’s budget allocation to increase enrollment and graduation rates among African American male students," said Dr.
Amanuel Gebru, President of the African American Male Education Network and Development.
“We’re equally thankful to the Chancellor’s Office for their call-to-action to improve Black student success and for partnering with [the African American Male Education Network and Development] to manifest this vision. As college enrollment of Black men is declining at an alarming rate, our organization is eager to continue engaging with our partners to expand our impact on retention rates among Black male students."
Students who have been to community college but have yet to finish their education will now be eligible for financial aid. Before this year, that was not the case.
These grants and programs will use some state and federal emergency dollars.
Additionally, some districts have implemented their own programs to aid their students.
According to Gonzales, San Bernardino Community College District will be providing free books and supplies for all enrolled and San Diego City College is offering free books, supplies, child care and a work-study program.
Lou YeboahFunding to provide housing for homeless, including families, veterans, and seniors
Dr. Akilah Weber Statement on Governor Newsom Signing the CARE Act:...continued
continued have the variant.
Chances are you probably know someone who is or has been impacted by sickle cell disease (SCD). In fact, 1 in 13 African Americans have the sickle cell trait. While it’s considered a rare genetic disease, it’s actually the most common inherited blood disorder in the world. Every September, we recognize Sickle Cell Awareness Month in the U.S. As we mark the month this year, we’re taking this opportunity to raise awareness about this devastating disease, elevate voices in the community to share their experience living with the disease and highlight potential treatments that scientists at Vertex Pharmaceuticals have been working on. Read on (and check out the video below!) to learn more about the underlying cause of SCD and how scientists are currently investigating a potential gene-editing therapy to address this serious disease.
and stickier, making it difficult for them to travel throughout the body. This leads to many different problems, and people living with SCD often experience symptoms and complications including pain crises, strokes, anemia, jaundice, and symptoms of heart failure. The sickle cell trait can actually be a good thing – it evolved over time to protect people against severe malaria. Because of the way it has stayed with populations through the slave trade in the U.S. and economic migration to the Americas, people of certain nationalities have a higher likelihood of having the sickle cell trait than others, including:
People of African descent, including African Americans
Latinx Americans from Central and South America
People of Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, and Mediterranean descent
Today, the only cure for SCD is a stem cell transplant from a matched donor and it is only available to a small fraction of people living with SCD.
Assemblymember Weber introduced AB 2134, The California Abortion and Reproductive Equity (CARE) Act, establishing the Reproductive Health Equity Program (“program”), which will provide grants to providers who offer abortion and contraception health care, at a reduced cost or free to the patient. This program is specifically available to cover funding for health providers who offer care to individuals who do not have means to pay for care, including those who are traveling from other states. Forty million dollars was allocated was allocated in the final budget for these services, specifically to establish and administer an uncompensated care fund for abortion services for individuals below 400% of the federal poverty line
AB 2134 also require the Department of Industrial Relations, beginning January 1, 2023, to post on its website information regarding abortion and contraception benefits that may be available through the program to employees whose employersponsored health coverage does not include coverage for both abortion and contraception.
“The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade turned back the clock on women.
Reproductive care is health care and millions of women will be harmed by this decision. We know that abortions will not stop but safe abortions will be unavailable in numerous states, putting women’s lives at risk. California will be a safe haven for reproductive health care,” said Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber.
this bill, and to Dr. Weber for her tireless leadership and efforts to ensure all people in California have equitable and timely access to the care they need.”
Jodi Hicks, CEO /President Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
“Planned Parenthood health centers are committed to providing care to any patient who walks through the doors. To ensure cost is not a barrier to care for anyone accessing abortion or any other reproductive health care in California, Planned Parenthood is proud to co-sponsor the ‘CARE Act,’ or AB 2134, that will provide support to providers who offer these essential services without cost to patients. This is a major step in California continuing to live up to its role as a beacon of hope and a Reproductive Freedom state.”
Jessica Pinckney, Executive Director, ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
"Financial barriers to paying for an abortion impact all of ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE's callers. We are grateful that Assemblymember Weber has introduced the CARE Act, which will work to ensure that uninsured, underinsured, and low income individuals can access the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion, in California. Reproductive health care is a human right that we all deserve to be able to fully access. With the CARE Act, we come one step closer to that truly being possible."
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
New HIV variant causes illness twice as fast
The new strain, called the VB variant, damages the immune system, weakening people’s ability to fight everyday infections and diseases much faster than the previous HIV strains, scientists say.
It also means that people who contract the new variant may develop AIDS faster.
Researchers also found that VB has a viral load (the amount of virus detected in blood) 3.5 to 5.5 times higher than the current strain, indicating that it could also be more infectious.
The last strain that was found, called HIV-1 group M subtype L, is extremely rare and can be detected by Abbott Lab’s current screening system. The company’s tests screen more than 60 percent of the global blood supply, she adds, noting it must detect every strain and “has to be right every time.”
In the early days of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, some blood donors unaware that they had HIV added the virus to the blood supply. A large number of patients who needed regular blood transfusions—among them, many with hemophilia— ended up contracting HIV and
often dying. The supply has been essentially clear of HIV for years, and Rodgers says efforts such as Abbott’s will help keep it that way.
“It can be a real challenge for diagnostic tests,” Mary Rodgers, a co-author of the report and a principal scientist at Abbott, said. Her company tests more than 60% of the world’s blood supply, she said, and they have to look for new strains and track those in circulation so “we can accurately detect it, no matter where it happens to be in the world.”
More than 37 million people live with HIV worldwide—the most ever recorded. “People think it’s not a problem anymore, and we’ve got it under control. But, really, we don’t,” Sacha says.
Antiretroviral drugs inhibit the virus’s reproduction and spread, but they have significant side effects, he says. Even when drugs keep HIV under control, patients are at higher risk for blood cancer, cardiovascular complications, and other problems.
The danger from the virus persists. A radically new viral strain could evade detection in the blood supply, avoid being controlled by drugs and render future vaccines ineffective, Sacha says. “Viruses break through all the time, and we’re not ready to deal with them,” he adds, “just like
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This video talks about sickle cell disease (SCD), which is caused by inherited changes in the beta-globin (HBB) gene. The mutation leads to issues with the production of hemoglobin, the protein crucial for allowing red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Living with SCD currently requires a lifetime of treatment and can result in painful symptoms and reduced life expectancy. Vertex scientists are investigating the use of CRISPR/ Cas9 gene-editing technology to hopefully turn on the body’s natural machinery to increase the production of hemoglobin that can carry oxygen properly.
What is sickle cell disease (SCD) and who is most at risk?
People inherit SCD because of a “misspelling” in their DNA. This causes red blood cells to be a different shape and become stiffer
The cause of SCD has been known for decades — in fact, SCD is considered the first molecular disease — but many patients are still waiting for a treatment that addresses the underlying cause of their disease. Vertex’s investigational approach uses CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to turn on the body’s natural machinery to increase the production of hemoglobin that can carry oxygen properly. They’re bringing together best-in-class research teams, technologies, and manufacturing capabilities in the hopes of bringing potentially transformative therapies to patients, like people with SCD, as quickly as possible.
To learn more about Vertex’s work in sickle cell disease and other serious diseases, visit www. vrtx.com/en-us
SACRAMENTO – Today, (9/27/22) Governor Newsom signed the California Women’s Caucus priority package of bills aimed at expanding and protecting reproductive healthcare in California. Included in the package is Assembly Bill (AB) 2134 by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. which will provide funding to reimburse providers serving the uninsured and underinsured.
“I applaud Governor Newsom for signing the CARE Act and allocating funding to remove
cost as a barrier to abortion and contraceptive care in the State of California and affirm our commitment to reproductive rights,” said Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber. “As a practicing OBGYN, I’m too familiar with the difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy and the disproportionate affect the overturning of Roe v. Wade will have on low income and women of color. I’m proud of my legislative colleagues and sponsors for supporting this bill.”
NARAL Pro-Choice California Director Shannon Olivieri Hovis:
“The CARE (California Abortion and Reproductive Equity) Act deepens California’s commitment to being a Reproductive Freedom State and affirms our state's national leadership in safeguarding and advancing reproductive freedom. This bill is essential for ensuring that all people in California— including those who may travel from out of state—can access abortion care regardless of their income, insurance coverage, zip code, or how much money is in their bank account. Thank you to Governor Newsom for signing
“The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) is delighted to be a sponsor of the CARE Act. We are thankful that our state legislators have stepped up to protect the broad range of reproductive health services for anyone who steps foot in California. With the introduction of this bill, California is cementing its position as a haven for abortion access and does so unequivocally and proudly. Abortion is health care and it is a right. As an organization that works on Medicaid and insurance coverage for those with limited means, NHeLP knows too well that a right is only fulfilled when it is affordable and accessible.
The fundamental right to make decisions about our bodies, lives, and futures is essential to the pursuit of health equity and racial, reproductive, and economic justice. The CARE Act fulfills this promise.”
disease.
As if HIV and AIDS wasn’t scary enough… The disease has stricken the Black community for decades and was starting to see some action against the disease, but for the first time in 19 years, a team of scientists has detected a new strain of HIV.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that mutations in a virus can significantly change a pathogen’s infectiousness and severity of
Now, new research from the University of Oxford finds a new variant of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, that is potentially more infectious and could more seriously affect the immune system.
So far, 109 people, most of whom live in the Netherlands,
In total, the nonprofit organization selected to manage the initiative will receive approximately $47 million to execute these efforts in support of nutritious school meals.
To further the impact of these efforts, FNS will host two Healthy Meals Summits to recognize award recipients. During the summits, attendees will share best practices and strategies for sustaining their achievements that can be leveraged by other schools across the country.
Earlier this year, FNS issued temporary school nutrition standards to serve as a bridge between the flexible options needed during the first two years of COVID-19 and stronger, long-term standards that are aggressive and achievable. This progress toward even more nutritious school meals is both important and timely, as diet-related diseases are on the rise and recent estimates project that most children in America today will have obesity by the time they are 35 years old. The Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative will help school meal programs meet the transitional standards and put schools on a path toward long-term success.
“Schools meals are vital to the health and well-being of our nation’s children, providing critical nutrition to tens of millions of children every school day,” said Administrator Long. “The Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative is part of USDA’s deep commitment to ensuring schools have all the support and tools they need to continue to rise to that task.”
The request for applications is open to all nongovernmental
organizations through Nov. 28, 2022. For more information about the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative, please explore these resources:
USDA Launches $100 Million Healthy School Meals Initiative, Announces Grant Program for Rural Schools... continued from page 4 whole grains; Reducing added sugars in school breakfasts; Implementing innovative practices in scratch cooking and nutrition education; and/or Providing meals that reflect the cultures of their students.
Healthy Meals Incentives webpage
Later this year, FNS will announce the second and final phase of the initiative that will expand nutritious food options for school meals through financial investment and collaboration with food industry partners. All of the Healthy Meals Incentive Initiative efforts will also support American agricultural producers by strengthening small and rural school districts’ access to nutritious commodities such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as well as local and cultural foods.
School meals are a cornerstone of the federal efforts to end hunger, increase healthy eating, and curb diet-related disease. The Biden Administration is bringing together key stakeholders to supercharge progress on these goals at next week’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. More information on this historic conference is available on health. gov.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food, while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.
Mia Robinson, shown above, is one of many Americans living with sickle cell disease (SCD). Content sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Vertex Forward: Our Focus on Sickle Cell Disease...watch on Youtube.com
By Grace Boateng | Houston Forward Times
what happened with the original HIV.”
For scientists to be able to declare that this was a new subtype, three cases of it must be detected independently. The first two were found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1983 and 1990.
The two strains were “very unusual and didn’t match other strains,” Rodgers said. The third sample found in Congo was collected in 2001 as a part of an HIV viral diversity study (Notice, that all these strains were found in Africa).
The sample was small, and while it seemed similar to the two older samples, scientists wanted to test the whole genome to be sure. At the time, there wasn’t technology to determine if this was the new subtype.
New Strain Of HIV Discovered. Should We Be concerned?
Many viruses and bacteria that cause disease have different strains or genetic varieties. Right now, we are in flu season. We get flu vaccinations each year because the main strain responsible for the flu changes every year and we must develop a new vaccine. The Human papillomavirus which causes genital warts, cervical and anal cancers, and head and neck cancers has over 100 strains referred to as genotypes. Most of these strains are harmless to people, but other specific genotypes are able to cause the diseases I listed.
The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has six major strains, also referred to as genotypes. One of the most striking differences between these genotypes is their response to treatment.
For example, when we used a drug called interferon to treat hepatitis C, patients with genotype
4 could expect to get cured by treatment whereas patients with genotype 1a or 1b were far less likely to experience such a benefit.
Fortunately, we now have easy to take medicines that can cure all genotypes of HCV in most cases with just a couple months of treatment (more on this topic in the future).
So what about HIV? There is a lot of variation in HIV strains. First of all, you should understand that there are two major types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. For the most part, whenever you hear HIV, it is referring to HIV-1. It is by far the major virus that infects people all over the world. HIV-2 is only found in parts of West Africa.
HIV-2 is a deadly virus just as HIV-1 but it causes disease slower than HIV-1. It is also spread sexually, through birth and coming into contact with infected blood. It is possible for a person to be infected by both HIV-1 and HIV-2 but fortunately that isn’t very common. The biggest concern with HIV-2 is that there are some classes of HIV medicines that do not work against the virus. None of the drugs in the Non-nucleoside class (efavirenz, rilpivirine, etravirine, doravirne) can suppress HIV-2. Also, some protease inhibitors don’t work (e.g. atazanavir) while others do (e.g. darunavir).
For HIV-1, the largest category of viruses are in group M and the different strains are referred to as subtypes. Subtypes are based on their genetic similarity and diversity. They are found in different geographical areas. What is amazing to observe is that most developed countries have the same HIV subtype. Throughout North America and Europe but also Latin America and the Caribbean, the predominant strain is HIV-1
subtype B.
This is quite significant because the most research has been done in subtype B virus. Diagnostic tests were developed to detect subtype B and all the drugs we used were developed for their effectiveness against subtype B virus. However, other subtypes predominate in developing countries. The most widespread strain of HIV is subtype C. It is found throughout Southern Africa, parts of East Africa, India and other parts of Asia. Approximately half of all HIV infections in the world are from subtype C virus. As I just mentioned, diagnostic tests early on were developed to detect subtype B virus and oftentimes were not able to recognize infections from other subtypes because of minor differences in their genetic makeup.
This created a problem where HIV infections were sometimes missed here in the US if the person had been infected with a different subtype and may have come from another country. I would say that in the last couple of decades, the tests have been improved such that this is no longer a problem. There are differences between different subtypes in how easily they are transmitted sexually and through birth and also how aggressively they cause disease. For example, in the country of Uganda, most people have either subtype A or subtype D virus. But these two are NOT the same! Subtype A viruses have a significantly higher rate of heterosexual transmission than subtype D viruses.
However, in the absence of treatment, subtype D virus causes more damage to the immune system and progresses nearly twice as fast to AIDS as subtype A. The good news is that unlike the case for HIV-2, for HIV-1, all HIV
medicines work in all subtypes for the most part.
Now back to the story at hand. The new subtype identified has been designated subtype L. It has been isolated from the Congo in central Africa. From what we can tell so far, all medicines should be effective against this strain. We don’t think this strain is very widespread but we just don’t know yet because its discovery is so recent. There were specimens that had this virus that were from almost 20 years ago, but a new method of molecular genetic testing (called next-generation gene sequencing) allowed scientists to recognize the unique features of this virus and classify it as a new subtype.
HIV originated in Africa and spread to other parts of the world. Some scientists believe that HIV came into the human species from chimpanzees, yet HIV is very seldom found in wild chimpanzees. HIV-2 is found in a type of monkey called the Sooty mangabey, but it doesn’t cause disease in these monkeys. HIV doesn’t cause disease in most apes and monkeys because their bodies produce compounds which block infection by HIV.
These compounds are specialized proteins called restriction factors, and they can work in a variety of ways along with the immune system to fight HIV naturally. Humans also produce a variety of restriction factors which can seriously slow down the virus in our bodies and helps explain why HIV takes several years to progress to AIDS and cause death. Perhaps, by studying subtype L virus and people who are infected with that strain, we may discover new ways that our bodies can fight the
virus through restriction factors or the immune system and possibly develop new treatments.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about subtype L HIV in the near future.
Dr. Crawford has over 25 years of experience in the treatment of HIV. While at Howard University School of Medicine, he worked in two HIV-specialty clinics at Howard University Hospital. He then did clinical research as a visiting scientist with the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He served as the Assistant Chief of Public
Health Research with the Military HIV Research Program where he managed research studies under the President’s Emergency Plan for AID Relief (PEPFAR) in four African countries.
He is currently working in the Division of AIDS in the National Institutes of Health. He has published research in the leading infectious diseases journals and serves on the Editorial Board of the journal AIDS. Any views and perspectives in his articles on blackdoctor.org are not representative of any agency or organization but a reflection of his personal views.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the U.S. Department of the Treasury approved California’s application for funding under the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) for up to $1.1 billion, the largest funding amount that has been approved in the SSBCI program.
The American Rescue Plan Act reauthorized and expanded SSBCI, which was originally established in 2010 and was highly successful in increasing access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The new SSBCI builds on this successful model by providing nearly $10 billion to states, the District of Columbia, territories, and Tribal governments to increase access to capital and promote entrepreneurship, especially in traditionally underserved communities as they emerge from the pandemic.
“This historic investment demonstrates why the American Rescue Plan is one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in the 21st Century,” Senator Alex Padilla said. “The $1.1 billion invested in California’s small businesses will help unlock the potential of entrepreneurs in underserved communities across the state who may have never had the support needed to build their businesses and achieve the American Dream. When small businesses succeed, they create good-paying jobs that revitalize our neighborhoods and strengthen our economy.”
“This is an historic investment in entrepreneurship, small business growth, and innovation through the American Rescue Plan that will help reduce barriers to capital access for traditionally underserved communities,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “I’m excited to see how SSBCI funds will promote equitable economic growth in California and across the country.”
“By investing in small businesses, we boost our economy, create jobs, and strengthen the building blocks of communities,” said Representative Katie Porter. “As a champion for oversight, I am proud to work in partnership with the Biden Administration to legislate support for our nation’s small businesses and then to verify that entrepreneurs are getting the help they need.”
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and I am proud the American Rescue Plan is delivering historic investments to help entrepreneurs thrive, particularly in underserved areas,” said Representative Mike Levin. “My office has heard from local business owners who need more resources and extra help to get off
the ground, which is why these SSBCI funds are so important. I look forward to seeing this investment pay off for local small businesses soon.”
SSBCI funding is expected to catalyze up to $10 of private investment for every $1 of SSBCI capital funding, amplifying the effects of this funding and providing small business owners with the resources they need to sustainably grow and thrive. State governments submitted plans to Treasury for how they will use their SSBCI allocation to provide funding to small businesses, including through venture capital programs, loan participation programs, loan guarantee programs, collateral support programs, and capital access programs.
With its SSBCI funds, California will operate six programs expected to create jobs, drive key investments in underserved entrepreneurs, and increase small business lending over the long term.
California has allocated over $118 million to a capital access program that will help cover potential losses on small business loans to enhance small business lending.
California has allocated over $390 million to a small business loan guarantee program that is expected to expand access to capital for underserved communities, including by building on existing relationships with lenders that have strong established presences in those communities.
California has allocated over $472 million to a program that will help to provide collateral for small business loans, which is expected to generate over $5 billion in private financing over the next decade.
California has allocated $200 million to implement several venture capital strategies intended to provide key investments to small businesses, including through first-time and under-represented fund managers and those with track records of investing in underserved businesses. These venture capital programs are projected to create or retain over 28,000 jobs and generate several billion dollars of private financing over the next decade.
The California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank), an agency of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, will administer the state’s SSBCI loan guarantee program and venture capital programs, and the California Pollution Control Financing Authority, an authority of the State Treasurer’s Office, will administer the capital access program and the collateral support program.
State/Political News Be it fringe, sparkles, folds, or curves, the celebrities were serving movement in this week’s fashion finds. VENICE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 01: Tessa Thompson attends the Netflix film “Bardo” red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 01, 2022 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by John Phillips/ Getty Images for Netflix) Jodie Turner-Smith Jurnee Smollett Robin Thede The post Finding Fashion in September… appeared first on Houston Forward Times.