WSSN Stories

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

I don’t know whether you know this or not, but EVERY TIME the Bible has predicted a future event, it happened EXACTLY as Scripture said it would. Please don’t wait until it’s too late to repent and give your life to Jesus for [Luke 21:26] says that people’s hearts would faint and fail when they see what’s happening “on the earth.” He said there will be distress, dismay, anguish and great fear, because of “those things which are coming on the earth.” And I tell you, there are antisemitic signs all around us, showing that the end is near. [Luke 21:20].

Oh, how I wish we would all be ready! Because while they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ as [1 Thessalonians 5:3] says, then destruction will come upon us suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and we will not escape.” Not only that, “Wars, earthquakes, and famines will escalate” until the end of the Antichrist’s 3.5-year reign, when he will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself to be God and demand worship [2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15].

Then after that, [another 3.5 years], Jesus predicted, “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Untold loss of life and destruction of the earth will occur during the Great Tribulation. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” [Matthew 24:21-22] Oh, how I wish we would all be ready!

John records the battle this way: “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan] and out of the mouth of the beast [the Antichrist] and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty…” [Revelation 16:13–16]. Oh, how I wish that we would all be ready because the above events are not speculations or possibilities – they are what will take place in the future for the Bible has never once been wrong.

As Peter asks, given the truth of these prophecies: “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be…because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” [2 Peter 3:11–12].

I tell you we are closer to the Rapture and the Tribulation than ever before. If you do not repent and get under the umbrella of the Almighty God, you will be sorry. Don’t ignore the opportunity to get right with God because He is your ONLY ESCAPE!

As Larry Norman said in his song, [I Wish We’d All Been Ready]. “Life was filled with guns and war and all of us got trampled on the floor. I wish we’d all been ready. The children died; the days grew cold.
I wish we’d all been ready. There’s no time to change your mind the son has come, and you’ve been left behind…How could you have been so blind? A man and wife asleep in bed she hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone, I wish we’d all be ready. Two men walking up a hill one disappears and one’s left standing still, I wish we’d all been ready. There’s no time to change your mind, the Son has come, and you’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind!”

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media  

Rumors circulating on social media about Vice President Kamala Harris’s family, interests, politics, temperament, love life, beliefs and more did not begin when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for the U.S. presidency last month and endorsed her candidacy.

However, a steady flow of disinformation has followed that announcement, including questions about her academic achievements. Harris’s life is under the microscope as more facts about her childhood and adult life surface in the national conversation.

As we dig through what’s true and not about the character and past of the woman who could be the next President of the United States, here are 10 little-known facts that give us more insight into her personality, past and private life.

1. Harris is named after the Hindu deity Lakshmi. The name “Kamala” means lotus in Sanskrit.
2. Her immediate family life is culturally diverse and so is her family background. Her mother was from India and her father is from Jamaica. She’s married to Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish. From the ages of 3 to 5, Harris lived on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin. She also lived in Champaign, Illinois and briefly lived in Canada as a child.
3. Harris is part of a blended family. She is a co-parent to her husband’s two children, who call her “Momala.” Harris’ parenting abilities were praised by Emhoff’s ex-wife. “For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has been a co-parent with Doug and I,” said Kerstin Emhoff in a statement to CNN. “She is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and always present. I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it.” Harris’ stepchildren also called her a “third parent.”
4. Harris has a record for breaking barriers according to Biography.com. She was the first woman district attorney in San Francisco, and the first African American woman to serve as California Attorney General. She’s also the first woman to serve as Vice President. Will she be the first woman to serve as Commander-in-Chief.
5. Harris has activism in her DNA. Her parents took her to civil rights marches when she was a child. According to Harris’ own accounts, she and her sister, Maya, protested their Montreal apartment’s policy of banning children from playing on the lawn. Also, her Indian maternal grandfather was an activist for women’s rights.
6. Harris was born at the height of the civil rights movement and experienced some of the huge societal changes common during that era. She was bused as part of Berkeley Schools’ desegregation program.
7. Harris is a foodie. She sees cooking as a good way to relax. According to Glamour, her mother sparked her interest in cooking. In 2019, Harris shot a campaign video with Indian American actress Mindy Kaling where they prepared masa dosa.
8. Although Harris got her start in the Bay Area political scene, she has ties to Southern California and the entertainment industry. She briefly dated former talk show host Montel Williams. When she’s in the Los Angeles area, she stays at her husband’s Brentwood home. Emhoff was an entertainment lawyer.
9. Harris is a Baptist and a Black Greek. One criticism of Harris is that she can’t relate to Black people. However, many of her life experiences have involved important African American cultural and religious organizations. She is a member of a Baptist church, graduated from Howard University, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA.)
10. During her time as San Francisco DA, Harris instituted the Back on Track initiative. This program expunged young offenders’ records, as long as they performed community service and graduated from high school. The U.S. Department of Justice recognized it as a model reentry program.

Fijian Americans, who comprise a major segment of caregivers, are using their culture to fill an urgent demand for California caregivers.

By Selen Ozturk

As older and disabled Californians grow more diverse, high-tech caregiving can’t meet them where they are unless it’s also high touch.  Fijian Americans, who comprise a major segment of caregivers, are using their culture to fill this urgent demand.

That’s what Dr. VJ Periyakoil, associate dean of research at Stanford Medicine, told a room of about 30 Fijian graduates of LEADER, a first-of-its-kind program run by her through the Stanford SAGE Lab giving health workers practical skills to care for elderly and disabled people in their preferred language and cultural context.

“But what I learned most wasn’t this or that skill, but that any form of care cannot be stagnant,” said LEADER graduate Lusia Barciet about the training, which can span between four and 12 weeks in-person or online.

“When you care for someone, their needs change the more they age or suffer,” she explained. “How you help them keep from falling, what they need to fall asleep, their nutrition needs, how you can keep them talking so their brain is social and active — this all changes from day to day.”

Barciet and her husband Aseri Rika are live-in caregivers for an 82-year-old French man in Sacramento, before which she cared for community members “ages 84 to 94, one or two at a time”.

75% of Fijian Americans live in California, with many in Sacramento. Nationwide, the Census American Community Survey 2015-2019 reports a Fijian immigrant population of 47,000.

“Barciet helps him with physical daily tasks and care including a catheter, while I help him with projects around the house, of which he has so many — right now I’m helping him build a gate,” said Rika.

“He has the mental ability of a man in his 20s, and still thinks he’s in a 20 year old’s body,” he added. “As with stories of people who fall apart as soon as they retire, we’ve both learned how important to care is helping keep the fire alive in his belly, helping him live so he can often have joy.”

Before moving to Sacramento three years ago, Barciet worked as director of human resources at Fiji Marriott Resort, while Rika was a project officer at Fiji Community Development Program.

Fijian care agencies are relatively abundant in California, with three in Sacramento alone.

However, “I’ve only used an agency once,” said Barciet. “It’s so crucial to focus on training us, the caregivers, because we’re so communal. I really work through personal referrals, not agencies. If a child’s parents pass, for example, they refer me to someone else who needs care.”

Among Pacific Islanders in California overall, including native Hawaiians, 26% provide care to friends or family members — the same as white and more than Hispanic and Asian Californians.

In a testament to the strengths of their culture of communal caregiving, Pacific Islanders rank dramatically below all other races and ethnicities for reported financial stress or physical and mental stress due to caregiving. 16.86% of Pacific Islanders report financial stress compared to 56.32% of whites, for example, and 5% of Pacific Islanders report physical or mental stress compared to 16% of whites.

Despite a major dearth of linguistically and culturally specific care training programs like LEADER, language and cultural barriers are often the largest obstacles to care apart from physical difficulties, said Stanford Medicine Dean Dr. Lloyd Miner at the graduation event. “You are often the only ones who can meet them where they are.”

Nearly 6 million Californians, or 15% of the state’s population, were aged 65 and older as of 2021 according to the U.S. Census — a number projected to grow to over 8.7 million, or 20% of the state, by 2030.

The CDC reports that over 7.6 million Californians have a disability.

Caregivers “are truly the backbone of our health care system,” said Connie Nakano, assistant director of the California Department of Aging (CDA), at the Wednesday, July 31 event at the Stanford School of Medicine. To support California’s aging and disabled population, she added, “your commitment is crucial. It makes a difference in countless lives every single day.”

Since it was founded in 2016, LEADER has trained over 650 direct care workers — including home health aides, community health workers, certified nurse assistants and promotores — through funding by agencies including CDA, the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Nakano pointed to CDA’s own expansive CalGROWS training program as another opportunity for home health workers to earn up to $6,000 for learning and using new caregiver skills. However, time is running out for caregivers to sign up to earn money, as the program ends in August.

The guest of honor at the commencement, Ratu Ilisoni Vuidreketi — Fijian Ambassador to the U.S. — told the Fijian caregivers “Today we celebrate not only your academic achievements. Not only physical support but compassion, kindness and dignity can be the greatest gift you give to those you serve … May you find fulfillment and purpose in every interaction.”

After a traditional Fijian ceremony in the Li Ka Shing Center conference room to honor Vuidreketi and Miner, Periyakoil presented certificates to LEADER graduates, who then convened to sing a traditional hymn.

“Because of our communal culture, the most challenging part of this training was the beginning framework, learning the course of diseases like dementia and how needs change with them,” said Barciet after the event. “For example, in Fiji, there was no dementia. There was no written history. So we are always talking, talking, talking around the dinner table — ‘Remember this person? Remember that place?’ That’s how we live, socially.”

“In Fiji, all our houses were next to each other, so if I’d see someone struggling to wash clothes or build a fire, I’d simply go over and help them, then return to what I was doing,” she added. “We make such good caregivers because caregiving doesn’t even make sense to us as a separate concept. It’s life itself.”

By Lila Brown | California Black Media

As the world turns its eyes to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games this week, four official delegations appointed by President Biden are representing the United States at opening and closing ceremonies.

Several prominent California officials and public figures are among the delegates.

On July 26, Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, led a delegation to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Among presidential delegates to that event were California’s Democratic Senior Sen. Alex Padilla; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; Casey Wasserman, Chairperson, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and Brian Boitano, three-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist in figure skating. Boitano is from Sunnyvale in Santa Clara County.

“We must continue our urgent work ensuring that Angelenos benefit from the preparation for the Games, as well as in the decades following,” said Mayor Bass. “Together, we will showcase Los Angeles – not just the popular tourist destinations, but each of our beautiful neighborhoods and communities. Together, we will leverage the Games to help local small businesses, create local jobs and create lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles.”

The other two non-California appointees on that delegation were U.S. U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) and Dawn Staley, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Head Women’s Coach, University of South Carolina.

“Mr. Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman of the United States, will lead the delegation to the Closing of the Olympic Games,” read a White House Press release dated July 22 announcing the delegations.

Emhoff was a Los Angeles entertainment attorney before moving to Washington when his wife became Vice President of the United States.

Californians appointed to delegation to the Closing Ceremony, which will take place Aug. 11, are Junior Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.); U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42); Denise Bauer, a former Los Angeles TV anchor who currently serves as United States Ambassador to Paris; and  Chaunté Lowe, a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, four-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist, Track and Field. Lowe is from Riverside.

The only non-Californian appointed to the Closing Ceremony delegation is two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup Champion in Women’s Soccer, Brianna Scurry.

“The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, will lead the delegation to the Closing of the Paralympic Games,” read the White House press release. The Closing Ceremony will take place on September 8, 2024.”

Becerra is a Sacramento native and former California Attorney General.

According to the White House, members of each Paralympic Presidential Delegations will be announced at a later date.

Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth will lead the delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Aug. 28.

Dear Vice President Kamala Harris:

From Charlotta Bass to Rosa Parks to Shirley Chisolm, Black Women have never been afraid of a righteous fight. All three of these women have stood in the gap for Black Americans and in the process changed history. Today is no different. Our very own, California born and raised, Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the baton to be the first woman to be elected as President of the United States of America in the 2024 election.

As California Black women, we commit our unwavering support for your historic candidacy. Your leadership, vision, and commitment to justice and equity resonate across the golden state and beyond.
As the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian woman to hold the office of Vice President, you have not only broken historical barriers. You have also served as a beacon of hope and inspiration for countless individuals who see themselves reflected in your journey.

Madame Vice President, your steadfast dedication to addressing systemic inequities, championing comprehensive healthcare, and advocating for criminal justice reflect the values we need in a leader right now.

Throughout your tenure as Vice President, you have been relentless in your efforts to advance policies that directly impact our communities. From your advocacy for maternal health and reproductive rights to your focus on economic empowerment and voting rights protection, you have consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by Black Women, Black Families and the Black Community, resulting in creating meaningful change.

Our endorsement is not merely inspired by your accomplishments, but it is also an acknowledgment of the potential we see in your continued leadership. We believe that your presidency will usher in an era of progress, unity, and opportunity for all Americans, with a special emphasis on those who have been historically marginalized.

In supporting your campaign, the California Black Women’s Collective PAC, made up of Black Women throughout the state, pledges to mobilize our network, engage our communities, and amplify your vision for a more just and equitable nation, Madame Vice President.

We are confident that your leadership will inspire a new generation of activists, leaders, and changemakers who will carry forward the torch of progress.

The signatures below demonstrate the solidarity of a community within California that is committed to putting the work in to take this historic campaign over the finish line.

Join us and be a part of the change we need now.

See the list of signatories.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Three days after U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro posthumously exonerated the remaining 256 African American Port Chicago defendants who were court-martialed for mutiny in 1944, he visited the historical site to participate in the 80th-year commemoration of the worst homefront disaster in the U.S. history.

Del Toro said the occasion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial on the Suisun Bay, 35 miles north of San Francisco in Contra Costa County, was two-fold. According to him,  the 90-minute ceremony was organized to honor all who died in the blasts and officially announce the absolving of Black men who were unjustly court-martialed for refusing to load bombs on naval cargo ships during World War II due to safety concerns.

“This event marks a turning point in our nation’s history, a moment when we confront the ghosts of the past and embrace the promise of more justice,” Del Toro said. “For eight decades, the story of Port Chicago has been a stark reminder of a grave injustice. We as a nation will never be able to express our full gratitude to all deceased and their families for their dedication, service, and sacrifice.”

On July 20, a diverse group of 500 people were shuttled from the Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) to the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial where two deadly explosions occurred on the night of July 17, 1944.

The ceremony was hosted in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial, and the U.S. Army’s 834th Transportation Battalion.

The event also marked the 30th year the site was erected as a memorial. Along with Del Toro, dignitaries and elected officials in attendance were U.S. Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and Thurgood Marshall Jr., whose father, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, sought justice for the Port Chicago 50, the Black men who were wrongfully convicted in the fall of 1944 of insubordination during World War II.

Kelli English, the NPS’s service-wide Program Manager for Cooperating Associations and Partnerships, said tears from colleagues were flowing the day they heard about the exoneration of the men. English is part of the NPS crew that conducts tours of the National Memorial and shares the history of the tragedy.

“They never should have been court-martialed in some cases and convicted of other cases, but it does provide some closures for the families and descendants of those men,” English told California Black Media. “It’s so important to us. It’s the only amount of justice delivered years after the fact.”

The blasts resulted in the death of 320 sailors, 202 of them Black American sailors who were loading nearly 5,000 tons of munitions from a train into the naval cargo ships. About 400 more people were injured and the cargo train and both ships – SS Quinault Victory and SS EA Bryan – were destroyed.

The explosion shook the San Francisco Bay and could be felt as far away as Nevada. The blasts damaged many surrounding structures and buildings in the nearby town of Port Chicago. In the mid-1960s, the United States government bought 5,000 acres of land in the Port Chicago area and the town ceased to exist by 1969.

The White officers in command were given hardship leaves while the surviving Black sailors were ordered to clear debris from the blasts and painfully retrieve the appendages of their fellow servicemen. The treatment of the Black sailors exemplified the racial policies manifested by the Navy. After threats of disciplinary action, 208 of the Sailors resumed work but it did not stop the Navy from convicting the men at a summary court-martial for rebellion. Over the years, two sailors had the charges expunged from their records, which left 256 convicted Black men.

Fifty of the Black sailors stood their ground and in September 1944 were found liable for mutiny, a serious offense that tarnished their military record. The 50 sailors were represented by Thurgood Marshall, who was the chief counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the disaster and racism in the Navy led to President Harry Truman desegregating all four branches of the military.

Ten years later, Marshall was able to win the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case that ruled separate but equal public schools were unconstitutional.

“It’s deeply moving to me that his work and the work of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund caught the attention of the sailors, and the family involved in Port Chicago,” Marshall Jr. said of his father who later became a US Supreme Court Justice. “They contacted them for guidance, and he was able to come out here to California to do what he did so well.”

Carol Cherry traveled from Chicago to attend the 80th ceremony. Her father Cyril Oscar Sheppard Jr. is now officially one of the 50 former mutineers. Cherry was presented with the ceremonial U.S. flag by the English.

Rev. Diana McDaniel, President of the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial was one the guest speakers. Her uncle Irvine Lowery was one of the surviving Black sailors who was ordered to collect the remains of the deceased after the explosion. McDaniel told CBM that Lowery was injured in the blast when he was in the barracks but was not aware of it.Other speakers at the event included English, NPS Superintendent K. Lynn Berry, Supervisory Park Ranger, Hilary Grabowska, and Lt. Col. Lauren Cabral, MOTCO Commander of the 834th Transportation Battalion

“I ask that all of you amplify the message so that we can get to many family members that we have not been able to reach to let them know what has occurred,” Del Toro told reporters.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [Jeremiah 11:3-14;22-23]. “Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.” I said, “Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts, returning to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. So, I brought on them all the curses of the covenant. Pestilences, diseases, defeat by the enemy, affliction, disaster upon disaster leaving no survivors. The Point of No Return! So, I admonish you to obey me and do everything I command you or you will be punished as the people of the old if you don’t repent of your disobedience or evil ways [Leviticus 26:14; 1 Chronicles 21:14].

God is clear. He wants us to follow his commands. Paul writes: “All these things happened to them as examples—as object lessons to us to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end” [1 Corinthians 10:11]. Because not only will disobedience be dealt with, but the Bible tells us that all the disobedience will finally be cast into hell fire where you will spend eternity if you don’t repent. [Matthew 13:41].

As Joseph Addison Alexander said in his poem, [Hidden Line] “There is a time, we know not when, a point we know not where, that marks the destiny of men to glory or despair. There is a line by us unseen, that crosses every path, the hidden boundary between God’s patience and his wrath. To pass that limit is to die, to die as if by stealth; It does not quench the beaming eye or pale the glow of health. The conscience may be still at ease, the spirits light and gay; That which is pleasing still may please, and care be thrust away. But on that forehead God has set indelibly a mark, unseen by man, for man as yet is blind and in the dark. And yet the doomed man’s path below may bloom as Eden bloomed; He did not, does not, will not know, or feel that he is doomed. He knows, he feels that all is well, and every fear is calmed; He lives, he dies, he wakes in hell, not only doomed, but damned.”

The Point of No Return!

Vice President Kamala Harris: One Voice, One Fight: The Race to the White House

By Angela M. Coggs

This writer was one of the 44K Black Woman on a historical, meeting of the minds that had only one goal and one plan. To ensure current Vice President Kamala Harris obtains a NEW office in the White House. The vast of most of well-known people on the Zoom was remarkable however since everyone was there on their time and not in their official capacity and all attendees were asked not to share who was on the call and not to screenshot and share it on social media. While on the call, attendees were updated throughout the meeting about the number of attendees, money raised for the Harris campaign, and the fact that the Zoom call had gone viral within minutes.

On July 21, 2024, a significant virtual event organized by the Win With Black Women coalition took place. This Zoom meeting gathered an impressive 44,000 African American women and successfully raised $1.3 million in support of Kamala Harris’s campaign efforts. This initiative highlights the substantial mobilization and fundraising capabilities of African American women in political advocacy and their commitment to supporting influential leaders like Kamala Harris.

Win With Black Women is a collective of influential Black women from various sectors, including business, politics, and entertainment, and everyday people dedicated to empowering Black women and amplifying their voices in socio-political spheres.

(https://www.winwithblackwomen.org/) [oai_citation:2,25 Black Women Who Are Changing the World -](https://www.blackenterprise.com/image-gallery-black-women-changing-the-world/).

On July 22, 2024, a notable Zoom meeting was held with 44,000 African American men, organized by the Win With Black Women organization. The event successfully raised $1.5 million in support of Vice President Kamala Harris. The significant turnout and substantial funds raised highlight the strong support Harris enjoys within the African American community. This fundraiser reflects the ongoing efforts to mobilize and unify Black voters ahead of the upcoming elections.

The Black community is a significant voting bloc in U.S. presidential elections, and its influence on the 2024 election will likely be substantial for several reasons:

1. **Democratic Support**: Historically, Black voters have largely supported the Democratic Party. Mobilizing and securing this support is crucial for any Democratic candidate. High turnout among Black voters has been pivotal in recent elections, including the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms.
2. **Swing States**: In key swing states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the Black vote can be decisive. High Black voter turnout in these states can sway the results in favor of one candidate.
3. **Policy Impact**: Candidates often shape their platforms to address issues important to the Black community, such as criminal justice reform, economic equality, healthcare, and voting rights. The responsiveness of candidates to these concerns can influence voter turnout and preference.
4. **Influential Leaders**: Black political leaders and activists play a crucial role in mobilizing voters, endorsing candidates, and influencing public opinion within the community.
5. **Young Voters**: The younger generation of Black voters is increasingly active and vocal about social justice issues, and their engagement can impact the overall political landscape and voter turnout.

Overall, the engagement and turnout of Black voters will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. She is ready and I’m with her. #onevoiceonefight #winwithblackwomen

It’s Wash Day, and Zara is not excited about wearing her hair in the same styles Mama usually creates. But once Mama takes Zara on a cultural journey, helping her understand the significance of each hairstyle and how to wear each style with pride, Wash Day will never be the same. For Black women, Wash Day isn’t just a routine — it’s a ritual. From the products we choose to the spaces we create the time we spend caring for our hair connects us to ourselves, our culture, and the people we want to be.

Zara’s Wash Day is by author Zenda Walker, a best-selling, award-winning author, licensed cosmetologist, and marketing executive. She is passionate about beauty education and helping people to discover the magic of textured hair. “Creating a story of joy and celebration was my way of shifting the energy and changing the narrative for Black and Brown children. I wanted to celebrate us and uplift us with our heritage, by way of our ‘hairitage,'” says author Zenda Walker.

With a foreword by Academy award-winning actor and New York Times best-selling Lupita Nyong’o, Zara’s Wash Day is an empowering picture book celebrating traditional Black hairstyles! The book was an instant hit and sold out at the Essence Fest July 2024.

Zara’s Wash Day was illustrated by Princess Karibo, a self-taught illustrator from Nigeria. “I had an amazing experience illustrating ‘Zara’s Wash Day.’ Bringing the story to life through art was a privilege, and I enjoyed every moment of depicting the diverse and beautiful aspects of black hair. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich textures and styles of black hair in a visually engaging way” says Princess Karibo.

Know Your Hairitage: Zara’s Wash Day is a semi-biographical story about how the hair texture and cultural styles of people of African descent are linked to a colorful and layered ancestral story. This new and expanded edition of the Writer’s Digest award winner includes a tutorial on creating Fulani-inspired Afro Puffs, and an expanded glossary of terms.

“Every picture of a smiling child that is sent to me, is healing, and encouraging because the message of love, protection, empowerment and knowledge is being received exactly how it was intended.” Zenda says.

“Zara’s Wash Day” is the first book in the Know Your Hairitage Series. Zenda continues the series with in the Fall with “Zion’s Crown“, which tells the story of two young Black boys learning to be proud of their textured hair and will be released on September 10, 2024.

“Know Your Hairitage: Zara’s Wash Day” is sold at https://knowyourhairitage.com/zaras-wash-day-book, and Target.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

Zenda Walker is a best-selling, award-winning author, licensed cosmetologist, and marketing executive. She is passionate about beauty education and helping people to discover the magic of textured hair. Originally from the Bronx, New York, Zenda enjoys traveling, spontaneous dance parties, exploring and developing beauty trends and chocolate desserts. She is co-founder of Bounce Mobile Fitness Club, LLC.—a fitness business specializing in rebounding workouts. Zenda resides in New York with her daughter, Zara.

Princess Karibo is a self-taught illustrator from Nigeria, West Africa. She enjoys working on traditional art by day and digital art projects by night.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

On June 21, President Joe Biden announced in a letter posted on social media that he is ending his candidacy for a second term and throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden, 81, addressed the nation in a statement.

Shortly after Biden’s announcement, political and civil leaders from across California reacted to the President’s decision.

Gov. Gavin Newsom hailed Biden’s leadership as President.

“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans,” Newsom said.  “He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”

Lori Wilson, the chairperson for the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), released a statement wishing Biden well and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden’s Democratic nominee successor.

“As Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I would like to express our gratitude to President Biden and thank him for his many years of service and support of policies uplifting Black Californians,” Wilson stated. “As a Caucus, we are proud to stand with President Biden and offer our wholehearted and unconditional endorsement to Vice President Kamala D. Harris.  We look forward to working hard to ensure she is elected President in November.”

Biden’s campaign released a statement from Harris.“I am honored to have the president’s endorsement, and my intention is to earn and win this nomination,” Harris stated. “Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.”

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) released a statement commending Biden for his many accomplishments.

“From appointing the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court to historic investments in addressing climate change and improving infrastructure, to saving lives and reviving our economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden’s legacy as president will live on forever,” Lee stated. This day is about honoring him.”

Lee also endorsed Harris for President.

“The contrast can’t be clearer: Vice President Harris is a prosecutor. Donald Trump is a convicted felon. Vice President Harris is a woman that wants to protect reproductive freedom and the rights of all people,” said Lee in a statement. “Donald Trump wants to take those rights away. We need to unite around Vice President Harris and ensure that Donald Trump does not get another opportunity to be in the White House ever again.”

LaNiece Jones, Executive Director of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), thanked Biden for his service and praised him for his endorsement of Harris.

“We are profoundly thankful for your steadfast commitment to ensuring equity and equality for Black women and all Americans. Your efforts to create a more just and inclusive society do not go unnoticed, and we stand firmly with you as you pass the torch to the next U.S. President.” said Jones. “We are immensely proud of and commend your historic endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, a longtime and esteemed member of BWOPA, to lead this nation.”

California Senate President pro-Tempore Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) also expressed his appreciation for Biden’s presidency.

“His leadership has been nothing short of tremendous, especially coming out of a global pandemic. California is deeply grateful for his tireless dedication to this nation we all love to call home,” said McGuire.

California U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler said the nation owes Biden a “debt of gratitude for his service and patriotism.”

“Thanks to his leadership, the American people have witnessed historic investments in education, infrastructure, and so much more,” said Butler in a statement. “The threat to all that progress remains, and we must now do everything we can to ensure Vice President Harris succeeds. There’s no one better prepared for this challenge.”

California U.S. Congressmember Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore) endorsed Harris.

“I am all in with Kamala Harris,” Swalwell said on a public television network.

Former U.S. Congressmember and current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says she will continue to work with the Biden administration until it ends in January 2025.

“I know that the work will continue through the remainder of the President’s term, and I look forward to continuing to partner with him and Vice President Harris to deliver results for those whom we serve,” Bass stated.

California U.S. Congressmember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) posted on X that says she’s “all in” and that she has endorsed Harris.

“Let’s do this Democrats. Let’s do this, Independents. Let’s do this, disaffected Republicans. Here. We. Go. Win!”

California U.S. Congressmember Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) posted on the social media platform X that Harris has her “full support.”

“Thank you, President Biden! I am one of your greatest supporters and I was willing to stay with you through the Democratic Party nomination. However, you have decided to step down and you have endorsed your Vice President Kamala Harris. You are a kind and decent man who is willing to make a sacrifice for what you believe is for the good of the country.”