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Listas: One Black Woman Is Making California Emergency Prep Effort a Family Affair

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media ? 

California is admired for its beautiful weather.

But the Golden State is also susceptible to natural disasters because of the frequency of earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, super storms, flooding, and intense heat, particularly in its desert regions.

According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, severe flooding resulted in more than 200,000 California homes and businesses being left without power in 2023.

To help families prepare for disasters, the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) has launched the Listas program. This informational campaign, featuring women from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, teaches other women how to prepare for natural disasters. The initiative includes 70 videos created to be shared online.

Launched in March, Women’s History month, the campaign was promoted during a press conference hosted by California Black Media and  Ethnic Media Services on April 4.

Shayla Happi Amenra-Warmsley, who is Black, an educator and mother of two, is featured in a Listas video talking about planning for extreme weather.

Amenra-Warmsley, said participating in a video for emergency planning made her think about what she needs to do for her family during a natural disaster. In her video, she pointed out to her daughter that cell phones won’t work in an emergency. That’s why it is important to have a list of emergency contacts.

Amenra-Warmsley also said nowadays most people don’t memorize phone numbers because everything’s saved on their phones.

She said being involved in this plan made her realize how important it is to teach loved ones about emergency planning and preparing to deal with difficult situations. This is one of the skills she teaches her students.

“I not only educate my students academically but also teach them lifelong skills of resiliency, emerging from any storm as a stronger version of themselves. Learning how to prepare for emergencies is at the heart of that,” said Amenra-Warmsley.

Diana Crofts-Pelayo, assistant director of Crisis Communication & Public Affairs at CalOES, said the Listas campaign uses women as opinion leaders because they are often the drivers of information in their families.

“These are women who bear the weight of responsibility making ends meet while taking care of children or elderly parents, while the messengers are first- or second-generation women helping support their families within the unit,” said Crofts-Pelayo.

The Listas campaign has conducted than 400,000 calls to motivate people to sign up for emergency weather alerts.

In the videos, women share steps to prepare for an emergency?such as:

  • Creating a “go bag.” This would include ID documents, such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, cash,wallets and phone chargers.
  • Also, preparing for an extended stay at home. This includes having water, batteries and non-perishable foods saved.
  • Creating a list of family phone numbers. This should be printedout, in case phones are nonfunctional because of lack of power.
  • Having a family plan to meet at a different location.

“We saw that women over the age of 18, mostly in Latino, AAPI and Black communities, are the ones that would listen to our message, pass it on and actually use it during an emergency,”?said Diana Crofts-Pelayo,

Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Sacramento) is also featured in a video. She said it was important to have people from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the campaign.

“When disaster comes, it affects everybody across communities, and seeing different women talk from their cultures about having go-bags ready, batteries charged, water for washing and drinking — women across communities can think, ‘If she’s doing this, I should be doing this in my home as well,’” said Nguyen.

For more information or to get social media toolkits, visit the Listas website.

California Officials Praise Launch of Service Corps Career Development Program for Youth

By Bo Tefu, Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Last week, federal and state officials commemorated the launch of a new professional development program for California Service Corps Alumni.

The public-private partnership was created to provide early career job opportunities for young people that worked in the service force. The state’s service force consists of Californians For All College Corps, California Climate Action Corps, Californians For All Youth Jobs Corps, and AmeriCorps California.

California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday said that the skills of the service force alumni are critical to California’s workforce.

Victor Dominguez, President and Chief Executive Officer of YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles said that the program will empower California’s youth to live up to their potential.

“Together, we can create a pipeline of outstanding, diverse talent and most importantly, a pathway to upward mobility?for those who deserve it most,” he said in a statement.

Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency Secretary, said that the program will be impactful for young professionals seeking careers in public service.

“California’s greatness has always been driven by its people. Now, young leaders are stepping up across California to confront climate change and other key challenges,” he said.

The program will help the state meet its workforce needs to further economic opportunity and development statewide. Alumni will be paired with jobs that align with their skills, qualifications, and professional experience. The young career hopefuls will be given the chance to network with future employers and mentors in priority sectors such as education, trades, and climate.

Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction,?said that young educators of the service force helped support the needs of the state’s Department of Education.

Many of the service force members, “are a critical pipeline to provide our students across California the diverse, talented educators and mental health school counselors they deserve,” Thurmond stated.

Several alumni recalled that working for the state’s service corps ignited their passion for education. The experience also helped them understand the need for diversity and cultural competence in the classroom.

AmeriCorps California alumnus?Abelardo Juarez said that serving as a tutor sparked his passion for education and helped him gain hands-on experience in the classroom.

“The experience made me realize that we need more men of color in the classroom, which became another piece of encouragement to pursue a career in education,” Juarez said.

San Bernardino City Unified Unveils Vision 2030 To Cultivate Pride And Purposeful Futures For All Students

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) and Superintendent Mauricio Arellano are proud to announce the launch of Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES, a transformative initiative aimed at cultivating pride and purposeful futures for students.

“I have always firmly believed that every student is brilliant and that it is our responsibility to discover their brilliance,” said Superintendent Arellano. “Our job is to ensure that every student, that our District and our city shines.”

Approved by the Board of Education on April 2, Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES sets the course for the district’s mission to ensure each student has the skills, resilience and determination to create their path and thrive in school, career and life.

Following a special reception held in the Dr. Margaret Hill Community Room, the vision was unveiled to more than 200 attendees during a meeting of the Board of Education. In attendance were local elected officials, community leaders, leaders of faith-based organizations, representatives of local businesses and nonprofits, and District administrators, many of whom were honored during the Board meeting for their contributions to the vision.

Under SBCUSD SHINES, the District is committed to prioritizing six key areas over the next six years:

  1. SBCUSD Strong: Fostering a culture of excellence and resilience to empower students to reach their full potential.
  2. High expectations for academics and innovation to be college and/or career ready: Setting rigorous academic standards and promoting innovation to prepare students for success in college and career.
  3. Involvement of students, family, community and staff: Engaging all partners in the educational process to create a more collaborative and supportive learning community.
  4. Nutrition, health and wellness: Prioritizing the physical, mental and emotional well-being of students through comprehensive health and wellness initiatives.
  5. Equity as a foundation: Advancing equity and inclusion to ensure all schools and students have access to equitable opportunities and resources.
  6. Safe, secure and attractive learning environments: Creating safe, welcoming and inspiring spaces where students can learn, grow and thrive.

“Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES represents our unwavering commitment to providing every student in San Bernardino and Highland with the support and resources they need to succeed,” said Arellano, who developed the focus in partnership with students, employees and community leaders during his first year as SBCUSD superintendent. “By focusing on these key areas, we will cultivate a culture of excellence, equity and empowerment that prepares our students for lifelong success. Together, we will ensure that every student shines bright and achieves their dreams.”

“One of the most important things that we need to have is a vision to run behind,” said Pastor Dr. Joshua Beckley of Ecclesia Fellowship, who was personally involved in developing the District’s new vision. “Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES represents a bold commitment to excellence and inclusivity in education…We as a community need to run with this, and we need to get behind our District to make sure it happens.”

Beckley credited SBCUSD for giving community leaders, parents, business owners and others who care about the long-term wellbeing of children in San Bernardino and Highland a voice to help develop a collective vision.

Alton Garrett, another community stalwart and leader of the Westside Action Group, urged the community to rally behind Vision 2030.

“What is in here is what we as a community said we wanted,” Garrett said while holding a booklet about the vision. “That is why it is so beholden upon us to make sure that we as a community work with the District to make sure that everything we said in Vision 2030 is done.”

Rodolfina Gamino, whose four children have attended SBCUSD schools, participated in the development of Vision 2030 due to her involvement in the District English Learner Advisory Committee and her advocacy on behalf of families. She encouraged all families to take an active role in the vision’s implementation.

“This vision is not the work of a single person,” Gamino said. “It is like a puzzle. Every single person has to do their part to realize this vision. We need to recognize that unity does give us strength.”

As SBCUSD embarks on this transformative journey, the District will continue involving students, families, staff and community partners to help shape the future of education in San Bernardino.

For more information about Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES and how you can get involved, please visit www.sbcusd.com/Vision2030. To receive a copy of Vision 2030, please email communications@sbcusd.com.

 

Omnitrans to Host Art at Transit Event to Showcase Local Art, Community

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Omnitrans and the city of Fontana will host an Art @ Transit event on Saturday, April 27, combining a community clean-up day at a popular transit center while recognizing local artists who have been beautifying our community by painting agency bus benches.

“Art @ Transit is a great opportunity to enhance our community by sprucing up one of our busiest Transit Centers and celebrating the artists who have done amazing work to beautify our bus benches,” said agency CEO/General Manager Erin Rogers.

The project represents the culmination of the agency’s popular Beautiful Benches Project, a grant-funded effort (Creative Corps Inland Socal, California Arts Council) in which local artists are selected to paint bus benches utilizing local cultural and historical themes. To date, 32 benches have been painted throughout the 15 cities Omnitrans serves.

All are invited to join the agency at the Fontana Transit Center at 11:00 a.m. on the 27th to participate in a community clean-up effort, followed by a bench artwork display, artist meet & greet, live musical performances, refreshments, and connection with local art organizations from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. For further information, visit Omnitrans.org/art-transit-2024.

San Bernardino County Museum Seeking New Volunteers

It’s National Volunteer Month and not only is the San Bernardino County Museum (SBCM) celebrating and recognizing the contributions of its current volunteers, but the museum is also looking to expand its dedicated volunteer team!

 

Are you interested in history, art, science, or culture? Do you want to give back to your community? SBCM is currently seeking new volunteers to assist with visitor services, special events, educational tours and conducting research in the archives.

 

This support is essential to the museum’s ongoing operation. But it’s more than that – the knowledge and expertise of our volunteers enriches and deepens the impact of the museum’s programs, educational field trips and school tours, and events. Volunteers help create memorable experiences for our community and inspire the next generation of San Bernardino County history.

 

A volunteer can be anyone 15 years of age or older that can commit to a minimum of six hours per month.  Many volunteers are high school, college, and graduate students, retirees, or curious individuals looking to learn and serve their community.

 

Volunteer opportunities are available at both the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands and the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley in the following areas:

  • Educational Tours
  • Visitor Services
  • Special Events
  • Collections
  • Research Library
  • Marketing

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or intern at the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands or the Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley, you can attend our Volunteer Open House on Tuesday, April 21 at 3:30 p.m. in Redlands. For more information about volunteering, please visit our website at museum.sbcounty.gov/volunteer.

The San Bernardino County Museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and Museum Foundation members are admitted free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to people with disabilities.

The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.

Stakeholders Discuss Reparations for Black Californians as State Faces Deep Budget Cuts

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

Although California will have to make significant budget cuts to balance its budget as required by state law, Assemblymember and California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) member Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) said there are still ways to achieve reparations for Black Californians.

Currently, the budget deficit for the 2024-25 fiscal year has been projected to be as high as $73 billion.

Bryan said it will be “absolutely difficult,” but the state is still investing in other priority programs, various essential industries, oil companies, and prisons. The 32-year-old lawmaker made these observations at the California Budget and Policy Center (Budget Center) annual Policy Insights conference held April 16 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento.

“(California) has the 4th or 5th largest economy in the world. There will be $300 billion coming out of California State government,” Bryan said. “So, you can’t tell me that we don’t have the resources to foundationally begin reparations conversations or to start to make amends to start to do the repair work when we can invest in these institutions.”

The Budget Center is a nonpartisan, research and analysis nonprofit dedicated to advancing meaningful public policies that enhance the lives of Californians. It is also committed to exposing inequities in the state, budget priorities, and public policies that affect low and middle-income households, women, immigrants, American Indians, Asians, Black, Latinx, and Pacific Islander Californians.

The Budget Center’s Policy Insights 2024 conference brought together diverse stakeholders, including community advocates, government officials, nonprofits, and members of the media. The conference featured 11 workshops and plenary sessions covering topics in tax and budget policy, poverty, racial equity, housing and homelessness, child development, and more.

During the conference’s luncheon plenary session, titled “Policy Pathways to Reparations,” discussions were centered around the topic of reparations.

The session explored courses of action for securing reparations, guided by a 2023 task force report that examined the damages endured by African Americans as a result of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and legal and illegal discriminatory practices that were a part of the country’s culture for centuries.

Bryan was joined by Felicia Jones, the Director of Programs and Operations for Social Good Solutions and The Black Equity Collective; James Woodson, from the California Black Power Network and African Americans and the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation, and Truth (ARRT); and Don Tamaki, a former member of the California Reparations Task Force and Senior Counsel, Minami Tamaki LLP.  The moderator was John Kim, a member of the Budget Center Board of Directors and President and CEO of Catalyst California.

Woodson acknowledged that it would take more than members of the CLBC to pave the way toward reparations in the state. He said it would take a collective effort from people of all backgrounds to get the public and other lawmakers on board.

Both Woodson and Tamaki are members of AART. The organization’s mission is to raise public awareness about reparations and to build a base of multi-racial and multi-sector supporters in the state.

CLBC members Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) are also associated with ARRT. Both lawmakers were members of the California Reparations Task Force.

“There are hearts and minds we’ve got to change outside the Legislature,” Woodson said. “From a moral standpoint but also a practical standpoint that it just can’t be about Black communities and Black people. We have to have other communities standing with us.”

Several reparation bills presented by the CLBC as a whole or by separate members are working their way through the State Legislature.

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), Chair of the CLBC, stated in January, “While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more.”

Before discussions about financial payouts can take place, considering budget concerns, Wilson said that “a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism” is necessary.

Gov. Gavin Newsom presented a $291 billion spending plan to the California Legislature on Jan. 10. None of CLBC’s package of bills is tied to direct cash payments but Bryan did ask supporters at the conference to keep the conversation going about reparations.

“Don’t let the legislature or the governor off the hook,” Bryan said.

Tamaki, who is Japanese American, was the only non-Black member of the nine-person reparations task force. He told the Policy Insights attendees that “moving the needle” in the direction of public opinion, raising awareness, and passing the CLBC bills are the next steps in the push for reparations.

“Out of 115 (reparations) proposals for repair, only a few of them deal with individual compensation. The rest have to do with policies,” said Tamaki.  “For example, Black infant mortality over 10 years in San Francisco is literally five times the rate for White babies. So, these are the systematic outcomes we are familiar with that need to be addressed.”

First District Supervisor Paul Cook Applauds SBCTA Approval of $762,899 Contract for State Route 247/62 Emergency Bypass Study

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Paul Cook today applauded the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) General Policy Committee’s approval of a $762,899 contract with WSP USA, Inc. for the State Route 247/62 Emergency Bypass Study. The Committee voted on the measure on April 10.

“For years, I’ve been raising concerns about the lack of a viable emergency plan for the Cajon Pass,” said Supervisor Cook. “Whether it’s a major earthquake, wildfire, or another disaster, a shutdown of I-15 could isolate our First District communities. I’ve been a strong advocate for a backup plan, and this study is a critical step forward.”

The approval comes after former Assemblymember Thurston “Smitty” Smith secured $1 million in the 2022 state budget for a Cajon Pass I-15 Bypass Study. The focus of this project is to assess the feasibility of utilizing State Routes 247 and 62 as an alternative route during emergencies that force the closure of the Cajon Pass.

“The State Route 247/62 Emergency Bypass Study will explore how to best utilize these existing roadways as a more viable alternative to I-15 during emergencies,” Supervisor Cook continued. “The project’s goal is to minimize the negative impacts of an extended I-15 closure. This includes examining operational strategies to maintain traffic flow for essential services like freight transport, personal travel, and emergency response teams.”

The study will also factor in existing traffic management plans developed by law enforcement, transportation agencies, and emergency service providers for situations involving I-15 closures and major incidents.

The contract, upon approval by the full SBCTA Board in May, will officially greenlight the project.

Black Californians: Progress, Persisting Racial Gap Highlighted at State of Black California Conference

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

The 2024 State of Black California Conference, held at UCLA on April 13, brought together about 200 policymakers, advocates, and community members to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Black Californians.

A key focus of the conference convened by The Black Policy Project, an initiative of the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, along with the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) was the launch of the 2024 State of Black California report – Assessing 20 Years of Black Progress in the Golden State written by the Center for the CLBC.

The attendees were welcomed by UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene D. Block, Dr. Lorrie Frasure, Director, UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and CLBC Chair Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City).

The report, presented by Dr. Michael Stoll, Professor & Faculty Director of the Black Policy Project, paints a complex picture: While Black Californians have seen modest socioeconomic gains over the past two decades, a significant racial gap compared to White residents persists. The 2024 report builds on the original State of Black California report published in 2007.

Report Details Mixed Progress

The report utilizes an “Equality Index” to show a 21.7% improvement in Black Californians’ outcomes. However, this progress is overshadowed by the fact that Black Californians still have the lowest index score among all racial groups, lagging 30% behind White Californians.

There were some bright spots. Education showed the most significant improvement, likely due to policies that expanded access to universities. Criminal justice reforms also had a positive impact.

Challenges Remain, Particularly Housing

A concerning trend highlighted in the report is the shrinking Black population in California, down from 2.2 million to 2.1 million. High housing costs are pushing Black residents out of urban centers, with only the Inland Empire and Sacramento showing growth. Homeownership among Black Californians has also declined, while rents have risen significantly.

Conference Tackles Pressing Issues

The conference addressed these challenges through a series of panel discussions. Participants in the panels included members of the CLBC, local and state officials, community leaders, and academics. Topics included:

  • Community solutions to Los Angeles’ challenges, featuring local leaders.
  • A conversation with Los Angeles City Mayor Karen Bass on her efforts to promote equity.
  • The intersection of artificial intelligence and its impact on Black Californians.
  • Legislative solutions with members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC).
  • California’s leadership in reparations and its potential for national reconciliation. Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, author of California Assembly Bill 3121 that established the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans was a participant.

The conference also provided opportunities for attendees to engage in meaningful dialogue and brainstorm solutions through breakout sessions on topics like civic engagement, criminal justice, and education.

More about the conference can be found at the event website – (https://sobc2024.com/#homepage)

 

Parks and Tree Canopy Are a Matter of Life and Death in Los Angeles

A new model for urban greening could be the cure.

By Alfredo Gonzalez and Jon Christensen | Ethnic Media Services

Parks and tree canopy are literally a matter of life and death in Los Angeles. This is especially true in the middle of an extreme summer heat wave. A recent UCLA study quantified the benefit.

Researchers found that if the areas of Los Angeles County that currently have below average tree canopy cover and park acreage were just brought up to the average, Angelenos alive today would enjoy close to 1 million years of additional life expectancy. And that’s controlling for all other factors, such as household income and access to healthcare.

Think about that for a minute. The benefit is especially poignant for young children growing up in L.A.’s low-income, park-poor, communities of color. A child born in Southeast Los Angeles is likely to die 10 years before a child born on the Westside. Not all of that is due to the lack of park space and tree canopy. But we can do something about parks and trees.

Los Angeles is making important strides to rectify the great disparities in green space, just not fast enough. There are two stumbling blocks. They are related. And both can be solved.

The first is funding. The second is the capacity of municipal governments to absorb funding and implement projects.

In the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass increased the Department of Recreation and Parks budget from $318 million this fiscal year to $337 million next year. That’s a modest 6% increase and not nearly enough to make a dent in the city’s needs.

Los Angeles has a $2.1 billion deferred maintenance backlog in parks and recreation facilities. Many facilities have become unusable. When you factor in the cost of labor expenses and ongoing maintenance costs, it would take 60 years for the Department of Recreation and Parks to catch up on past-due work, much less think about anything new. And the city is about to lose about $4 million a year from park funds provided by our current park bond, Proposition K, which expires in 2026.

Adding insult to injury, last year voters roundly rejected Proposition SP, a hastily conceived ballot measure designed to replace Prop K and generate $227 million a year from a parcel tax for parks.

In Los Angeles County, the Regional Parks and Open Space District is getting nearly $90 million a year out the door from Measure A, a parcel tax approved by voters in 2016. It has allocated millions of dollars to support high-need communities in preparing proposals for park projects. But many smaller, understaffed cities don’t have the capacity to take advantage of the funding.  As a result, millions of dollars are being left on the table.

At the state level, the legislature significantly reduced funding for an exemplary, successful program that funds neighborhood parks in high-need communities out of this year’s budget. If that program were funded at the same level that it has been funded over the past 10 years for another decade, it could cut in half the number of Californians who don’t have a neighborhood park within walking distance of their homes.

The legislature will likely include some funding in a climate and natural resources bond measure that is expected to be put on a statewide ballot next year. That’s good. But the local parks program should not have to stop and start erratically as it has in the past, waiting for new slugs of funding.

At the federal level, an infusion of billions of dollars in infrastructure funding for urban greening is going out so fast, many disadvantaged communities simply can’t gear up fast enough to even track the potential for projects, let alone submit proposals in time.

The problem is that many of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County don’t have the staff to pursue local, state, and federal funding that exists for parks and other urban greening projects. Even some of the bigger cities, like Los Angeles and Long Beach, urgently need help to plan projects and pursue funding.

But there is a way forward.

Los Angeles is pioneering a new model for creating green spaces in low-income neighborhoods that don’t have parks, good tree canopy, or adequate government capacity to build new parks. We call it the Link model because it involves linking a community-based organization rooted in the neighborhood, an experienced nonprofit park-building organization, residents, and local government.

Supported by a philanthropic partnership, we’ve been testing and studying this model with partners in six disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles County: Cudahy, El Monte, Long Beach, Maywood, Panorama City, and South L.A.

It works. A trusted, local community-based organization can do the robust community engagement necessary to identify needs and priorities. An experienced nonprofit can provide the technical assistance to design projects, write grant proposals, and manage construction contracts. Working with willing municipal agencies they can get the job done.

Partners in these communities are successfully drawing on local, state, and federal funds to build new parks and renovate badly deteriorated existing parks.

When we first started working on Link, we thought that municipal agencies might gain the experience and capacity to do this work on their own in the future. But as one administrator in a small city told us, “This is the model.” The city will continue to need the essential services of the Link partners. It literally takes a village.

We’re excited to see this success. But six communities are not enough. We need help from every level of government to fund and scale this approach to more high-need communities sooner rather than later. This is about more than equity, as important as that is. This is about life-and-death for many Los Angeles communities.


Alfredo Gonzalez is Southern California Director of the Resources Legacy Fund. Jon Christensen, a researcher in the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA, recently completed a study of the Link initiative. (Feature image via Wikimedia Commons)

 

 

Legislature Advances, Renumbers, Sen. Bradford’s Reparation Freedmen’s Agency Bill

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

On April 9, the California Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-1 to advance Sen. Steven Bradford’s reparation legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 1403, or the “California American Freedman Affairs Agency” bill.

The bill, formerly entitled SB 490, moves on to the Committee on Governmental Organization.  SB 1403 would create a new state agency responsible for the administration and oversight of reparations as determined by the Legislature and Governor.

Creation of the agency is one of more than 115  recommendations the nine-member California reparations task force included in its final report. The bill would require the agency to determine how an individual’s status as a descendant of an enslaved person in the United States would be confirmed.

The SB 1403 would require proof of an “individual’s descendant status” to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants, as stated in the bill’s language. To reach these goals, SB 1403 would mandate the agency to be comprised of a Genealogy Office and an Office of Legal Affairs.

In 2020, California established the first-in-the-nation task force to study reparations for African Americans.

Los Angeles-based attorney Kamilah Moore, the chairperson of the task force during its two-year study, was at the State Capitol to address the members of the Judiciary Committee as an expert witness. The attorney and scholar said the bill aims to serve individuals based on lineage rather than race.

“Today, I advocate with a sense of urgency and purpose for the passage of SB 1403, a groundbreaking bill poised to establish the California American Freedmen’s Agency,” Moore told the panel. “This agency symbolizes a crucial stride towards reparative justice, particularly for those whose lineages trace back to enslaved ancestors.”