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By Antonio Ray Harvey, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

On October 7, Gov. Newsom’s office announced that he has signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1, legislation that permits legislative staff to unionize and collectively bargain.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus authored the bill, which was co-sponsored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and 41 other Members.

“@CAgovernor signed #AB1, #CALeg staff finally have the same right to form a union as all other workers,” California Labor Federation posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter after the Governor signed AB 1.

McKinnor, who is a former legislative staffer, called the bill’s passage an “incredible win” on X.

“Today is a huge victory for the nearly 2,000 legislative and district staff that have dedicated their careers to public service and have long deserved the right to be represented by a union,” said McKinnor in a statement.

“We are taking action to make sure that current and future legislative staff, regardless of their Member’s political affiliation, are afforded a safe, equitable and fair opportunity to build a noble career in public service,” added McKinnor.

By Solomon O. Smith | California Black Media

The California Latino Legislative Caucus (CLLC) celebrated its 50^th anniversary with a black-tie event at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles last Friday. The event was a retrospective awards ceremony, honoring the achievements of the caucus over the past five decades.

Initially known as the Chicano Legislative Caucus, the CLLC was made up of five male Latino members: Alex Garcia, Peter Chacon, Joseph Montoya, Ray Gonzales and Richard Alatorre, according to their history page. Today, under the leadership of Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), the first LGBTQ+ leader and chair of the CLLC, the caucus boasts 38 members, with a majority of 21 Latinas. Cervantes recognized the significant expansion of the caucus over the past 50 years.

“The issues that are bringing us together as Latinos are California issues, whether it’s housing insecurity and affordability, looking at just the economic disparities that exist,” said Cervantes. “These are all issues that have continued to be a priority for our caucus and issues that many of our members fight on.”

Martha Escutia, the first woman to chair the CLLC and a former member of the California senate and assembly with over 16 years in politics was featured in a short film played at the celebration. The film, narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the writer and star of Hamilton, traced the fifty-year history of the caucus.

Escutia considered the 1980 reapportionment which allowed for greater representation of the Latino community, as a key turning point. While she takes pride in the caucus’ accomplishments, she believes there is still more to be achieved.

“The problems are still the same: lack of housing, lack of economic sustainability for families, just even building a safety net for families,” said Escutia. “It’s still an issue that bedevils, frankly, all caucuses because I think, the Black Caucus also has the same concerns, as well as even the Asian American Asian Pacific Islander caucus.”

Hilda Solis, who is supervisor for the 1st district, Los Angeles County, was one of the first to present an award. She presented a congratulatory document from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at the red-carpet event to Cervantes and the caucus’ vice chair, California State Senator Lena Gonzalez. Solis, a former member of the California Assembly and Senate, is the first Latina to serve in a presidential cabinet as United States Secretary of Labor.

The evening’s speakers were some of the most accomplished artists, actors, politicians and public servants in the Latino community.

The Masters of Ceremonies for the event were Tony Plana, an activist, director and actor known for his role in “Ugly Betty” and Justina Mochado, an actor and producer, known for her performance in the series, “The Horrors of Delores Roach,” and “One Day at a Time.”

Xavier Becerra, the 25th Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, was the keynote speaker. His rise through the ranks of the California legislative system has been a testament to overcoming obstacles. He began his political career in the California state assembly, progressed to the U.S. House of Representatives, and then served as the 33rd Attorney General of California, before assuming his current position as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden. He talked about how far the state, and the caucus, have come saying “so goes the caucus, so goes the state of California.”

The evening’s celebrations were not just about the caucus’s legislative achievements. The awards also acknowledged the efforts made by and for the Hispanic community. Poets Yesika Salgado and Yosimar Reyes

performed a poem that encapsulated the experiences of young Latino immigrants.

The event also featured a segment dedicated to giving back. Sixty-one students from across the state took to the stage to express their gratitude to the caucus for their support of higher education. The California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation gave $5,000 to each student who represented different regions across the state.

The evening concluded with the presentation of the Legacy Award to multiple organizations. The recipients included the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, accepted by Thomas Saenz, the United Farm Workers, received by Teresa Romero, and the California Rural Legal Assistance, accepted by Jessica Jewell.

Musical and special performances were spread throughout the show. The band Quitapenas, Jesse Garcia, and others celebrated and performed. The evening ended with a musical performance by music legend Andy Vargas and his band. Vargas is a beloved member of Santana and a giant in the Latin music scene.

According to CLLC vice chair, Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), the future of the CLLC hinges on its capacity to advance legislation and advocate for an inclusive agenda.

“We’ll continue to fight to make sure that our voices are heard along with our brothers and sisters in the Black Caucus. API caucus and LGBTQ caucus,” said Gonzalez. “It’s a collective for all of us to be a part of, and when we push together, I think we’re more unified. Looking at next year to think about how we can partner up with our other ethnic caucus’.”

By Lou K Coleman

Woe, Woe, Woe! Refusing to hear the solemn warnings from Heaven, clinging to this earth as your home and your dwelling place, as if you would abide here forever. Woe, unto you! [Revelation 8:13]. Damnation and destruction will be your portion. For you have not humbled yourself. You have not honored the God in whose hand thy breath is – Under whose power, and at whose disposal, is thy life. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of Heaven and because of that, He has sent the hand that wrote the inscription. “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. [Daniel 5:27]. Woe, unto you!

Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, “Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets.” [Revelation 8:13].

Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. [Revelation 9:1-6].

The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.  It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. [Revelation 9:13-21].

The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

These judgments are meant to warn people to repent and turn to God, but sadly, many will refuse to do so because of their evil and doubting heart. And because of that they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever, and they will have no rest, day, or night…  [Revelation 14].

Her plagues shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her. [Revelations 18:8].

Woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth!

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the “Ebony Alert” bill to help locate missing Black youth and Black women in the state of California, according to an Oct. 8 written statement from his office.

Senate Bill (SB) 673, authored by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), provides a notification system to address the often ignored or lack of attention given to Black children and young Black women that are missing in California.

“I am signing Senate Bill 673,” Newsom said in an Oct. 8 statement. “I thank the Legislature for highlighting this important issue, addressing well-documented disproportionality in the number of children of color who go missing every year.”

SB 673 authorizes a law enforcement agency to request that an Ebony Alert be activated if that agency determines that it would be an effective tool in the investigation of a missing Black youth or young Black women between the ages of 12 and 25 years.

The U.S. population is 14% Black. Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their White counterparts who are classified as “missing” and, therefore, many Black children do not receive the Amber Alert.

“It’s very important to have the Ebony Alert because far too often when Black Women and children go missing there is little to no publicity which hinders the effort to find them,” said Kellie Todd Griffin, CA Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute.

“I applaud Senator Bradford for bringing this forward and the Governor for signing the Ebony Act into law. Now we have to be diligent to ensure it is implemented effectively into practice.”

According to the Black and Missing Foundation Inc. (BAMFI), 38% of children reported missing in the U.S. are Black. BAMFI is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring awareness to missing persons of color. It provides resources and tools to missing person’s families and friends and educates the minority community about personal safety.

AMBER – the moniker that stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response – was created as a legacy to nine-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and murdered while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas.

Similar to Amber Alert, California has an existing law that authorizes the issuance and coordination of a “Silver Alert” relating to a person who is 65 years of age or older, developmentally disabled, or cognitively impaired who is reported missing.

The “Feather Alert,” relating to an endangered indigenous person who has been reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, is also on books.

Newsom did note “broader concerns” he had with SB 673 and expressed them to Bradford. His administration questioned standards in the bill and stated that they “do not align with the criteria in existing alerts,” specifically the Amber Alert, Endangered Missing Advisory, Feather Alert, and Silver Alert.

“Our emergency alert system is dependent on people not being fatigued by it and thus ignoring it,” the Governor wrote. “Our challenge is to achieve balance between the imperative to notify the public quickly in cases of missing persons or dangerous situations, but to not desensitize that same public outcry by sending too many notifications.”

Black women and girls are at increased risk of being harmed and sex trafficked. A recent report on human trafficking incidents across the country also found that 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women. The county of Los Angeles reported that 92% of girls in the juvenile justice system identified as victims of sex trafficking are Black, according to the Congressional Black Caucus.

‘“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time,” Bradford said in a statement after he introduced the bill on the Senate floor in March. “They vanish from the police detectives’ workload. They vanish from the headlines. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing. How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them,” Bradford stated.

Earlier this year, community advocates in Oakland’s announced a “state of emergency” in response to 10 attempted abductions and kidnappings of Black girls and women.

Oakland Councilmember Treva Reid of District 7, announced in May that of the 1,500 missing person cases reported in the city, 400 were Black women. In 2022 alone, 20% of missing cases went unsolved.

Reid supports SB 673. On May 30, the Oakland City Council unanimously voted in favor of her resolution endorsing the alert system statewide.

“A troubling number of our daughters, sisters, aunts, and mothers go missing throughout our community and they must be protected and safe in our city,” Reid stated. “It is critical that state and local jurisdictions have access to the best enforcement tools and resources to swiftly respond to the crisis of kidnappings and attempted abductions in Oakland and across California.”

By Lila Brown | California Black Media

On October 8, Gov. Newsom vetoed Assembly (AB) Bill 374.

This legislation would have allowed businesspeople to operate cannabis cafés in California, like those in Amsterdam, where non-marijuana food products can be served and consumed. This is despite the existing federal ban on the entire industry.

The bill, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), would have also allowed café owners to host and sell tickets to live events.

In his veto message, Newsom said he appreciates the author’s intention to support cannabis retailers, many of them struggling to make a profit. However, he is concerned that the legislation “could undermine California’s long-standing smoke-free workplace protections.”

“Protecting the health and safety of workers is paramount. I encourage the author to address this concern in subsequent legislation,” wrote the Governor.

Responding to Newsom’s decision to return AB 374 unsigned, Haney drew parallels to California’s wine industry in a statement released Sunday.

“Californians are proud of our state’s wine culture, and we do everything we can to make sure that our winemakers receive the support they need – – we need to be doing the exact same thing for cannabis,” he wrote. “If we don’t start better supporting these businesses, we are going to lose decades of being at the forefront of the cannabis movement and other states will be ready to swoop in and take it from us.”

Throughout the legislative process the bill has attracted both praise and criticism with some applauding it for the business opportunities it presents and others expressing strong disapproval because of health concerns such as second-hand smoke.

“Lots of people want to enjoy legal cannabis in the company of others,” said Haney. “And many people want to do that while sipping coffee, eating a scone, or listening to music.”

For owners of cannabis product stores, AB 374 presented opportunities to scale their businesses.

Nina Parks is a co-founder of Equity Trade Network which is a non-profit collective that provides small businesses with supply chain business resources within the cannabis industry in California. She also served on the Cannabis Oversight Committee in San Francisco where she advocated for more equity as regulation was being developed. She said her cannabis lifestyle brand, Gift of Doja was set to resume hosting live, curated events that promote safe social spaces.

Parks told California Black Media (CBM) that AB 374 is a step in the right direction.

“The ability to at least have non-cannabis foods being able to be sold at dispensaries also gives dispensary owners an opportunity to put another revenue stream in their business. Being able to have non-cannabis related sales in your establishment really allows for another revenue stream for store owners. It is also an opportunity for cannabis businesses to remove the stigma and normalize consumption,” says Parks.

In cities like Los Angeles where programs are in place to help people affected by the War on Drugs, and other low-income entrepreneurs, launch cannabis-related businesses, the legislation was seen as offering hope.

LA Mayor Karen Bass is working to expand business licensing and compliance for Social Equity applicants and licensees to receive guidance from marijuana industry experts. A Social Equity Social Equity Individual Applicant is defined as an individual who fulfills at least two of the following three criteria: (1) Low-Income; (2) a prior California Cannabis Arrest or Conviction; (3) ten years’ cumulative residency in a Disproportionately Impacted Area.

While consuming cannabis on-site at cannabis retailers is technically legal in California, selling non-cannabis-infused products is not permitted. Supporters of AB 374 said the bill would have allowed cannabis retailers to diversify their operations and transition away from the limited dispensary model by selling non-cannabis-infused foods.

“It should have happened a long time ago. We let Colorado and other states go before us and California should’ve been the state to have already perfected this, says Brian Johnson, 51, an entrepreneur in Orange County.

As a shop owner and cannabis advocate, Johnson is eagerly waiting for his vision to become a reality. He blames red tape and excessively high taxes as obstacles to progress. However, like most cannabis entrepreneurs, he remains enthusiastic.

“Those who were criminalized and got their record expunged can get back to their entrepreneurial spirit,” says Johnson.

The strongest opposition to AB 374 came from advocates who argued that the legislation would erase decades of health safeguards put in place for businesses to protect employees by maintaining smoke-free work environments.

“Workers should not have to choose between their health and a good job. California has fought hard to protect workers and ensure a safe, healthy, smoke-free work environment,” the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association wrote in a letter of opposition to the legislation.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) Sierra High School has been recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Schools.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a Clinton Foundation-funded organization that is dedicated to health and wellness in public schools. It has awarded the distinction to Sierra this week for its dedication to supporting the health and well-being of students, staff, and families. Sierra is one of 781 schools across 36 states in the U.S. honored this school year.

As a continuation high school, Sierra serves students who are behind in high school credits or who may need a flexible educational environment because they are employed or fulfilling family obligations, making it even more vital that the campus meet most of the needs of its 470 students, according to Principal Hector Murrieta.

“Being honored as one of America’s healthiest schools is a testament to our unwavering dedication to promoting the well-being of all our students,” said Murrieta. “We believe in nurturing the whole student in a customized, personal way.”

Murrieta expressed pride and gratitude for Sierra’s recognition, emphasizing that this achievement is the result of collective efforts made by teachers, staff, students, families, and the entire community.

Sierra High School prioritizes student mental and emotional well-being. The school takes a proactive approach to address mental health concerns, implementing programs that focus on stress reduction, mindfulness, and coping strategies. With help from key partners like Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health, the school offers on-campus counseling services and support groups, creating a nurturing environment where the emotional well-being of students is as important as their academic success.

America’s Healthiest Schools is an annual recognition program that celebrates schools for implementing policies and practices to promote health and well-being. Sierra was recognized for demonstrating remarkable efforts to prioritize the essential health needs of its school community and exceeding best practice standards in three of the nine evaluation topics.

The three topics Sierra excelled in were:

• Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning—Supporting the social-emotional, mental, and behavioral health of students
• Improving Nutrition & Food Access—Promoting and increasing healthy eating and food access through school nutrition programs and nutrition education
• Implementing Local School Wellness Policy—Advancing health-promoting practices through implementation of the district’s wellness policy

Healthier Generation’s list of America’s Healthiest Schools remains one of the country’s longest-running, nationwide recognition programs honoring schools for achievements in supporting the whole health of students, teachers, and staff.

“This year, Healthier Generation continues to meet districts, schools, and educators where they are, recognizing it takes a considerable degree of effort to serve as a model of best practice in whole child health for students, teachers, staff, and community,” said Kathy Higgins, Chief Executive Officer at Healthier Generation. “We commend America’s Healthiest Schools for demonstrating resilience and adaptability amid challenging times for our nation’s schools.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- League of Women Voters, San Bernardino celebrated their 48th annual Citizens of Achievement and Civic Engagement Ceremony honoring community leaders and organizations on a beautiful Sunday, October 8, 2023, at the Sterling Natural Resource Center in Highland, CA.

Honorees included Francine Cepeda Blacksher in recognition for being the founder of Pacific Islander Graduate Recognition Program; Dr. Jenna Cortez-Aguirre for her work with St. Mary’s Ballet Folklorico of Redlands; Kristin Malaby for starting So Cal Trash Army clearing trash from the mountain recreation areas; Dr. Enrique Murillo, Jr., founder of Latino Education & Advocacy Days (LEAD) and appointment by President Joe Biden to the United States Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics of all age groups; Ratibu Shadidi (William “Bill” Henry Jacocks) posthumously for his community activities, civic engagement, social activism, and advocate of “Kwanzaa Consciousness;” High Desert Pearls for advocating social justice including campaigning in the high desert local schools to increase voter participation, registration, and education; Inland Empire Children’s Book Project main focus of volunteer work includes giving books to children ages 0-18 (donations and volunteers are always welcome); and Westside Action Group, unofficially known as WAG to reduce racial inequities in employment, education, government, etc. in the City of San Bernardino.

At the conclusion of the program, the League was honored with recognition from Mayor Helen Tran & Council members along with community leaders.

To make a difference in elections and public policy, consider joining the League of Women Voters at: https://my.lwv.org/california/san-bernardino-area/join-lvwsb

Inaugural Event Pays Off!

Dr. Corey Jackson, the Assembly Member representing California’s 60th district, hosted the ‘State of The Black IE’ on Saturday, which was the first of what is promised to be an annual event. It was held at the Moreno Valley Conference Center where approximately 300 excited guests mingled, as they glad-handed and hugged their ways to their assigned tables.

Dr. Jackson was the first amplified voice of the morning, with a call to order. He established that we were gathered, not to celebrate, not to network, but to recharge our commitment to service. Serving is sacred work.

The symposium presented data regarding health, housing, entrepreneurship, reparations, and topped it off with a crowd inspiring discussion with Nikole Hannah-Jones. She is the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the “1619 Project” and staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, as well as the book version of “The 1619 Project”, as well as the 1619 Project children’s book, “Born On The Water”, which ere instant #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her 1619 Project is now a six-part docu-series on Hulu.

Another highlight of the symposium was the presentation of a Million dollar check by Assembly member Jackson, from the State of California to the Black Equity Initiative (BIA). The BIA is composed of IE organizations that share a desire to improve social conditions through empowerment, education, and policy change.