Vol. 63 No. 48| Thursday, November 30, 2023

www.facebook.com/ SDVoiceandViewpoint

Vol. 63 No. 48 | Thursday, November 30, 2023

www.sdvoice.info

Serving San Diego County’s African & African American Communities 63 Years

ST P THE HATE VOICE & VIEWPOINT SPECIAL ISSUE See Pages 8-13

RACIST CONCERNS AGAINST ESCONDIDO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER Escondido City Council Member Faces Backlash for Questioning Youth Council’s Citizenship Status

By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER

“The first thing he said was, ‘Are you all US citizens?’ He then proceeded to say that since we are, we should have recited the pledge of allegiance,” according to EYC Founder Angela Calderon Pio.

Escondido City Council Member Michael Morasco faces scrutiny for probing the citizenship status of Escondido Youth Council (EYC) members who chose not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Morasco, a Republican who has served as a city leader for 13 years, has not replied to comment at this time.

The incident occurred at the end of a November 15th city council meeting in which Morasco reportedly approached the group of four EYC members and initiated a conversation about their reasons for not standing up for the flag.

As a result, the encounter has since sparked concerns surrounding First Amendment Rights, government ethics, and the role of youth in local governance.

See COUNCIL page 2

Escondido Youth Council Group in session. PHOTO: EYC

3 PALESTINIAN STUDENTS WERE SHOT IN VERMONT, CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS CALL FOR CLOSE LOOK AT MOTIVE

By Celina Tebor, Eva McKend, Khalil Abdallah and Zoe Sottile CNN Three Palestinian college students were shot in Burlington, Vermont, on Saturday evening, November 25, prompting calls from civil rights organizations and the victims’ families for authorities to look into possible bias by the attacker.

All three victims are students at colleges and universities across the East Coast. PHOTO: CNN

CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA

POLITICAL PLAYBACK News You Might Have Missed

By Tanu Henry, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr. CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA

Law Enforcement Leaders Share Plan to Fight Smash-and-Grab Retail Theft During Holiday Season A video recently went viral online showing a brazen flash mob of about 17 young people robbing a Nike store in Watts, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. The culprits got away with an estimated $12,000 worth of goods.

a handgun,” says the release.

The students were walking on Prospect Street while visiting a relative in Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday when “they were confronted by a white man with

Police said that two of the victims are US citizens and one is a legal resident.

“Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled on foot,” police said.

See STUDENTS page 2

LEGISLATURE REVISITS BILL

THAT WOULD INCREASE CA VOTER REGISTRATION OPTIONS

See PLAYBACK page 2

By Antonio Ray Harvey CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA

This incident along with many others like it capturing the growing incidents of violent store heists in the Golden State prompted State and Local Law Enforcement to highlight new and intensified efforts to combat theft during the holiday shopping season.

On Nov. 20, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is increasing statewide efforts to combat organized retail crime.

“When criminals run out of stores with stolen goods, they need to be arrested and escorted directly into jail cells,” Newsom said in a statement. “Leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement investments, the California Highway Patrol — working with allied agencies — is increasing enforcement efforts and conducting and supporting covert and confidential takedowns to stop these criminals in their tracks during the holiday season, and year-round.”

The 20-year-old men are all receiving medical care, according to a Sunday news release from the Burlington Police Department. “Two are stable, while one has sustained much more serious injuries.”

A bill that would have given more “entities” the authority to register eligible voters in California, Senate Bill (SB) 299, stalled in the Senate Health Committee last June. The bill’s language also promises to further automate and streamline the voter registration process while adding safeguards to prevent voter fraud or unlawful voting.

A panel for engaging communities and improving voter participation testify in front of the Assembly Committee on Elections and chairperson Asm. Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) at the State Capitol on Nov. 16, 2023.

PHOTO: Antonio Ray Harvey/CBM

See BILL page 2 PHOTO: CBM

www.sdvoice.info

2

Thursday, november 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

ARTICLE CONTINUATION COUNCIL

that individuals cannot be forced to express patriotic sentiments against their will, as it goes against the principles of free speech and individual conscience.

Continued from cover

“Whether or not someone chooses to recite the pledge of allegiance is a private matter, not one that is mandated,” said Calderon Pio, who also highlighted that the council member's approach was hostile and unrelated to the subsequent comments made.

Pio explained that she, along with other EYC member Derek Lam refrained from reciting the pledge but still stood up to avoid attracting attention or creating a disturbance.

Furthermore, in reference to the 1943 landmark case of West Virginia Board of Education Vs. Barnette, the court ruled that compelling students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and salute the flag violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. As a result, the decision solidified

STUDENTS Continued from cover

Two of the three students were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves, according to the police department. Two were shot in the torso and one in the “lower extremities.” Authorities said that “there is no additional information to suggest the suspect’s motive.” Detectives recovered ballistic evidence from the shooting, which will be submitted to a federal database, according to Burlington police.

The FBI said Sunday it was “prepared to investigate” the incident.

Police Chief Jon Murad said in an earlier news release that officers responded to a call and found two shooting victims, with the third a short distance away, all close to the University of Vermont campus. The victims were transported to the University of Vermont Medical Center, the news release said.

The Escondido City Youth Commission, Headshot of City Council member founded in 2022, Michael Morasco. PHOTO: Linkedin.com is a fully studentled council with a purpose to foster an environment where youth can participate in local government. However, instances such as this one, members say, is a prime example of what drives youth citizens away. According to Pio this was the first meeting the group had attended together, and now some members are questioning whether or not they want to go back. hended]. The police department is “at the earliest stages of investigating this crime,” Murad said.

‘A targeted shooting and a targeted crime’ While an investigation into the perpetrator and motive behind the attack unfolds, civil rights groups as well as the victims’ families are calling attention to the role bias may have played in the shooting. In an interview with CNN, an attorney for the families of the victims described the incident as “a targeted shooting and a targeted crime.”

“The suspect walked up to them and shot them,” attorney Abed Ayoub said. “They weren’t robbed, they weren’t mugged.”

Ayoub said he believes the students were targeted in part because two of them were wearing keffiyehs. In a joint statement, the victims’ families urged law enforcement to investigate the attack as a hate crime.

[The shooter has been identified and appre-

“We will not be comfortable until the shooter is

PLAYBACK

In Senate Run, Rep. Barbara Lee Takes Lead in Democratic Convention Delegate Poll

Continued from cover

As part of the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan, the CHP is increasing its law enforcement presence in key retail districts across California and its Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) is increasing enforcement efforts through proactive and confidential law enforcement operations with allied agencies and retail store security outfits through the holidays — keeping more shoppers, merchants, and retail districts safe.

The Governor’s office hosted a news briefing featuring California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Sean Duryee, Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department Assistant Sheriff Holly Francisco and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.

“The men and women of the California Highway Patrol are working around the clock to keep shoppers, merchants, and retail districts safe this holiday season-- and year-round,” said Duryee. “Much of our task force’s success can be attributed to the strong working relationships we have with our law enforcement partners throughout the state and the rapport we have cultivated with the retail industry.”

“My office takes these cases seriously and will continue to do our part to hold those who engage in this behavior accountable,” said Jenkins. “These crimes are deeply impactful and will not be tolerated. Law enforcement agencies are working together to identify, arrest, and prosecute the thieves and those who traffic in stolen merchandise.”

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John McKinney has been a vocal critic of current DA George Gascón because the Sheriff ’s Department will no longer detain suspects over crimes like theft and shoplifting since new zero-bail policy went into effect on Oct. 1.

“These robberies aren’t borne out of desperation. They’re the result of having a district attorney who won’t enforce the law,” McKinney told California Black Media. “As long as criminals know there won’t be any accountability for their actions, then retail businesses of all sizes will continue to operate in constant fear and eventually depart for safer cities. Beefing up law enforcement may provide some deterrence, but, ultimately, we need a district attorney that understands accountability is a necessary part of a safe and functioning society.”

Rep. Barbara Lee. PHOTO: United States Congress/Wikimedia Commons

In almost every poll conducted so far on the 2024 California senatorial election, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) has trailed her two closest opponents in the race, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47).

However, a poll conducted at the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento — which began Dec. 17 and was shut down a day later due to pro-Palestinian protests — Lee’s fate changed.

On Nov. 20, Lee’s campaign issued an announcement.

“We want to make sure you heard some exciting news. At the California Democratic Party Convention this past weekend, delegates came together to vote on an endorsement in the U.S. Senate race,” the message read. “While no candidate received the endorsement (as there is now a 60% threshold), Congresswoman Barbara Lee came out on top!”

In the Democratic delegate poll, Lee led with 41.47% (963 votes), followed by Schiff with 40.18% (933 votes) and Porter with 16.06% (373 votes).

“To me it came off as though he was trying to intimidate us,” said EYC member Robin Escobar. “Although it was my first time attending, after being approached in that manner by City Councilmember Morasco, it has refrained me from wanting to go back.”

“This kind of behavior is exactly what prevents youth from being involved in their city,” said Michelle Cortes, EYC Co-founder and Vice chair.”

In addition, a recent poll produced by Data for Progress reveals that a majority (70 percent) of Americans 18-29-year-olds already feel that their generation is unrepresented within politics. A 2013 United Nations report found that only 2% of young people are involved in government, despite half of the global population being under thirty-years old–alluding to lack of support, outreach, and overall opportunity.

the ethics policy manual that mandates city Escondido leaders to “conduct themselves in a manner above reproach.” If found in violation of the ethics code and voted on by three members of the City Council, the policy outlines a resolution of censure to serve as a formal reprimand in an open and public meeting.

“I am disappointed that an elected official would conduct himself in this way. His remarks were obviously racist, and this kind of negativity and intimidation could discourage youth from participating in city government in the future,” said Anzy McWha, a community member in attendance at the meeting.

At the next Escondido City Council meeting on Dec. 6th, members and supporters of EYC are expected to speak out against Morasco’s remarks and are calling on members of the community to come in person to support.

Meanwhile, the youth council is also citing brought to justice,” they said. “No family should ever have to endure this pain and agony. Our children are dedicated students who deserve to be able to focus on their studies and building their futures.”

The statement, released by the Institute for Middle East Understanding, identified the students as Hisham Awartani, a student at Brown University in Rhode Island; Kinnan Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College in Pennsylvania; and Tahseen Ahmad, a student at Trinity College in Connecticut.

Marwan Awartani, a former Palestinian minister of education and the great uncle of Hisham Awartani, told CNN the students were visiting Hisham’s grandmother in Burlington.

Haverford College in Pennsylvania confirmed in a statement that Abdalhamid, a junior, is recovering from gunshot wounds at a hospital.

The three students had graduated from Ramallah Friends School, a Quaker-run private nonprofit school in Ramallah, in the occupied “While other candidates used their massive fundraising war chests to influence the voting, we organized on the ground, delegate by delegate, to come out on top. And this is exactly how we are going to win this primary race in March,” said Lee.

Infrastructure Leaders Sign Equity Pledge in Los Angeles On Nov. 20, a group of 14 public and private sector executives in Los Angeles pledged their commitment to ensure that Black and other minority business owners receive a fairer shot at obtaining public contracting opportunities on infrastructure projects.

Called the Equity in Infrastructure Project (EIP) Pledge, the agreement is part of the EIP’s launch of its California Plan Initiative which was unveiled during a forum hosted by Engineering News-Record, a publication widely recognized as “the bible of the construction industry.”

The Forum convened hundreds of infrastructure leaders from across California and around the nation. It also marked the second anniversary of President Biden’s signing of the historic federal infrastructure law. The leaders announced that California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin will serve as Chair of the EIP's California Plan initiative.

In his remarks before the signing, Omishakin pointed out the need to move from symbolic acts of inclusion to more material efforts for achieving equity.

“We can't just put a policy in place as if it’s good to go. We have to take additional steps like the ones we're taking today to say we're committed to making sure this $1.2 trillion that's coming in

West Bank, according to the school.

US Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont described the shootings as “shocking and deeply upsetting” in a post on X. “Hate has no place here, or anywhere. I look forward to a full investigation,” he wrote.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee said in a news release that they “have reason to believe this shooting occurred because the victims are Arab.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced it was offering a $10,000 reward for “information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator or perpetrators” of the shooting.

The shooting comes amid heightened tensions and hate crimes in the US in the weeks since October 7, when Hamas launched a deadly attack in Israel and Israel responded with devastating airstrikes across Gaza. In October, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy was stabbed to death by his family’s landlord in a case authorities are calling a hate crime.

from President Biden gets to firms that often are overlooked as a part of the process,” Omishakin told California Black Media (CBM).

EIP’s Pledge has now been signed by 55 heads of transit authorities, airports, ports, water districts, and engineering firms from across the country, and the White House has directly called upon Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grantees to sign the Pledge. Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell introduced the unanimously approved motion that committed the County to the Pledge.

BILL Continued from cover

Two weeks ago, the Assembly Committee on Elections held an informational hearing on the bill, also known as the California New Motor Voter program. Supporters of the bill, including current and former California election officials, community members, students, and others testified before the committee. They detailed how the legislation could transform voting in California.

“We definitely want to meet voters where they are. We’re looking at ongoing, sustainable funding, trusted messengers are key, and building those partnerships with community-based organizations and county registrar of voters are imperative,” said Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), chair of the committee. “Improvements are needed to ensure that we have this accurate voter file. There is much still to be done to bridge the gap.”

The purpose of the hearing was to discuss strategies for bridging voter turnout gaps, ensuring accurate registration, and reviewing the impact of recent electoral reforms. If lawmakers vote to pass SB 299 during the next legislative session, the law would “expand the definition of ‘voter registration agency’ to include all entities designated by the Secretary of State (SOS).

Currently, eligible California residents are automatically registered or pre-registered to vote when they obtain or renew a license or state identification card at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or conduct other transactions.

The DMV then sends their information to the SOS office for processing “unless the person opts out or is ineligible to vote,” as stated in the bill. SB 299 also provides an option for eligible Californians to decline to register to vote.

Leaders sign Equity in Infrastructure Project Pledge launching a plan for California. CA Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin and Supervisor Holly Mitchell join key executives in Los Angeles for Equity in Infrastructure Pledge. PHOTO: Lila Brown/CBM

See BILL page 16

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, november 30, 2023

3

EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY/OPINION

IT TAKES MORE TO “STOP THE HATE” THAN SAYING THE WORDS love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” Another way of stating this is that we should treat others as we would have them treat us. How many people do we know who actually hate themselves? We know that some do and that those have been diagnosed with mental problems.

While many people argue against religion even being mentioned outside of calls for a National Day of Prayer when disaster strikes, because of false assumptions about the Separation of Church and State, the reality is that prayer and prayer gatherings where people pray one for another, offset violent responses to acts of hate and harm from others engaged in such conduct. The Civil Rights demonstrations in which we saw peaceful gatherings met with dogs and high pressure water hoses as well as violence, revealed that the failure to meet hatred and violence with hatred and violence, won out in the end. Those being beaten were not loving the people beating them, but they were not giving the desired response to justify the continuation of the inhumane treatment they were receiving.

By Dr. John E. Warren PUBLISHER, THE SAN DIEGO VOICE & VIEWPOINT

"S

top The Hate, Spread The Love” are powerful words that convey the idea that we all should be able to get along. But the reality is that it takes more than just words to bring about the desired change in so much of our national attitudes and consciousness. We know that hate is rooted in the idea that the person or persons or groups hating are “better” than the objects of their hate and that those who are the objects of such hate, must first be dehumanized to justify the less than human feelings and attitudes against them.

Perhaps the answer has always been just in the mirror as we look at ourselves. One of the two golden rules that Jesus taught carries the answer. Simply that “We should

We spread the love by doing what Jesus did when he said “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”. Sometimes, “forgiving” is harder than fighting.

The solution is encouraging the development of personal reflections on the harm and inhumanity that is inflicted on others when we respond in hatred to that which either we do not understand, dislike or have a fear of because of the difference we see in someone else.

Yes, it takes more to “Stop The Hate and Spread The Love” than just saying it. It takes self examination as to how we want others to treat us and realizing we must give that same treatment and respect because the objects of our thoughts are just as human as we are.

BLOCKCHAIN HAS THE POWER TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSFORM INDUSTRIES

By Samuel Houston SPECIAL TO CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA PARTNERS

The rise of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology has sparked a revolution that holds the promise of greater financial accountability. While many may view cryptocurrencies as nothing more than speculative assets, to better understand the transformative power they have, it is crucial to delve deeper into the underlying blockchain technology that supports them.

Blockchain, the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, is essentially a decentralized ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers. This ledger is immutable and transparent, making it virtually tamper-proof. Transactions are grouped into “blocks,” and each block is linked to the previous one, forming a chain of blocks, hence the name “blockchain.”

It’s common to hear people talk about investing in cryptocurrencies without fully comprehending the intricacies of blockchain technology. One of the most compelling aspects of blockchain technology is its wide range of use cases. Beyond serving as the backbone of cryptocurrencies, blockchain has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including agriculture, entertainment, real estate, and retail.

Consumers are already reaping the rewards of blockchain technology within the retail sector. Starbucks has leveraged blockchain technology to enhance customer satisfaction through a loyalty program that enables customers to accumulate reward points from every purchase made at their stores. These accumulated points can later be redeemed for valuable rewards. Simi-

larly, Walmart has adopted blockchain technology to offer loyalty programs, granting reward points to all customers who make purchases at their stores.

One of the key features of cryptocurrency that often comes under scrutiny is its financial accountability. Critics argue that the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies makes it challenging to hold individuals accountable for illicit activities. While it's true that there is no centralized middleman, it”s essential to recognize that blockchain technology itself provides a level of accountability that traditional financial systems cannot match.

Every transaction on the blockchain is recorded and publicly accessible, making it possible to trace the flow of funds. This transparency can deter fraudulent activities and provide a level of financial accountability that is often lacking in traditional banking systems.

Critics may contend that the absence of intermediaries means users must take responsibility for their financial transactions, which can be challenging for some. However, this very aspect empowers individuals to have greater control over their finances. With cryptocurrencies, you are your bank, and you can manage your assets directly, without reliance on third parties.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have ushered in a new era of financial accountability and empowerment. While it”s essential for users to educate themselves and exercise responsibility, the benefits of transparency, efficiency, and reduced reliance on intermediaries cannot be understated. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain are not merely speculative assets but represent a significant step towards a more accountable and decentralized financial future, ultimately putting power back in the hands of the people.

Samuel Houston is a Fresno resident who views cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies as a way for the Black community to take control of their finances.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD IMPACT BLACK VOTING DURING 2024 ELECTIONS Black Leaders Call for Safeguards Against It

By Barrington M. Salmon LIBERATION JOURNALIST For much of the last century, segregationists and their anti-Black racist allies who were intent on ensuring that African-Americans couldn’t exercise the right to vote, erected an assortment of barriers to that end.

Segregationists used the courts, local and state laws, literacy tests, poll taxes, fraud, brute force, violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan to impede and prevent Black people from exercising their constitutional right. In the 21st century, voter suppression has gone high-tech with the same characters still plotting to control who votes, when and how. They are employing an assortment of methods including Artificial Intelligence (AI). Concerns about misuse of AI in the electoral ecosystem is what brought Melanie Campbell and Damon T. Hewitt to testify before the U. S. Congress.

Campbell, President & CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and Convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR), spoke of the urgency around creating safeguards and federal legislation to protect against the technology’s misuse as it relates to elections, democracy, and voter education, while fighting back against the increasing threats surrounding targeted misinformation and disinformation.

“AI has the potential to be a significant threat because of how rapidly it’s moving,” Campbell said. “There was Russian targeting of Black men with misinformation in 2020 to encourage them not to vote. It started in 2016.”

Both civil rights leaders warned that misinformation driven by artificial intelligence may worsen considerably for AfricanAmerican voters leading up to the 2024 presidential election.

Hewitt said AI technologies could be used to refine and test data to generate targeted lists of voters based on the patterns, interests, and behaviors of specific individuals. Campbell and Hewitt said that during recent election cycles, African Americans have been specifically targeted by disinformation campaigns.

The pair referred to a lawsuit, NCBCP vs. Wohl, filed by the Lawyers’ Committee and involving NCBCP which was a plaintiff two men who targeted Black voters in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio disinformation via robocalls in an effort to sway the outcome of the 2020 Elections. The goal was to discourage African Americans from voting by mail, lying that their personal information would be added to a public database used by law enforcement to execute warrants; to collect credit card debts; and by public health entities to force people to take mandatory vaccinations. Campbell said AI would allow this type of weaponization to be more significant using texts, video and audio.

Campbell and Hewitt agree that the exploding capabilities of AI technology can drastically multiply the amount of harm to American democracy. Campbell adds that Google, Microsoft and Meta are the front line companies [that] activists hope will step up and put guardrails in place because the 2024 election is overwhelmed

by AI-driven misinformation and disinformation.

The effort being led by the Lawyers’ Committee and the NCBCP comes against the backdrop of similar alarm from the Biden administration, some lawmakers and AI experts who fear that AI will be weaponized to spread disinformation to heighten the distrust that significant numbers of Americans have towards the government and politicians.

President Joe Biden recently signed what’s described as “a sweeping executive order.” The order focuses on algorithmic bias, preserving privacy and regulation on the safety of frontier AI models. The executive order also encourages open development of AI technologies, innovations in AI security and building tools to improve security, according to the Snyk Blog. Vice President Kamala Harris echoed others concerned about this issue who fear that malevolent actors misusing AI could upend democratic institutions and cause American’s confidence in democracy to plunge precipitously. In her remarks, Harris cited the need for a more expansive definition of AI safety to encompass the “full spectrum” of threats, embracing the spread of disinformation, discrimination and bias.

Opinion articles articles do do not not necessarily necessarily reflect reflect the the views views of of The The San San Diego Diego Voice Voice & & Viewpoint.

Viewpoint. We We welcome welcome reader reader essays, essays, photos photos and and story story ideas. ideas. Submit Submit to to news@sdvoice.info news@sdvoice.info Opinion

A legal newspaper published every Thursday by:

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

A Subsidiary of WARREN COMMUNICATIONS, Inc. STREET ADDRESS: 3619 College Ave., San Diego CA 92115 MAILING: P.O. Box 120095, San Diego CA 92112

WWW.SDVOICE.INFO TO ADVERTISE

Print and Online:

Phone: (619) 266-2233 Fax: (619) 266-0533 Email: ads@sdvoice.info

SEND PRESS RELEASES TO:

Email: news@sdvoice.info

AD DEADLINES: Announcements, Classifieds, Obituaries, and Display Ads are due:

Tuesday by 12:00 noon, preceeding date of publication

4

Thursday, November 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

CHURCH DIRECTORY Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of San Diego

Bethel Baptist Church

3085 K Street San Diego, CA 92102

1962 Euclid Ave. San Diego, CA 92105

719 Cesar E. Chavez Pkwy San Diego, CA 92113

619.232.0510 • www.bethelamesd.com

619.266.2411 • www.bethelbc.com bethel@bethelbc.com

619.233.6487 • www.calvarybcsd.org calvarybaptist1889@gmail.com

10:00 A.M. Sunday Service In Person, Live Stream on Facebook, Youtube and on bethelamesd.com

Minister Donald R. Warner Sr.

Rev. Dr. Obie Tentman, Jr.

Rev. Jared B. Moten, Senior Pastor

Dr. John W. Ringgold, Sr. Pastor

Church of Christ

The Church of Yeshua Ha Mashiach Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah”

580 69th Street, San Diego, CA 92114

1819 Englewood Dr. Lemon Grove, CA 91945

619.264.1454 • warnerdt1@aol.com

619.724.6226 • www.coyhm.org

Sunday Bible Study 8:45 a.m.

Sunday Morning Service 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Bible Class 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Class 7:00 p.m.

Friday Video Bible Class 7:00 p.m

Sunday In the Know Bible Study 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship Service 9:00 a.m.

Saturday Shabbat Service 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Pastor Dennis Hodges First Lady Deborah Hodges

“A Church Where Family, Faith & Fellowship Matters”

Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church Interim Pastor Rev. William Jones

1728 S. 39th Street San Diego, CA 92113 619.262.6004 • Fax 619.262.6014 www.embcsd.com

Sunday School 9 :30 a.m.

Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study 12 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.

“A Life Changing Ministry” Romans 12:2

Lively Stones Missionary Baptist Church

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church

Mesa View Baptist Church

605 S. 45th Street San Diego, CA 92113-1905

625 Quail Street San Diego, CA 92102

13230 Pomerado Road Poway, CA 92064

619.263.3097 • t.obie95@yahoo.com

619.263.4544

Sunday School 9 :00 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday Prayer 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.

Sunday School 9 :30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Service 11:00 a.m.

Tuesday Bible Study & Prayer Meeting 12:00 noon & 6:00 p.m.

858.485.6110 • www.mesaview.org Email: mvbcadmin@mesaview.org

Pastor Melvin A. Watts

Pastor Dr. Darrow Perkins Jr.

We are using YouTube under our website of www.mesaview.org or www.YouTube.com 8:45 A.M. Sunday School Class - Via Zoom Call Contact Office for details 10 A.M. Sunday Service • 7 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study Visit our site for previous sermons: www.mesaview.org

New Assurance Baptist Church

New Hope Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

Phillips Temple CME Church

7024 Amherst Street San Diego, CA 92115

2205 Harrison Avenue San Diego, CA 92113

5333 Geneva Ave. San Diego, CA 92114

619.469.4916 Email: newassurancebaptistchurch@yahoo.com

619-234-5506 • Fax 619 234-8732 Email: newhopeadm@gmail.com

619.262.2505

Sunday School: 9:30 a.m.- In person & Live Stream Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00 a.m.- In person & Live Stream Wednesday Night Bible Study & Prayer: 6:30 p.m.- In person & Live Stream

10 A.M. Sunday Service Live Stream on Facebook, Youtube, Sunday School Lesson Immediately following service.

“A new Hope, A new Life, A new Way through Jesus Christ 2 Corinthians 5:17 A change is coming”

Pastor Donnell and First Lady Sheila Townsend

Sr. Pastor Dr. Kevin E. Stafford First Lady Margina Stafford

Sundays Bible Discovery Hour 9 :30 a.m.

Mid Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Noon Day Bible Study 12:00 noon Wednesday Discipleship Training 7:00 p.m.

Pastor Milton Chambers, Sr. & First Lady Alice Chambers

12 P.M. Wednesday Bible Study Live Stream on Facebook, 2P.M. on Youtube

Pastor Keith Eric Ellison

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” Psalms 122:1

Sunday Breakfast @ 8:00 AM Church Service 9:00 AM In-Person and on, Live Stream Facebook.com/PTCSanDiego & YouTube - Zoom Go to ptcmesd@gmail.com Sunday School @ 10:30 Wednesday Bible Study @ 6:00 PM In-Person and On Zoom ID: 81144203904 P: 867104

Pilgrim Progressive Baptist Church

St. Paul United Methodist Church of San Diego

Total Deliverance Worship Center

4995 A Street San Diego, CA 92102

3094 L Street San Diego, CA 92102

138 28th Street San Diego, CA 92102

619.264.3369

619.232.5683

Sunday School 9 :00 a.m.

Morning Service 10:45 a.m.

New Membership Orientation BTU 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Eve Prayer Service 6:00 p.m.

9:30 A.M. Sunday Service In Person, Live Stream on Facebook - www.facebook.com/stpaulsumcsd

www.totaldeliverance.org Fax: 619.303.2008 Mail: 7373 University Ave. Suite 217, La Mesa, CA 91942

Rev. Jeffery L. Grant, Sr. Pastor

Food Distribution Thursday Noon – 3:00 PM Diaper Program Thursday Noon – 2:00 PM

“Come Worship With Us”

“To Serve this present age” Matt: 28:19-20

Suffragan Bishop Dr. William A. Benson, Pastor & Dr. Rachelle Y. Benson, First Lady

Sunday Early Morning Worship Service 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

“It Takes Team Work to Make the Dream Work”

Eagles Nest Christian Center

True Light Apostolic Church

3619 College Ave. San Diego, CA 92115

5400 Division Street San Diego, CA 92114

619.266.2293 • jwarren@sdvoice.info www.facebook.com/EaglesNestChristianCenter

Sunday Services: Bible Study: 9 :00 a.m. • Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Pastor Dr. John E. Warren

Join Us via Zoom Meeting: Online or Dial: 1(669) 900-6833 Meeting ID: 747 601 3471 • Passcode: 626024

—

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7476013471?pwd=O GdGbnVMZ0xORzVGaENMa203QWVNQT09 Meeting ID: 747 601 3471 • Passcode: church

YOU CAN NOW EXPERIENCE EAGLE’S NEST TEACHINGS ON YOUTUBE!

619.262.6924

Search: Pastor John E. Warren San Diego

Pastor Asa A. McClendon

We are a non-denominational full fellowship of believers dedicated to reach our community with the gospel and providing a place for believers to workship, learn, fellowship, serve and grow into the fullness of Christ Jesus. This ministry is to build people of Purpose, Prayer, Power, Praise and Prosperity.

This mandate is being fulfilled by reaching the reality of the gospel in a simplistic fashion, and a result, learning how to apply it in everyday life.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

“We are waiting for You”

Voice &Viewpoint

12:00 P.M. Sunday Service In Person, Live Stream on Facebook Follow us on Facebook @ True Light Apostolic Church Saints every Wednesday & Friday at 7:30 P.M.

CHURCH DIRECTORY ADS

Advertise your worship services information online or in print in the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

ONLY $99 MONTHLY

REACH YOUR COMMUNITY AND PARISHIONERS HERE! 619-266-2233 / ads@sdvoice.info

$99

MONTHLY

Rev. Harvey L. Vaughn, III

Sunday Morning Prayer 6:00 & Worship 7:30 a.m.

Sunday School 9 :30 a.m.

Morning Worship Youth & Children’s Church 11:00 a.m.

Community Prayer (Hemera) Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 7:30 a.m.

Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 7:30 p.m.

Mid Week Prayer Wednesday 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m.

Calvary Baptist Church

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, November 30, 2023

COMMUNITY

OBITUARIES

Bountiful Blessings on a Day of Sharing

Mary Dorothy Kerr SUNRISE

By Darrel Wheeler Contributing Writer

09/23/1934

on't be sad because God has got your back" was the chant and motto on Thanksgiving morning on 16th and Island street in downtown San Diego. That's where the International Love Ministries of God (Pastor Bishop Steve Smith) hosted their annual Thanksgiving Day free dinner for anybody that wanted something to eat.

11/08/2023

"D

The eight table feast featured the customary Thanksgiving day menu complete with Turkey-dressing, greens, sweet potato pie and a whole lot more. There was no shortage of partakers at the holiday event including some of America's finest city's less fortunate residents.

The event also featured an open microphone segment where participants had the opportunity to share their life's testimonies and give thanks to the volunteers that fed them on Thanksgiving day.

Preachers also took their turns sermonizing on the busy microphone. Some preached longer than others and some louder but the message was the same starting with salvation.

PHOTOS: Darrel Wheeler

5

ILMG fed the body, mind and soul on Thanksgiving Day.

SUNSET

Mary Dorothy, known as “Dot”, was born to William and Ina (née Coleman) Biggs in New London, Missouri, on September 23, 1934, and was the youngest of three daughters.

Mary and Floyd L. Kerr were married in 1954, and they were soon blessed with their only child, Michael. With Floyd being in the military, the family relocated to California in 1961.

In 1972, Mary began her career with the San Diego Unified School District for thirty-one years, retiring in 2003. Mary was a member of the Church of Christ at 61st and Division, the Fourth District Senior Resource Center, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, and she enjoyed playing Bingo at Sycuan Casino.

Mary entered eternal rest on November 8, 2023, in the comforts of her home of over fifty-five years.

Mary was preceded in death by both of her parents, both sisters and two brothers-in-law; Georgia Mae & Lois William McBride of San Diego, California and Callie Ann & Norman Lewis of Hannibal, Missouri, daughter-in-law Antionette “Toni” Jackson, granddaughter Marlena Patrice Kerr-Allen of Blythe, California, and nephew Clark Edward Sykes of San Diego, California.

She leaves to cherish her memory her only child Michael D. Kerr of San Diego, CA, granddaughter Michelle D. KerrMadyun and husband Bakir of San Diego, CA, grandson Michael L. Kerr of Avondale, Arizona (Anabel), fifteen great-grandchildren and one on the way, nephews; William “Lonnie” Kerr (Sherri) and Derek Lewis, and niece Norma “Jeannie” (née Lewis) Dinsmore (Barry), all of Hannibal, MO, nephews; Lois “Bill” McBride, Bruce McBride (Angela) and Marvin McBride, all of San Diego, CA, niece Melta BrooksCannon (Bobby) of Menifee, CA, as well as a host of extended family, church family, and friends, whom she loved and adored.

Mary’s Celebration of Life is scheduled for 12 Noon on Monday, December 11th, 2023 at Church of Christ, 6070 Division Street, San Diego, California 92114.

6

Thursday, November 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

IN MORE NEWS Census Bureau Funding Cuts Still in GOP Sights

Despite Latest Spending Bill

By Edward Kissam Ethnic Media Services There was an audible sigh of relief in DC November 15 after Congress approved a stop-gap funding measure to keep the government running for three more months. Part of the broader partisan fight over federal spending is an ongoing effort to cut funding for the Census Bureau, cuts that would directly impact low-income minority and immigrant households nationwide.

PHOTO: Bidvine/Pexels

MAYOR AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT ISSUE

Housing Action Package 2.0 Statement Amended Proposal will be Presented to City Council in December VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE

T

he San Diego City Council recently rejected the controversial Housing Action Package (HAP) 2.0 draft proposed

by Mayor Todd Gloria. In a joint statement issued November 20

by Mayor Gloria and City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, a path forward for the Mayor’s proposed housing measures was revealed, sharing that the measures will be revised and given to the council for approval in December.

“The package will include amendments aimed at achieving our shared goal of increasing housing opportunities for people of all income levels in all San Diego communities,” the joint statement says. “The lack of affordable housing in San Diego is connected to every major challenge our city faces, and we must increase housing supply in order to bring down housing costs.

This Housing Action Package will help us do that.”

The first Housing Action Package (1.0), adopted in February 2022, incentivized new home construction for all incomes through code revisions and new programs. HAP 2.0 plans to continue to provide in-

centive implementations for the construction of new homes for all incomes, while aiming to create state laws allowing for the construction of more new homes near transit, provisions to protect existing residents, and to increase available land supply for developing new homes.

In a video released on the City of San Diego’s YouTube, Mayor Todd Gloria lists out policies to make it easier and faster to build more homes. Some of the included actions are: • Fighting for environmental justice in communities of concern • Addressing college student home insecurity with off-campus student home incentives • Affordable Single-Room Occupancy Homes for Those at Risk of Homelessness • Preventing Displacement and Preserving Existing Affordable Homes with Anti-Displacement Measures • Flexible Parking Requirements in Assembly Bill 2097 Implementation • Homes for Seniors and People with Disabilities with the Accessible Dwelling Unit (ADU) Incentive The draft code language is now available for review and comment on the City Planning Department’s webpage at sandiego.gov.

More than $2.1 trillion in federal funding is distributed every year using census data, which is essential to ensuring that economically disadvantaged communities across the country get their fair share. But for more than a half-century ethnic minorities and low-income households have been systematically undercounted in every decennial census, meaning that year in and year out they’ve been short changed when it comes to the federal funding support they need.

What’s at stake with Census funding?

What are the stakes for communities where poverty is rampant? Census undercounts in historically undercounted neighborhoods compromise the equitable allocation of billions of dollars in federal funding for ESEA Title I support for enhanced instruction in schools with concentrations of students living in poverty, Section 8 housing assistance, community health centers, and WIOA funding for workforce skills development, to

name just a few.

In essence, a census undercount affects communities now and well into the future, undermining health, housing, young people’s educational success and overall well-being.

Historically undercounted communities Official estimates show that in Census 2020 Hispanics were undercounted by 4.99% (about 3.1 million people) and that American Indians on reservations were even more seriously undercounted – by 5.64%. At the same time, non-Hispanic whites were overcounted by 1.64% – an equity gap of about 7%.

Other ethnic populations, such as Blacks and Pacific Islanders also continued to be undercounted.

Billions of dollars are at stake, money vulnerable communities deserve and need to move forward. Yet just as the Census Bureau is taking steps to ensure greater equity, the Republican-dominated House Appropriations Committee is now proposing a 20% reduction below what the Biden administration is seeking to fund the Bureau as part of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies omnibus spending package.

Anti-immigrant sentiment drives proposed cuts This is not just about fiscal conservatism. There is a profound and ongoing indifference among some in DC to the role that accurate data plays in

achieving greater equity in contemporary society. More troubling still is evidence this indifference stems from a deeply anti-immigrant and xenophobic political agenda.

The House version of the CJS bill proposes (in Section 559) that “aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States” should be excluded from the Census Bureau’s count in 2030 and in future censuses. This is not what the Constitution requires and is a violation of principles the Supreme Court has already upheld. The Census is supposed to count everyone here. Nevertheless, election denier and virulently antiimmigrant Congressman Troy Nehls (R – Texas) went further and introduced an amendment to expand the prohibition to exclude even lawfully present non-citizens from the census count. The challenges to achieving an accurate count, meanwhile, continue to grow.

Growing challenges to counting communities Public willingness to respond to surveys such as the annual American Community Survey – which supports census data – is plummeting alongside trust in government. At the same time, rising housing costs are forcing more low-income families to “double up” into crowded households that have historically been the hardest for the Census Bureau to count. Finally, the digital divide threatens to widen the gap in levels of response between affluent and low-income neighborhoods.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Ethnic Media Services

Derek Chauvin Is Looking for a New Trial Ex-Officer Bids to Overturn Federal Conviction In Murder of George Floyd

By Steve Karnowski Associated Press

national reckoning with police brutality and racism.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin is making another attempt to overturn his federal civil rights conviction in the 2020 murder of George Floyd, saying new evidence shows that he didn't cause Floyd's death.

Chauvin, who is serving a 21-year sentence at a federal prison in Arizona, filed the request without a lawyer. He says Dr. William Schaetzel, of Topeka, Kansas, told him that he believes Floyd died not from asphyxia from Chauvin's actions, but from complications of a rare tumor called a paraganglioma that can cause a fatal surge of adrenaline. The pathologist did not examine Floyd's body but reviewed autopsy reports.

In a motion filed in federal court November 14, Chauvin said he never would have pleaded guilty to the charge in 2021 if he had known about the theories of a Kansas pathologist with whom he began corresponding in February. Chauvin is asking the judge who presided over his trial to throw out his conviction and order a new trial, or at least an evidentiary hearing.

Floyd, who was Black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes on the street outside a convenience store where Floyd tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. A bystander video captured Floyd's fading cries of "I can't breathe."

Floyd's death touched off protests worldwide, some of which turned violent, and forced a

Chauvin further alleges that Schaetzel reached out to his trial attorney, Eric Nelson, in 2021, as well as the judge and prosecution in his state-court murder trial, but that Nelson never told him about the pathologist or his ideas. He also alleges that Nelson failed to challenge the constitutionality of the federal charge. But Chauvin claims in his motion that no jury would have convicted him if it had heard the pathologist's evidence Nelson declined to comment on November 14.

When Chauvin pleaded guilty to the federal charge in December 2021, he waived his rights

PHOTO: Leonhard Lenz/Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0 DEED)

to appeal except on the basis of a claim of ineffective counsel. A federal appeals court has rejected Chauvin's requests for a rehearing

twice. He's still waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether it will hear his appeal of his state court murder conviction.

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, November 30, 2023

7

COMMUNITY

Helping the Public Spot

ELDER ABUSE

Local Nonprofit ElderHelp and the County’s Aging & Independence Services Team Up to Host Webinar

By Aryka Randall Contributing Writer

S

an Diego County is doing a great job providing community support to our Seniors in the city. In an effort to educate the general public on Elder Abuse and how to properly report it, ElderHelp hosted a Family Caregiver webinar November 16 with guest speaker Jonathan Tague who serves as the Outreach & Education Specialist with the Aging & Independence Service (AIS) in San Diego.

Tague gave a thorough breakdown on the categories of elderly abuse that occur as well as statistics on who is more likely to abuse elders.

“Statistically, 64% of elders are being abused by someone they know and the most common forms of abuse are physical, neglect, and financial,” he told attendees. There were also reports that over one third of the calls made regarding elder abuse involved elders with Dementia.

The eight forms of abuse towards elders in

general are: • Mental • Physical • Financial • Abduction • Abandonment • Neglect • Self Neglect • Isolation Another great point brought up in the webinar is that California is a self-determination state, meaning “Self-Determination is a way of life for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities that is made up of ideas like free will, civil and human rights, freedom of choice, independence, self-direction and individuality”.

The statement, shared during the November 16 webinar, includes seniors who may be physically or mentally impacted because of age or physical impairments. This is why knowing what’s categorized as elderly abuse and what’s not is important. Elders are free to live their life on their own terms as long as they aren’t a danger to themselves or anyone

IMAGE: Courtesy of Live Well San Diego

around them.

Programs like ElderHelp not only protect elders from being abused by creating a space for awareness and education but they also aid in making sure seniors have the freedom to live safely in their own homes. They provide services like in-home support, transportation, groceries, meal delivery, and nutritional education. They also offer a variety of information on other programs and services that facilitate maintaining a healthy environment for seniors to live in.

To find out more about ElderHelp and how their solutions for living help elders, visit their website at elderhelpofsandiego.org. To report elder and dependent adult abuse, call the AIS Call Center/Adult Protective Services (APS) 24-Hour Hotline at 1-800339-4661 or submit referral online at https:www.aisweb referral.org. If you suspect abuse in a licensed facility, contact the The LongTerm Care Ombudsman (LTCO) at 1-800640-4661. If you suspect physical abuse, you also need to contact law enforcement.

MR. DAVID TUCKER TO REACH

90 YEARS YOUNG

CHOLLAS VALLEY COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUP PHOTOS: Courtesy of David Tucker

Sheds Light on

Chollas Lake

Updates

Gun Violence and the Black Arts District were also discussed

By Aryka Randall Contributing Writer

S

outheast San Diego is growing and thriving thanks to locals within the community who have taken the initiative to become a part of the Chollas Valley Planning Committee. On the third Monday of every month, the committee meets to discuss important topics within the community that are either ongoing matters of business, or new matters at hand that are impactful to the area.

By David Tucker Local Community Member

R

eaching 90 is a true example of longevity. Today 4.7% of Americans live to see the prime age of 90. I am grateful and blessed to be one of them.

I was born right here in San Diego on December 6th, 1933. My parents were David and Ona Tucker. My dad was the first black student to graduate from Grossmont High School. He was also the first black bartender in San Diego.

My mother was the first in San Diego to form a black women’s club. She named it Jolly Matrons.

She promoted artists like Louis T. Jordan and Lionel Hampton. Sadly, they both passed in 1988 in an automobile accident.

As for me, in the 1950’s, I joined the army and fought in the Korean War. I was honorably discharged. Afterwards, I worked for

Santa Fe Railroad, then the Alameda Sheriff ’s Department as a Culinary Cook Supervisor at the jailhouse.

I moved to Chicago temporarily. There, I worked at Amtrak for many years. Unfortunately I suffered a major back injury, which landed me on disability. I returned to San Diego and eventually became a volunteer at the San Diego Food Bank, where I served for 25 years.

Today, I enjoy listening to jazz and gospel music, the fellowship at University Avenue Baptist Church under Pastor Wright, and simply conversing with friends and family.

Their monthly meeting in November was heavily centered around improvements to Chollas Lake, gun violence taking place in Southeast San Diego, the ongoing assembly of the Black Arts District in Encanto, and a need for additional committee members to help with their efforts.

The first topic of discussion was brought to the table by a San Diego resident of over 49 years who is Native American and expressed an interest in having the Kumeyaay Nation become more involved in the process of facilitating improvements to Chollas Lake.

“We need to have representation in the process regarding the creeks and watershed. We

In closing, I would like to wish Dr. John Warren a Happy Birthday. He was also born on December 8th. I want to congratulate him on his great achievements and his work with the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint.

IMAGES: Courtesy of Chollas Valley Community Group

should have someone who’s being paid, not volunteering to be a part of this Parks and Rec project. If we can’t have someone from the Kumeyaay Nation there then we would like to see someone from the Mayor's Office represent us,” the resident said.

The topic of gun violence was also brought to the table during the meeting. According to one of the attendees there was an incident recently where over 49 rounds of bullets were shot at cops in Southeast San Diego from the inside of a home. There were two people inside the home when the incident took place.

One of the final topics of discussion in the meeting was the status of the Black Arts and Culture District that’s currently in development. Not only are they on track with their efforts to establish the district but they have already started curating creative plans for 2024. Things are looking bright for everyone involved in this initiative!

If you’re interested in attending community meetings to stay in the loop with improvements and updates in the area feel free to attend as meetings are held on the third Monday of every month at 6:00pm at the Malcolm X Library. See you there!

8

Thursday, NOVEMBER 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

STOP THE HATE

UNVEILING THE SILENCE:

THE

Why hate crimes are #1 most underreported crime, according to experts.

By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER Hate crimes persist as a dark stain on the fabric of society, and further crystallizing the issue is the fact that these instances are believed to be the most underreported crimes.

While it is known that hate crimes are underreported throughout the United States, there is not a clear understanding of exactly why reporting rates are low, to what extent, and what might be done to improve them, according to the National Institute for Justice.

According to the institutes research some of the leading causes against hate crime reporting by victims are as follows: • Hate crime victims’ reluctance to engage with law enforcement • Victims’ and law enforcement agencies’ inability to recognize certain victimizations as hate crimes • A very large deficit of hate crime reporting by law enforcement agencies of all sizes; and • Variations in hate crime definitions across jurisdictions.

Less than 3 in 10 of those who experienced a hate crime or bias-motivated incident reported it at all.

Less than 2 in 10 reported it to the police.

For those who experienced a hate crime or bias-motivated incident, did you report it to anyone*?

Hate crime graphic, PHOTO: Anti-Defamation League

HATE CRIME BY THE NUMBERS…

Breakdown of 2022 report from California Attorney General’s Report on Hate Crime by the five major minority groups.

By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER

What is a hate crime?

In 2022, there were 11,634 cases of hate crime incidents reported to authorities in the United States, a notable jump from 10,840 reported hate crimes in 2021. For the purpose of this report, AG Rob Bonta defines a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.”

Utilizing data collected by state and federal sources, V&V has reviewed how the five major minority groups: African American, Native American, Asian, Latino, and Pacific Islanders have been targeted by hate on national, state, and local level this past year.

On a national scale, targeted hate against race, ethnicity, and ancestry oversaw the highest number of incidents, (6,567 total) as reported by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

Following behind hate crimes against race were religion, sexual-orientation, gender identity, disability and gender.

For those who experienced a hate crime or bias-motivated incident, did you report it to the police?

*In addition to the police, this includes reports to employers, community organizations, family members, friends, clergy, and/or counselors.

NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL ZOOM IN

A look at where racial hate exists in our country, our state, and in our city 1. African American: Across the board, Black Americans are the most targeted victims of racially motivated hate crimes in the United States. Nationally, anti-Black or African American incidents —numbering 3,421 — were more than three times higher than the next highest racial or ethnic category. Across the state of California, crimes targeting Black people rose by 27.1%, jumping from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022.

In San Diego County 10 anti-Black hate crimes were reported in 2022, whereas in 2022 7 were reported.

Anti-Black Hate Crimes 2022 Nationwide

California

San Diego

3,421

652

7

Data Table: Voice & Viewpoint

2. Latino: For hispanic and latino groups nationally, the FBI reports that there were 738 documented hate crimes targeted to hispanic residents nationwide. According to the California AG’s report, 210 of those hate crimes took place in California, a 6.6% increase from 2021 to 2022. Researchers say hate crimes against Hispanics spike when there is extensive media coverage involving Latinos, such as news about migrant caravans from Central America. The rate of hate-crimes against Latino individuals in San Diego County however, appears to be minimal, with only one reported case in 2022.

Anti-Hispanic or Latino Hate Crimes 2022 Nationwide

California

San Diego

738

210

1

Data Table: Voice & Viewpoint

3. AAPI: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have remained at the center of ongoing advocacy and legislation meant to combat anti-Asian racism that arose from the pandemic. Fortunately, on a national scale Anti-Asian hate crimes decreased by 33% from 2021 to 2022, according to released data from the FBI. Across the country, 499 hate incidents were reported, in California 140 crimes were reported, and in San Diego 2 crimes were documented by the County Sheriff ’s office. Specialists assert that the significant decline is linked to various factors, primarily the reduction in inflammatory blame reporting related to COVID-19.

Nationwide 499

Anti-AAPI Hate Crimes 2022 California 140

San Diego 2

Data Table: Voice & Viewpoint

4. American Indian/Alaska Native: For Native American citizens across the country, the FBI’s 2022 report showcases that there were 194 reported hate crimes against this group. In the state of California there were 6 reported hate incidents, and in San Diego County, the last known reported hate crime against this ethnic category was in 2017.

Anti-Indian / Alaskan Native Hate Crimes 2022 Nationwide California San Diego 194 6 0 Data Table: Voice & Viewpoint

5. Middle Eastern and North African: Middle Eastern and North African descent (MENA) according to the US census includes Arabic-speaking groups, such as Egyptian and Jordanian, and additionally non-Arabic speaking groups such as Iranian and Israeli. It also includes ethnic and transnational groups from the region, such as Assyrian and Kurdish. Hate crimes against MENA identifying individuals were an estimate of 431 crimes across the country, although it is important to note classifications for this ethnic community are severely underreported, as it was only recently introduced as a racial category for government surveys. Across the state of California hate crimes against MENA individuals were 51 reports, and in San Diego, known data is not currently available.

Nationwide 194 Data Table: Voice & Viewpoint

Anti-MENA Hate Crimes 2022 California 6

San Diego 0

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, NOVEMBER 30, 2023

9

SPECIAL ISSUE

UNDERREPORTING OF HATE CRIMES In addition, the institute gathers that federal data used to compile hate crime statistics only captures an estimate of 1 in 31 hate crimes.

Submitting hate crime data to the FBI is also voluntary, and many state and local law enforcement agencies either report that their jurisdictions did not experince hate crimes or do not report any hate crime data.

Hate crimes are described as a crime that occurs with a biased motivation against a victim.

“We do believe it’s one of the most underreported crimes and that’s because there is a lot of shame in it and the victim doesn’t want to share what happened to them. Because somehow they feel that there’s something wrong about them that allowed this other person to act the way they did,” said San Diego District Attorney, Summer Stephan, at Voice & Viewpoint’s Politics of Hate forum last month.

Nonetheless, it is important that victims of hate crime are aware of their resources available to them and how reporting their experience can help provide better informed data for law and policy makers to use to draw action to the problem.

If you or someone you know is a victim to a hate crime, please contact the California Attorney General’s Victim Services Unit 877-433-9069 and www.oag.ca.gov/victimservices This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

Hate crime definition graphic.

PHOTO: https://hatecrime.osce.org

HATE CRIMES BY NATURE OF OFFENSE The second area we looked at using national, state, and local data was the nature of the offense that occurred in the hate crimes.

Nationally: The attached chart showcases that the leading hate crime offense across the nation was intimidation.

What is Intimidation?

Intimidation is a legal wrong which usually involves deterring or coercing an individual by threat of violence.

The leading crimes following intimidation were destruction of property, simple assault, aggravated assault and larceny.

State: Across the state of California there were 1,790 reported cases of violent hate crime that occurred throughout the region, and 759 cases of property crimes committed by a motivated bias.

Simple assault was the highest reported violent crime with 602 cases, followed by intimidation 588, and then aggravated assault 507. Destruction and vandalism were the highest property crimes with 699 reported cases.

San Diego: Collected by the San Diego County Sheriff ’s office, this chart provides the data on crime types throughout the county from 2016-2023.

Where in San Diego County are most crimes occurring?

According to data released by the County Sheriff ’s Department on hate-crime from 2016 to now, the most hate crimes occur at our regional detention facilities, with 43 reports over the past seven years. Following that: City of San Marcos 16, City of Vista 15, City of Encinitas 14, and Imperial Beach 13.

Religion Hate Crimes Following behind hate crimes targeted against race, the second most leading category for hate crimes were against religion.

In 2022 religion targeted hate crime continued to both climb and diversify, rising 27%, in major American cities — quadruple the percentage increase for overall hate crime in surveyed cities that year, according to research by the nonpartisan Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism (CSHE) at California State University, San Bernardino.

What is a religious hate crime?

Religious hate crimes are acts which target a victim because of the offender’s hostility towards them or a group based on their theological faith, or lack of one. Religious minorities, including Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish are considered by the state of California to have experienced, or are at the greatest risk of experiencing incidents of bias and hate crimes.

Hate crime data produced by San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. PHOTO: https://www.sdsheriff.gov/resources/hate-crimes-683

Identified areas where victims are most vulnerable to hate crimes Another area of analysis provided by the FBI and California Attorney General were areas in which a hate crime occurred. Over 3,000 hate crimes victims were subject to attack within their homes, serving as the leading location in which individuals are most vulnerable to hate crimes. Other high-targeted locations nationwide include, highways/alleys/ and sidewalks, elementary schools, parking lots, churches/synagogues/ temples and mosques, playgrounds, university campuses, and office buildings.

Statewide: California Across the state of California the most targeted location for a hate crime to occur were highways, roads, alleys, and streets with 491 reported hate crime events recorded in 2022.

458 crimes occurred at a victims home, 157 cases were reported at an elementary or secondary education school and 153 cases were reported within parking lots.

Top Five Counties with Highest Hate Crime Rate Throughout California, the top six regions with the highest amount of reported hate crimes were identified as Los Angeles, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County, Orange County, Alameda County, and San Diego County.

1. Jewish Hate Crimes: Amongst the nation, Anti-Jewish incidents were the most common religion-related hate crime, totalling 1,305 incidents this past year. From 2021 to 2022, antisemitic hate crimes rose by 25%, accounting for over half of all reported religion-based hate crimes. Based on US census records, the core American Jewish population is estimated at 7.6 million people, accounting for 2.4% of the total US population. In California, 189 hate crimes against Jews were reported, and in San Diego 2 crimes were reported. The leading nature of crime committed against Jewish residents is destruction and vandalism of property. In addition, due to the ongoing violence erupting from the Israel-Hamas war, the Anti-Defamation League has reported that “ In the one-month period between Oct. 7 and Nov. 7, 2023, the ADL Center on Extremism documented 832 antisemitic incidents of assault, vandalism and harassment across the U.S., an average of nearly 28 incidents a day.” Of the 832 incidents, ADL recorded 632 acts of harassment, 170 instances of vandalism, and 30 assaults.

2. Muslim Hate Crimes: The following religion most subject to hate crimes is Islam. Across the country the FBI reports that there have been a total of 158 known reports of Anti-Islam hate crimes, with 25 of those cases being in the state of California. Amongst San Diego county there are zero reported cases for 2022. However, due to the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has recorded an “appalling rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias incidents since Oct. 7.” According to the advocacy group, they have received 1,283 requests for help and reports of bias in the months since the violence erupted.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

10

Thursday, NOVEMBER 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

STOP THE HATE

GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS IN THE

By Shawn Smith-Hill CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CITY OF SAN DIEGO

The Human Relations Commission (HRC) in San Diego is an advisory body to the Mayor and City Council, made up of committed volunteers with a strong sense of community service. With the ability to work with community organizations, inform the public, look into policies, represent the Mayor and Council, and arbitrate conflicts pertaining to prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination in the City of San Diego, the Human Rights Council is essential to improving the city. The website offers details on the Commission, useful links, and City services. It also provides information about upcoming events, speakers, current collaborations, and the opportunity to ask a commissioner to speak at neighborhood or community group meetings about social issues. The HRC’s goals are to uphold fundamental civil and human rights, conduct and support initiatives that build mutual respect and understanding, and cultivate a friendly environment for all San Diego residents.

Contact Information: (619)-236-5980, hrc@sandiego.gov, https://www.sandiego.gov/human-relations/discrim In 1974, San Diego Pride was founded under the umbrella of the Center for Social Services. In remembrance of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, San Diego Pride staged the city’s first Lesbian and Gay Parade. Founded in 1994 as a nonprofit organization, San Diego Pride is committed to bringing the diverse community together via a range of initiatives, promoting equality, pride, and respect for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and internationally. The goal is to create a world devoid of bias and prejudice, governed by principles such as accountability, honesty, integrity, diversity, and respect. These values place a strong emphasis on accountability for the effects of one’s words and deeds, inclusivity, individualism, and factual communication. In addition, a joint effort among community organizations in San Diego is the LGBTQIA+ Survivor Task Force, which aims to address the lack of resources and obstacles to care that LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual and relationship abuse encounter. Their main objective is to support the more general objective of putting an end to sexual assault.

Contact Information: (619) 297-7683, info@sdpride.org, https://sdpride.org/

CountY OF SAN DIEGO Former US Senator James Abourezk established the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a civil rights group, in 1980. ADC is committed to upholding the rights of Arab Americans and fostering their cultural legacy. It is against racism and intolerance in all of its manifestations. ADC is the largest grassroots Arab American organization in the United States. Its goals include defending and advancing Arab Americans’ human and civil rights, opposing discrimination and stereotypes, speaking out on public policy matters both at home and abroad, educating the public about Arab history and

culture, and advancing the cause of transnational social justice with communities of color and oppressed peoples both locally and globally.

Contact Information: (202)-244-2990, https://adc.org/ A nonprofit group run entirely by volunteers, Border Angels is committed to promoting social justice, human rights, and reasonable immigration reform. By offering support and information to communities on both sides of the border, the organization hopes to lower the number of fatalities along the US-Mexico border. Their activities include educational initiatives, Day Laborer Outreach, Water Drops in the Desert, the Familias Reunidas

You Belong

Here!

Join Us on a Journey of Success www.sandiegocounty.gov/hr/jobs •

Deputy Medical Examiner II

•

Deputy Probation Officer

•

Deputy Sheriff Cadet

•

Licensed Mental Health Clinician, Sheriff’s Detentions

•

Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), Sheriff’s Detentions

•

Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher Trainee

•

Sheriff's Emergency Services Dispatcher

GET AN ENERGY ASSIST

•

Healthcare Agency Housekeeper

With energy-saving home improvements at no cost

•

Certified Nurse Assistant

•

Behavioral Program Manager

•

Licensed Mental Health Clinician

The Energy Savings Assistance Program from SDG&E offers special home improvements to those who qualify. You could receive no-cost energy-efficient upgrades that’ll make your home more comfortable, more efficient and more budget-friendly for years to come.

Learn more and see if you’re eligible at sdge.com/ESA

©2023 San Diego Gas & Electric Company. All copyright and trademark rights reserved.

Be a Part of Our Journey! governmentjobs.com/careers/sdcounty Browse Job Listings

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, NOVEMBER 30, 2023

11

SPECIAL ISSUE

FIGHT AGAINST HATE Immigration Bond Fund program, and shelter assistance for migrants and asylum seekers in Tijuana. As they protect the rights of migrants and refugees, Border Angels seeks to advance a culture of love by activism, instruction, social consciousness, and direct action. The organization was founded in 1986 by Enrique Morones, who initially concentrated on helping migrants in North San Diego County. Since then, the organization has expanded its humanitarian activities along the entire US-Mexico border region.

pledges to combat many forms of oppression.

In addition to addressing prejudices within the South Asian community, SAN also works to address larger socio economic injustices outside the community and forms partnerships with other communities in Southern California and around the country that are pursuing long-term social change.

Contact Information:​(619) 487- 0249, admin@borderangels.org, https://www.borderangels.org/.

The largest Islamic civil rights organization in the United States is the nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a grassroots advocacy and civil rights organization with regional offices around the country and a national headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The California locations are in Greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego. With a purpose to advance justice, safeguard civil rights, empower American Muslims, and improve knowledge of Islam, CAIR aspires to be a preeminent voice for justice and understanding between people. The organization is driven by fundamental values that uphold free enterprise, religious freedom, and the right to free speech. It also actively defends the civil rights of all Americans, opposes laws that restrict those rights or permit profiling, and supports laws that advance diversity, civil rights, and religious freedom. Additionally, CAIR is a natural ally of organizations that promote justice and human rights around the world, denounce acts of violence against civilians, encourage communication amongst religious communities, and advocate equal rights and duties for men and women.

The non-profit Urban League of San Diego County (ULSDC) has a history centered on direct service and civil rights. It was founded in 1953 with the goal of assisting underprivileged and African American communities in San Diego County to attain social and economic equality via research, program services, advocacy, and establishing bridges. The group hopes to become known as one of California’s leading human service organizations and sees itself as a catalyst for change in San Diego County. Integrity, creativity, influence, passion, dedication to excellence, and empowerment are some of their core principles. In the community-based organization sector, ULSDC wants to be the go-to supplier for its clients, the employer of choice, and a shining example of honesty and quality.

Contact Information: (619) 266-6237, info@sdul.org, https://sdul.org/

state of california

A community-based organization, South Asian Network (SAN), works to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being as well as the civil rights of South Asians living in Southern California. Self-sufficient groups that actively speak up, assume leadership positions, and combat social injustices both inside and outside of the South Asian community are what SAN aspires to. Acknowledging the multiplicity of identities found in South Asian communities—gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, race, and language, among others—SAN

Contact Information: (562)-403-0488, saninfo@southasiannetwork.org, https://southasiannetwork.org/

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was established in 1913, is the world’s most prominent anti-hate organization and a global leader in the fight against prejudice and antisemitism. With a timeless goal to uphold justice for everyone and put an end to the defamation of Jews, ADL uses partnerships and innovation to make a difference. The group actively combats racism, extremism, and antisemitism in all of its manifestations while striving to uphold democracy and advance a fair and inclusive world community. ADL, which has its roots in Jewish principles, continues the heritage of its founders by standing up against antisemitism and promoting justice and equity for all oppressed communities.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is dedicated to preventing hate crimes and events by adopting a proactive approach that makes communities and individuals safer.

To support people targeted by hatred, it has created the CA vs. hatred Resource Line and Network, a non-emergency reporting hotline and portal. Furthermore, CRD is home to the Commission on the State of Hate, a legislative project designed to bolster California’s anti-hate initiatives and foster respect among the state’s varied populace. Alongside these programs, CRD works to prevent people from violence or intimidation by threats of violence by enforcing civil rights provisions under the California Ralph Civil Rights Act.

Contact Information: (858) 565-6896, san-diego@adl.org, https://www.adl.org/

Contact Information: (800)-884-1684, contact.center@calcivilrights.ca.gov, https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/

Contact Information:​(858)-278-4547, https://ca.cair.com/sandiego/.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

“The United States typically experiences a rise in hate crimes against Jews and Muslims when there are escalations in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

—Brian Levin, former director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University at San Bernardino

12

Thursday, NOVEMBER September 30, 23, 2023 2021 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

STOP THE HATE

STATEWIDE INITIATIVES

The Commission on the State of Hate in California was established to strengthen state actions against hate and promote respect among the state’s varied population. It is one of the components of the CRD’s anti-hate activities. The Commission’s duties include compiling a comprehensive report on hate crimes in California, gathering information and researching hate incidents, setting up community forums to discuss the problem of hate, and providing communities and public officials with tools and advice on how to effectively combat and respond to hate crimes.

The California Attorney General’s Office has developed the Attorney General’s Hate Crime Rapid Response Protocol to support local law enforcement’s ability to respond to significant hate crime incidents. In order to guarantee a thorough reaction to noteworthy situations, this procedure gives priority to the distribution of resources, including qualified law enforcement special agents, attorneys with expertise in civil rights matters, victim services specialists, and others. The protocol is an additional tool that helps local, state, and federal law enforcement organizations better investigate and prosecute hate crimes. In order to maximize the quick and efficient response to significant hate crime incidents throughout California, Attorney General Bonta highlights the value of cooperation between state, local, and federal law enforcement authorities.

Contact Information:(916) 210-6276, https://oag.ca.gov/ Stop AAPI Hate is the U.S.-based coalition dedicated to eradicating racism and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). The alliance advocates for comprehensive solutions that address the underlying causes of racial hate, empowers AAPI communities, and fosters solidarity with other communities of color in order to advance a multiracial movement for fairness and justice. Stop AAPI Hate, the largest reporting center for anti-AAPI hate crimes in the US, disseminates statistical insights and research findings to give readers a thorough grasp of the racism and prejudice that AAPI communities face. They use data and research, policy and lobbying, community capacity building, and narrative change as their main tactics, all aimed at achieving the ultimate objective of a safer and more just future for everybody.

Contact Information: Link to contact https://stopaapihate.org/ contact-us/, https://stopaapihate.org/.

SOURCE: “How Civil Rights Can Protect Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Against Racism.” stopaapihate.org

California Humanities, an independent nonprofit organization and a partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has been dedicated to promoting the humanities as meaningful tools for understanding the human condition and fostering connections among people to strengthen California since 1975. Over its 45-year history, the organization has awarded over $38 million in grants across the state, reaching every Congressional district.

In response to the alarming increase in hate crimes against racial groups in the United States, a trend that poses a threat to democratic ideals, California Humanities is actively engaged in addressing this issue. California Humanities is taking part in “United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture,” a collaborative

THERE’S SUPPORT WHEN YOU REPORT Report hate by calling 833-8-NO-HATE or visit CAvsHate.org If you are a victim or witness to hate, racism or bullying – you can receive free support from California vs Hate. The hotline will help identify options for next steps after a hate act and make connections to community-specific resources.

Anyone can report anonymously and your report will not be shared with law enforcement without your consent unless required by law.

For any questions, contact CA vs Hate at StopHate@calcivilrights.ca.gov.

San Diego Voice & Viewpoint recently received a grant from the state aimed at preventing hate crimes.

This program, administered by the California Department of Social Services in partnership with the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA), is part of ongoing efforts in California to provide direct support for communities impacted by hate incidents and support victims.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

project of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This program aims to create a more accepting and tolerant society by using the arts and humanities to counteract hate-motivated violence.

Contact Information: (415)-391-1474, info@calhum.org, https://calhum.org/.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, November 30, 2023

13

SPECIAL ISSUE INDIRECT CONNECTIONS TO HATE

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/.

DEVALUING CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

A Case Study: Book Banning in Temecula Valley School District Parents and Students Fight Against Censorship of Education and Critical Race Theory

By Aryka Randall Contributing Writer

B

ook bans throughout the United States have been at the forefront of the news all year and Temecula Valley School District has been at the center of some of the most controversial incidents based around those bans.

It all started with a resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Temecula Valley Unified School District rallying to prohibit the teaching of Critical Race Theory on campus. Some of their reasons for opposing CRT are cited as: Critical Race Theory ("CRT") is an ideology based on false assumptions about the United States of America and its population.

The definitional foundation of Critical Race Theory involving an artificial distortion of the traditional definition of "racism" is fatally flawed.

Critical Race Theory is a divisive ideology that assigns moral fault to individuals solely on the basis of an individual's race and, therefore, is itself a racist ideology.

Critical Race Theory assigns generational guilt and racial guilt for conduct and policies that are long in the past.

Students across multiple campuses opposed the idea of a ban on Critical Race Theory within their curriculum. The president of the Black Student Union at Temecula Valley High organized a walk out for students to show their opposition to the ban as well as the many book titles that would be included in the censorship of literature pertaining to race.

The student walk out in Temecula raised more than a few concerns after parents became PHOTO: Mallika Seshadri/EdSource involved in the conversation. desire to have.

A town hall meeting held by the governing board of the district got intense While the stage for a ban on CRT was being when parents on both sides exchanged heated set in Temecula Valley, a second problem words. One of the adults attending the meetquietly presented itself when the school ing invaded the personal space of the Black district made the decision to exclude text Student Union President who organized the books with selections on LGBTQ+ history walk out causing students to film the alterfrom their curriculum. cation and leading to a viral account of the aftermath of the meeting via social media.

The ongoing controversy in Temecula has become so overt that Governor Gavin NewThe fall out from the town hall was swift and som took the initiative to get involved. He fast garnering not only national attention, but reiterated that Assembly Bill 1078 bans the a gaggle of concerned parents who are now banning of books in the state of California actively fighting to make sure their kids have and that legal action would be taken against access to the education and information they

the Temecula Valley School District if necessary.

What will the curriculum for the Temecula Valley School District look like in 2024 after having their educational views challenged by students, parents, faculty and Governor Newsom?

Creating Hostile Environments: Lawsuit Filed Against Temecula Valley School District

By Aryka Randall Contributing Writer The parents of Temecula Valley School District have had a year that’s been both personal and public. After a ban on Critical Race Theory, a ban on books including LGBTQ+ history and a heated town hall meeting between parents and school board members, Temecula has found itself making national headlines once again for its issues with diversity inclusion. This time a group of students, parents and faculty have come together to file a civil lawsuit against the Temecula Valley School District for the events that took place earlier this year.

A non profit by the name of Public Counsel filed the lawsuit in Riverside county citing that “this lawsuit challenges actions taken by the Temecula Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees to censor Temecula educators and infringe on Temecula school children’s fundamental right to an education, causing them irreparable harm”.

Public Counsel has also partnered with Ballard Spahr to fight for the liberties of the students in Temecula Valley School District.

“We’re proud to partner with Public Counsel on this case about the Temecula school board’s unconstitutional attempt to control what our students learn and silence the voices and perspectives of marginalized communities,” says

PHOTO: Temecula Valley Unified School District

Scott Humphreys, a Partner in the Litigation Department at Ballard Spahr. “Students, educators, and parents have bravely stepped up to fight for what is right and ensure that their community’s public schools are able to educate students free from censorship.”

The censorship taking place in Temecula has opened the floor for a larger conversation on two primary topics. How the erasure of history among marginalized groups of people plays a part in dehumanizing particular groups of people, and how being denied access to information creates a hostile environment in the present day. Both topics play a part in creating an environment where hate crimes thrive.

In 2023 alone the American Library Association reported that over 695 books were attempted to be censored and documented challenges to over 1915 collective titles. They also reported the majority of the titles censored came from people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community which also happen to be the two main groups combating censorship in Temecula Valley.

Popular titles like The Bluest Eye, The New Jim Crow Law, Gender Queer, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and I Am Not Your Negro have all been placed on the ban list. Luckily there are a number of grassroots organizations collecting banned books as well as coming together to bring awareness to the erasure of marginalized narratives. Much like the situation

in Temecula, the main groups opposing the ban on books are groups of parents who lobby together to protect the “best interest” of their kids. 2023 has posed the largest ban on books we’ve seen in over two decades.

On January 1st Assembly Bill 1078 will take effect in the State of California and schools

will no longer have the right to ban books.

The overall sentiment is that everyone has a right to education without censorship. Only time will tell how Governor Newsom’s bill will be received moving forward. As for the students of Temecula Valley, Californians will be watching as they fight for their right to education one book at a time.

14

Thursday, November 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Liberian President George Weah ‘Knocked Out’ in Close Race Kenya Judiciary Building. PHOTO: Wing/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED)

Kenya's High Court Extends Block on Sending Police to Haiti Done Despite Parliament’s Approval of Deployment

By Emmanuel Igunza Associated Press enya's high court on November 16 extended orders blocking the deployment of police officers to Haiti, even as parliament approved a government request to send 1,000 officers to the Caribbean nation to help deal with gang violence.

K

High Court Judge Chacha Mwita said he would issue a ruling on January 26, effectively delaying the sending of security officers to Haiti, where they are slated to lead a multinational force backed by the U.N Security Council. The planned deployment was first blocked by the High Court in Nairobi in October. Whatever decision is reached by the High Court in January may be appealed, meaning there could be a protracted battle over sending the troops to Haiti.

The court decision came hours after Kenya's parliament passed a motion allowing the deployment of security officers. But the government was immediately criticized for disobeying the court orders first issued in October that barred the deployment.

"The tabling of the motion in parliament today was belligerent. A disregard to the rule of law that clearly states that one arm of government cannot discuss a matter already seized by another arm," said former presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot, who filed the court case.

Herman Manyora, a professor of journalism at the University of Nairobi, said the government had no choice but to respect the court's decision on the delay.

"President William Ruto's government has a

history of ignoring court decisions, but if it's a law-abiding government, it will wait until the court makes the final decision. Even the debate in parliament is a brazen defiance of the laws of the country."

Earlier, the Kenyan parliament approved a government motion from the Committee on Administration and Internal Security approving the government's request to send security officers as violence escalates in Haiti. The heated debate saw opposition legislators reject government plans for Kenya to lead the multinational policing team in Haiti, saying it violated the country's constitution. Supporters of the motion said Kenya had a moral obligation and duty to aid Haiti.

The key issues in the debate were who would fund the deployment and what justifications there are for sending security forces to Haiti, thousands of miles from Kenya.

Gabriel Tongoya, who chairs parliament's committee on administration and internal security, said all costs of the deployment would be funded by the United Nations. Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki told parliament that Kenya will only deploy the officers to Haiti if funding and equipment was paid for by U.N. member states. Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica, and Belize have all pledged troops for the multinational mission.

Violence has escalated in Haiti as a heavily armed gang surrounded a hospital in the capital of Port-au-Prince on November 15, trapping patients including 40 children and newborns. Police later rescued the patients. Gangs across Haiti have continued to grow more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and the number of kidnappings and killings keeps rising.

By Lisa Vives Global Information Network “I stand before you tonight with a grateful heart and with the utmost respect for the democratic process that has defined our nation.”

With those words, star athlete and Liberian President George Manneh Weah began his concession speech, ending six tumultuous years in the country’s highest office.

“As we acknowledge the results,” he continued, “let us also recognize that the true winners of these elections are the people of Liberia. Through your peaceful and orderly exercise of your constitutional right to vote, you have once again demonstrated your commitment to the democratic principles that bind us together as a nation.”

“Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai is in a lead we cannot surpass,” he said. “Therefore, a few minutes ago, I spoke with President-elect Boakai to congratulate him on his victory.”

According to Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC), it was mathematically impossible for incumbent Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change to clinch victory, having secured only 785,778 votes against his main rival Boakai of the Unity Party’s 814,212 votes - a difference of 28,434.

Boakai is a 78-year-old political veteran, and former director of the state-owned Liberian Petroleum Refinery in 1992 when the civil war raged. Although he was not implicated in any scandals, he was accused of turning a blind eye to corruption in government.

Others focused on his age, calling him “Sleepy Joe” for falling asleep during a public event. This time around, the focus was on grievances with Mr. Weah’s rule, calling out Weah for his lavish lifestyle and being out of touch with Liberian society. According to the World Bank, half of the country’s population survives on less than $2 a day.

accusations that Mr. Weah tolerated corruption in government, failed to manage soaring living costs, deliver jobs or stamp out drugs.

While promising to set up a war crimes court, Weah later argued that looking backward at old crimes would not be the best way to achieve development.

But the need for a court is urgent, a survivor of the horrific civil war massacre told the BBC. "Some people are already telling me that since there's no justice, we should take up arms and start waging war against the people. They believe if we did that, in the future we would get lucrative jobs and live the best lives because they are seeing the example," he told the BBC. Recent polls in neighboring Sierra Leone and Nigeria were also beset with controversy. Incumbent President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone won re-election but his main challenger, Samura Kamara, rejected the results, citing “glaring irregularities and violations of established electoral procedures.”

In Nigeria, the two major opposition parties cited vote rigging and widespread violence while seeking a rerun of the vote.

Prize-winning novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie added her voice, writing a withering criticism of the election process which was published in the New York Times. Their objections were overruled and candidate Bola Tinubu was declared the winner.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Dept. struck a note for non-violent compromise. “This is a time for graciousness in defeat,” said spokesman Matthew Miller, “a time to place our country above party, and patriotism above personal interest . . . Let us heal the divisions caused by the campaign and come together as one nation and one united people.”

The November 14 run-off election was the tightest election in two decades and the second transfer of power since the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. During her administration, a U.N. mission was assigned to keep the peace over the course of Liberia’s 14-year civil war that claimed 250,000 lives. A swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for January.

(L-R) Liberian President George Manneh Weah and Ambassador Joseph Nyumah

The presidential campaign hinged on Boakai. PHOTO: GIN

Action Plan for Reparations Wins Support at Confab in Accra

By Lisa Vives Global Information Network “It is time that Africa, whose sons and daughters had their freedoms controlled and were sold into slavery, also received reparations.”

"No amount of money can restore the damage caused by the transatlantic slave trade ... But surely, this is a matter that the world must confront and can no longer ignore."

With those words, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo launched a four-day reparations conference in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. The event is expected to produce an African-led action plan to push for reparatory justice, establish an African committee of experts to oversee the plan's implementation and boost collaboration with the broader diaspora, according to the meeting website.

Attending the Accra Reparations Conference have been senior government officials from across the continent as well as members of the diaspora Ghanaian President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo. PHOTO: Graham Carlow/DFID - UK Department for community.

International Development/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0 DEED)

In his opening speech, the President called out British and other European countries for enriching themselves during the slave trade while “enslaved Africans did not receive a cent.”

"The entire period of slavery meant that our progress, economically, culturally, and psychologically, was stifled. There are legions of stories of families who were torn apart," Akufo-Addo said. "You cannot quantify the effects of such tragedies, but they need to be recognized."

Ghana’s president said he welcomed a similar call from Caribbean nations for reparations.

"We in Africa must work together to advance the cause," he said to applause from the audience that included other African, Caribbean and other highlevel delegates.

In response, the delegates agreed to establish a Global Reparations Fund to seek compensation owed to millions of Africans enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade. The delegates did not specify how such a reparations fund would work. But Gnaka Lagoke, assistant professor of history and

Pan-African studies, said it should be used to "correct the problems" the continent faces in all sectors of its economy.

Togo’s Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah Dogbé also attended the conference. She listed the “scars of exploitation, dispossession and cultural erasure persist, manifesting themselves in contemporary challenges such as economic inequality, political instability and cultural disintegration.”

Activists say reparations should go beyond direct financial payments and also include development assistance to countries, restitution of colonized resources, and systemic correction of oppressive policies and laws.

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, november 30, 2023 Classified ads can be placed in person, by phone, fax, or email Monday-Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

P:619-266-2233 F:619-266-0533 E:ads@sdvoice.info

15

Include the following information: • Full Name • Billing address • Date(s) you want the ad to appear • Contact phone number

All classified ads are prepaid.

CLASSIFIEDS / LEGAL NOTICES

Deadline is Tuesdays by NOON to run that week.

• Name Change:$85.00 (4 weeks) • Standard Classified: $3.75 a line • Summons: $130.00 (4 weeks) • Fictitious Business Name: $25.00 (4 weeks)

WE ACCEPT:

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE TO BIDDERS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of San Diego (City) is seeking to receive Electronic Bids for the below named Public Works project.

The solicitation, including plans and specifications, may be obtained from the City's website at: https://www.sandiego.gov/cip/ bidopps Contractors intending to submit a Bid must be prequalified. Please refer to the solicitation for instructions.

Project Name: Alvarado 2nd Extension Pipeline Project Number: K-24-2005DBB-3-C Estimated Value: $127,000,000 Mandatory Pre-Bid Virtual Meeting: 12/5/2023 at 10:00 A.M. Bid Due Date: 1/8/2024, at 2:00 P.M. License Requirement: A It is the policy of the City of San Diego to encourage equal opportunity in its Construction and Consultant contracts. Bids or proposals from local firms, small, minority-owned, disabled, veteran-owned, and womenowned businesses are strongly encouraged.

Contractors are encouraged to subcontract with and/or participate in joint ventures with these firms. The City is committed to equal opportunity and will not discriminate with regard to race, religion, color, ancestry, age, gender, disability, medical condition or place of birth; and will not do business with any firm that discriminates on any basis.

Bids shall be received no later than the date and time noted above at: City of San Diego's Electronic Bidding Site PlanetBids at: https://www.planetbids.com/p ortal/portal.cfm?CompanyID= 17950 Claudia C Abarca, Director Purchasing & Contracting Department November 21, 2023 11/30/23 CNS-3759374# VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWS

Fictitious business name(s): L Massage Located at: 6933 Federal Blvd.

Lemon Grove, CA 91945 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Corporation The first day of business was: 03/28/2016 This business is hereby registered by the following: L Massage INC 6933 Federal Blvd.

Lemon Grove, CA 91945 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 22, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 22, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023352 Fictitious business name(s): DJ King Majesty Located at: 4178 Ocean View Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92113 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 11/17/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Kenneth Earl Long Jr. 4178 Ocean View Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92113 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 17, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 17, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023590 Fictitious business name(s): Eir Wellness and Massage Located at: 12117 Via Hacienda El Cajon, CA 92019 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/13/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Melissa Lynn Roa 12117 Via Hacienda El Cajon, CA 92019 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 22, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 22, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021601 Fictitious business name(s): Sura BBQ Located at: 1980 Optima St. Chula Vista, CA 91915 County of San Diego --3860 Convoy St. Ste 113 San Diego, CA 92111 This business is conducted by: A Corporation The first day of business was: 10/17/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Sura BBQ Group INC 1980 Optima St. Chula Vista, CA 91915 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 21, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 21, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021391 Fictitious business name(s): MM Stylez Located at: 5134 Whitman Way #204 Carlsbad, CA 92008 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the name(s) above This business is hereby registered by the following: Edwina McCray 5134 Whitman Way #204 Carlsbad, CA 92008

This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 18, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 18, 2028 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022862 Fictitious business name(s): Kepler Accounting Service Located at: 1560 W. Whittier Ave. Hemet, CA 92543 County of Riverside This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 01/01/2019 This business is hereby registered by the following: Sabine Kepler 1560 W. Whittier Ave. Hemet, CA 92543 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 09, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 09, 2028 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023093 Fictitious business name(s): North America Transportation Located at: 1150 E. Street #3006 San Diego, CA 92101 County of San Diego --3400 Cottage Way Ste G2 #18199 Sacramento, CA 95825 This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 06/16/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: San Diego Transportation Services LLC 3400 Cottage Way Ste G2 #18199 Sacramento, CA 95825 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 14, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 14, 2028 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022082 Fictitious business name(s): We Are Not Bougie --Smith and Sasser Located at: 7350 Skyline Dr. San Diego, CA 92114 County of San Diego --910 Firethorn St. San Diego, CA 92154 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 08/13/2021 This business is hereby registered by the following: Smith and Sasser Consulting LLC 7350 Skyline Dr. San Diego, CA 92114 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 27, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 27, 2028 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022997 Fictitious business name(s): Caspian Expediting Located at: 9120 Judicial Dr. #7324 San Diego, CA 92122 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the name(s) above This business is hereby registered by the following: Moein Hashemi 9120 Judicial Dr. #7324 San Diego, CA 92122 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 13, 2023 This fictitious business name

will expire on November 13, 2028 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022585 Fictitious business name(s): At Bespoke Real Estate Located at: 10089 Willow Creek Road Suite 218 San Diego, CA 92131 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the name(s) above This business is hereby registered by the following: Tu Investment And Estate Group Inc 6204 College Ave. San Diego, CA 92120 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 06, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 06, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022003 Fictitious business name(s): Dr.Cassidy And Co. Located at: 4540 Kearny Villa Road, Suite 210 San Diego, CA 92123 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Corporation Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the name(s) above This business is hereby registered by the following: Freitas Family Therapy Inc 4540 Kearny Villa Road, Suite 210 San Diego, CA 92123 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 26, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 26, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022625 Fictitious business name(s): Muhammad University of Islam Located at: 7859 Broadway Lemon Grove, CA 91945 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 10/01/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Muhammad University of Islam 7859 Broadway Lemon Grove, CA 91945 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 06, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 06, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022630 Fictitious business name(s): Top1driver Located at: 8671 Toyopa Court Santee, CA 92071 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 11/05/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Neneico LLC 8671 Toyopa Court Santee, CA 92071 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 06, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 06, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022895 Fictitious business name(s): Delicias De La Baja Located at: 4311 Chamoune Ave. San Diego, CA 92115 County of San Diego This business is

conducted by: An Individual Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the name(s) above This business is hereby registered by the following: Carlos Giovanni Ramos Fuentes 4311 Chamoune Ave. San Diego, CA 92115 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 09, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 09, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9020460 Fictitious business name(s): Our Kings --Our Kings A Nonprofit Located at: 1741 Eastlake Parkway Ste. 102 PMB 1155 Chula Vista, CA 91915 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 09/01/2021 This business is hereby registered by the following: Anya Owensbrown 1155 Hanford Ct. Chula Vista, CA 91913 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 04, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 04, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022201 Fictitious business name(s): Figure Fine Located at: 1000 S. Anza St. Apt. 150 El Cajon, CA 92020 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/30/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Umair Khan 1000 S. Anza St. Apt. 150 El Cajon, CA 92020 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 30, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 30, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022608 Fictitious business name(s): Minute Group Inc Located at: 5006 El Cajon Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92115 County of San Diego --5006 El Cajon Blvd. Ste. # B San Diego, CA 92115 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Corporation The first day of business was: 09/01/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Minute Group Inc 5006 El Cajon Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92115 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 06, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 06, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022707 Fictitious business name(s): Art and Function Woodworx --Art & Function Woodworx Located at: 1395 Sapphire Dr. Carlsbad, CA 92011 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 11/07/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Calvin Dale Jones 1395 Sapphire Dr.

Carlsbad, CA 92011 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 07, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 07, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021184 Fictitious business name(s): Eclipse Home Store Located at: 8502 Organdy Ln. Santee, CA 92071 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 09/07/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: KMP Homes LLC 8502 Organdy Ln. Santee, CA 92071 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 16, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 16, 2028 11/16, 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022329 Fictitious business name(s): Wabasa Records --Safety Orange Located at: 2323 Caminito Recodo San Diego, CA 92107 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 01/01/2000 This business is hereby registered by the following: Sol Wabasa Turpin 2323 Caminito Recodo San Diego, CA 92107 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 01, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 01, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022092 Fictitious business name(s): Reach Occupational Therapy Located at: 4970 Mansfield St. San Diego, CA 92116 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/15/2018 This business is hereby registered by the following: Brittany Johansen 4970 Mansfield St. San Diego, CA 92116 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 27, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 27, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022417 Fictitious business name(s): Alpha Pacific Plumbing & Drain Located at: 2192 Harrison Ave San Diego, CA 92113 County of San Diego --7107 Broadway #115 Lemon Grove, CA 91945 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 07/24/2013 This business is hereby registered by the following: Jose M. Jimenez Jr 2192 Harrison Ave San Diego, CA 92113 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 02, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 02, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021470 Fictitious business name(s):

Heavenbscbraid Located at: 933 Peach Avenue El Cajon, CA 92021 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Married Couple The first day of business was: 10/12/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Affoue Kra 933 Peach Avenue Apt. 19 El Cajon, CA 92021 --Wonflonhi Kei 933 Peach Avenue Apt. 19 El Cajon, CA 92021 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 19, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 19, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022441 Fictitious business name(s): VRB & Associates Located at: 9852 Avenida Ricardo Spring Valley, CA 91977 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 11/02/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Vanessa Rochelle Barbarin 9852 Avenida Ricardo Spring Valley, CA 91977 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 02, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 02, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022528 Fictitious business name(s): Jinri Mandarin Academy Located at: 8324 Regents Rd. 1L San Diego, CA 92122 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/31/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Yung-Hua Chen 8324 Regents Rd. 1L San Diego, CA 92122 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 03, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 03, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021516 Fictitious business name(s): Super Starz Realty of San Diego Located at: 2665 San Clemente Terrace San Diego, CA 92122 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/18/2018 This business is hereby registered by the following: Randall Bruce Hamud 2665 San Clemente Terrace San Diego, CA 92122 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 20, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 20, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022297 Fictitious business name(s): Lemon Grove Shoe Repair Located at: 7815 Broadway Lemon Grove, CA 91945 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 03/01/1997 This business is hereby registered by the following: Ignacio Garcia Reyes 7815 Broadway Lemon Grove, CA 91945

This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 01, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 01, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022431 Fictitious business name(s): Carageous Auto Wholesales --Carageous Auto Sales Located at: 3964 Willowside Lane Spring Valley, CA 91977 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Corporation The first day of business was: 07/07/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Carageous Auto Wholesales 3964 Willowside Lane Spring Valley, CA 91977 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 02, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 02, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022081 Fictitious business name(s): Willa Wei Photography Located at: 5061 Coral Sand Ter San Diego, CA 92117 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 01/03/2018 This business is hereby registered by the following: Qing Wei 5061 Coral Sand Ter San Diego, CA 92117 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 27, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 27, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022260 Fictitious business name(s): Fat Cat Transportation --Fat Cat Limousine Located at: 13071 Roundup Ave. San Diego, CA 92129 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: An Individual The first day of business was: 10/01/2014 This business is hereby registered by the following: Clinton Wayne Welch 13071 Roundup Ave. San Diego, CA 92129 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on October 31, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on October 31, 2028 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023668 Fictitious business name(s): Aguilar Landscaping Located at: 5488 Santa Margarita St. San Diego, CA 92114 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Married Couple The first day of business was: 01/05/2011 This business is hereby registered by the following: Jose Antonio Aguilar Neyra 5488 Santa Margarita St. San Diego, CA 92114 --Glenda Xochitl Valdovinos Diaz 5488 Santa Margarita St. San Diego, CA 92114 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 27, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 27, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022935 Fictitious business name(s): Our Story Gift Guide Located at: 8690 Aero Dr. Ste 115-7 San Diego, CA 92123 County of San Diego This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company The first day of business was: 10/16/2023 This business is hereby registered by the following: Our Story Candle Co LLC 8690 Aero Dr. Ste 115-7 San Diego, CA 92123 This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego County on November 13, 2023 This fictitious business name will expire on November 13, 2028 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023565

NAME CHANGE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Central Division Hall Of Justice Courthouse 37-2023-00050676CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Alyssa Cozzo To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Alyssa Cozzo filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Alyssa Cozzo PROPOSED NAME: Alyssa Cerda THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this

16

Thursday, november 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that the San Diego Unified School District, acting by and through its governing board, will electronically receive bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, and services for: AUDUBON UTK-8 SCHOOL RE-ROOFING A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023, in front of the main office of Audubon UTK-8 School, 8111 San Vicente Street, San Diego, CA 92114. Contractors and subcontractors must preregister with the District prior to attending the site walk at sandiegounified.org/sitewalks. The Bid and Contract Documents may be downloaded free of charge at the District’s online Planroom at sandiegousdplans.com. All bids must be received electronically at or before 1:00 p.m. on DECEMBER 21, 2023. Firms interested in submitting a bid package must go to tinyurl.com/SDUSD-PlanetBids then search under “Bid Opportunities” for “Invitation number” CC24-0690-39-00-00 Audubon UTK-8 School Re-roofing. For new vendors, please register under “New Vendor Registration.”

The project estimate is between $3.3 Million and $4 Million. This is a PSA project and requires prequalification. The District requires that Bidders possess any of the following classification(s) of California State Contractors License(s), valid and in good standing, at the time of bid opening and contract award: B, or other appropriate license, subject to District approval. SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, George A. Harris III, Director, Fiscal Controls and Information Systems, Facilities Planning and Construction CC24-0690-39-00-00.

a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm)

matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: January 04, 2024 Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. 61 (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show

Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 11/30, 12/07, 12/14, 12/21 ----------------------------------SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall Of Justice Courthouse 37-2023-00050263CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Tyler Lai; Dinh Le on behalf of minor child To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Tyler Lai; Dinh Le on behalf of minor child filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Ngoc Phuc An Thai AKA Thai Ngoc Phuc An PROPOSED NAME: Trish Le An Thai THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: January 03, 2024 Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. 61 (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are

seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 11/23, 11/30, 12/07, 12/14 ----------------------------------SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall Of Justice 37-2023-00049515CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Cory James Madeira-Wilcox To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Cory James Madeira-Wilcox filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Cory James Madeira-Wilcox PROPOSED NAME: Cory James Wilcox THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: December 28, 2023 Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. 61 (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 11/23, 11/30, 12/07, 12/14 ----------------------------------SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall Of Justice Courthouse 37-2023-00047862CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Ras Makalani Lumumba To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Ras Makalani Lumumba filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Ras Makalani Lumumba PROPOSED NAME: Milton Cullors Wright THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: December 18, 2023 Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. 61 (To appear remotely, check in advance of the hearing for information about how to do so on the court's website. To find your court's website go to www.courts.ca.gov/find-mycourt.htm) NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 11/23, 11/30, 12/07, 12/14 ----------------------------------SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 Hall Of Justice Courthouse 37-2023-00047329CU-PT-CTL Petitioner or Attorney: Jiana Davan Jones To All Interested Persons: Petitioner Jiana Davan Jones filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: PRESENT NAME: Jiana Davan Jones PROPOSED NAME: Jiana Davan Schultz THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: December 14, 2023 Time: 8:30 A.M. Dept. C-61 (To appear remotely, check

NO HEARING WILL OCCUR ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE. The court will review the documents filed as of the date specified on the Order to Show Cause for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-120).

If all requirements for a name change have been met as of the date specified, and no timely written objection has been received (required at least two court days before the date specified), the Petition for Change of Name (JC Form #NC-100) will be granted without a hearing. One copy of the Order Granting the Petition will be mailed to the petitioner.

To change a name on a legal document, including a birth certificate, social security card, driver license, passport, and other identification, a certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be required. Contact the agency(ies) who issue the legal document that needs to be changed, to determine if a certified copy is required.

A certified copy of Decree Changing Name (JC Form #NC-130) or Decree Changing Name and Order Recognizing Change of Gender and for Issuance of New Birth Certificate (JC Form #NC-230) may be obtained from the Civil Business Office for a fee. Petitioners who are seeking a change of name under the Safe at Home program may contact the assigned department for the information on obtaining certified copies.

If all the requirements have not been met as of the date specified, the court will mail the petitioner a written order with further directions.

If a timely objection is filed, the court will set a hearing date and contact the parties by mail with further directions.

A RESPONDENT OBJECTING TO THE NAME CHANGE MUST FILE A WRITTEN OBJECTION AT LEAST TWO COURT DAYS (excluding weekends and holidays) BEFORE THE DATE SPECIFIED. Do not come to court on the specified date. The court will notify the parties by mail of a future hearing date.

Any Petition for the name change of a minor that is signed by only one parent must have this Attachment served along with the Petition and Order to Show Cause, on the other nonsigning parent, and proof of service must be filed with the court.

The address of the court is: 330 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 11/09, 11/16, 11/23, 11/30

Coming Soon ...

Our Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Special Edition January 11, 2024 Reserve Your Space Now Ad copy due January 05, 2024 Phone: (619) 266- 2233 Email: ads@sdvoice.info

ARTICLE CONTINUATION BILL Continued from page 2

Supporters of SB 299 are confident the law would enfranchise more voters who are Black or from other minority groups.

During the hearing, Mindy Romero, founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, provided information on the turnout gap between Black and White voters. Romero stated that in the 2020 general election, 64% of adult Black voters cast a ballot while 74.5% of White, non-Latino eligible voters went to the ballot box, a 10.5% turnout gap. In 2022, the gap drastically increased. White voters that cast a ballot decreased to 62.8% in the 2022 General Election while Black voters numbers fell to 43.3%.

“What I really want to emphasize is we still have to make it easier to vote but we also have to make people want to vote. It’s the ‘motivation question,’” Romero said.

“When we say motivation, it almost sounds like people are not caring. It’s a story, of course, of our electoral system today that has not supported these groups and made it harder to vote and made it harder to sell the importance of voting.”

Several state agencies in California, such as Covered California, already have the authority to register or pre-register voters. According to the National Voter Registration Act, federal law authorizes states “to designate state government agencies and offices that offer public assistance or services to people with disabilities, as well as other suitable offices, as voter registration agencies. Those voter registration agencies “could include schools, city and county clerk’s offices, fishing and hunting license bureaus, government revenue offices, and unemployment compensation offices.”

Under SB 299, the SOS would have the authority to designate other entities to register Californians to vote and the process would be simplified with increased digitization. SB 299 is co-authored by Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys) and Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara).

“Voting is one of the most powerful ways to initiate change in the United States, and simplifying voter registration will have an instant and dramatic effect on voter participation throughout California,” said Limón in a statement. “We have taken significant steps in the right direction, but much more can be done to lift up the voices of historically disenfranchised communities.”

SB 299 provides a path to 100% voter registration, advocates say. It was designed to align with similar legislation passed in Alaska, Delaware, DC, Colorado, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Representatives of the California Grassroots Democracy (GDC) — an organization of 140-plus groups that work together to promote legislation that expands voter registration — spoke at the hearing. As of May 2022, the state had nearly 22 million registered voters, about 82% of adults in California who are eligible to vote, according to a Public Policy Institute of California report. Currently, California has 4.7 million eligible but unregistered voters, according to GDC. They are disproportionately from working-class Black, Latinx, and Asian American communities.

Kristin Nimmers, policy and campaign manager for the California Black Power Network, said the state has tried to improve the voter registration process but there is a need to push bills that prioritize the most vulnerable populations, including eligible individuals who were formerly incarcerated. The other pressing barriers facing Black voters, Nimmers said, are a lack of understanding of the voting process due to information gaps and inadequate outreach, a mistrust of the system, and limited language access.

Nimmers also reminded the committee that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the voting and registration behaviors in African American and Black immigrant communities.

“Many of these conditions have worsened since the pandemic,” said Nimmers. “Black residents are facing gentrification and displacement and are moving out of traditional Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles and the Bay Area into areas like the Central Valley and Inland Empire. They aren’t updating their registration.”

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, November 30, 2023

17

AROUND TOWN

FOURTH DISTRICT SENIORS RESOURCE CENTER CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO IT’S

The San Diego Association of Black Social Workers (SDABSW)

17 ANNUAL HOLIDAY GALA th

Is presenting a workshop on

Friday, December 15, 2023, 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. George L. Stevens Senior Community Center 570 So. 65th Street, (Off Skyline Drive) San Diego, CA 92114

Graduating From College Without Debt At Mt. Miguel High School 8585 Blossom Lane Spring Valley, CA91977 In the Community Room On December 2, 2023 At 9:00 am until 11:30 am

Program Highlights Bountiful Festive Tasty Buffet Special Tribute Honoring “Seasoned” Seniors (90 Yrs. Plus) Opportunity Drawings

Holiday Music to Dine, Dance and Reminisce By (Jazz, Blues and “Ole” School)

Featuring Noted Vocalist: Carmelia ‘Toot’ Bell Donation: $25.00 (60 yrs. plus) $30.00 (under 60 yrs.)

Please Make Check Payable to FDSRC Suggested Attire: Festive For reservations or more information please phone (619) 266-2066 RSVP A MUST BY December 8, 2023 Net proceeds benefit the Fourth District Seniors Resource Center

The speaker is Maxine Amaru, a social work student who has gone to college without taking out a single loan. There is limited capacity, 75 people with tables and chairs.

Contact Deborah Fitch at 619-288-0200 to reserve your space.

TODAY IN

BLACK HISTORY 1933

1924

SAM GILLIAM BORN

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM BORN

Sam Gilliam, an innovative artist who is known the world over, was born on November 30, 1933, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Sam Gilliam, Sr. and Estery Gilliam.

Gilliam’s aforementioned innovation in the arts was born at the Corcoran School of Art in the District of Columbia where he was a painting instructor. In 1965, he was the first artist to introduce the idea of a draped, painted canvas hanging without support according to Black Past.

Sam Gilliam passed away on June 25, 2022, in Washington, D.C. at the age of 88.

Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm, a name well known across the United States for her tenacious advocacy for People of Color and women, was born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, NY, to Barbados immigrants.

Of course, Chisholm, aside from her advocacy, is known for her achievement of becoming America’s first Black woman to be elected to Con-

gress (November 1968) as a representative for the Brooklyn, NY area of Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) assigned to the House Agriculture Committee.

Chisholm, who Black Past reports felt the assignment was “irrelevant” to her constituents, demanded a reassignment – something that had yet to be done before her. Her demands got her assigned to the Committee of Veterans Affairs.

Shirley Chisholm passed away on January 1, 2005, at her home in Ormond Beach.

18

Thursday, November 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

HEALTHY LIVING

www.sdvoice.info

EDUCATION

Schools Aren’t Prepared to Handle Racist Bullying

By Maya Pottiger Word in Black Breana Calloway stood in front of the Illinois State Senate in March to testify in favor of the Racism Free Schools Act. It passed the Senate unanimously, passed through the House, and was signed into law in August.

PHOTO: Vlada Karpovich/Pexels

Don’t Pack a Pest!

By Gig Conaughton County of San Diego Communications Office

T

he holiday season means shipping gifts. It’s also a time when we personally mail packages to faraway friends and family. Just remember. Don’t pack a pest!

The gifts you send or receive could be carrying hitchhiking pests or plant diseases that could potentially damage the County’s $1.78 billion agricultural industry and our environment. Every year San Diego County’s Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspectors work hard to stop the spread of invasive pests. From exotic fruit flies to the emerald ash borer, glassy-winged sharpshooter, and South American palm weevil.

How can you help? Follow these simple guidelines:

• If you’re traveling—whether it’s out of state or out of the country—leave what you find behind.

• Don’t transport any fresh, raw, uncooked and untreated foodstuffs. That goes for seeds, beans, nuts, rice, dried fruit, decorative greenery, untreated wood items, animal products or soil from almost any foreign country.

• If you are traveling and think you may have accidentally packed some plant or animal item away? Declare them when an agricultural inspector asks you if you have anything in your luggage.

For more information about harmful insects, plant diseases, Agriculture, Weights and Measures and everybody’s role in protecting our local environment and agriculture, visit the department’s Insect and Plant Disease Information webpage.

School Districts Push for Black Studies

By Aziah Siid Word in Black As Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and other states continue to pass socalled “anti-critical race theory” bills that limit how race is taught in classrooms, community leaders, professional educators, and policymakers are working tireless-

ly to ensure books stay on shelves and the full scope of Black history is taught and integrated into kids’ lives as early as Pre-K. The Education Equity Action Plan is trying to teach the full scope of history. Made up of a coalition of organizations, including the Black Education Research Center at Columbia University, Black Edfluencers United, and others. These groups are responsible for the curation of the first-ever interdisciplinary Black Studies curriculum for New York City public schools.

Book Banning Protest at the Georgia Capitol, Atlanta. PHOTO: John Ramspott/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0 DEED)

The response to the murder of George Floyd and countless other Black people motivated leaders to rework their policies, training, and even codes of conduct

Calloway, a principal-in-training in Chicago and a former Teach Plus Fellow, worked with her cohort to pass the act, which she says “puts something on the books to protect staff and students from racial harassment.” The goal was to distinguish racial harassment from bullying, because bullying is something that persists, whereas racial harassment can happen once and still cause the same amount of harm. And it aims to provide training for teachers, because so many “are not prepared to deal with it,” Calloway says.

Now they’re figuring out how to implement it, hold people accountable, and even take it national.

Racist Bullying Isn’t Going Anywhere Bullying isn’t going away. If anything, it’s evolving and becoming more targeted, says Tyler Cook, a second-year eighth-grade math teacher in Philadelphia.

Despite making up only 15% of the public school population, Black students were 35% of those who reported being bullied because of their race, according to a 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection. Race-based bullying accounted for nearly a quarter of all bullying reported in the analysis, and it was the top reason Black students were bullied.

Cyberbullying is also a huge problem among teens, with 46% of teens ages 13-17 reporting any type of cyberbullying, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center report. Black students, at 40%, were the least likely to report cyberbullying, and involving race.

In 2020, the San Francisco Board of Education approved the development of a K-12 Black Studies curriculum for students beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. The approved courses for the SFUSD high school students and plans for grade PK-8 introduce students to “race, racial identity, African and African American history, equity, and systemic racism,” according to the original release of the plans.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has spoken out against the College Board’s new Advanced Placement course

PHOTO: Courtesy of Word in Black

29% said they experienced offensive name-calling.

However, data from Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development shows that searches for both school bullying and cyberbullying dropped between 30% to 40% during virtual learning in spring 2020. The drop continued through the fall and winter of the 2020-2021 school year, but increased back to pre-pandemic levels, and students returned to in-person schooling.

The Burden Falls on Black Teachers Neither Cook nor Calloway, who spent seven years as a teacher in Chicago, recall any specific training on handling racial harassment or racist bullying. And yet the responsibility of navigating racial harassment and racist bullying incidents are often assigned to Black teachers. But it’s not just the students. It also comes from the teachers, Calloway says. As a Black teacher, Calloway explains, the environment can become hostile when you try to speak up.

Progressive Movements Don’t Help the Cause While the Black Lives Matter Movement dominated the news cycle and Gen Z is talked about as being a progressive generation, neither has done much to help eliminate racial harassment or racist bullyon African American studies, calling it “indoctrination.” DeSantis labeled plans to incorporate topics of Black queer studies, the abolition of prisons, and intersectionality “a political agenda.”

An April EdWeek Research Center survey found that 65% of the 401 participating teachers said their state does not require students to learn Black history. Only 12 states provide a K-12 Black history mandate, although some states with mandates also have legislation in effect that restricts instruction on topics of race.

ing.

Instead, Cook thinks the movement unintentionally contributed to racism in the classroom. He says focusing attention on any specific identity, social group, or type of oppression definitely brings in allies and advocates, but it also amplifies the voices of the opposition, who say, “I don’t believe in this thing, and I don’t accept it.”

“How do you level out ‘we are trying to open these young minds, and we’re trying to adopt this new transformative way of thinking,’” Cook says, “but we still have generations of people who are in these positions of power, who haven’t adopted their mindset?”

Racist bullying or racial harassment are an everyday thing for many students. If anything, the bullying gets more discreet and becomes more of a microaggression, Calloway says. Racism doesn’t go away because we say it doesn’t exist, she says.

“A lot of times, when people say that, you’re minimizing the everyday experiences of Black and brown children, specifically in schools that are already harmful to them because they have different ways of teaching,” Calloway says. “If racism was going away, we wouldn’t need something like the Racism Free Schools Act to protect students from racial harassment and racial bullying.”

The Education Commission of the States, an interstate education agency, said a state’s absence from the map does not necessarily mean that “students do not receive Black history education or that no state policy addresses the topic.” Instead, it is a reflection of what legislation around Black studies has been enacted in the past four years.

Fred Ingram, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, sees a need for a collective to educate students both inside and outside of the classroom in ways that allow AFT to measure progress in the teach truth space.

COVID-19 UPDATES

CDC Includes RSV in International Air Traveler Test Samples Flu and Other Respiratory Viruses Also Included VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE

CDC is conducting a new pilot on samples it is collecting as part of its Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance (TGS) program that will provide early detection of flu, RSV, and select other respiratory viruses, in addition to SARS-CoV-2. The pilot, which will last for several months, will be implemented

by Ginkgo Bioworks and XpresCheck.

Samples that test positive for these viruses will be sequenced and uploaded to public databases to provide valuable information to public health officials and policy makers.

RSV, and other pathogens is essential as we head into fall respiratory season. The TGS program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, acted as an early warning system to detect new and rare variants of the SARSCoV-2 virus and will do the same for other respiratory viruses going forward,” said Dr. Cindy Friedman, chief of CDC’s Travelers’ Health Branch.

TGS is a multimodal platform that consists of three complementary approaches including voluntary nasal sampling of arriving international travelers, aircraft testing and wastewater sampling at seven airports nationwide. TGS has “The expansion of the Traveler-based PHOTO: Anna Shvets/ proven to be a nimble and scalable Genomic Surveillance program to flu, Pexels resource for public health officials in

the United States–quickly adapting to a changing pandemic in real time and addressing gaps in global surveillance; especially, when testing and sequencing information are limited.

For example, TGS provided early detection of the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.2.86 entering the United States within days of its global identification. As the infected traveler had originated travel in Japan, this finding also informed the public health community that the new variant had also spread to Asia.

As of September 2023, TGS has enrolled more than 360,000 air travelers. Participation in the program is voluntary and anonymous. The program covers flights from more than 135 countries from all World Health Organization regions.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

COVID-19 STATUS TEST POSITIVITY

7.2%

TOTAL HOSPITALIZED

98

7-day average daily census; 2.9 (per 100k) TOTAL DEATHS

126

fiscal year-to-date; 6.3 (4-week average); 1.9 (per million) SOURCE: County of San Diego, Last updated 11/22/2023

www.sdvoice.info

The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint • Thursday, November 30, 2023

19

BUSINESS NEWS

Women Business Owners are Officials Name New President for Mississippi's Optimistic and Confident Largest HBCU W omen and men who own small and mid-sized businesses are typically more aligned than they are different in their viewpoints about the economy. Now – more than ever – this is especially true as it relates to their optimism about running their businesses, according to PNC Women’s Business Development’s (PNC) latest Economic Outlook Survey.

Survey results show that 69% of women and 73% of men are highly optimistic about their business prospects. But women appear to have the edge when it comes to confidence – 69% say they are confident about running their businesses compared to 57% of men. This trend is consistent with last year’s survey responses. In 2022, 8 in 10 women business owners reported feeling very confident in their business success and nearly half credited their confidence to their own hard work and drive.

“It stands to reason that those sentiments, together with a few key resources – professional networks, improved access to credit and the agility to navigate the economic landscape – all contribute to a level of confidence that is driving continued optimism this year,” says PNC director Beth Marcello.

Engaging in Networks According to the survey, womenowned businesses are more likely to be engaged with the Small Business Administration, chambers of commerce and other professional groups. In fact, 83% of women business owners participate in business development organizations compared to 64% of men.

“Women often credit the benefits of a strong network to winning new business and finding new and better ways of doing business, and we’re supporting that networkbuilding through our relationships with organizations such as global nonprofit Coralus and the Women Presidents Organization,” says Marcello.

Decisions for the Economic Landscape The optimism of women business owners comes through in the survey in specific areas of their enterprises, as 64% expect to see an increase in demand, 65% anticipate an increase in sales, and 56% predict an increase in profits in the next six months. While 57% also have plans to moderately increase prices.

“These are just a few indicators of how women are thinking as they make business decisions heading into 2024,” Marcello says. “While some of their optimism may be tested by continued high inflation and a potential recession, there is strong evidence that they are prepared.”

or line of credit compared to 23% of men.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

“While this data could simply reflect changes in the way women are conducting business, it’s evidence that fewer women are intimidated by the traditional process of gaining access to credit for their businesses,” Marcello says. “This is really encouraging.”

Higher education officials in Mississippi voted November 16 to name a new president of Jackson State University, the state's largest historically Black university.

Dedicated efforts to make more resources available to women entrepreneurs are paying off, says Marcello. At PNC, for example, women can lean on the expertise of 5,000 PNC-Certified Women’s Business Advocates who have a passion for working with women financial decision makers. Through Coralus, entrepreneurs have access to a global support network and a no-interest loan program.

“Providing support to entrepreneurs and making access to credit more attainable are important steps toward their ongoing success as well as economic growth overall” says Marcello.

StatePoint

Seeking Credit When PNC began surveying women business owners in 2014, men were more likely to seek credit in the near term. The 2022 survey showed for the first time, women overtaking men when considering a new loan or line of credit to support business growth. This trend continued in 2023, with 26% of women saying they are likely to seek a near-term business loan PHOTO: Emmy E/Pexels

The board of trustees for the state Institutions of Higher Learning named Marcus L. Thompson the 13th JSU president, concluding a monthslong search that began after the March 31 resignation of the university's former president Thomas K. Hudson. Thompson currently serves as the deputy commissioner and chief administrative officer of the Institutions of Higher Learning public university system.

"The Board selected a lead- Dr. Marcus L. Thompson, Jackson State University President. er who knows the unique PHOTO: Jackson State University historic importance of the Thompson earned a Doctor of Philuniversity who will articulate a osophy degree from JSU in urban bold vision for the future and will higher education. In a statement be indefatigable in the pursuit of November 16, he said would develexcellence for Jackson State Uniop a consensus around the univerversity," said Steven Cunningham, sity's goals. chair of the Board Search Committee.

"I'm very honored to be named President of Jackson State University Hudson, the former president, was because I believe in its mission, put on leave in March. Months prior, purpose and most of all, the outthe JSU faculty senate issued a vote of standing faculty, staff, alumni and no confidence in Hudson. They had students who embody our school's raised concerns about campus safemotto of challenging minds, changty and curriculum changes. Elayne ing lives," Thompson said.

Hayes-Anthony, who had been the chairwoman of JSU's Department Thompson's appointment will be of Journalism and Media Studies, effective Nov. 27. served as acting president.

New App For Black Women Entrepreneurs VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE Meet Lashawn Dreher, founder and creator of BlkWomenHustle®, a networking app for Black women entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives that cultivates social capital, strengthens economic empowerment, and catapults careers and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Lashawn says that she envisioned and designed the real-time web app in response to her desire for a more efficient means to connect women with the people and opportunities they often seek but find elusive. Culturally recognized as the Networking Maven®, Dreher debuted the app in the theme of Issa

Rae’s Insecure® television series, giving Black Women nostalgia and piqued interest to support the new venture.

“BlkWomenHustle is a networking platform, so I wanted to remain in alignment with our mission to create relevant and impactful experiences for us all, no matter where we’re placed in the world,” Lashawn revealed. “The app is a centralized space that’s shifting the trajectory of our approaches to fostering genuine relationships and professional growth in unison.”

The BlkWomenHustle App allows users to harness the power of networking and professional growth in the palms of their hands. Its notable features include support for crowdfund-

ing campaigns, supplier diversity opportunities, real-time collaboration connections, and a corporate and freelance job board.

“There are so many events and opportunities available across all of these social media outlets and platforms that they’re easy to miss. This app is the solution,” PHOTO: Courtesy of Black PR Lashawn stated. “We’ve eliminated with corporate partners for business opporthe time-consuming research and tunities, and discover an array of expericonsolidated information to make profesences through the nationwide event calsional growth convenient.” endar with a monthly or annual subscripThe BlkWomenHustle App also enables users tion. For additional information, please visit to access and stream original content, engage BlkWomenHustle.com/app.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY “If it Isn’t Flowing Right, We Didn’t Do It!”

FLOW-RITE PLUMBING Service & Repairs • Commercial & Residential Ask About Water Heaters

(619) 266-2208 Rinnai Tankless Certified

Your Neighborhood Plumber Serving San Diego Since 1998

License #658730

Financial Telesis Network 7227 Broadway, Ste 404, Lemon Grove, CA 91945 619-644-1040  619-644-1015 Fax

We Also Provide:  Notoray Services  Electronic Filing  IRS Audits  OFFER IN COMPROMISES

Mae C. Tucker Enrolled Agent BS Degree - SDSU

20

Thursday, November 30, 2023 • The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

www.sdvoice.info

We hear you.

And we’re here to help.

All through 2023, we listened — to our clients, teammates and the many communities we serve. And truly hearing what they would like the power to do helped us strengthen our partnerships — and welcome new ones along the way. From couples just starting out to entrepreneurs looking to launch a business, together we accomplished a lot. We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store.

Rick Bregman President, Bank of America San Diego

Learn more at bankofamerica.com/sandiego

What would you like the power to do?®

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.