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By Bo Tefu, Lila Brown and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Assembly passed a bill that would legalize cannabis cafes, inspired by Amsterdam-style restaurants and clubs where marijuana is openly smoked.

If the bill passes in the Senate and is signed into law by the Governor, Assembly Bill (AB) 1775 would grant local governments the authority to approve cannabis clubs that make and sell non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) said he proposed the bill to benefit small businesses and help them expand their goods and services.

“This is a bill that supports our legal small businesses that just want to diversify their businesses and do the right thing,” Haney said.

The bill allows small businesses to compete with the illegal drug market, Haney added.

“The illicit illegal market is continuing to grow and thrive, while our legal cannabis market is struggling,” he said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed an earlier version of the bill last year to “protect smoke-free workplaces.” The updated version of the bill, however, separates cannabis consumption from other workspaces.

Haney is confident that Newsom will not veto the updated version of the bill. Under the new bill, consumers are prohibited from smoking cannabis in the back of restaurant kitchens and food prep areas to protect non-smoking employees.

Currently, California has four cannabis cafes in operation — two of them are in West Hollywood and the other two in Palm Springs. The cafes are similar to lounges and offer cannabis-infused snacks and prepackaged foods.

However, it is illegal for food establishments to offer alcohol and cannabis under the same roof.

The bill would give city officials the power to approve the cannabis lounges.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

Planning for the future without planning for one’s eternal future. How crazy is that! Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. [James 4:14]. You can’t assume that you will even be alive one minute from now. Planning for the future without planning for one’s eternal future. The depth of foolishness!

Man boasts that he is ultimately in control of his life and future. Man says that he is “Master of his fate” the “Captain of his soul.” Lies, all lies! So many people today have become hoodwinked into believing that they are actually in control of their own lives and destinies. They believe that if they just work hard enough, look good enough, position themselves in the right places, or posture themselves in the right ways, that all of their dreams will come true. We hear it all the time our cultural clichés: “I can do anything if I set my mind to it!” “Where there is a will, there is a way!” “You just have to follow your heart!” “It’s my life, I can live it however I want!” All of these lines initially sound good and right, but they are the lies of the devil.  How much control do you think you have over your life? Are you unconquerable? Do you think that you are the master of your own fate and the captain of your own soul? Contrary to the belief that we are all the masters of our own fate and captains of our own souls, the doctrine of the sovereignty of God affirms that the Lord rules over all. All things belong to His kingdom and are under His dominion. Nothing is plainer and express in Scripture than both His reign and the extent of it [Psalm 93:1-2; Psalm 97:1-2; Psalm 99:1; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; 2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalms 103:19; Nehemiah 9:6].

How easy it is for us human beings to be deceived into thinking that we are in control of our own lives. But no worries, God has ways of showing us that he is sovereign, and we are not! He uses many life circumstances to humble us and remind us that we are not in control.

Humble yourselves,” writes Peter, “under the mighty hand of God” [1 Peter 5:6]. For pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall [1Corinthians 10:12]. As [Ephesians 5:15-16] says—the wise man lives life carefully, not carelessly, for these days are evil.

Every breath that you take, and all your ways is a gift from God— [Daniel 5:23]. For it is the Lord who gives to all life, breath, and all things” [Acts 17:25]. For in Him we live and move and have our being” [Acts 17:28]. Don’t get it twisted!

Being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; [Ephesians 4:18].

The Depth of Foolishness! Repent- Jesus is Coming Quickly!

By Bo Tefu, Lila Brown and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the nation’s largest labor unions, elected its first Black president, April Verrett.

The union represents nearly two million members in the public sector, healthcare, and property services.

“By joining together, organizing, and — in many cases — striking, working people are taking power back from corporate interests and using that power to lift up their families and communities.”

Verrett is recognized for spearheading the union’s strategic planning process as the SEIU’s Secretary-Treasurer and she served as president of the SEIU California local chapter in 2015.

Verrett was sworn into her new role on May 20, at a ceremony held during the SEIU convention in Philadelphia. Vice President Kamala Harris gave the keynote address.

Harris and Verrett have known each other for years and worked together during their time as public servants in California.

“April is a leader who is always guided by an uncompromising focus on worker empowerment and their rights,” Harris said.

“What some people need to understand is that care work is physical work,” Harris continues. “It is emotional work. It is a job, and it is a calling, and care workers deserve to be paid fairly and fully for that work.”

The healthcare industry is one of several industries that has been impacted by national strikes following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Make no mistake: working people are under attack and the stakes have never been higher; but the real challenge and opportunity of leading our union in this moment is meeting the momentum of workers across the country — especially the young people of color who are showing us what’s possible,” Verrett said.

REDLANDS, CA — Redlands Unified School District (RUSD) will see nearly 1,700 graduates cross the stage over the course of six ceremonies from June 3 through June 7, 2024.

All graduations for RUSD schools will take place at the Redlands Bowl, located at 25 Grant St. in Redlands and will be streamed live on YouTube.

Upcoming Graduation Ceremonies and Livestream Links:

• E-Academy: June 3 @ 9 a.m. – https://youtube.com/live/G-JYAFsfXCY?feature=share
• Orangewood: June 3 @ 6 p.m. – https://youtube.com/live/yx7b5IbNvmk?feature=share
• Redlands High School: June 4 @ 6:45 p.m. –  https://youtube.com/live/MW9kzYmvYbM?feature=share
• Citrus Valley High School: June 5 @ 6:30 p.m. –  https://youtube.com/live/qDwMvB3rXVE?feature=share
• Redlands East Valley High School: June 6 @ 7 p.m. – https://youtube.com/live/Ed7WCvs4Fk4?feature=share
• Redlands Adult School: June 7 @ 6 p.m. – https://youtube.com/live/QXHfE9e_Ujg?feature=share

This cohort of graduates will be the final graduating class for which the initial COVID-19 State of Emergency and subsequent lockdowns were part of their high school experience. Schools reopened for in-person learning in April during their freshman year of high school.

Graduation photos taken by the RUSD communications department will be available through the RUSD online photo gallery at www.redlandsusd.smugmug.com

For more news and notifications about Redlands Unified School District, visit our website at www.redlandsusd.net and follow @RedlandsUSD on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

YUCAIPA, CA– – Crafton Hills College (CHC) announces its summer class schedule, providing an opportunity for prospective and current students to get started or get ahead in their education at an affordable cost.

Summer class tuition averages $150 and includes free textbook rentals. The sessions begin on May 28, June 10, and July 1 and feature five, eight and ten-week courses.

CHC provides a wide range of courses catering to different interests and career paths. Noteworthy class offerings for summer include:

• Counseling-110: An introduction to career planning for the first-time career seeker. This course explores academic, personal and career goals through assessment and self-exploration.
• Child Development-105: Examines physical, cognitive, social and emotional development from conception through adolescence.
• Multimedia-100: Introduction to multimedia technologies, covering principles of design and media production, including digital media for print, screen, animation, interactivity and 3D design.
• Business Administration-103: This course focuses on human resource management, highlighting the impact and accountability of human resources activities in organizations.

Additionally, students can get ahead on general education requirements essential for transfer with classes such as:

• English-101: Freshman Composition
• Biology-100: General Biology
• CommStudies-100: Public Speaking

Classes are expected to fill up quickly. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to secure their spots.

For more information and to apply, visit craftonhills.edu/Summer24 or call CHC Student Services at 909-389-3372.

By Bo Tefu, Lila Brown and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, the California State Senate voted to advance three landmark reparations bills authored by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood). The bills aim to redress the economic and social injustices stemming from chattel slavery in the American South and more than a century of state-sectioned discriminatory practices that followed the Civil War.

The package of legislation now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.

The historic vote on Senate Bill (SB) 1403, SB 1050, and SB 1331 was held on the Senate floor late in the afternoon on May 21, while supporters representing several reparations advocacy groups observed from the gallery.

“l appreciate my Legislative colleagues who have directly faced this important issue and shown great courage by passing these historic pieces of legislation,” said Bradford. “I look forward to working with the members of the Assembly to similarly pass these bills so we can present them to Governor Newsom for his signature.”

SB 1403 establishes the framework for the establishment of the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAFAA), a state-level department that would administer all reparations activities. It passed with a 30-7 vote.

SB 1050 would offer compensation to Black Californians who lost homes or had their land taken without fair compensation as a result of the racially motivated misuse of eminent domain. It passed with a 32-4 vote.

With a vote of 30-7 on the Senate floor, SB 1331 also passed. It proposes the establishment of an account in the state treasury for the purpose of funding reparations policies approved by the Legislature and the Governor.

Darlene Crumedy, a Bay Area resident and member of the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), is one of the reparations supporters who has shown up at every Senate hearing for Bradford’s compensation bills.

She called passage of the bills “historic and special.”

“Now the work begins in the Assembly, and they are going to pass there, too,” Crumedy said expressing optimism about the bills’ future.

By Bo Tefu, Lila Brown and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Last week, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) shared the results of its California vs Hate campaign, including its online reporting tool and telephone hotline, one year after their launch.

The California Vs Hate digital platform is the state’s first-ever multilingual resource to tackle the surge in hate incidents.

Approximately 1,020 acts of hate crimes were reported through the online tool and hotline, according to data provided by the University of California Berkeley’s Possibility Lab to CRD.

CRD Director Kevin Kish, state officials, media outlets, and community partners from across the state came together to mark the initiative’s first anniversary at a news conference held at the California Secretary of State Office in Sacramento on May 20.

“??This work is only just beginning, but it would not be possible without the advocacy of our community partners and the foresight of our state’s Administration and Legislature,” Kish stated. “With CA vs Hate, we’re doing our part to ensure that when people report they get support.”

CA vs Hate was launched in May 2023 by Gov. Gavin Newsom to offer a safe, anonymous reporting option for victims and witnesses of hate acts. The initiative was a response to a nationwide increase in hate crimes.

In its first year, CA vs Hate had 2,118 inquiries from members of the public seeking assistance and directed people to resources, regardless of whether a report was tied to an act of hate.

The most frequently reported reasons cited were discriminatory treatment (18.4%), verbal harassment (16.7%), and derogatory names or slurs (16.7%). Additionally, most of the hate incidents were reported as residential (29.9%), workplace (9.7%), and in public facilities (9.1%).

Ca vs Hate received 1,020 actual hate incident reports based on the information provided by the individual reporting the act. Of those reports, about four out of six people agreed to follow up for care coordination services, including direct and ongoing support accessing legal aid or counseling.

Nearly 80% of California’s counties were represented in the data, including all 10 of the state’s most populated counties.

The CA vs Hate staff reviewed 560 reports, revealing the primary motivations for bias were race and ethnicity (35.1%), gender identity (15.1%), and sexual orientation (10.8%).

Anti-Black (26.8%), anti-Latino (15.4%), and anti-Asian (14.3%) bias were the most cited reasons for reports related to race and ethnicity, CRD states.

As reported hate crimes have risen in recent years, California has led the charge in responding through increased grant funding, innovative programs, and expansive outreach efforts across state government in collaboration with community-based organizations.

These partnerships — whether through the Stop the Hate Program or Ethnic Media Outreach Grants — are critical to CA vs Hate’s success, according to CRD. As CA vs Hate continues to grow, the program is launching new initiatives and building on existing efforts aimed at enhancing the hotline and online platform’s statewide support network and improving access for all of California’s diverse communities.

A year ago, CRD released preliminary data of a total of 180 acts of hate reported through the resource one month after CA vs Hate was launched. Out of the incidents, 102 were reported over the phone, while 78 were made via the online portal.

“I’m going to highlight that this program is new, and the data should not be treated as representative of all acts of hate in our state,” Kish said. “We have more work to do to reach Californians that might be targeted to earn the trust necessary for people to feel they can pick up the phone and contact the government. We’re not resting on our laurels.”

Kish also announced that CRD is kicking off CA vs Hate’s first-ever billboard campaign to raise awareness about the hotline and a partnership with UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab to enhance data collection and analysis.

In addition, CRD has recently formed a partnership with California Black Media (CBM). This collaboration aims to bolster engagement within communities that are most often the targets of hate, utilizing the federal Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act grant to ensure these communities have access to resources.

“The support from the California Department of Civil Rights coupled with the California State Library Ethnic Media Grants have strategic, and what I like to say, smart use of federal and state resources that have helped us advance our common goal of reporting and reducing hate crimes in our communities,” said CBM Executive Director Regina Brown-Wilson.

California has increased its grant funding, created innovative programs, and expanded outreach efforts across state government, working in collaboration with community-based organizations.

The partnerships — whether through the Stop the Hate Program or Ethnic Media Outreach Grants — are “crucial and important parts of California’s comprehensive approach to combating hating,” Kish said.

Ethnic media platforms have also been a key component of strengthening the hotline’s statewide support network and improving access to resources for all of California’s diverse communities. CRD Deputy Director Becky Monroe added that ethnic media’s role of communicating with communities through radio, print, and online technology is essential because underserved communities see them as “trusted messengers.”

“We are proud to work with ethnic media because we know that in the past, we have not done justice to those stories. You all do justice to those stories,” Monroe said. “Through this partnership, we are able to effectively reach the communities we want to reach.”

How To Report A Hate Crime:
CA vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hate crime and incident reporting hotline and online portal. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (833) 866-4283, or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or online at any time.

Hate acts can be reported in 15 different languages through the online portal and in over 200 languages when calling the hotline. For individuals who want to report a hate crime to law enforcement immediately or who are in imminent danger, please call 911.

For more information on CA vs Hate, please visit CAvsHate.org.

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jerry Jimenez, Navy Office of Community Outreach
YOKOSUKA, Japan – Petty Officer 2nd Class Angela Zarate, a native of San Bernardino, California, serves the U.S. Navy in Japan.

Zarate graduated from San Bernardino High School in 2016.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in San Bernardino.

“I learned to not judge a book by its cover,” said Zarate. “Sometimes what people look like on the outside does not tell you what their heart and mind are. You should give people a chance.”

Zarate joined the Navy six years ago. Today, Zarate serves as a master-at-arms.

“I joined the Navy as a first-generation American,” said Zarate. ”The Navy provided great financial and educational opportunities.”

According to Navy officials, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka empowers forward-deployed U.S. and Allied Forces while providing superior support to military members and their families.

Zarate serves in Japan as part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces. These naval forces operate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Service members in this region are part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has the largest area of responsibility in the world.

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”

Zarate has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

Zarate has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I am most proud of a time when one of my sailors told me I inspired them and that I am someone they would like to emulate and use as an example,” said Zarate. “That made me feel like this is worth it. This is my ‘why.’”

Zarate can take pride in serving America through military service.

“Serving in the Navy is a representation of the hard work of my parents and my ancestors,” said Zarate. “It makes their struggles and challenges all worth it.”

Zarate is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my sister, Maria Hernandez,” added Zarate. “She has always been my rock. Before the Navy, through the Navy, and whatever comes in the future, I know she will always be there. Words can’t even describe the gratitude I have for her.”

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jerry Jimenez, Navy Office of Community Outreach
YOKOSUKA, JAPAN – Petty Officer 3rd Class Marisol Arreola, a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California, serves the U.S. Navy in Japan.

Arreola graduated from Rancho Cucamonga High School in 2007.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are like those found in Rancho Cucamonga.

“My hometown has a small-town feel, and I learned the importance of being good to people,” said Arreola. “This has helped me in the Navy because the Navy’s values reflect small-town America. It’s very family minded.”

Arreola joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Arreola serves as a musician.

“During COVID times, I was teaching music online and working on my master’s degree in voice pedagogy online,” said Arreola. “I joined the Navy because I was motivated to get out there and travel and perform outside the U.S.”

According to Navy officials, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka empowers forward-deployed U.S. and Allied Forces while providing superior support to military members and their families.

Arreola serves in Japan as part of the forward-deployed naval forces. These naval forces operate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Service members in this region are part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has the largest area of responsibility in the world.

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”

Arreola has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I am proud of being selected as Blue Jacket of the Year,” said Arreola.

Arreola can take pride in serving America through military service.

“Serving in the Navy means performing the same show as I would for a vice admiral as I would for a kid in Thailand,” said Arreola. “It’s giving the best American show we can give because they deserve the best equally.”

Arreola is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my sister who is a dentist in the Navy,” added Arreola. “She was also stationed in Japan and she encouraged me to explore the option of being a Navy musician.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

On May 16, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 5-0 to advance legislation that would require social media platforms to report cyberbullying incidents and remove posts depicting youth violence online.

Senate Bill (SB) 1504, titled “Cyberbullying Reporting and Accountability,” “addresses the online safety for youth,” said the bill’s author Sen. Henry Stern (D-Calabasas).

“We must do everything in our power to protect our children from the dangers of social media,” Stern said. “By establishing a mandatory process for removing and blocking cyberbullying material and providing transparency to survivors and parents, we aim to create a safer online environment for all.”

Senators Brian Jones (R-San Diego) and Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) abstained from voting. California Legislative Vice Chair Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) was one of five Democrats who voted for the bill. It now moves to the Senate floor for a full vote.

SB 1504 is designed to make social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and others “respond compassionately and predictably” to reports of cyberbullying or they must explain why the content is “aligned with their platform’s policies,” Sen. Stern said at a May 14 news conference in front of the State Capitol.

Another child safety focused bill, SB 1444 — titled the “Parents Choose Protection Act of 2024” — died in committee on May 16 “due to fiscal implications,” Stern stated. This bill would have required companies to issue alerts to parents about potentially harmful content.

Two fathers, Samuel P. Chapman and Chris Didier, who lost their young sons to Snapchat drug dealers came to the Capitol to support the child safety bills.

“Social media has become a super-highway of illegal and nefarious activity that is bringing harm to our youth,” Didier said. “It is time for new legislation to bring needed and appropriate safeguards to protect our communities.”

According to Stern’s office, 56% of teens have reported being cyberbullied, and that youth are likely to struggle with depression and substance abuse due to online intimidation.

Black or Hispanic teens are more likely than their White counterparts to be targets of cyberbullying, according to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). ??Black teens are about twice as likely as Hispanic or White teens to express that their race or ethnicity made them a target of online mistreatment, according to a 2002 survey by the Pew Research Center.

Cyberbullying has been associated with suicide or the newly termed “cyberbullicide,” according to a February 2023 report by the Journal of the Academy Psychiatry and the Law (JAPL).

The phenomena of cyberbullying and teen suicide are becoming more common. Data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the JAPL report states that 14% of adolescents have been cyberbullied and 13.6% percent of teens have made suicide attempts.

If passed, SB 1504 would “authorize any person,” including, “a parent or legal guardian of a minor,” who bring forth a report of cyberbullying to the “social media platform, a city attorney, a district attorney, or a county counsel to bring an action to enforce the act.”

Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh (R-Yucaipa), the first Republican Latina to serve in the Senate, is the co-author of SB 1504.

“I’m happy to co-author SB 1504 to help safeguard our youth and empower families to pursue legal action against platforms that fail to remove cyberbullying content, providing much-needed recourse in the face of online harassment,” ??Ochoa-Bogh said at the May 14 news conference.

Stern said the legislation will help combat the growing popularity of “fight pages” created by adolescents and uploaded to social media platforms.

Those fight pages feature videos of elementary, middle school and high school youth physically fighting in bathrooms, classrooms, lunchrooms, playgrounds and other places. In many cases, campus violence happens in unsupervised spaces and in the presence of adults.

The popularity of the videos caught the attention of Stern. He shared the story about a teen from a local high school in his area who was paralyzed after three of his peers approached him “out of the blue” while he was walking down a street, Stern said. The aggressors were members of a “knockout club.”

“It was three kids. One with a camera and one got their phone on,” Stern said. “They cold clocked him. Not just knocked him out but paralyzed him and put him in a life of trauma that he can never recover from.”

Stern said the fight pages are “proliferating everywhere.” Earlier this year, a report stated that 14 schools within the Fresno Unified School District were identified as having social media pages promoting school fights.

The social media accounts were not administered by the schools, but the fight pages did display schools’ logos, and mascots and urged other students to contribute videos of fights for viewership.

“Incidentally, there are also pages around sexual content of students rating people using artificial intelligence to generate nude images. (SB 1504) covers all bad behaviors,” Stern said. “That kind of bullying, we nip it in the bud before it starts. When those fight pages emerge, anyone observing it can report it to that platform. They would have to respond to it within a matter of days and actually in a matter of hours.”