Local

PASADENA, CA – Assemblymember Chris Holden hosted and participated in thankfulness and holiday celebrations over the weekend. On Saturday, November 19, 2022, Assemblymember Holden held a turkey drive in partnership with Inland Valley Hope Partners, UFCW 1428, and the City of Claremont. Over 200 turkeys were provided to the community.

On Sunday, November 20, 2022, Assemblymember Holden participated in the annual community event, Operation Gobbler in partnership with Friends Indeed and Pasadena Jaycees. Over 400 turkeys were provided to the community.

“With the burden of inflation impacting families across the state, this year more than ever, working with the community to provide holiday meals has made this thanksgiving even more special for my staff, family, and me,” said Assemblymember Holden.

He continues, “As we celebrate this holiday season, let us practice gratitude but also kindness, being kind to our neighbors and our communities.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— On November 17, 2022, Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. donated over 100 turkeys to organizations in San Bernardino County’s Fifth District right in time for Thanksgiving. The event was held at Leno’s Rico Taco’s in Colton, where the chosen organizations drove in and had their turkeys placed into their cars. Those who received turkeys are planning on giving them out to members of their organizations who are unable to afford Thanksgiving dinner this year for their families.

“Giving back to our Fifth District community is the least I can do. I am thankful for many things in my life and being fifth districts county Supervisor is something I will forever be thankful for. There is no better way to show thanks then by giving back to those who need some extra help during the holiday season. It was so touching to see just how grateful these organizations were as they drove in to pick up their donated turkeys. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, full of happiness, peace, and love,” Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. stated.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Around 48,000 academic workers at all 10 University of California (UC) campuses went on strike November 14, shutting down classrooms and research laboratories in the largest employee walkout at any academic institution in history.

The Post-Doctoral scholars, teaching assistants’ and associate instructors, graduate student researchers, and academic researchers are represented by the United Auto Workers union in contract negotiations with the UC system.

Bargaining between the disputing parties has been ongoing for months, and while UC officials recently called for a third-party mediator to address remaining issues, they are continuing to negotiate without one.

“When I was working in the lab, I worked 50-60 hours per week, and the salary was so low that every month I really had to think about if I would make it through the month,” said Neil Sweeny, President of UAW 5810, which is representing the striking UC employees. “I have two small children and my partner was a full-time student. We lived in campus family housing, and we went to the campus foodbank every month to make sure that we had food.  This was while my research was bringing in millions of dollars in research funding for the University.”

The workers are demanding better pay and benefits, including wage increases tied to housing costs. Housing costs in California are among the highest in the country, especially in the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan areas

Aside from UC campuses located in the state’s biggest cities, many of the research university system’s campuses are in parts of the state that have relatively high costs living, like Berkeley, San Diego and the Westside of Los Angeles.

“UC’s pay falls below all their self-identified peer institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Yale and even public schools like the University of Michigan where living costs are far less” the union said in a press release on Thursday.

The UC maintains that “On average, UC rents systemwide are 20-25% below market rates, with some campuses providing even deeper discounts. UC has offered wage increases for all UAW members which would further help them meet their housing needs.”

The aggrieved employees paint a different picture.

“Being a TA pays for tuition but there is no way I can support myself in this city with what they pay,” said Victor E., a PhD. student and Teachers Assistant on strike at UCLA. “With teaching, my own coursework, and my research, there isn’t really any time to pick up another job. This has resulted in me taking out loans just to live and eat here. This shouldn’t be the case. With the amount of work the university gets out of its graduate students, postdocs, and others, a living wage is a small ask… A number one ranked public university should be doing no less and certainly much, much more.”

Another priority for the workers is transportation costs. The cost of gasoline has gone up around the world and according to a statewide survey conducted by The Public Policy Institute of California, an independent and non-partisan research firm, 43% of Californians including half of lower income residents worry every day about the high cost of gasoline and the increasing unaffordability of various modes of transportation.

The union wants UC to cover regional transit passes, and additional subsidies and incentives for taking public transit or bikes to work.

Recently, UC has offered to pay campus fees to extend “existing student-funded transit discounts,” to UAW members.

Although agreements have yet to be announced, on Thursday the UAW reported that “parties made progress on issues related to Parking and Transit, Appointment Notification, and Paid Time Off.”

There continues to be a large gap between the salary asks and the UC proposals. On Friday, a UAW statement said, “UC made another economic proposal to Academic Researchers containing 4.5% raises that do not match the rate of inflation.”

However, they did report progress in some other areas. “We have reached agreement on a few issues – such as health benefits improvements for Postdocs – which, while important, are not the major ones dividing the parties.”

As final examinations approach for students in the UC system, so does uncertainty. “UAW remains ready to meet for round-the-clock negotiations, but UC has not agreed to schedule sessions for the weekend,” a UAW release said. “Workers will be back on the strike lines Monday Morning.”

Students, faculty and elected officials are showing support for the strikers. Some professors are cancelling classes, and some students are electing to walk out. California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon tweeted “Academic workers are essential to the success of all of our @UofCalifornia campuses. The UC must continue to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement with the @UAW.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce brings back The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday on Monday, January 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. The Parade starts at Graciano Gomez Elementary School at Mt. Vernon and Baseline and continues west on Baseline ending at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park.

“Everyone is invited to attend the parade and & Extravaganza in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy of freedom. Come rejoice with vendors, music, community booths, First 5 children’s zone, custom and classic cars, motorcycles, fun and entertainment at the parade and after at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park,” said event Chair Lou Dowdy.

Set up and staging for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade & Extravaganza begins at 11:00 am at Graciano Gomez Elementary School in San Bernardino and the parade starts at 1:00 PM. The celebration at Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Sherrell’s Park continues until 8:00 PM.

Collaborators for The San Bernardino MLK Day Parade include: The Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Lue ProductionsCommunity Umbrella Services, Dameron Communications, YouthBuild Inland Empire, Chords Youth Enrichment Program, San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino Airport, Off the Chain Alliance, Westside Story Newspaper, Empire Talks Back and Black Health Coalition.

For more information or to sign up to be in the MLK Day Parade go to BlackChamberofCommerce.org follow the link for information and registration or call (888) 466-7408.

By Gail Fry | Westside Story News Contributor

As Gail Fry, Contributor to The West Side Story, waited at Gram’s Mission BBQ to meet with its owner, Benita Bratton, a new customer was overheard sharing with a friend of how she was digging into the mac & cheese exclaiming, “it was so good.”

The new customer was not wrong as Fry placed her own order for beef BBQ ribs and a healthy side of fresh grilled vegetables, which was exceptionally delicious, despite the temptation to try the mac & cheese, or the fried green tomatoes.

Benita Bratton, the owner, explained that in 1987 her dad, Robert Bratton, was the founder of the Gram’s Mission BBQ restaurant, which for ten years was located directly across the street from the Mission Inn Hotel.

Robert Bratton found an opportunity, an abandoned restaurant building in a prime location.  The name, Gram’s Mission BBQ, was to tie in the Mission Inn Hotel directly across the street, under renovation at the time of the restaurant’s opening day.

Photo of Robert Bratton

Benita Bratton recalled the struggles her father went through when his restaurant became a political hot potato and a struggle to exist ensued when the owner of the Mission Inn Hotel attempted to influence elected officials of the City of Riverside that he wanted something “classier” than Gram’s Mission BBQ, where meat was grilled outside in a big barrel.

In response Benita Bratton remembered, “The community banded together, and rallied in a petition to fight against the City of Riverside and its effort to close my dad’s restaurant.”  Press-Enterprise humorist columnist Dan Bernsteinregularly covered her father’s battle with the city, she recalled.

Robert Bratton persevered with the community’s support and help that came from all cultures and races when they realized what the City of Riverside was doing to Gram’s Mission BBQ wasn’t right, as Benita Bratton remembered.

Eventually, Robert Bratton sued the City of Riverside which led the city to award him with a settlement and paid for his restaurant’s relocation to where they are today at 3527 Main Street in Riverside where the restaurant was equipped with an indoor smoker.

At the time, according to Benita Bratton, the area was an older dilapidated area of town with sidewalks in disrepair, the Convention Center, a Sheraton and a Holiday Inn, and abandoned businesses.  However, Benita recalled, her father fought back through hustling. until where Gram’s Mission BBQ is today, 25 years later, basically in the sweetest spot in Riverside.

Photo of Gram’s Mission BBQ

Benita Bratton shared that she was there with her dad in 1987, when the restaurant opened, as she had restaurant experience from working at a restaurant in Las Vegas.  But when they did not see eye to eye she left and worked for AT&T for many years.

Robert Bratton is a great businessman, a great community leader, people liked him like to be around him.  “My dad knew how to make a business happen, how to hustle,” Benita Bratton credited, by then he had remarried, and had a new wife who liked to cook.

Benita Bratton shared she found herself becoming increasingly unhappy with her job at the phone company, and kept going to church and praying asking the Lord for guidance on what she should do, and the answer that kept coming was to help her dad at the restaurant.

AT&T was outsourcing jobs to other states and foreign countries, she had thoughts of retiring, there was an opportunity for a buyout, Benita Bratton explained she finally let go and surrendered to what the Lord wanted for her life returning to help her dad at the restaurant, however, their views still differed on its direction.

Benita Bratton explained she wanted a smaller menu, their foods to be really fresh, grilled every day, offering collard greens with turkey, not pork, to increase quality and service, add music, and desserts.  Benita Bratton told West Side Storyshe took ownership of the business in 2012.  A link to Gram’s Mission BBQ: https://gramsmissionbbq.com/

Photo of Benita Bratton

Benita Bratton shared she continues to go to her dad for guidance, that he is a visionary always looking at the big picture, reminding her the restaurant is about community, giving back, nourishing families, providing food, giving people jobs, sponsoring youth sports teams, scholarships for college, and looking out for each other.

Benita Bratton explained she started offering the grilled vegetables when her father suffered a stroke and needed to change his eating habits, she grew a vegetable garden, which increased her dad’s appreciation of vegetables.

“I love what I do, it’s hard work,” Benita Bratton acknowledged, that she wouldn’t have it any other way, observing, “Cooking brings people together, to the table, most people they want to eat with somebody, they don’t want to eat alone.”

Our weekly coverage of local news in San Bernardino County is supported by the  Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program supported by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support minority-owned-and-operated community newspapers in California.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

On Election Day, Golden State voters emphatically rebuked the sports gambling initiatives on the ballot.

With 67% of the ballots counted at press time, according to the Associated Press (AP), 83.31% or 5,628,855 California voters voted against Proposition 27, which would have legalized online sports gambling. The initiative was backed by gambling-industry titans Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, PENN Entertainment, and WynnBet.

Prop 27 was the second least successful ballot measure in the last 30 years, based on the percentage of yes votes. Nearly 17% or 1,127,983 voters marked “yes.”

Prop 27 was opposed by over 50 of California’s Native American tribes who said Internet sports wagering would harm gambling business at tribal casinos statewide.

Greg Sarri, chairman of the Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria Tribe in the Bay Area, a member of the Coalition for Safe Responsible Gambling, No on Prop 27, said the No on 27 campaign is thankful voters stood with state Indian tribes and downed the proposition supported by the gambling companies.

“Today’s vote is a show of support for tribal self-reliance and a total rejection of corporate greed,” Sarris said in an election night statement.

Anthony Roberts, Tribal Chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in northern California, said No on 27’s polling before the Nov. 8 election revealed Californians do not support online sports betting.

“Voters have real and significant concerns about turning every cellphone, laptop, and tablet into a gambling device,” Roberts said, “and the resulting addiction, and exposure to children.”

Another sports wagering measure – this one supported by dozens of Indian tribes — was also smacked down.

Proposition 26 would have legalized sports betting at tribal casinos and allowed them to offer craps and roulette. According to the AP though, 69.71% or 4,665,484 voters marked “no” on their ballot to the question of whether they supported the initiative, while 30.39% or 2,036,734 Californians marked “yes.”

Santa Monica voter Clint Thompson, 39, doesn’t gamble but voted in favor of Prop 26 and opposed Prop 27.

“I wanted the tribes to keep money,” Thompson said. “I feel like it’s hard for them to make money. Any possible hustle they can do on tribal lands, they should have it.”

The runup to Election Day saw advertisements for and against both of the propositions overwhelm the airwaves and digital platforms.  The campaigns combined waged the most expensive ballot measure contest in U.S. history — spending nearly half a billion dollars.

Both campaigns sought support from various individuals and entities across California. Many civil rights organizations, including the Baptist Ministers Conference of Los Angeles and Southern California, the Black Business Association, California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP, and the California African American Chamber of Commerce supported Prop 26.

Voter rejection of the gambling initiatives leaves the largest market in America, California, out of reach to legal sports betting.

Nathan Click, the Prop 27 campaign spokesperson, told media the coalition knew passing Prop 27 would be an uphill battle, but they remain committed to it.

“This campaign has underscored our resolve to see California follow more than half the country in legalizing safe and responsible online sports betting,” Click said.

Renowned Afrobeats DJ Peter Lentini, Founder and Creative Director hosted the 13th Annual Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles (AFLA), the largest African cultural festival in the U.S. Every year, Lentini expects hundreds of people to come through the festival to experience the art, fashion designers, performances, and music artists that are some of Africa’s finest cultural representations. This year’s event exceeded expectations with more attendee’s than the previous year.

Lentini, who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, is a self-made American success story. For the last 15 years, he has been delivering an eclectic mix of entertainment with event production and concerts around the world featuring African artists. Lentini created the Ankara Fashion & Music Festival Los Angeles to build a social landscape for African cultural pride in the U.S. and foster entrepreneurship by providing greater visibility of African artists from multiple industries. AFLA is the largest African cultural event in the United States. This year’s event was hosted by popular Nigerian actor and comedian Seyi Brown.

“All of our staff, volunteers, sponsors, entertainers – everyone that attended AFLA, made this year’s event an incredible success,” said Lentini. “We surpassed our attendance goals and smashed the previous record. It shows we have made our mark in Los Angeles as a culturally-rich festival that celebrates Africa’s contributions to art, fashion and music.”

The three-day festival kicked off with an opening night featuring a headline performance by Wande Coal at Catch One. Other artists who performed at Catch One included King Abu, DJ Zuko, Chimdi. E Major, Otito, Tomi Trive, and MJTheDJ. The second day featured an African Marketplace pop-up of vendors, and an Afrobeats Day Party at The Fountain LA. Closing night at Exchange LA featured a red carpet, a runway fashion show with live African music followed by a live performance by Nigerian Singer Yemi Alade. This year’s runway fashion designers included Ugohicii Wuaba, Lavina Andre, Mercy by NK, and many others.

Closing night included dignitaries, celebrities, musicians and actors who were invited to support and enjoy the fabulous styles on the runway as well as walk the red carpet. Those in attendance included: Chief Oladiran Alabi, Honorable Mame Mbaye (Senegal Consulate), Nyakim Gathwech (Supermodel “Queen of the Dark”), Petri Hawkins Byrd (American court show bailiff and TV Personality), Bayo Akinfemi (CBS “Bob Hearts Abishola”), Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”), Nola Ade (Singer), Tyrone DuBose (American Radio Personality), Jaida-Iman Benjamin (HBO’s “Insecure”), and many others.

This year’s event was well supported by several sponsors, which included Lentini, AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), Umu Igbo Unite, AfroBeat Los Angeles, Zena Fashions, Toms One for One, AfroBrunch Los Angeles, Royal Dynamite, Andrea Williams of MUD cosmetic, Mrs. May Odiakosa of Star Beer USA, Chike Nweke of Life & Times Magazine Group, #StandAgainstHate, Celestina of Benz Life Collection, and entrepreneur Mrs. Lara Okunubi.

For more information about Peter Lentini and Ankara Festival, visit www.ankarafestival.org.

Stay connected with Ankara Festival at: 

Instagram: @AnkaraFestivals

Twitter: @AnkaraFestivals

Facebook: @AnkaraFestivals

Photo Credit: Eugene Powers Photography / Courtesy of Ankara Fashion & Music Festival

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Gas prices have a crippling hold on California drivers. As averages currently stand at $5.46 for regular and $5.80 for premium, what is the incentive for oil companies to lower their prices while their profits skyrocket?

California refiners Phillips 66 and Marathon reported profit increases up to 1,243% higher than last year. BP spent $2.5 billion on share buybacks; a strategy companies use to increase the value of individual shares when they know demand for their product will increase. These profits come despite the fact prices of crude oil are going down.

“Big oil is making record profits by ripping off Californians. They said high prices were because of war, state taxes and maintenance, but now we know that was all a facade – these high prices went straight to their bottom line,” said Gov. Newsom in a press release. “A price gouging penalty will put these windfall profits back in the pockets of Californians.”

Newsom has done his part to help lower prices at the pump. His call for the early switch to winter-blend gasoline and demanding accountability from refiners and oil companies doing business in California decreased prices by 88 cents from record highs a few months ago. Republicans, however, believe a different approach needs to be taken.

Assembly Chief Clerk Sue Parker and Secretary of the Senate Erika Contreras received a formal request from Republican members of the Assembly and Senate to have the Legislature recalled for a joint recess to discuss pressing matters including the consideration of legislation to suspend the state gas tax, establishing a gasoline supply reserve, and expediting permits to increase supply.

The request was denied by Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) in a letter citing that “significant time and resources” had been dedicated to the issue, including providing rebates to help with the cost of fuel and consumer goods.

These funds are currently being distributed to qualified residents. Atkins also cited that a reconvening of the Legislature would not leave enough time for any immediate aid since the California Constitution does not allow bills to be sent to the Governor’s desk after Nov. 15.

For those who electronically filed their taxes in 2020 and received a refund by direct deposit, their payment will come via direct deposit before Nov. 14. Golden State Stimulus, or GSS, recipients of 2021 are first in line to get their payments.Debit cards are being sent out in four groups organized in alphabetical order by last name. Remaining eligible recipients will receive payment through January.

In response to the blowback from reports of oil company profits, CEOs from Shell and Exxon have released statements acknowledging a need for change. Some have been more direct than others with their commentary.

Shell CEO Ben van Beurden stated, “I think we should be prepared to accept that our industry will be looked at for raising taxes in order to fund the transfers to those who need it most.”

Exxon CEO Darren Woods said “There has been discussion in the US about our industry returning some of our profits directly to the American people. That’s exactly what we’re doing in the form of our quarterly dividend.”

California drivers acknowledge gas prices are high, however many feel they don’t have reliable alternatives.

Milan Finnie, 28, lives in the Mission District of San Francisco where gas has been between $5.50 and $6.39 a gallon.  “There were places I wanted to go but gas was too expensive. I’ve started to hear that phrase a lot more often from friends as well. I remember feeling limited. It limits me from doing things I need to do and also extending myself for recreation,” Finnie told California Black Media.

Parking issues also caused a lot of extra driving for Finnie. San Francisco’s public transportation system provides some options. However, as a young Black woman walking alone, Finnie has experienced moments where she hasn’t felt safe.

“Depending on the time of the night, I don’t want to do that. The later it gets, the more people are prone to do something unpredictable. I try to keep a really open eye. In my neighborhood there is a high level of prostitution. I personally don’t feel comfortable being out late at night unless I’m extremely covered or accompanied by someone because I have been asked if I was ‘working’. The safest thing would be to drive, but gas prices are high,” Finnie said.

YUCAIPA, CA— Damian G. Garcia was appointed to the bench in July 2022, adding to a successful career as an attorney. When asked how he wanted to be remembered in this new role, Garcia replied, “I would just like the perception to be that Judge Garcia is a good judge. He’s firm, and he’s fair, and he does a good job.”

But most importantly, the 46-year-old Beaumont resident said he wants the public to know his story.

“I want to be known within the community particularly by going around to different schools and work [places] to break down the barrier by giving disclosure to young people about exactly what a judge does,” Garcia said. “There’s a lot of unknowns about this position.”

Born and raised in Redlands, Garcia said he was the first in his immediate family to attend college.

“My parents were just happy that I got my high school diploma,” he said. But Garcia set his sights on higher education. However, he did not have the prerequisites to attend a four-year university right after graduation. Instead, he attended a little community college, Crafton Hills College (CHC), located in the hills of Yucaipa, Calif.

“That’s where I blossomed,” Garcia explained. “It was a whole new world. I got to do what I wanted, and I liked the independence.”

After completing his general education courses, Garcia transferred to the University of California, Riverside (UCR), where he earned a bachelor’s in political science. From there, he went on to get a master’s in business with an emphasis in computers at the University of Redlands.

Initially, Garcia set his sights on becoming a police officer, but some members of his family thought that career was too dangerous.

“At the time, I was working in banking. And while getting my MBA, I had a business law class where I got the highest grade, and it was in that class where my professor asked me, ‘Why don’t you go to law school?’” he explained.

So, Garcia did. After graduating from UCR, he passed the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and was accepted to the University of La Verne’s law school. In 2005, Garcia entered the job market with his law degree in hand, though he had no experience in law. But a local firm took a chance and hired Garcia as a clerk and, later, a full-time attorney after he passed the bar.

Soon, Garcia became a partner and was co-leading the firm – Banks, Garcia & Janis, based in Rancho Cucamonga – before a Zoom meeting about how to become a judge changed his career direction.

He learned that although San Bernardino County’s population is 40 percent Hispanic, they make up only 11 percent of the San Bernardino County Superior Court judges. Garcia took that meeting as his new calling. “After that, I knew I wanted to help diversify the bench,” he said.

Balancing a career, fatherhood, and his desire to serve the community may seem difficult for a judge to juggle, but don’t doubt Garcia. He has a plan to succeed, including coming back to CHC to serve the College.

“Crafton was a gift, a springboard for those – a lot of folks like me – who don’t have the right grades or the financial resources right off the bat to go to a four-year,” Garcia said. “But once I got settled in, I joined some different organizations and thrived, and I want to do some outreach to inspire [others] by showing them my example about how I got here.”

RIALTO, CA— San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. presented a check to the City of Rialto on November 15, 2022, to invest American Rescue Plan Act (A.R.P.A.) funds into the Rialto Library study room project. The project will entail of two study rooms where students can focus in a peaceful and safe environment.

“Libraries are a gateway to knowledge and culture, and they play such a fundamental role in our society. The resources found in libraries offer greater opportunities for education, learning and growing. Our goal is to make sure that our local libraries are as impactful as they possibly can be. We want to make sure our community members can come to our libraries, sit down and really be able to grasp all the information they are trying to educate themselves on. We are so excited to see the outcome of the study rooms project,” Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., stated.