WSSN Stories

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

LOS ANGELES, CA— Three African American health leaders — advocates for expanded health care who are on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19 raging across California — took a moment to reflect on the state of health care as the holiday honoring civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. approaches on January 18.

Doctors David Carlisle, Elaine Batchlor and Adrian James are admirers of King and find his words of injustice in health care even more profound as hospitals and clinics are overflowing with COVID-19 patients — many of them African Americans and other people of color. 

“On the day that we celebrate the great civil rights icon’s birthday, Dr. King’s sentiment has never been more relevant than today, as the pandemic has laid bare the great health inequities that remain in this country,” said Dr. Carlisle, president and CEO of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. “COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on communities of color makes it more important than ever that African Americans, Latinos and other people of color seek out affordable health care coverage, such as through Covered California, and also get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.” 

Carlisle, Batchlor and James recently teamed up with Covered California to address vaccine confidence and encourage Black Californians to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available, and to sign up for quality health insurance coverage through Covered California or Medi-Cal.

“Every day at MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles, we see high rates of unmanaged chronic disease that lead to poorer health outcomes,” said Dr. Batchlor, the hospital’s CEO. “This is illuminated by the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the African American community. We must change our country’s separate and unequal system of care, which is perpetuated by a payment system that disincentivizes doctors to serve in low-income communities like ours.

“I believe access to high-quality health care is a basic human right, and providing universal quality care to everyone, regardless of income level, race or political beliefs is a fundamental act of social justice,” Dr. Batchlor said.  

Dr. Adrian James of the West Oakland Health Council in the San Francisco Bay Area said he and his colleagues are fighting misinformation circulating in the African American community about the vaccines to fight COVID-19.

Underlying medical conditions caused by inequality make people of color more susceptible to illness caused by COVID-19, Dr. James said. Other challenges Black people face include the inability to work from home and social distance.

“The quote from Dr. King that ‘Of all forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman’ is true because it may lead to death, which is the worst possible outcome. In California, the pandemic has had a devastating impact on the African American community,” Dr. James said.

The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of quality health care coverage. Right now, an estimated 1.2 million Californians are uninsured — including an estimated 67,000 African Americans — even though they are eligible for financial help through Covered California, or they qualify for low-cost or no-cost coverage through Medi-Cal.

“Roughly nine out of every 10 consumers who enroll through Covered California receive financial assistance — in the form of federal tax credits, state subsidies, or both — which helps make health care more affordable,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said.

Covered California’s current open-enrollment period lasts until Jan. 31. Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options can:

• Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
• Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
• Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free. Call Covered California at (800) 300-1506.

By Lou Yeboah

You better know that you know. And if you didn’t know, now you know. He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ [Isaiah 6:9]. So I will choose their punishments and will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight. [Isaiah 66:4]. Therefore, I say again, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lamp-stand out of its place. [Revelation 2:5]. Take the gift – “Second Chance,” and use it wisely. Repent! For there are serious consequences that would result if My instructions are ignored and My laws are violated [see Deuteronomy 28].

Listen, God is patient, but God is just. In His mercy, He provides us time to repent. In His grace, He allows tragedy to be a warning about judgment rather than executing wrath on us. Make no mistake; it is mercy for us to be warned in this way. But, God will not be patient forever. For those who ignore His kind warnings, like the people in Noah’s day, they likewise will perish also. Don’t you wait until its too late! “For NOW is the acceptable time, for NOW is day of Salvation” [2 Corinthians 6:2].

As Joshua challenged the people to choose who they would serve! The same choice stands before you today! Forsake the foolish, and live, and go in the way of understanding. For as [Hebrews 10:26; Isaiah 58: 1], says, “If you deliberately keep on sinning after you have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire…”

Do not receive the grace of God in vain. Do not ignore, neglect or cast aside God’s offer of mercy. Respond to it now, as it is offered to you. It is a mercy call. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction…”[Matthew 7: 13-14].

“As I live! declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die?” [Ezekiel 33:11].

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember Chris Holden introduced, AB 229, legislation that establishes use of force trainings within the existing courses provided by the California Private Security Services Act. Under current laws, no use of force trainings exist for Private Patrol Operators.

“When private security are responsible for the safety of the general public, those private operators must have the proper training in order to apply the appropriate use of force in any particular situation,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “We put a lot of attention on our State’s peace officers, but private security, who sometimes are in similar circumstances, need comparable training.”

In 2019, Mario Matthews was restrained face-down on the floor at Golden 1 Center by two security personnel after he ran on to the court following an NBA exhibition game. According the lawsuit filed by his parents, his hands were handcuffed behind his back and the two security personnel got on top of his back.  One security guard used his right knee to apply pressure to the side of Mario’s neck for approximately four and a half minutes.  In addition to the initial two Universal Protection Security personnel, a third security officer placed himself on Mario’s back. 

After approximately ten minutes, several Sacramento Police Department officers arrived and used maximum restraints; they tied his legs together with one strap and another strap around his waist.  For a total of 20 minutes, Mario was facedown with as many as four people on top of him. Mario became unresponsive and was taken to the hospital.  He passed away two days later.  The lawsuit claims that the Sacramento County Coroner acknowledged that restraint was a cause of Mario’s death. 

“What happened to Mario is unacceptable, and proper training will play big role in avoiding unnecessary harm or death to others,” said Holden.

AB 229 requires the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) to develop curriculum and training courses on the appropriate use of force for private security services employees in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

By Tanu Henry | California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom sounded upbeat when he announced at a press briefing Friday afternoon that he has submitted a $227 billion budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year to the State Legislature for approval.

The spending plan reflects a brighter picture than the gloomier one Newsom presented last summer when he projected a steep budget shortfall of more than $50 billion. In this proposal, the governor’s office is estimating that there will be a budget surplus of about $15 billion over the 2020-21 fiscal year, with nearly $3 billion stashed in the state’s operating reserve.

“In these darkest moments of the COVID-19 pandemic, this budget will help Californians with urgent action to address our immediate challenges and build towards our recovery,” said Newsom. “As always, our Budget is built on our core California values of inclusion, economic growth and a brighter future for all.”

The proposal includes significant investments intended to shore up and revive the state economy battered by the COVID-19 global pandemic. It proposes $2.4 billion for a one-time payout of $600 per individual from the “Golden State Stimulus” fund for the lowest earning Californians, many of them essential workers, who have been hit hardest by the global health crisis and the economic dip it caused. The majority of workers that have been affected are African American, Hispanic or from other ethnic groups in California and across the country.

To ensure a swift economic recovery, the governor has allocated $372 million to facilitate the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the state.

Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Los Angeles), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus and the only African American lawmaker in the upper house of the California legislature, says he is pleased that the governor’s budget invests in equity. He told CBM that he will work with the governor’s office to make sure the proposals in the plan, particularly the relief for businesses, benefit Black Californians.

“Governor Newsom’s 2021-2022 budget proposal reflects what we are all hoping: that things are getting back on track and in a better way. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate California, but thanks to the swift actions taken last year by the Legislature and the Governor, we are in a strong position to combat this crisis and rebuild our economy,” Bradford said

 “We do not want to go back to where we were. We want a more just economy moving forward,” the senator added.

Workers at hospitals, grocery store clerks, public transportation operators and more had to continue showing up to work through the most difficult and uncertain phases of the pandemic last year. And entrepreneurs like barbers and beauticians and workers in retail, food and beverage service, hospitality and the leisure sectors suffered the most job losses. Newsom announced $777.5 billion in his budget for economic recovery, including assistance to businesses of all sizes – more than $500 million will go to small businesses — and money to support the state’s minimum wage increase to $14.

Bradford, who is also chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, applauded Gov Newsom for including funding for improving prisons and criminal justice reform efforts.

“As Chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, I am also pleased to see funding for the maintenance of California state prisons, Los Angeles County, use of force investigations by the Department of Justice, and rehabilitation and educational programs for our inmate population,” he said.  “Following the work I began in 2018 with the California Cannabis Equity Act, I am delighted to see the permanent funding of the state’s local equity grant program, which is a momentous step toward a fair and equitable cannabis market.”

The money for COVID economic recovery comes at a time when there looms the threat of another economic downturn. According to numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor Friday, payrolls across the country decreased by 140,000 jobs in December. It is the sharpest drop in jobs since last April. The economy has not fully bounced back since the beginning of the pandemic last march when it lost 22.2 million jobs. Only 12.4 million jobs have been recovered so far.

Although the governor’s budget projects optimism, and it provides substantial funding for critical ongoing government priorities like education, transportation public safety, higher education, health care and green initiatives, it is short on details. It does however include a clear high-level breakdown of where the money will be spent – if not exactly how. For example, Gov. Newsom calls for $2 billion to help schools across the state to reopen in the next couple of months. The budget also allots $85.8 billion for schools, which includes teacher training, early childhood education programs, teacher recruitment and money to extend learning into the summer.  The governor is also proposing that the state invests $500 million in low-cost housing tax credits; $1.75 billion to continue purchasing motels to house the homeless under “Project Room Key;” and $353 million for job training and creation programs.

Over the next 5 months, Gov. Newsom says he and the Legislature will be working to hash out, distill and define budget priorities. Through the process, they will determine how and at which level of government – state, county or municipal – the monies will be spent. Then in May, he will present his revised, and more detailed, budget to the legislature for final approval before the fiscal year begins in July.

Senate Republicans say over 19,000 small businesses in the state have had to shutter since the pandemic began. Therefore, they are urging the governor to increase funding for them.

“Over the past ten months, the Governor’s shutdowns and COVID-19 challenges have made it difficult for millions of Californians,” said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama) in a statement responding to the governor’s budget.

Some environmental groups complained that the budget redirects cash to emergency preparedness, “short-changing” programs that provide funding to underserved communities, some of them places where Black Californians live.

“The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund is meant to cut pollution in our most impacted communities,” said CEO Debra Gore-Mann, president of the Greenlighting Institute, a public policy and research organization based in Oakland. “Funding for wildfires should come from the utilities whose recklessness led to so many problems.

Gov. Newsom says now that he has presented his budget, the hard work begins.

“The Budget makes progress towards the goal I set when taking office to harness California’s spirit of innovation and resilience and put the California Dream within reach of more Californians,” Gov. Newsom said.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -– One of the most popular resolutions at the beginning of each year is the desire to quit smoking, with more than 70% of smokers reporting they want to quit. Smoking is a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, which makes 2021 an even more opportune time to begin the journey to quitting once and for all. With the help of the American Lung Association, more than a million people have achieved success with their goal to quit smoking.

The American Lung Association has the following five tips for those looking to quit smoking this year:

1.    Utilize a plan that is proven to be both safe and effective in helping you quit for good. Despite what Juul and other e-cigarette companies want you to believe, switching to vaping (e-cigarettes) is not quitting smoking. E-cigarettes are tobacco products, they contain nicotine, and FDA has not approved any e-cigarette as a quit smoking device.

2.    Learn from past experiences. Most smokers have tried to quit before and sometimes people get discouraged thinking about previous attempts. Instead, treat those experiences as steps on the road to future success. Think about what helped you during those tries and what you’ll do differently in your next quit attempt.

3.    You don’t have to quit alone. Enrolling in a tobacco counseling program, such as American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking®, can increase your chances of success by up to 60% when used in combination with medication.

4.    Talk to a doctor about quit smoking medications. Talking to a doctor can significantly increase your chances of quitting successfully. There are seven FDA-approved quit smoking medications that can help you quit. Just make sure to follow the directions and use them for the full duration they are prescribed.

5.    Every smoker can quit. Find the right combination of techniques for you and above all, keep trying. Slip-ups – having a puff or smoking one or two cigarettes – are common but don’t mean that a quitter has failed. The important thing is to keep trying to quit. 

The American Lung Association is here for you every step of the way with tools, tips and support. The important thing is to keep trying to quit, until you quit for good. Freedom From Smoking® helps individuals create their own unique quit plan for vaping and smoking, as well as tips and techniques to stay successful in the long run. Freedom From Smoking can be accessed online, at a virtual group clinic, by phone at 1-800-LUNG-USA and through a self-guided workbook. Those looking to quit smoking are encouraged to use the method that works best for their learning style, schedule and unique quit smoking plan. Ranked as the most effective smoking cessation program in a study of 100 managed care organizations conducted at Fordham University Graduate School of Business, Freedom From Smoking has helped hundreds of thousands participants quit smoking. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for people, when they’re ready, to find the proven quit smoking support they need,” said American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. “Quitting smoking will immediately improve your health and might also decrease your odds of severe illness from COVID-19. It’s the perfect way to set yourself up for a healthy new year and healthy years to come.”

For more information about quitting smoking and how to access Freedom From Smoking, visit the American Lung Association website at Lung.org/ffs or call the free Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872).

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About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

SACRAMENTO–The California Legislative Black Caucus has elected Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and Assemblymember Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) to serve as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively, through the 2021-2022 legislative session. In addition, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) will now serve as Secretary and Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) will remain in his position as Treasurer.

“I am honored and humbled to be elected by my colleagues to serve as the next Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. We are grateful for Dr. Weber’s leadership during her time with the Caucus and have no doubt she will lead with the same passion and desire for equality and justice as Secretary of State. I look forward to serving in a similar fashion of Dr. Weber and previous Chairs championing African American issues for the state and nation,” said Senator Bradford.

Senator Bradford was elected to the legislature in 2009, making him the longest serving member of the Caucus and currently the only Black senator in the state legislature. Senator Bradford’s election as Caucus Chair follows Governor Newsom’s appointment of former Caucus Chair, and Assemblymember, Dr. Shirley Weber as California’s next Secretary of State.

“It is a bittersweet moment as I pass the leadership torch to Senator Steven Bradford. The California Legislative Black Caucus is a small but mighty group of 9 members. Together we have been a powerful force, united and unwavering in our commitment to fight and win tough battles to improve the lives of Black Californians. I thank the Black Caucus for its support during my tenure as Chair, and I have full trust and confidence in Senator Bradford to take on the leadership of the Caucus. I also look forward to building on the partnership between the Secretary of State’s office and the CLBC to protect and expand voting rights in California,” said Dr. Shirley N. Weber.

Throughout its over 50-year history, the CLBC has been instrumental in crafting and supporting legislation to promote racial and gender equality for the State.  We will continue to advance an agenda that assures quality health care, establishing a more transparent and accountable police system, increased employment and economic security, and justice for all Californians.

January 4th Marked with Tributes, Actions and Care Package Drive for Homeless People and Pets

PHOENIX, AZ — Today on Monday, January 4, the Muhaymin family and advocates from national and Phoenix-based organizations will mark four years since Phoenix police brutally killed Muhammad Muhaymin—an unarmed, Black, Muslim, disabled man—while mocking his faith. To date, none of the officers involved in this killing have faced any criminal or disciplinary consequences; all are still actively policing in Phoenix. 

Muhaymin was killed by Phoenix police in 2017 after attempting to bring his service dog into a public restroom. In August of 2020, new body camera footage was made public showing officers using their knees to pin Muhaymin’s head, neck and body into an asphalt parking lot. Before he is killed, Muhaymin can be heard yelling “I can’t breathe” and “Please Allah,” with an officer responding “Allah? He’s not going to help you right now.”

Muhammad’s sister Zarinah Tavares and advocates will deliver national and Phoenix-area tributes to her brother while urging the public to join efforts to hold the officers accountable for this killing and for all victims of similar violence. The day will be marked with:

• A video tribute to Muhammad narrated by Ms. Tavares alongside national advocates Rep. André Carson, Muslim Advocates, the National Disability Rights Network and Phoenix-area advocates from Poder in Action, Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro and the Black Mother’s Forum. Click here to watch the video.
• Tribute radio ads narrated by Ms. Tavares running all day on Phoenix radio station Power 98.3 KKFR. Click here to listen to the ad.

• An action urging the public to contribute to a living tribute card to Muhammad designed by Black Muslim artist Amir Khadar. Click here to sign the card.
• A care package drive for homeless people and pets in the metro Phoenix-area. Click here to learn more.

In the video, Tavares shares details about her brother, saying “he was a proud man who loved to dance, to take his daughter on walks in the park, and beatbox with me and my sisters. He always made us laugh. Muhammad was stolen from us by Phoenix police officers who brutally killed him, just for using the restroom.” She ends the video with a call to action “The system keeps pretending like we don’t matter. But we do.”