WSSN Stories

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— OAKLAND, CA— Amid ongoing labor disputes over outsourcing, income inequality and alleged illegal labor practices, the University of California’s largest employee union announced today that it is calling for a boycott of University speaking engagements. AFSCME Local 3299’s announcement comes as the 10-campus system has begun naming guest speakers—such as former First Lady Michelle Obama, Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis—ahead of Spring commencement ceremonies.

The announcement also comes just days after UC workers mounted an Unfair Labor Practice strike and just weeks after a concurrent charge alleging illegal workplace intimidation and incidents of violence was filed against the University.

“The University of California has used intimidation tactics to keep workers from protesting over outsourcing and income inequality instead of negotiating in good faith,” commented AFSCME Local 3299 President Kathryn Lybarger. “We do not tolerate bullying. If invited speakers feel the same way, then they’ll honor this boycott of UC events.”

This is the second call for a boycott since the start of the 25-month long dispute between workers and the University. Last year, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and Congressman John Lewis withdrew from speaking at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego after workers announced a previous boycott last April.

“When our publicly-funded institutions fail to meet basic standards of fairness, equality and respect, it’s our duty as responsible citizens to hold them accountable,” added Lybarger. “The decision of invited guests to withhold their participation at University events sends a clear message that the public does not condone UC’s illegal behavior.”

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AFSCME Local 3299 is the University of California’s largest employee union, representing more than 25,000 Service and Patient Care Technical workers at UC’s 10 campuses, 5 medical centers, numerous clinics, research laboratories, and UC Hastings College of Law. Service worker titles include Security Guards, Groundskeepers, Cooks, Custodians, Truck Drivers, and more. Patient Care Technical worker titles include Nurse Aids, Respiratory Therapists, Radiology Technologists, Patient Transporters, and more.

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Think you’re getting away with something; you ain’t getting away with nothing! I want you to know that there is a God that sits high and looks low…. “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do [Psalm 33:13-15]; Proverbs 15:3]. Thinking you’re getting away with something; you ain’t getting away with nothing! God knows all about you. God is watching you, and the God of justice will judge both the righteous and the wicked according to what they have done.

What difference does it make to know God is always watching you? Knowing God is watching should make you think twice about doing wrong. If someone is keeping an eye on me, my behavior improves; and the fact that the Bible warns that the people, who are not conscious of God and commit evil with wicked thoughts, will be tormented in the lake of fire forever and ever.

When you know somebody is watching you, you tend to think twice before doing something you ought not to. That’s just human nature, isn’t it? If you’re on the interstate running 90 miles/hour, you tend to slow down when you see a state patrolman. Why? Because you know if he sees you, he will pull you over and give you a ticket. Knowing somebody is watching you makes you think twice about doing wrong. Make no mistake about it, God see all the good things people do, but also all the evil things people do as well. There is no way to hide our dirty deeds from the Lord. You better know that you know! I tell you Scripture was written to warn and to encourage. Consider yourself warned!

In the beginning when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, what did they do? They hid. Somehow they thought they could hide their disobedience from the Lord. But God already knew where they were and what they had done. He’d seen it all. In the days of Noah and his famous ark, the Bible clearly says [Genesis 6] then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. I want you to know that God’s vision hasn’t dimmed one iota since the days of Noah.  God not only sees the evil deeds we do, but also the evil thoughts in our minds, and the evil desires of our hearts. He sees what we do behind closed doors, the things we do in the dark, the things we try to hide from everybody else. He sees the thoughts we try to cloak behind our smiling mask of hypocrisy, the thoughts we never share with another soul, the thoughts that would shock the people who closest to us, if they really know what we were thinking, how we are feeling. He sees the secret desires of our heart: the covetousness, the envy, the jealousy. You cannot hide what you do from the Lord. You cannot escape the eyes of God. He is watching you, when you do what’s wrong, and when you do what’s right. So the next time you are tempted to cheat, lie, or steal, or do anything that’s not right, remember: God is watching you!

Luke 8:17 warns us, “For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light” so we won’t get away with sin.

Zachariah 4:10 – “The eyes of the Lord run to and from through the whole earth.”

Job 34:21 – His eyes are upon the ways of man and he sees all his doings.

Proverbs 5:21- For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and He ponders all his goings.

Numbers 32:23 – …you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Let us never forget the fact that we serve a God who sees everything. Somebody’s watching you!

Majestic Hearts’ 1st Annual 5K Walkathon in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK–ENN)— INGLEWOOD, CA— In the cannabis culture, April 20 (known as, “Four-Twenty”) is an International holiday of cannabis consumption. However, this year Majestic Hearts will raise awareness about sexual assault. The organization will host its 1st Annual 5K Walkathon in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month to raise $5K toward its shelter and counseling programs. Taking place at Darby Park in Inglewood, from 8 – 11 a.m. (registration opening at 8:45 a.m.), Majestic Hearts will educate attendees about the subject matter, while raising funds to assist and enrich the community. 

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives.

“This alarming statistic must be exposed and it’s our organization’s duty to ensure the community is properly educated,” says Majestic Hearts’ Founding CEO, Kanishia L. Jackson.

“We must also take in to account that this statistic is solely based on reported data. There are numerous victims/survivors who have never reported their sexual abuse encounter(s). It’s an uncomfortable subject that needs to be addressed,” she concludes.

The event will be hosted by comedienne and founder of LesTalk Radio (@LesTalkRadio), Chelley Chelle and food will be catered by WoodMasters Smoked Meats & Fixings (@WoodMastersSMAF). The fundraiser will attract male and female attendees ages 18-75 who have been affected by sexual assault personally, or byway of a loved-one. Registered attendees will receive a Majestic Hearts medal and a water bottle from B.A.L.L. (Build A Lasting Legacy: @BuildALastingLegacy), founded by Pinique Singleton, one of Majestic Hearts’ continued supporters. 

“Sexual assault is not just a woman’s issue,” explaines Wendy Talley, Majestic Hearts’ licensed therapist of KW Essential Services (@KWEssentialServices). “The physical pain of sexual assault eventually goes away, but the heart and the mind will never forget,” the Licensed Clinical Social Worker further exclaims. Talley will be providing additional insight about sexual assault at the event. Her expertise will provide attendees with the tools needed to identify and cope with sexual assault.

Register, today to reserve your perks! Registration is $35 per person and children (under 18) are free! Go to www.majestic-hearts.org to RSVP.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOS ANGELES, CA— Local celebrities graced the red carpet for the Los Angeles film premiere of “Brother’s Keeper” in Hollywood at YES Studio. The independently produced film is about two adopted brothers who battle different mental illnesses, accidentally commit murders and in the process of hiding their crimes, they find their true identity. A story of power, control, love and hate, sometimes the only options become deadly. The cast included Andre K. Jefferson (Writer, Executive Producer), Delila Outlaw (Associate Producer), Olando Graves (as “Devin”), Angela O’Leary (as “Char”), Ursa Gifted Major (as “Trey”), Dominique Marsell (as “Det. O’Neal”), Shelley Meche’tte (as “Mama Eva”), Andrew Davis II (as “Skillz”), Delmiko Blair (as “Luke”), Terrell Sahale (as “Det. Kirkpatrick”), Megan Orth (as “Det. Marshall”), Jamie Lynn Franklin (as “Sonja”), Irina Aylyarova (as “Sidney”), Oscar “Ofoesho” Roberts (as “Nate”), Parenthysis Gardner (as “Naomi”), Janine R. Lancaster (as “Regina”), and Terrell Finister (as “Darnell”).

Chante’ Bowser (STX Film “The Best of Enemies”), Loren Lott (CBS “The Young and The Restless”), Cierra Brooks (BET “The Grand Hustle”), Julie Dell Phillips (ID “Murder Among Friends”), Taaha Shah (AMZONOV “Made In Heaven”), Travanti Quinn Waller (Studio City), Nikita Francois (Issa Rae’s Dumped), and Travanti Quinn Waller (HBO’s TBS) are just a few celebrities that came out to support the film.

Special thanks to Carol Spears (Keller Williams Realty South Bay), Kimberly Fomby Jefferson (Sucre Couture), Anthony Keith Jefferson Jr., John Spears, June Stone, and Donna Lipscomb for sponsoring this event.

For more about the film, visit www.brotherskeeperthefilm.

Grant will fund the Los Angeles County Human Trafficking Task Force Program; since 2015, the task force has made 1,624 arrests in connection to human trafficking activities and rescued 324 victims

Torres previously led efforts to secure nearly $70,000 in federal funding to fight human trafficking and prostitution in the Inland Empire

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Representative Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded a $749,982 grant to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to combat human trafficking. The grant will fund the Los Angeles County Human Trafficking Task Force (LACHTTF) Program to develop, enhance, and implement collaborative approaches to identify victims of human trafficking within the County, investigate and prosecute sex and labor trafficking cases at the local, state, and federal levels and address the individual needs of victims through the provision of comprehensive array of quality services.

“Human trafficking isn’t something that only occurs in faraway places, it’s happening in our own backyards every single day. To crack down on this horrible crime, we need to ensure that our local law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to put perpetrators behind bars and keep our communities safe,” said Congresswoman Torres.

 “This support from the Department of Justice will enable the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to enhance its already successful efforts to thwart human trafficking in the Inland Empire and provide survivors with the justice and services needed to help them reclaim their lives. Local agencies should take advantage of the training opportunities available to them by joining this task force—it’s the first step to make certain that this vital program continues.”

“I would like to thank Congresswoman Norma Torres for her tireless work in the field of combatting the scourge of human trafficking. Her bipartisan efforts as part of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus have helped secure funding for this very important law enforcement and humanitarian effort,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. 

“Today’s grant award will help continue to fund the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force.”

Last year, Torres led a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations calling for $50 million in funding nationwide for DOJ grant programs that support anti-human trafficking task forces, such as the LARHTTF. Torres is also a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus. She previously helped secure nearly $70,000 in DOJ grants to combat human trafficking and prostitution in the City of Pomona.

Torres is a member of the powerful House Appropriations and Rules Committees.

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— It’s called the principle of sowing and reaping. The nation of Israel had to learn this in a very personal way. Their waywardness and failure to do what God instructed them to do often placed them in a position where they would not have His blessings. The Lord gives principles in Scripture to serve as warnings and as an encouragement. It is insane to do the same thing over and over again … knowing it has never worked out well before. It doesn’t work: never has, never will. To change the result you have to change the path. Different actions are required for different results. The premise of the quote is if you want something different out of your life you have to put something different into it.  Because “If you always do what you’ve always done- you will always get what you always got.”  

I want you to know that God created us to succeed; you and I were made to win! And God has given us everything we need to succeed in life, but we need to understand today that Biblical success is different from the world’s definition of success, and Biblical success is not something we just stumble into. If you want success God’s way then you’ve got to go after success God’s way! What it comes down to is taking a risk, being bold, uninhibited, stepping out your comfort zone. I ask you, do you want to be this person who won’t jump, looking into the unknown, but turning around; Or, do you want to be the person taking a leap of faith and throwing caution to the wind. Because if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always got.

I just want you to understand, that you and I will never possess what we will not pursue. If you want a deeper relationship with the Lord, you’ve got to pursue it. If you want a happy marriage, you’ve got to pursue it. If you want a degree, you’ve got to pursue it. If you want to get out of debt; you’ve got to pursue it. If you want to own your own business; you’ve got to pursue it! If you want to lose weight, you’ve got to put down that candy bar, step away from those cookies and doughnuts and pursue it. If you want to live a successful life God’s way, then you’ve got to stop waiting for your ship to come in and get on board with God’s program and set sail towards the horizon of God’s destiny for your life!

With the understanding that success is not having money, power, or avoiding criticism. Success is not having prestige, position or prominence. Success is not having your name up in lights and enjoying the applause and accolades of men. Success is discovering and doing the will of God for your life. Success is fulfilling the purpose for which God created you in the first place. Success is discovering your God-given gifts and using them to fulfill your God-given destiny.

God’s Word is our blueprint, God’s Word is our road map, God’s Word is our play book, and God’s Word is the authoritative standard for every detail of our lives and in His Word He has given us all the information we need to start living a life of success.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

If you’re going to have success God’s way then you’ve got to do things God’s way. Success starts with changing your perspectives and practices and embracing God’s perspectives and practices.  Because “If You Keep Doing What You’ve always Done – You Will Get What You’ve Always Got.”  

By Rich White

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK— ENN)— Hitting a pothole can adversely affect a vehicle’s handling and performance. It can be difficult to know if and to what extent your car has been damaged, so the Car Care Council urges motorists to watch for three warning signs to help determine if hitting a pothole has damaged their vehicle.

1. Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming out on city streets or bouncing excessively on rough roads are indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they largely determine a vehicle’s ride and handling.
2. Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path, and uneven tire wear, are symptoms of an alignment problem. Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps ensure safe handling.
3. Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in the wheel rim will be visible and should be checked out as soon as possible, as tires are the critical connection between the vehicle and the road.

Because hitting a pothole with your car can do a real number on tires, wheels, steering and suspension, and alignment, it is a good idea to describe the symptoms to a professional technician who can then check out the vehicle and make the necessary repairs to ensure safety and reliability.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA— To commemorate Smokey Bear’s 75^th year of delivering wildfire prevention messaging, replicas of iconic Smokey Bear scenes by artist Rudolph Wendelin will be on display through April 16 at the Gateway to Nature in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. This is the only stop in Southern California where the exhibit will take place during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. This is a free family friendly event. This exhibit is hosted locally by the Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability (LA Urban Center) as a stop on a larger national traveling exhibit.

Since 1944, Wendelin created hundreds of Smokey representations that highlighted national resource conservation and wildfire prevention. It is Wendelin’s more humanized representation of Smokey Bear that is commonly known today. Under his direction Smokey assumed his ranger hat, jeans and shovel. The touring exhibit consists of 16 replica pieces of artwork from the National Agricultural Library. For additional information please call the LA Urban Center at 213-628-3718.

Black & Positively Golden celebrates a new movement to uplift communities & inspire excellence through education, empowerment, entrepreneurship

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— McDonald’s USA announced the launch of Black & Positively Golden, a new campaign movement designed to uplift communities and inspire excellence. It highlights all things positive and focuses on stories of truth, power and pride, while celebrating Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.  Being an active member in the communities McDonald’s serves has been fundamental to the business since its inception. Black & Positively Golden is a natural extension of the brand’s long-term commitment to the African-American consumer, and part of its larger efforts to reconnect with customers and build a better McDonald’s.

“At McDonald’s, we strive to connect with our customers by showing up in ways that matter to them,” said Lizette Williams, Head of Cultural Engagement & Experiences, McDonald’s USA. “Prior to launching the Black & Positively Golden campaign, we spent time with our African-American customer base and heard from them on what’s most important. We are leveraging this platform to shine a brilliant, powerful light on Black culture and excellence in a way that matters most to our consumers. This is the largest African-American campaign we have launched in 16 years and it continues to demonstrate our longstanding commitment to this community.”

The new campaign is brought to life in partnership with McDonald’s Black Owner/Operators nationwide. These entrepreneurs bring positive economic opportunities to the neighborhoods they serve in numerous ways, including hiring directly from the community, providing scholarships and engaging in other philanthropic activities.

“McDonald’s has long supported African-American communities. We maintain a commitment to our neighbors through various parts of our business – including scholarship partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, generational wealth-building with franchisee training and partnering with minority suppliers,” said Nicole Enearu, a second-generation Owner/Operator and member of McDonald’s U.S. Marketing African-American Consumer Market Leadership Committee. “Through our new Black & Positively Golden campaign, we aim to further connect with and inspire the African-American customer.”

Continuing the growing momentum of the brand’s economic impact and commitment to diversity, Enearu is one of 300 African-American McDonald’s franchisees representing more than 1,500 restaurants.

In an effort to reach consumers in places where they already live, work and play, Black & Positively Golden commences a yearlong commitment to the YWCA USA, supporting the organization’s Women’s Empowerment 360 Program, an initiative designed to empower women of color who aspire to be entrepreneurs. Currently, more than 70% of participants are African-American. McDonald’s financial support will help empower approximately 5,000 up-and-coming businesswomen across the U.S. with education curriculum and other tools needed for success.

The commitment with YWCA USA officially kicks off tonight, in the celebrated and largely African-American Leimert Park neighborhood with an interactive, community event at the YWCA Greater Los Angeles. The event will feature a transformative empowerment mural created by LA-based artist Enkone. Attendees will help co-create the community mural by adding their own words of affirmation. There will be an appearance by actress/comedienne Yvonne Orji, a special performance by multi-platinum recording artist Normani and more. The one-of-a-kind event will shine a light on African-American culture and demonstrate the power words have to inspire Black excellence.

“As part of our commitment to the community, we are excited to kick off Black & Positively Golden with an expanded commitment to the YWCA, an organization that shares McDonald’s core values,” Williams said. “McDonald’s has restaurants in many communities that are also served by the YWCA, and we have local ties to the organization. For instance, we’ve supported their Chicago chapter for more than 30 years. With their focus on women entrepreneurs of color, the partnership is a great fit and we’re thrilled to extend our support nationally.”

“We are honored that McDonald’s has chosen to extend their partnership with us. The community-led event and mural project is incredibly special. The mural will live at one of our centers, located in a historic, predominantly African-American community, and will stand as a beacon of positivity and empowerment,” said Faye Washington, CEO and President of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles.

In conjunction with the YWCA launch event, McDonald’s will debut the campaign with a 60-second anthem television spot on Saturday, March 30, during the 50^th NAACP Image Awards. Consumers will also engage with campaign elements in some of their favorite and most trusted digital, print, radio and broadcast outlets all year long. Understanding the importance of social media for engaging the African-American audience and especially millennials, the brand launched a new Instagram channel for the Black & Positively Goldencampaign – @wearegolden, highlighting moments of positivity, exciting programs and consumer experiences, as well as people who are shining examples of Black excellence in the community. The channel also provides resources to help uplift communities through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

The Black & Positively Golden campaign also will be supported through a series of events throughout 2019. First up is McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour set to kick off in late April, followed by consumer experiences at BET Experience and Essence Festival. In addition, Black & Positively Golden will provide $60,000 in scholarships to foster educational empowerment among HBCU students through its partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund. For more information visit TMCF.org/McD.

For more information on McDonald’s new Black & Positively Golden campaign, follow @wearegolden on Instagram.

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA— As previously announced by the NAACP, some of the biggest names in film, television and music turned out for the 50th NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, March 30, which was broadcast live on TV One from The Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Hosted by Anthony Anderson, highlights from the evening included Beyoncé being named as the NAACP Entertainer of the Year and NAACP President Derrick Johnson presenting her husband Sean “Jay-Z” Carter with the prestigious President’s Award. Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ fiery acceptance speech energized the audience as she was being honored with the NAACP Chairman’s Award.

Additional honorees included REACH Media nationally syndicated radio host Tom Joynerwho was presented with the Vanguard Award, and Ne-Yo, who was awarded the inaugural Black & Positively Golden Music Honor sponsored by McDonald’s. The Marvel Studios film “Black Panther” took home several awards including Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Ryan Coogler), Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture: Film (Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Michael B. Jordan), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Danai Gurira), Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Chadwick Boseman), Outstanding Breakthrough Role in a Motion Picture (Letitia Wright), and Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture. Anthony Anderson also took home the award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on “black-ish,” which also won Outstanding Comedy Series and garnered other awards.

Viewers of the 50th NAACP Image Awards were able to get an exclusive
preview of the Bobby DeBarge Story trailer, which premiered during the
telecast and premieres on TV One in June 2019.

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50TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS WINNERS

As previously announced by the NAACP, winners took home awards in diverse categories. 

NAACP Entertainer of the Year: Beyoncé 

NAACP Chairman’s Award: Jay-Z

Outstanding New Artist:Ella Mai (10 Summers/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series (Television): Anthony Anderson – “black-ish” (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Film):Ryan Coogler – “Black Panther” (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Film):Chadwick Boseman – Black Panther (Marvel Studios)

 Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Film): Amandla Stenberg – “The Hate U Give” (20^th Century Fox)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture: “Black Panther” (Marvel Studios)

Click here for the full press release and complete list of winners. 

Find the 50TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS footage guidelines and additional clips of Tom Joyner, Donna Brazille and the “black-ish” cast.