By Dr. Jerry P. Abraham, director, Kedren Vaccines at Kedren Health in Los Angeles
California has made great strides in fighting the pandemic. The state continues to set new records, achieving test positivity under one percent as of mid-May and holding one of the lowest rates of new coronavirus cases in the nation, for the first time since testing began. But there is so much more work to do, especially in our communities of color.
Vaccinations are particularly important for communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. We are about three times as likely to contract the virus and about twice as likely to die from COVID-19 compared to non-Hispanic whites. As the focus now shifts to our younger population who remain susceptible to the virus, the best way we can protect them is to get them vaccinated.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that as of May 2021 youth now account for 22 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., when this time last year youth cases were only around three percent. As more older people receive vaccinations, it is important to get young people vaccinated to prevent new cases from increasing, starting with our 12 to 15-year-olds.
Young people have been heroic throughout this pandemic, donning masks and putting their lives on hold, they have suffered extreme stress and isolation. Now it is their turn to join their older loved ones in getting vaccinated.
When more Californians become vaccinated, we can feel safer as restrictions are lifted and life begins to return to a sense of normalcy and to the things we love to do like church, traveling and gathering together without worry.
When more Californians become vaccinated, we can feel safer as restrictions are lifted and life begins to return to a sense of normalcy and to the things we love to do like church, traveling and gathering together without worry.
We understand that some parents and legal guardians may have questions. However, it is important to recognize that clinical trials have shown the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective in protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death in those aged 12 to 15. As a result, the FDA granted emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine – the same vaccine already safely administered to millions of Californians ages 16 and older – for this next eligible age group. The Western States Scientific Safety Review workgroup convened immediately upon CDC review of the FDA’s authorization, issuing its recommendation just days later.
The science is there. Pfizer’s phase three clinical trial enrolled 2,260 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age in the United States. The researchers recorded 18 cases of symptomatic coronavirus infection in the placebo group, and none among the children who received the vaccine, indicating that it was highly effective at preventing symptomatic illness.
We also understand that there are youth who are afraid of getting the vaccine and parents and legal guardians want to know how to encourage them that this is the right thing.
Start by acknowledging that it is normal to be concerned about any kind of immunization, particularly one of this magnitude. There has been more conversation around the COVID-19 vaccine than probably any other vaccination, with an overwhelming amount of misleading information out there. Share with your child that the injection is nearly painless, side effects are minimal and that inoculation against COVID-19 is a critical step toward helping end the pandemic.
Your family doctor or nurse practitioner can also answer any questions or concerns that your child may have about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine with accurate, reliable and reassuring information. Additional information can be found at VaccinateALL58.com and you can visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to schedule an appointment.
Availability will increase in the coming weeks, and the state is working closely with local health departments, schools, community partners, the faith-based community and others to provide vaccines equitably to underserved youth, including those who are experiencing homelessness or in foster care.
The bottom line is these are life-saving vaccines. This is our path to normalcy. California is ready to safely deliver vaccines to young people ages 12 and over.
By Tara Lynn Gray | Special to California Black Media
Reflecting on the murder of George Floyd a year later requires that we as Black Americans, Americans as a nation, honestly look at all the meaning that this tragedy embodies. The symbolism is palpable. For life has been, and continues to be, snuffed out of Black Americans in many ways, on many fronts.
Many people across the nation and around the world watched in horror the film footage of veteran police officer Derek Chauvin pressing the life out of George Floyd with that defiant, inhumane stare as he pushed his knee against Floyd’s neck with utter disregard for what—we learned during the trial a year later—lasted nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds, long after life had left George Floyd’s body. Chauvin was so enraged he kept killing Floyd long after he was already dead. He showed no concern about the potential consequences of his action as alarmed and pleading citizens stood by, eyewitnesses, watching helplessly.
Today, some may have found a bit of justice with the recent murder conviction of Derek Chauvin. But what does that really mean? What does it mean when it comes to achieving real justice for the known and unknown number of wrongful deaths of Black men and women by the hands of policemen and other law enforcement officers? The real question, and more importantly, what will be done to bring about systemic changes to stop this age-old, generation-old practice of snuffing out the life, literally and figuratively, of Black men, and Black people in many aspects of American life?
Blacks in America have had knees on their necks in all strands of the American experience, not just in terms of police brutality. American history is replete with evidence of oppression and inequality when it comes to how Blacks are regarded and treated. For decades and across generations, first it was slavery, then Jim Crow, and now the seemingly endless fight for civil rights and voting rights. In addition to police brutality today, too many states have introduced laws to restrict voting, with the state of Georgia leading the way. Many, not just rogue policemen, are about the business of snuffing out the will and denying those privileges and opportunities to Blacks that are afforded to other Americans.
These egregious practices can be seen in education, employment, and business—whether it is business in a large corporate environment or in the small business sector that is the bedrock of America. Despite their value, their quality, their contribution, Black employees and Black businesses are all too often under-valued, under-supported, and lack adequate investment capital. If they barely can survive today, how can they expect to participate in the technological advances and become sustainable in the future?
As we look at all the facets of what happened to George Floyd and so many others, and what their lives and deaths truly represent, caring Americans must focus on the mistreatment of Blacks, the ravages and denial of Black progress historically and now, across all areas of American society that breed a disproportionate level of poverty, crime, injustice, and unequal opportunity. America must acknowledge and value what Blacks bring to the table.
For those of us Blacks who have first-hand experience with rogue policemen, an unequal educational system, a discriminating employer who persists in treating you unfairly no matter how excellent your work history has been, or as a small business owner that struggles to survive year after year, there is more to be done and more to endure.
This is a call to action to our communities, our state, and our nation to realize that the death of George Flood and others is only symptomatic of larger systemic problems that need to be fixed. America will never be all it can be until it does.
A year ago this week, the world watched in disbelief the cellphone video that captured Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for more than 9 minutes, leading to the African American man’s horrific death — and triggering widespread protests and some incidents of rioting around the world.
In California, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) are reflecting on Floyd’s brutal murder, the progress the state and the country have made since it happened and taking stock of their own racial equity and police reform efforts in the Legislature, vowing to never give up their fight for fairness and justice.
“One year after the murder of George Floyd, we continue to be met with resistance at any attempt to answer the calls for meaningful police reform,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), chair of the CLBC.
Bradford pointed out that California has always been on the leading edge of progressive change in America, but the state, he says, has been dragging its feet on rooting out some of the negative aspects of law enforcement.
“California remains one of four states without a decertification process to hold rogue cops accountable. As a state, we have to remain dedicated to setting the standard in this nation,” he said. “As legislators, we have a moral obligation to answer the calls for comprehensive police reform. We owe that much to George Floyd and all victims of police brutality here in California.
The George Floyd protests were the largest unrest in the United States since the civil rights movement, the intensity of it heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The world was brought to a standstill as people sheltered in place at home, away of each other, in the greater interest of public safety.
In boardrooms and living rooms, it inspired a national reflection on race relations – and a collective confronting of historical racial injustices – and the mainstreaming of the slogan, “Black Lives Matter,” once a progressive rallying cry embraced largely by the political Left; but met with strong resistance in many other corners of America, or varying degrees of skepticism or indifference.
Corporate America responded, too, with programs and pitches, making decisions to promote racial equity. Black-focused organizations were flooded with donations. Most of America, both the public and private sectors, promised to review long-standing diversity issues with a fresh eye.
“To say that 2020 was a tumultuous year is a gross understatement. The COVID-19 pandemic changed every aspect of our lives — how we work, how we educate our students, go to the doctor, and communicate with one another, among other things,” said Bradford. “What did not change was the cycle of brutality and violence against Black and Brown communities by the hands of rogue cops in law enforcement.”
Since Floyd’s murder, members of the CLBC have introduced five different bills geared toward eliminating police use of excessive force and encouraging safter and more responsible law enforcement procedures. That’s in addition to six other pieces of legislation that members had already introduced the previous year.
“In the last year we saw millions of people from all walks of life in the streets chanting ‘Black Lives Matter,’ but now, it is translating into policy reforms,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena). Today, we remember the man who was George Floyd, and tomorrow we continue our work towards justice for him and the countless victims of deadly and excessive force by police officers.”
Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-San Diego), the newest member of the CLBC — she won a special election in April – said, as the mother of two Black boys, Floyd’s death was “extremely painful and personal.”
“We all felt a riveting emotional reaction, and it was particularly devastating for the Black community who has repeatedly been subjected this this type of trauma for generations,” said Weber, who is also a medical doctor.
“This tragedy once again highlighted the urgent need to take action because much work still needs to be done to establish equity for all,” she added. “We must do better for our future generations.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom called Los Angeles community organizer Isaac Bryan on Saturday morning to congratulate him for winning the 54th Assembly District special election.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office reported that, as of Friday, May 21, Bryan was leading with 50.7% of counted ballots (21,388 votes) over his closest opponent, fellow Democrat Heather Hutt.
Hutt was trailing Bryan with 24.9% (10,489 votes).
Hutt served as the former state director for Kamala Harris when the current Vice President of the United States was California’s junior United States Senator.
Bryan’s projected victory – pending final certification by authorities – would push the California Legislative Black Caucus’s (CLBC) membership back up to 10.
The CLBC – the body of African American elected officials serving in the State Legislature – recently lost two members. In December, Gov. Newsom appointed former Assemblymember Shirley Weber, who represented the 79th District in the San Diego area, California’s 33rd Secretary of State. And last year after the general election, former state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell resigned to serve on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
The race Bryan won was announced after Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) won a special election to represent the 30th District in the upper house of the California Legislature, replacing Mitchell.
“The Governor called this morning. We really did this,” the 29-year-old Bryan posted on his Twitter account, expressing gratitude to Newsom for reaching out to him.
“My name is Isaac Bryan, but my friends call me Mr. Assemblymember- elect,” Bryan tweeted before that in a separate post on May 21.
Bryan’s commanding lead puts him comfortably above the 50-plus percentage mark required to avoid a runoff with Hutt.
The special election was held May 18. By the end of the night, Bryan had locked in 49.62% of the votes. Hutt’s tally stood at a distant second with 24.61% of the vote. None of the other four candidates in the race — Cheryl Turner, Dallas Fowler, Bernard Senter and Samuel Robert Morales — won more than 10% of the vote.
“Can’t wait to have you up here on the green carpet @CABlackCaucus,” Kamlager tweeted, congratulating Bryan and welcoming him as a state lawmaker and new member of the CLBC. Kamlager is vice chair of the CLBC.
Before Bryan’s win, the CLBC welcomed another member, Dr. Akilah Weber (D-La Jolla), who won her mother Shirley Weber’s former Assembly seat in another special election in April.
Bryan is the founding director of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Black Policy Project (BPP). The BPP is a research initiative housed within the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.
The project says its primary focus is producing community-centered research that helps ignite policy change, serving as the bridge between Black scholarship generated at UCLA and the ideas that inform policymaking.
Bryan’s supporters praise him for leading efforts to pass Measure J in Los Angeles County. The ballot initiative now mandates LA County to dedicate no less than 10 % of its general fund to spending on racial equity programs, including investments in youth development, supportive housing, alternatives to incarceration, job training, small business development, and more.
U.S. Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37), Mitchell, and Kamlager all endorsed Bryan.
Legislation to help a family reap a portion of the benefits of their ancestors’ lost wealth could get approval from the state Senate this week.
Senate Bill 796 — which would allow L.A. County to return two parcels of oceanfront land it owns in Manhattan Beach back to the descendants of the original Black owners — is scheduled for a full Senate vote on Thursday, May 20, according to the office of the secretary of the senate.
The item is on the Senate’s consent calendar, office of the secretary of the senate said. And since the consent calendar is a set of uncontroversial items that get voted on all at once, the bill will almost certainly pass unless a senator pulls it off for discussion.
State Sen. Anthony Portantino, chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, determined the bill had no significant costs to California and sent the bill to the Senate floor on Monday, May 17, according to the office of Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Carson.
The two parcels at the heart of the bill were once part of a flourishing seaside resort owned by and operated for Black people in the early 20th century, during a time when African Americans had limited coastal access.
Willa and Charles Bruce ran a flourishing resort for Black people on that land in Manhattan Beach in the early 20th century, providing refuge for the people who at the time had limited coastal access.
But the original owners, Willa and Charles Bruce, as well as those who visited the resort and Manhattan Beach’s other African American residents, faced harassment and terrorism from some White neighbors who didn’t want Black people in the community.
The city still owns the largest portion of the former resort, which eventually became Bruce’s Beach Park.
But the two parcels closest to the surf became state-owned in 1948. The state gave those two parcels — and larger swaths of the beach — to L.A. County in 1995.
The county currently operates a lifeguard station there.
But under the 1995 transfer agreement, the county cannot sell or give the land to anyone else.
SB 796 would undo those restrictions and allow the county to return the land.
The County CEO’s Office, County Counsel and the executive director of racial equality, in consultation with the county fire chief, have until June 19 to report back to the board with a plan for how to deed the property to the Bruce family.
That plan, which the supervisors would have to OK, will include a timeline, options for addressing property tax issues after the transfer and ways the county could either lease the property from the Bruce family or relocate the lifeguard facility there.
If the bill passes the state Senate with a two-thirds vote by June 4, it would then go to the state Assembly, which would have to vote on it by Sept. 10. After that, the bill would go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature.
Getting the land back, though, is only a part of what the family is seeking, said Bruce family historian and representative Duane Shepard.
“We wanted the land restored, punitive damages for the police department terrorizing our family and restitution from lost revenue those enterprises would’ve had right now,” Shepard, a distant relative, said in an April interview. “Giving back the land doesn’t replace generational wealth.”
Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that he has created a new bureau within the Department of Justice (DOJ) dedicated to fighting discrimination and investigating hate crimes.
Bonta said the new Bureau of Racial Justice, which will be housed under the Civil Rights Enforcement Section, will also support the California task force that the state has charged with studying the impact of slavery and Jim Crow and coming up with reparations recommendations for Blacks in California and around the country.
In September last year, Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 3121 into law. The legislation, introduced by current California Secretary of State Shirley Weber when she served in the Assembly, requires the state to set up the task force.
Bonta has not yet spelled out how the bureau will contribute to the state’s reparations efforts, but he stressed the urgency of creating it.
“Throughout California’s history, too many of us have felt the sting of hate and discrimination,” said Bonta. “The fact is: No part of California is immune to hate. Too many Asian, Latino, Black, Native American, people with disabilities, LGBTQ, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh Californians all across the state are hurting.
According to the DOJ, the bureau will focus on six areas: hate crimes and organizations; implicit and explicit bias in policing; law enforcement best practices; campus climate issues; and the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.
Bonta says the DOJ will work with the Big City Mayors, a group of officials from the state’s 13 largest cities, on its anti-discrimination and anti-hate crime initiatives. The cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San José, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Stockton.
At the end of this month, the DOJ says Bonta will host a virtual meeting with the Big City Mayors.
“Drawing on the expertise of local elected leaders, the virtual convening will seek to raise awareness around regional concerns involving hate crimes, support those who have been impacted by hate, and secure commitments for direct action across California,” the DOJ said in a statement.
The California Legislative Black Caucus welcomed the news. The group comprised of African American members of the State Legislature says, “California, after its acceptance into the union in 1850 until the end of slavery in 1865, actively supported the enslavement of Blacks.”
The CLBC says the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations will increase understanding among Californians at a time when racial and political divisions divide Americans.
“As Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, I am humbled to be a part of this groundbreaking task force and look forward to having the difficult but necessary conversations on the age of enslavement here in California and across the nation,” said Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), who is also chair of the CBLC and a member of the reparations task force.
“The remnants of slavery and Jim Crow are still alive and well today and need to be addressed. We have found ways to not only apologize but also provide reparations to every group wronged in America and around the world except for African American decedents of slavery,” Bradford pointed out.
Nearly three years after her successful run for a seat on California’s Board of Equalization (BOE), Malia Cohen now has her sights set on a higher office: State Controller. The election for State Controller will be held in November 2022.
Cohen is one of two women — and the only African American — serving on the BOE, the state agency responsible for representing taxpayer interests and making county-by-county tax assessments and adjustments across the state.
She announced her candidacy for State Controller during the California Democratic Party (CDP) 2021 convention, held online from April 29 to May 2.
“I am running because I am committed to equity, empowerment, hope and opportunity for all Californians,” Cohen told California Black Media.
During the Democratic Party convention, current State Controller and BOE member Betty Yee gave her blessing. She endorsed Cohen to occupy the seat she was first elected to in November 2014. Yee was re-elected for a second term in 2018.
Yee, who is termed out from running for State Controller in 2022, was elected vice chair of the CDP at its recent convention.
Taisha Brown, chair of the California Democratic Party Black Caucus, said she’s ready to support Cohen and see more African American women, the most loyal voting bloc in the Democratic Party, in leadership roles.
“I’m happy to see more Black women moving in the direction to lead California as statewide officers. We have always been capable and have put in the work. I’m excited and ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for Malia Cohen to be our next State Controller,” Brown said.
Cohen and Yee recently participated in a discussion the CDP’s Women’s Caucus, titled “Honoring Trailblazing Democratic Women on the Frontlines.” They discussed how they have both worked hard to find innovative solutions to longstanding problems, broken stereotypes and lead while facing various challenges in their respective careers.
If Californians vote Cohen the next State Controller, she will become chair of the Franchise Tax Board and serve on the boards of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) as well.
CalPERS and CalSTRS manage financial investments totaling more than $620 billion.
The controller’s office is the state’s independent fiscal watchdog, providing oversight and managing more than $100 billion in receipts and disbursements of public funds a year. The state department also offers fiscal guidance to local governments and uncovers fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. It is also charged with protecting the state’s coastline and helping to build hospitals.
As a member of the BOE, Cohen represents 23 counties and 9.5 million constituents in the Second District, an area that stretches along California’s coast from the top of the state down to Santa Barbara County.
Before that, Cohen represented the 10th District on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors from January 2011 to January 2019. Cohen, born in the Richmond District of the “Golden Gate City,” was also president of the Board of Supervisors, succeeding London Breed, who was elected the San Francisco’s mayor in 2018.
Cohen, 43, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at Fisk University in Tennessee and a Master’s in public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania.
For more than a decade now, Cohen has been an influential figure in California state politics, taking on a number of high-profile issues.
In 2017, she introduced legislation to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including, menthol cigarettes in San Francisco. The measure was approved. She celebrated last month when the Biden administration announced its intention to make that prohibition national.
“I knew if we had a victory, it could start something big. But I did not know just how far it would go,” Cohen said. “After our ordinance passed in San Francisco, 75 other cities in California passed similar bans.”
After she was re-elected to represent the 10th District in 2014, Cohen gained national attention when she defended San Francisco’s “sanctuary city” policy. The ordinance shields undocumented immigrants living in the city from deportation.
Bill O’Reilly, then a conservative commentator for FOX News, took issue with Cohen and her pro-immigrant stance. He said on his show, The O’Reilly Factor, that Cohen was a disgrace and should be apprehended.
“If I were the attorney general of the United States, I would place her immediately under arrest,” O’Reilly said at the time, “That woman is a disgrace.”
The former FOX News talking head made the comment while blaming the policy for the death of a 32-year-old woman who was killed by an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.
Cohen expressed horror at the woman’s death and called the incident a tragedy, but she did not shy away from O’Reilly’s attack.
“We cannot allow one event to dictate 25 years of our city’s policies towards undocumented immigrants in our city,” Cohen responded. “And more importantly, we cannot allow hateful conservative news stations to drive how we respond to incidents in our city. I’m not afraid of Fox News and they don’t influence how I make my policy decisions here in San Francisco.”
Paul Mooney, the comedian, actor and writer for Richard Pryor, died on Wednesday morning, his representative Cassandra Williams confirmed to Variety. He was 79.
He died at his home in Oakland, CA after suffering a heart attack.
Mooney’s Twitter account also shared the news on Wednesday morning, posting “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts…To all in love with this great man.”
Mooney served as the head writer on “The Richard Pryor Show” and co-wrote some of Pryor’s material on several of his comedy albums and his “Saturday Night Live” sketches. Mooney also wrote for “Sanford and Son,” “Good Times,” “In Living Color,” “Pryor’s Place,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Chappelle’s Show” and BET’s reality TV parody show “Real Husbands of Hollywood.”
In addition to his stand-up comedy, Mooney appeared in movies like “The Buddy Holly Story,” where he played Sam Cooke; “Bustin’ Loose”; “Hollywood Shuffle”; Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled”; and most recently “Meet the Blacks” in 2016.
On Dave Chappelle’s Comedy Central show, Mooney played the recurring character Negrodamus, a Black version of the philosopher Nostradamus who specialized in answering questions like “Why do white people love Wayne Brady so much?” (Answer: “Because Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X”).
Much of Mooney’s stand-up material focused on race. His sets at the 2005 BET Comedy Awards and the 2006 BET tribute to Black History Month skewered celebrities like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Oprah Winfrey, Lil’ Kim, Diana Ross, Flavor Flav, Terrell Owens and more.
In 2007, he published a memoir titled “Black Is the New White,” in which he discussed his relationship with Pryor and some of his most iconic and controversial comedy sets.
“…What it will be like standing before the King? What it would be like to walk, by [His] side? I can only imagine, what my eyes would see, when [His] face is before me. I can only imagine, what it will be like to be surrounded by [His] glory. What will my heart feel? Will I dance for [Him], or in awe of [Him] be still? Will I stand in [His] presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Hallelujah? Or will I be able to speak at all? Oh, I can only imagine, yeah, when that day comes… Can you imagine, just standing before the King, what it would be like…” [Song by Tamela Mann? I Can Only Imagine].
Pause for a moment to let that image settle in your mind, because I can only think of one thing worse than going to Hell, and that would be to go to Hell with Heaven on your mind. Listen, the Bible gives us several vivid examples of this phenomenon. Consider the following people and their rejection of the Savior. Judas Iscariot – He kissed the gates of Heaven and went to Hell – [Matt. 26:49; Acts 1:25]. Felix – He looked into salvation, but he wanted to wait to a more convenient time – [Acts 24:25]. Herod Agrippa – He stepped up to the very door of Heaven and turned away – [Acts 26:28]. Festus – He heard the claims of the Gospel and called them the ravings of a mad man – [Acts 26:24]. Tell me, how shall you escape, if you ignore God’s provision for your soul’s salvation, how will you escape the consequences of such neglect? [Matthew 10:32-33]. How will you escape His wrath? [John 3:36]; His condemnation? [John 3:18]; His word of banishment? [Matthew 26:41].
Listen, the Bible declares it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. [Hebrews 9:27]. I tell you, nothing in your entire life could be more important than being ready for that day, because it will determine whether you will spend eternity in heaven or in hell. You shouldn’t think twice about it. Understand the present time. For as [Romans 13:11-12]] says, the hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. The Bible says “Now is the acceptable time. Now is the time of God’s favor. Now is the day of salvation….” Please do not cast aside God’s offer. I want you to know that through visions, prophecies, visitations and signs, Jesus have given many warnings to the world that there was little time left and that after the trumpet call, it will be too late! Don’t wait until its too late! Can you imagine standing before the King, what it will be like for you?
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thundering, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. Hallelujah all Praises to the Most High God! [Revelation chapter 4]. I Can Only Imagine!
WASHINGTON — The Washington, D.C., area is home to a bustling population of food trucks. Streets surrounding the city’s monuments are often lined with stationary trucks vending shawarma, hot dogs and many other foods. Clearly, the competition for such vendors is intense.
Against that backdrop, Jerk At Nite began in 2013 with the experimental cooking of Denville Myrie Jr., a Jamaican student at Howard University admired by his peers for his cooking. Jerk At Nite initially seized the dearth of late-night food options in the years before meal delivery apps became popular. With the campus cafe closing at 10 p.m., there were only one or two restaurant options for late-night students.
Thus, the business was born, with Myrie Jr., Kadeem Todd and a few other Howard students operating a small enterprise serving their peers. In 2014, it grew to catering larger Howard events, getting their name out and growing their customer base of the future Howard alumni. In 2016, its food truck arrived on the scene. Then, in 2019, they started work on their first restaurant — but soon ran into a variety of obstacles in working to make that spot a reality.
Todd, one of the business’ five managers/owners recently took time out of his schedule to speak to Zenger News about the solid foundation that the business is built upon, and why they’re confident those hurdles will ultimately be overcome.
Jerk At Nite’s first brick-and-mortar location at 2149 Queens Chapel Road N.E., in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy of Kadeem Todd)
Zenger: How did this business begin?
Todd: Myrie used to always cook and stuff at night, and we all admired his food. During this time he got the idea of making Jamaican food. He had the idea of making it for years prior to that. Myrie had already graduated a year prior to me and started working for the Department of Health, a career he wasn’t really into, and I was fresh out of college trying to figure things out. I originally was an EMT, working in hospitals, but I wasn’t really into it, to be honest. So he came up with the idea: We’ve been doing this all these years, let’s put our money where our mouth is and invest in a food truck. At the time, food trucks were really big in D.C., and we definitely saw the opportunity of it being very lucrative because we’d see them every week downtown by all the monuments.
Zenger: Since there are a lot of food trucks in D.C., competition seems to be tight. How did you rise above that?
Todd: We kinda of came in struttin’. We came in like we had the best because we felt like we were the best. And we kinda promoted ourselves like that. Downtown D.C. business spaces are really mundane. People are walking to and from in their business suits, but we came through and cut through that with our own aura. So we would come in playing our music really loud, it was almost like the ice cream man concept, the people would hear it at 11 o’clock and we would get there before they even get out for their lunch break, we had the grill smoking and you could smell the food. You couldn’t walk past without wondering “what are they cooking?” and Jamaican culture is really worldwide; people love Jamaican food. People love it, and people who don’t love it have friends who love it who will take them there to try it.
It was easy to cut into the competition, as everyone [else] was selling tacos and burritos at the time. We always had the mindset that we wanted to be a business, not just like a hot dog stand. There’s nothing wrong with that, but we wanted to have a brand, so we always marketed ourselves that way. So with that game plan we found it easier to cut through the food truck competition. We found ourselves more in competition with other Jamaican restaurants in the area.
Zenger: You started getting noise complaints on social media. Why did that happen and how did you respond?
Todd: We had acquired our restaurant space in 2019, we had no outside funding, so we were using the food trucks to fund the buildout for the restaurant. We were pretty intentional about not having outside investors at that time. So with us finally building out the store, painting and remodeling it, we decided instead of moving around with the food trucks in downtown D.C., we planted our flag right here where our restaurant is coming, and we started parking on Eighth street.
So we would park both of our food trucks on Eighth street. Playing our music, curating a vibe, a culture to it — and people love it, our customers really love it. Because who doesn’t love good reggae music? It’s calming, it’s relaxing, you feel like the islands have been brought to you, so you feel like a happier mood and you’re engaging with the food or the people that’s around. Our neighbors on 11th and H weren’t too happy with that, but we were in complete compliance with the law, as far as that goes. We didn’t technically have to turn our music down to a certain decibel level until 10 o’clock.
We made sure to check in with everybody to maintain that so nobody would feel offended. I personally went door to door once we started cooking and working there to ease people’s minds about it. We were saying, hey, we’re not trying to disturb the neighborhood, we’re trying to be a part of this community, and we want to be on a good footing with everybody.
But it didn’t quite go that way. There were a lot of deceptive smiles and yeses, but we found ourselves in a situation where the police were called numerous times about noise complaints, about us not being in compliance with our crowds. Which again, we were by the book every single time. But it was annoying that every time we had service police were called. We want to be a part of the community, but we didn’t know exactly who to communicate with to resolve this. People were kind of hiding from it, and they weren’t really with the energy we brought, I guess — because we weren’t the only restaurant who played music; there was another restaurant adjacent to us that also played music — but I guess because we didn’t have the same amount of traffic they felt they didn’t need to call the police on them, but they needed to call the police on us, so there was a bit of a bias there.
Denville Myrie Jr. (left), founder of Jerk At Nite, and co-founder Kadeem Todd, in front of one of their food trucks on Queens Chapel Road in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy of Kadeem Todd)
Zenger: What happened that caused you to stop work at the restaurant?
Todd: We invested a majority of our funds to build out our restaurant, and because of the police being called on us at the time, our landlord wasn’t really on our side because of — well, let’s just say he would have preferred to have other tenants. The value around that area had gone up since we had been there, and we locked in our lease in 2019, when there was nothing on that street. The street was in transition, and a lot of restaurants had closed prior to COVID-19. So we got a really good deal on the price of our location, but after us being there and other businesses opening around, the value had gone up around us, so our landlord at that point was trying to nitpick and find a way to get us out.
So we were in the last stages of building out the restaurant, installing the HVAC system. So with authorities constantly being called, we always had to pull out our paperwork. So this time they came and they wanted our permits for the HVAC system, even though they were called for a noise complaint. It turned out our landlord had not signed off on the permit, so he kind of derailed us. We technically weren’t in compliance then, so we ended up getting a stop work order from DCRA [Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs] which pushed a lot of things back for us.
Zenger: Why have your neighbors and landlord been such roadblocks?
Todd: Well, internally, I think that our traction has caught a lot of attention. But anyone who would look at this from the outside, they would think it’s definitely prejudice because of who we are. They see two young black men with no outside help, no huge backer trying to literally build something from scratch. We don’t depend on anybody to create for ourselves. We’ve never had to, we’ve always found ways to reinvest into ourselves, and we put 100 percent into ourselves.
We’re not out here living lavish lifestyles, we’re literally trying to create a brand and a product that people appreciate and love, and it’s for everybody, it’s for our community. A lot of people don’t like that, so we get picked on. But it’s not a matter of us having a victim mentality, it’s about finding new solutions. At the end of the day, if we keep putting in this kind of work, we will have success.
Zenger: What were some other solutions you have employed to mitigate these conflicts?
Todd: We sat in with a few council members to understand where we might be in the wrong, how we should properly be operating. We also receive mentorship from H Street Main Street, which operates through the mayor’s office to help small businesses. We got a lot of guidance and mentorship from them. They make it easier — they write a lot of our letters to our landlord — besides our lawyer, of course. But they teach us how to properly approach these business situations because a lot of this is new ground for us. They have also gotten us grants to help combat this, because when we had to shut down, when we had no income coming in, we had to find ways to alleviate our finances. But also since we vocalize our battles, we get more opportunities.
Zenger: What advice would you give to entrepreneurs just starting out?
Todd: The best advice is to just do it. Then you need to firmly believe in yourself, have a product that is good and do it for the right reason. Our reason is we really want to have a quality cultural product for our community. So if you have the right reasons and good motivation, you’ll run into success no matter what. So to anybody starting a business, just start and don’t stop. If you do that, there’s always a solution to whatever comes up.
Zenger: Anything you’d like to add?
Todd: Follow us @jerkatnite on Instagram if you want to see some young brothers really trying to make something happen in the world, join us on our journey. Feel free to comment, reach out if you need help, ideas, conversation, inspiration or even mentorship. That’s one thing, we’re always open to learning. There’s a Jamaican idiom that my mother always says: “Raw meat seek fire.” It means every single day you have to actively look for information and opportunity. As a company, we do that. We love our community and we want to keep being able to serve it.
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