WSSN Stories

By Bo Tefu and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Community Colleges’ ICanGoToCollege.com campaign has launched the second season of its EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast series, which focuses on promoting Black student enrollment and retention. Season 1 had over 60,000 listeners, and the new season aims to build on this success by featuring inspiring student stories and expert advice.

The first episode of the new season brings together former foster youth Kevion Louis-Hernandez, Mt. San Antonio College alum; and Junely Merwin, a NextUp Project Expert, with host Danny Morrison. The conversation explores the challenges foster youth face and highlights the transformative impact of community college programs like NextUp, which help students overcome obstacles to reach their higher education and career goals.

“This season continues our commitment to addressing barriers faced by Black students and increasing equitable access to higher education,” said Paige Marlatt Dorr, Director of Communications and Marketing for California Community Colleges.

EDUCATE. ELEVATE. is part of a broader initiative to reverse the significant enrollment declines experienced by Black students during the pandemic. Black student enrollment dropped by 25% system-wide between 2019 and 2022, but outreach efforts and support services have helped increase enrollment by nearly 15% over the last two years, bringing the total to almost 114,000 Black students in the 2023-24 academic year.

The podcast series features candid discussions on overcoming systemic barriers, educational resources, and strategies for student success. Season 2 offers a new visual style and will release episodes every two to three weeks through May 2025.

To listen to the podcast and learn more, visit the Black Student Success page at ICanGoToCollege.com.

By Antonio? ?Ray? ?Harvey? ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

As Native Americans celebrated 100 years of citizenship and the right to vote at the State Capitol, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation declaring Native American Day and signed several bills aimed at pushing tribal priorities forward.

The package of bills, which includes policies to enhance laws for vulnerable Native American youth and increase access to social supports, was signed on Sept. 27, while hundreds of people attended the event commemorating the 57th annual California Native American Day.

“I’m proud of the progress California has made to reckon with the dark chapters of our past, and we’re committed to continuing this important work to promote equity, inclusion, and accountability for Native peoples,” Newsom stated. “As we celebrate the many tribal communities in California today, we recommit to working with tribal partners to better address their unique needs and strengthen California for all.”

Newsom signed seven tribal-related bills introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), including Assembly Bill (AB) 2695, which helps California track trends in domestic violence and collect accurate information concerning violence in tribal lands.

AB 2695 will require the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to align its records and data with the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to assist law enforcement agencies and other entities with identifying where incidents related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) are taking place.

In addition, the bill requires law enforcement to document whether domestic violence incidents took place in Indian Country.

Ramos is the first Native American elected to the California legislature and the chair of the California Legislative Native American Caucus (CLNAC).

“This measure will help California deal with the lack of clear data about MMIP and where domestic violence occurs,” stated Ramos, a member of the Serrano-Cahuilla tribe.  “That information will better inform us about how to deal with this issue as California ranks fifth in the nation in MMIP unresolved cases.”

According to Ramos’ office, “the National Institute of Justice 2016 report discovered that 84% of American Indian/Alaska Native women (1.5 million people) experience violence in their lifetimes, 67% feared for their own safety, and 41% had been physically harmed from physical violence by intimate partners, stalked, and sexually assaulted.

Underreporting, racial misclassification, bias, and lack of resources to follow through and properly close cases are also obstacles when working on MMIP cases. The DOJ will now have the assets to address those issues.

“For the first time in California, law enforcement agencies will be required to collect data on crimes occurring on Indian lands and report that information to my office,” Attorney General Rob Bonta stated. “(AB 2695) will help all of us develop data-driven strategies to end the MMIP crisis in our state and improve justice for tribal citizens.”

As part of the CLNAC’s priority package, Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2795 authored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno). Ramos is the co-author of the legislation.

AB 2795 lowers administrative barriers to CalWORKS and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services at Indian health clinics in the state. Currently, the law authorizes California to fund clinics that provide substance abuse and mental health treatment services. Despite the law, reporting and reimbursement requirements have made the funds almost unreachable to these clinics.

“It is vital that we ensure members of tribal communities have equitable access to safety net programs when needed,” Arambula stated.

The day of the signing of the bills by CLNAC, Newsom proclaimed Native American Day, a decree that commemorates 100 years ago when Native Americans were conferred citizenship in the United States and the right to vote in California. Native Americans have dealt with generational hate and policies that resulted in the taking of their land and resources. Native American Day is a moment of reckoning, the proclamation declares.

“This important milestone is not without controversy – Congress’ act was in furtherance of assimilationist policy during a period marked by the forced removal of Native children from their families, the seizure and sale of Native lands, and prohibitions on languages Native people spoke since time immemorial,” the Newsom’s decree stated.

“This California Native American Day, I encourage all Californians to learn more about the ways California Native peoples throughout the state are cultivating a new generation of leaders and empowering their communities to build a sustainable future for all.”

Native American Day began in California in 1939, when Gov. Culbert Olson dedicated October 1 as “Indian Day.”

In 1968, California Tribal Leaders and Gov. Ronald Reagan rebranded the fourth Friday of September as “California Indian Day.” The celebration was renamed “Native American Day” in 2015 under the Jerry Brown Administration.

Facilitated by the Native American Heritage Commission and the California Tribal Chairperson Association, the 2024 version of the event attracted hundreds of people for a full day of activities. It was a great opportunity for all to celebrate the rich history, culture of California Tribes, and its first people.

To further the acknowledgment of California Native Americans, Newsom signed Ramos’ AB 1821, a bill that requires California public schools teach the history of the impact on California Native Americans during Spanish Mission and Gold Rush eras.

Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instructions, co-sponsored AB 1821.

“This legislation will help ensure curriculum on California’s Spanish Mission and Gold Rush eras accurately captures the treatment and impact of Native Americans during these significant eras in state history,” Thurmond stated. “This initiative supports California’s diverse students to be seen, heard, and understood in their instructional materials, and to foster a deeper appreciation for our Native communities’ history and cultures.”

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

August marked the start of a new academic year as California’s K-12 students headed back to freshly decorated classrooms.

While some parents may welcome the fact that summer vacation has ended, not all parents can be certain their children are safe in our public and private schools. According to recent reports, many low-income families and their children may be exposed to dangerously unsafe water in public schools. This month, reports of high levels of lead in the historically Black neighborhoods of South-Central Los Angeles came to light by a local environmental group. No amount of classroom décor can mask the reality of poor water quality in children’s homes and schools.

That’s why it’s important for state and local lawmakers to address the underlying infrastructural gaps perpetuating the problem – like old water pipes, dams, and spillways – instead of pursuing ineffective solutions that often impose significant unintended consequences for low-income families, leaving them in the same situation they’ve faced for decades.

We believe that everyone has the right to clean water, clean air, and life in a clean, safe environment, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or income.

Environmental Justice is a key part of the California Black Health Network’s Health Equity Framework, and it is why we work to address the root causes of health inequities, sometimes referred to as Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). Research shows that SDoH contribute to 80% of health outcomes. So, improving access to a community’s basic needs, like clean water, can have a significant impact – not only on just health outcomes, but life expectancy as well.

Water quality and safety are nothing new in the Golden State. A decade after California declared access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water a human right, roughly one million California residents are still forced to rely on poor-quality water served by sub-standard water infrastructure systems. The state’s struggle is underscored by the fact that nearly 400 water systems are at risk of failing new, stringent testing requirements.

A 2020 CALPIRG Education Fund survey found that 53% of reporting school districts tested positive for lead in over 2,100 water fountains at 1,300 schools throughout the state. One school reported lead at 1,100 parts per billion (ppb) in one water fountain while another reported 2,000 ppb in a single classroom’s water fountain. These numbers far exceed the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation of no more than 1 ppb of lead in water.

The problem goes beyond schools, putting even our youngest, and most vulnerable at risk. The lead present in the drinking water at nearly 1,700 licensed child care facilities across California also exceeds the amount allowable for infants and preschool-age children. A sample from one facility tested last year was found to contain a lead level of 290 ppb — 58 times the state limit.

Exposure to lead is dangerous and can impact kids’ ability to learn and grow. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), low levels of lead exposure in children “have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.” This is an unacceptable risk for our children while they’re at school and at home, but it’s an everyday reality for millions of low-income Californians across the state.

To effectively tackle water quality issues, increased funding for water infrastructure projects and less restrictive regulations on bottled water are essential. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal for a $130 million annual fund until 2030 underscores the state’s minimal commitment to improving water systems. However, this investment must be coupled with supportive regulatory frameworks that facilitate, rather than obstruct, access to alternative water sources like bottled water.

This balanced approach must also consider currently available tools for families to mitigate their risk. Ordinances prohibiting the sale of bottled water products, as proposed by multiple municipalities across California and implemented by others in the state, only reduce available supplies of safe drinking water for families at home or children at school. For low-income communities with compromised water quality, bottled water can provide a short-term alternative that is a necessity, not a luxury.

It should not go unnoticed that August also marked Water Quality Month, which highlights the importance of clean water to our “individual health, our collective agricultural needs, and the needs of our environment.”  The irony of children returning to schools with water contaminated by lead during a month recognizing the importance of clean water should not be lost on all any California lawmaker — nor should the irony of banning the very product that offers them a safe drinking option.

In communities and schools across the state, parents and teachers are raising and educating the next generation of Californians. They deserve no less than access to basic needs such as a clean drinking water supply — and it’s up to policymakers to ensure that this happens.

About the Author

Rhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network (CBHN).

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

Hell is real, and the miseries of Hell are unending [Jude 13; Rev. 20:10]. Hell, a place of outer darkness, and eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. A place of eternal damnation. A place where God’s wrath is poured out. A place of everlasting destruction. A place where people scream for mercy, have memories, are tormented and cannot escape. [Matthew 8:12; Mark 9:48; Luke 16:23-31; Mark 3: 29; 2 Thessalonians 1: 9; Revelation 9:2; Revelation 14:10]. And this is not some weird prophet seeing a vision of the afterlife; this is Jesus Himself speaking plainly about what Hell is like. That why Jesus says, if your hand causes you to sin, cut if off. For it is better for you to enter life crippled, than with two hands and go to Hell, to the unquenchable fire. [Mark 9:43]. And make no mistake about it, those who choose not to accept God’s gift of salvation will go to Hell. [John 15:6]. Biblical Truth!

I tell you, our lives are finite, and we do not know how much time we have. Delaying the decision to accept Christ is just down right foolishness. [Matthew 25:41]. For the Bible clearly and explicitly teaches that Hell is a real place to which the wicked/unbelievers are sent after death.  Accepting Christ not only secures our eternal future but also brings blessings and a renewed relationship with Him in this life.

As [Dr. Benjamin E. Mays] said so eloquently, “I have only just a minute, only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can’t refuse it. Didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it, but it’s up to me to use it. I MUST SUFFER if I lose it. Give account if I abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.” Heaven or Hell.

O sinner man! Consider the fearful danger you are in. It is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath that you are held over in the hand of God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in Hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it apart; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment more [Jonathan Edwards – Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God].

Consider that the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [Matthew 13:41–42, 49–50].

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life [Matthew 25:41, 46].

Sinner man [unbelieving man], where would you go if you were to die this very moment?  Are you sure you would go to heaven?

I tell you, “As the world turns from day to day, as we live, we have to make decisions and when we make those decisions, things don’t always turn out the way we’d like them to or want them to no matter what we feel or what seems real, things change. We don’t have a crystal ball to look into to know what our future is going to be. Gone are the days that seem so many years away. Whatever we had, we had [Songwriters: Barry White, Michael Lovesmith].

Oh, sinner man, unbelieving man, don’t wait until it’s too late! The Time is Near! The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Repent before it is too late and get under the umbrella of the Almighty God, NOW! For Jesus will send his angels, and they will separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth [Matthew 25:41, 46].

Remember, the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  Don’t delay, the Time is Near! Biblical Truth!

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Many cities in California limit the amount a landlord can raise rent each year. However, for nearly 30 years the state has imposed its own limits on the authority of local governments to enact rent control policies.

Landlords across California are currently allowed to set their own rental rates when new tenants move in. Prop 33 would repeal the state law (the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act) prohibiting cities and counties from capping rents on single-family homes, condominiums and apartments built after 1995.

By repealing the act, the initiative would allow cities and counties to limit annual rent increases on any residential housing and limit the initial rent for a first-time tenant. Any local laws currently inoperative under Costa-Hawkins would take effect upon its repeal.

The initiative would also add language to California’s Civil Code prohibiting the state from limiting “the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.”

Justice for Renters, which is sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is leading the campaign supporting the ballot initiative. Proponents of the proposition focus their campaign on a popular slogan, “the rent is too damn high.” Nearly 30% of California renters spend more than half their income on rent – that percentage is higher than that of any other state except Florida and Louisiana.

Representatives from the Yes on Proposition 33 campaign could not be reached for direct comment. However, Presidential candidate Kamala Harris recently showed her support for the proposition in an ad earlier in August.

“We applaud Vice President Harris’s support of rent control. Here in her home state, voters have a golden opportunity to expand rent control by voting Yes on 33 this November,” said Susie Shannon, campaign director for the Yes on Proposition 33 campaign in a press release. “Kamala joins the California Democratic Party and over a hundred California elected officials in the movement for relief for renters. Her embrace of rent control definitely increases the momentum for Prop. 33.”

Opponents of Prop 33 argue that rent control would worsen the state’s housing crisis by lowering property values and disincentivizing developers from building new housing. This would also drive prices up for existing rental units, they point out. California Black Media (CBM) spoke to Nathan Click of Click Strategies on why he opposes the proposition.

“We’re in a housing crisis as a state, and this is the exact wrong way that we should go about addressing it. Prop 33 has already been rejected twice by California voters, by nearly 60% in 2018 and 2020. They’ve rejected nearly identical measures. Non-partisan researchers at MIT have shown that measures like Prop 33 will result in an average reduction of home values of up to 25%.”

NAACP California/Hawaii State Conference President Rick L. Callender also opposes the proposition due to the impact he believes it will have to communities of color.

“Proposition 33 will hurt communities of color and exacerbate our homeless and housing crisis,” said Callender in a release. “Homeownership has been an essential path to wealth generation for Black and Brown families, and Proposition 33 will simply hurt individual homeowners, making it harder for Black and Brown families to build generational wealth.”

A “yes” vote supports:

• Repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (1995), thereby allowing cities and counties to limit rent on any housing and limit the rent for first-time tenants and
• Adding language to state housing law to prohibit the state from limiting “the right of any city, county, or city and county to maintain, enact or expand residential rent control.”

A “no” vote opposes repealing Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which prohibits rent control on single-family homes and houses completed after February 1, 1995.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media Partners

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills included in a priority reparations package introduced by the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), including Assembly Bill 3089 — which formally apologies to Black Californians for the harms caused by slavery, discrimination and other historical injustices.

However, some advocates say they do not consider the legislation reparations.

Newsom signed the historic bills into law before members of CLBC in the State Capitol Annex Swing Spaces’ press room. The bills address key issues such as housing disparities, maternal health, economic inequality, and educational access –issues that have long disproportionately impacted Black Californians.

“Today’s bill signing represents a promise for the future based on years of hard work and dedication from the CLBC and our allies,” stated Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City). “Together with Gov. Newsom, we are sending a powerful message that California is leading the way in repairing the harm done to Black communities. Today marks a victory, but only the first in the continued fight for justice.”

AB 3089 passed the Legislature with unanimous bipartisan support. It acknowledges California’s historical role in the perpetuation of slavery and its enduring legacy.

A Sept. 26 statement issued by Newsom states that the “signing event marks a significant milestone in California’s ongoing efforts to promote healing and advance justice.”

“As we confront the lasting legacy of slavery, I’m profoundly grateful for the efforts put forward by Chair Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson and the members of the California Legislative Black Caucus,” Newsom stated. “The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities.”

Authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), AB 3089 requires the state to install a plaque memorializing the apology in the State Capitol.

Additionally, the bill imposes different duties on the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Joint Rules Committee (JRC) relating to the installation and maintenance of the plaque. Both entities will receive money from grants and private donations to finance the upkeep of the plaque.

The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC) – a statewide grassroots advocates, organizers, and mobilizers for reparations and reparative justice – say they do not recognize AB 3089 as reparations.

On September 27, the organization’s members posted their thoughts about the bill on the X platform formerly called Twitter. CJEC members describe the reparations package as “racial equity bills.”

“An apology is not #Reparations, nor is it a first step toward Reparations. It’s a step backward. We don’t need any more words. We demand action. We demand Reparations,” CJEC posted.The following bills in the package were also signed by Newsom:

• AB 3131, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) — Provides Equity Multiplier funding to school districts funding for education.
• AB 1815, Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) — Prohibits discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles.
• AB 1896, Assemblymember Issac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) — Eliminates banning books without oversight and review in prisons.
• Senate Bill (SB) 1089, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) — Addresses grocery stores and pharmacy closures.

Other reparations bills signed into law are SB 1348, Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) designating specific public universities as California Black-serving institutions; AB 1984 (Weber), requires systematically review of pupils’ suspensions and expulsions data; and AB 51, Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda), which supports Early Childcare and Education: California State Preschool.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 8 was part of the package, but it will be on the ballot as Prop. 6. The ballot measure would amend the state constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime if passed by voters.

Two reparations bills were vetoed by Newsom.

The first, Bonta’s AB 1975 would have required the Department of Health Care Services to make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions a permanent benefit under the Medi-Cal program. Newsom stated that the bill would result in important and continuous General Fund costs for the program.

“I encourage the Legislature to explore this policy next year as part of the annual budget,” Newsom stated on Sept. 26.

Bradford’s SB 1050 was also vetoed. The bill would have addressed racially motivated eminent domain and restore property taken from its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation.

Newsom said he did not sign SB 1050 because the bill “tasks a nonexistent state agency to carry out its various provisions and requirements.”

That “nonexistent agency,” the California African American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAAFAA), would have been created by SB 1403, a bill introduced by Bradford. However, the Legislature did not bring that bill up for a vote on the Assembly floor during the last legislative session.

“I thank the author for his commitment to redressing past racial injustices,” Newsom said in a Sept. 25 statement. “However, this bill tasks nonexistent state agency to carry out its various provisions and requirements, making it impossible to implement.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

State leaders concerned about the persisting gap between the incomes of Black and White Californians are urging the state to take steps to address the problem.On September 18, International Equal Pay Day, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released new pay and demographic data that show Black workers are more likely to be found in the lowest pay range in the state, earning, on average, $32,239 a year or less.

“While I am proud that California has one of lowest gender pay gaps in the nation, pay for women and communities of color remains among the state’s lowest for paid workers,” said California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Secretary Tomiquia Moss at a news briefing in Sacramento organized to share the data.

“The latest employee pay data show we still have work to do and, more importantly, shows exactly where employers can focus their efforts to realize opportunity and success for all Californians,” Moss added.

The CRD research is based on data collected from large employers in 2022, covering about 8.3 million workers across the state. While the state presents some of the nation’s strongest equal pay laws and one of the smallest gender-pay gaps in the nation, its third annual report of large employer pay data shine a light on the fact there needs to be more equity when it comes to the income of women and communities of color.

The CRD is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. Its mission is to protect Californians from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, businesses, and state-funded programs, and from racial-motivated violence and human trafficking.

According to the CRD’s data, Black (45%), multiracial (45%), Latino (44%), and Native American (43%) workers were among those in the lowest pay range. In contrast, about a quarter of White workers (25%) and close to one-fifth of Asian workers (19%) were in the lowest pay range.

In addition, the report explains that less than 1 in 20 Latinos, and 1 in 10 Black and Native American workers were in the top-earning positions, whereas nearly 1 in 4 White workers and 1 in 3 Asian workers were employed in the highest pay range.

White workers were almost twice as likely to be senior executives (62%) as compared to workers of color. California ranks third in the country for difference between men’s and women pay (13.3%), according to the report.

CRD Director Kevin Kish stated that gender pay gaps can have an ongoing effect “over the course of a single person’s lifetime,” and that difference in income can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost wages

“The data underscores the need for action. “We all need to do our part to build on our hard-won progress,” Kish stated. “From corporate boardrooms to small, family-owned businesses, I urge employers to look at their own practices and work with us in the fight to ensure equal opportunity on the job.”

Data about workers hired through labor contractors is not included, the CRD points out.  The findings in the report do not reflect California’s entire employed workforce, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated to be 18.4 million at the end of 2022.

Under state law, private job creators of 100 or more employees or workers hired through labor contractors are required to report pay, demographic, and other workforce data annually.

“We all share the responsibility to address the persistent inequality that affects communities up and down our state,” Moss emphasized.

Kellie Todd Griffin, President and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Institute Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI), said Black women’s pay in California has not only stagnated – it is decreasing.

A CBWCEI report released earlier this year reveals that Black women’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) fell three percentage points between October and December of 2023. Although, Black women’s LFPR remains higher than the LFPR of women of other races, the decrease points to job insecurity and instability in the labor market. It is also a sign that conditions could get worse for the Black women overall.

“Several economic factors contribute to the fluctuations and potential decline in Black women’s labor force participation rates,” CBWCEI report stated. “Structural issues such as persistent wage gaps, limited access to quality education and job training programs, along with systemic barriers to career advancement disproportionately affect Black women.”

As a result of the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 973 in 2020, the state collects pay data to encourage employers to conduct self-assessments of pay disparities in their organizations, promote self-policing around equal pay compliance and support meaningful state and private enforcement of civil rights and anti-discrimination laws in the workplace.

On June 19, the CRD announced that it reached a $15 million settlement with Snapchat to resolve a more than three-year investigation over claims of employment discrimination, equal pay violations, and sexual harassment and retaliation.

CRD alleged that despite its growth from 50 employees in 2015 to over 5,000 in 2022, Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, failed to set up measures to create an environment to ensure that women were paid or promoted equally. Instead, women were held under a glass ceiling and were told to wait in line.

“The gender wage gap is not just a statistic, it’s a lifetime of missed opportunities for women — especially women of color — who face the compounded impacts of racial and gender inequities,” stated California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “The wage and wealth gaps rob women and their families of financial security, career advancement, and the ability to build wealth for future generations. In California, we’re working through our Equal Pay Pledge to close the gap and normalize pay equity.”

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

You better get ready and bare this in mind. God showed Noah, the rainbow sign, He said it won’t be water but fire next time [2 Peter 3:6-7].

You know, way back in the Bible days, Noah told the people it’s gonna rain, but when he told them they paid him no mind and when it happen, they were left behind. Noah told the people in plenty of time, but they were to sinful, and they were to blind, and when that awful day came, they tried to pray but their prayer was too late.

I tell you, it’s gonna rain, get ready, get ready. Lord you better get ready, and bear this in mind, God showed Noah, the rainbow sign, He said it won’t be water, but fire next time.

They tell me when the water begin to pour, they knocked on the windows, they knocked on the doors. They didn’t know exactly what to do. Now I know you don’t want this to happen to you. You better get ready and bare this in mind.

Noah told people, I’m sorry my friends, God got the keys, and the same thing is gonna happen again, if something don’t happen to the hearts of man.

They tell me when the water begin to pour, they knocked on the windows, they knocked on the doors. They didn’t know what exactly to do. Now you don’t want this to happen to you. You better get ready and bare this in mind. [It’s Gonna Rain – The Sensational Night Gales].

For upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstones, and a horrible tempest. This shall be the portion of their cup says the Lord [Ezekiel 38:22; Isaiah 30:33; Isaiah 34:9 Job 18:15; Psalms 11:6].

I want you to understand, there is no partiality with God.  The future of this world is horrendous. It’s not going to be a climate disaster; it’s not going to be an environmental disaster; it’s going to be a divine judgment. The dust of death is on us, and the wrath of God hovers over us. And when this judgment breaks loose, Jeremiah says, “Alas, for that day is great. There is none like it.” [Jeremiah 30:7]. Not even the flood that destroyed the whole world in the time of Noah. This is worse than that. It is horrendous, and judgment is looming on the horizon, as evidenced by the conduct of the world.

Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is on all their armies. He will totally destroy them; he will give them over to slaughter. Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will stink; the mountains will be soaked with their blood. All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree. [Isaiah 34:1-4].

I tell you, “It’s Gonna Rain” prepare. Repent and get under the Umbrella of the Almighty God NOW! Do not delay! Do not ponder! The time is near.

I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” [Revelation 6:12-17].

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen, IV

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate program. The program is supported by partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/

In late August I attended the Ethnic Media Conference in Sacramento, California. It was a Conference consisting of California based ethnic owned media, including members of California Black Media, the organization that Westside Story Newspaper and Empire Talks Back Radio belong to.

The Stop the Hate theme of the Ethnic Media Conference was an acknowledgment of the power of organized complaining and reporting. The Trump Administration made false claims associating Asian people with the origins of the COVID pandemic which generated a national increase in anti-Asian hate incidents and hate crimes! The Asian community’s outcry and organized response to the hate, attracted national news coverage and empathy, and created political will.

The process of reporting and documenting the incidents of hate, as well as the crimes of hate, had a powerful impact in California. Enough for the State to, between 2021 and 2023, create and allocate about $200 million to the California vs Hate, Stop the Hate Program, which funded among other things, the statewide Stop the Hate campaign in ethnic media.

My overall response to the splendid information filled Conference is one of pride for several reasons. I am proud to point out that the conference was co-chaired and organized by a San Bernardino native, Regina Wilson, the daughter of Cheryl and Hardy Brown, of the Black Voice News organization. The Black Voice News organization created an additional point of pride in that it received an award for outstanding writing! The IE was further highlighted via the Inland Valley News which was recognized for its outstanding community outreach. I am particularly pleased to note that those two newspapers are each now being published by second generation family members. Paulette Brown-Hinds is publishing the Black Voice and Ta-Lese Morrow is publishing the Inland Valley News, the newspaper founded by her father, Tommy Morrow.

The importance of this publishing legacy is that I know the will and ability to tell our Black Story accurately and passionately is secured by the youthful but mature hands of concerned, culturally competent people.  These publishers have also witnessed the power of telling the story enough to see that racism and hate have been so normalized that we have all tended to look past the generational hate and institutional racism that generated and maintains the ‘Black State of Emergency’!

I was reminded of the benefits of complaining about hate and racism. We effected the whole of the Civil Rights Movement on reporting and protesting the evils of racism and hate… The Asian Community took a page out of our book, the page that says it pays to complain!  But you have to know how to collect and keep!  We have rights as a result of The Movement, but they are not complete and they are under constant threat. Equitable treatment for Black Folk is not a given, even in the full light of anti-hate intentions…

Several years ago, in 2022, Black People, though only 6% of California’s total population, were 30% of the State’s hate crime victims.  Black Folks are and have always been statistically the most hated residents of California proven by the highest number of reported incidents…

According to an article written by Felicia Mello and Published by Cal Matters in September 2023, “The state’s latest Stop The Hate grants bring its non-law enforcement anti-hate spending to more than $200 million since 2021, more than any other state, advocates say.”

Since the statistics show that 30% of State hate is targeting Black Folk, it would make sense to assume that 30% of the State’s anti-hate budget would also target anti-Black hate… Right? Wrong! New hate, is the cause of the attention and new hate is the recipient of the bulk of the California vs Hate budget!

I do know that the Department of Social Services is providing direct services to victims of hate incidents and hate crimes if the victims ‘complain’ by reporting the event on the Stop The Hate hotline, 888-8-NO-Hate! However, that service is provided after the hate!

I know of a number of Black Folk who over the course of life have encountered and endured hate incidents and crimes… However, I am very challenged to remember anyone who has ever made a formal complaint! Is that similar to your experience?  If Black Folks in general do not report hate and yet, 30% of hate crimes & incidents reported in California are against Black Folks, what would the percentage be if all anti-Black hate crimes & incidents in California, were reported? I think we can agree that in general, Black People have normalized, gotten used to and generally expect a certain amount of racism and hate and therefore have somewhat normalized it!

It also appears that even the Stop The Hate program has normalized the hate in that it is not set up to actually stop the hate but more to provide services to the hate victims… Which is a good thing, but not what it says! When I talk to Black Folks about reporting hate, the basic response is, “What good is that going to do?”

So we appear not be bothered by anything less than blatant deadly police shootings… Police shooting Black People is the ultimate example of the power of institutional racism and hate! The regularity of which is terrorizing and front page…

The generational effects of Institutional Racism is not as noisy, but just as deadly! It creates the ability to deliver legal hate on an automatic system wide basis allowing legal gate keepers to claim ‘clean hands’ as they are only following law and policy… Laws and policies that have generated and maintained a Black State of Emergency!

We may not report to the police, but we do talk about racism & hate to each other, acknowledging, without stating the Black State of Emergency that racism and hate have rendered to Black People in general. Particularly the long term, generational, institutional racism and hate that hides behind the shields of law and tradition!

The Black State of Emergency is described by laws and traditional institutional racism that allows Black infant mortality to be twice that of white infants…That disciplines and suspends Black Students at 3 times the rate of white students… That over populates its jails and prisons disproportionately with Black Men and Women… That packs its unemployment ranks disproportionately with Black Men and Women… and there is more detriment that can be attributed to legal policies that are used to justify hateful and inhumane results! Results that make Black Folks the highest statistical victims of stress, high blood pressure and diabetes! Black Folks are the #-one victims of hate incidents and hate crimes! Black People also have the shortest life spans!

In our diverse society the fact that Blacks lead in so many the negative Vital Statistics, signals the presence a powerful condition that is targeting them! America’s infrastructure of Slavery certainly contributes to that powerful racist echo that still rings loudly in present day policy!

We have been hated for so long, that we have basically normalized it… All of the elements that ring our State-Of-Emergency Bell, are things that we know about and have known about so long that we basically blame ourselves for their existence… We teach our young to ‘kiss-up’ to the police, to increase their chance of staying alive! That should not be normal!

To exemplify institutional racism and hate, I point to the city of Palm Springs and its ‘Section 14 City engineered holocaust… That forgot that Black People were human beings’! Those words paraphrase the Attorney General’s 1968 Report resulting from an investigation of that city burning and demolishing some 200 Black owned homes.  The city records boldly admit that it, the city, skipped providing any legal process such as giving notice to the home owners, and proceeded to burn and demolish homes filled with furniture, appliances and personal property! People would return from school and work and find their home destroyed! The city did its dirty deed slowly, terrorizing residents with the suspense of ‘who is next’?  There were cases of people being present but not allowed to remove their property from the doomed structures. The city joyfully choose to take the hateful route instead of the legal route!

The Survivors of Section 14, some 1000 plus people, with their attorney, have been negotiating with the city and have received an apology and a settlement offer that while it admits guilt, does not in any real way come close to compensating these victims of an obvious institutional hate crime that is probably not too late to be prosecuted !

It is hard to believe that the state of California is really serious about stopping the hate, when we can see a situation like that which is ongoing in Palm Springs! The crime happened and was recognized by the California Attorney General’s Office as a “city engineered holocaust that forgot Black People are human”, back in 1968, and nothing has happened legally to defend and or support the victims!

This scenario seems to justify the ‘What good would it do to complain’ attitude… However, my Asian cousins have demonstrated and proven to me, that it pays to complain and report hate!

If you GOOGLE Palm Springs Section 14, you will see national and state wide coverage of the ongoing hate crime… If you do so you will have to agree that the Survivors of Palm Springs Section 14 are not suffering from lack of providing information, but from a surplus of normalization.

We will organize a Town hall to meet the Survivors of Section 14 and discuss the effects of institutional racism, the Black State of Emergency and how to really stop the hate! Stay tuned! Fighting hate must become normal!

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and CalFresh Healthy Living, the state’s nutrition assistance program, recently launched a health campaign to illuminate the risks of drinking sugar-sweetened beverages and the health benefits of hydrating with water.

The “Not So Sweet Side” initiative encourages families to make informed decisions about the drinks they choose and to be aware of the sugar content present in them.

According to the campaign, consuming too much sugar has been associated with an increase in chronic conditions and diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay. African Americans face a higher risk of developing diabetes mellitus, heart disease and tooth decay.

Dr. Redieat Assefa is a pediatrician at Riverside University Health Systems. She spoke at a webinar hosted by California Black Media introducing the campaign to ethnic media publishers across California.

Assefa underscored the importance of reading labels on sugary drinks you may consume and how to identify drinks that contain too much.

“When reading a nutrition label, there are a few key components that I would like us to consider. The first thing is the serving size of your sugary drinks. Is it one can? Is it one bottle? Then you go down to your total carbohydrates, which can be broken down to your fibers and sugary, added sugars or non-added sugars. Another part of the nutrition label is looking at the ingredients and the red flags. When reading ingredients, it’s going to be high fructose corn syrup, fruit, glucose, and sucrose. So those are the main ones that are harmful to our bodies when we have them in excess, of course.”

To simplify the process, compare the grams of sugar in a box of Apple Juice with preservatives that could be around 40 grams of sugar and that of natural juice which averages around 6 grams. The healthier choice is the 6-gram option due to significantly less added sugars.

Assefa also added that research indicates that African American women who drink one to two sugary beverages daily have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Sugary drinks can lead to high blood pressure, hype, and hypertension, contributing to a greater risk of heart disease among African American young adult men who, on average, consume sugary beverages at a higher level than other groups.

Assefa pointed out that there are about 10 teaspoons of sugar in a single can of soda.

Dr. Maxmillian Chambers, a dental professional and public health advocate, also spoke on the panel promoting the campaign highlighting the impact sugary drinks can have on dental health.

“As we continue this dialogue, it’s crucial to turn our focus to oral health, a key component of our overall well-being that doesn’t often receive the attention it deserves. Sugary drinks are a significant contributor to tooth decay. Research shows that drinking more than two eight-ounce servings of sugary beverages per week can drastically increase the risk of cavities. And for our youth, particularly those aged 9 to 18, sugary drinks are primary sources of added sugar in their diets.”

Chambers added that the issue is amplified when we consider that Black adolescents who consume high amounts of these beverages and brush their teeth no more than once a day are at a significantly higher risk of developing cavities.

Lakeysha Sowunmi, a mom and public health advocate who has worked to influence state policy and mobilize communities, including churches, around health issues, said, “I work with families on a budget, for example, and help them understand CalFresh and the resources that are available. We talk about portion control. We talk about feeding big families.”

Sowunmi, who is a founding member of the San Diego Women’s Affordable Housing Network, added, that making healthy food choices can seem like a luxury to families overwhelmed by housing insecurity. As she helps them find permanent or more affordable housing, Sowunmi says she continues to stress the importance of avoiding bad food choices.

The campaign recommends families set new health standards when it comes to the beverages consumed in the home. Flavored water alternatives for children returning from play, not ordering drinks during fast food stops, and increased awareness of sugar content in drinks are among their recommendations.

The CDPH and CalFresh believe that a community focused outreach effort ensures the ‘Not so Sweet Side’ campaign will reach diverse families across California. The CalFresh Healthy Living Program is led by CDPH’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Branch. To explore recipes, resources, and tips for making healthier beverage choices, visit http://uncoverhealthyhabits.com/