WSSN Stories

By Lou K Coleman

The sirens are sounding, blaring, warning that catastrophic impact is about to take place. Wake up! Because there is a storm on the horizon, that will come suddenly, and unexpectedly. This is a storm that cannot be compared to any storm of nature in its power and intensity. This storm will be the greatest storm to every hit mankind since Creation.  This storm, the approaching storm of the wrath of God will bring judgment upon the heart of every man and woman remaining in the earth and none will escape its power. I ask you; can you hear what I hear? The sirens are blaring, that catastrophic impact is about to take place.

Please don’t wait until the storm falls on you. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior today, for He is the only source of refuge from this coming storm. As [Zephaniah 1:14-18] tells us, “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly… a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. A day when I, the Lord, will bring distress upon you, that you shall walk like blind men, because you have sinned against Me: your blood shall be poured out as dust, and your flesh as the dung. For neither your silver nor your gold shall be able to deliver you in the day of My wrath; for the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of My jealousy: for I, the Lord shall make even a speedy riddance of all you that dwell in the land.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Therefore, take ye heed, watch and pray for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Be sober, be on guard, keep awake! [Mark 13:28-37].

God has promised that the storm is coming. [John 3:36, Romans 2:5, the whole book of Revelation]. Hasten your escape from the windy storm and tempest before it is too late [Psalms 55:8] knowing that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness. [2 Peter 3:9]. For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. [1 Thessalonians 5:3].

Why should you die? Heed the warnings and obey the call. Don’t sit idly by and be caught unaware and unprepared. You’ve Been Warned! Repent before it’s too late!

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

The California Assembly ushered in new leadership last week with the swearing in of Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) at the State Capitol in Sacramento on June 30.

Rivas replaces Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), the outgoing Speaker who presided over the Assembly for the last seven years.

Rivas is the 71st Speaker of the state legislature’s lower house. Known for being a pragmatic coalition builder, Rivas’ rise to power has been steady, colleagues say, since he was first elected to the State Assembly in 2018.

After being sworn in, Rivas informed the 79 other members of the Assembly that his leadership, which he says will benefit everyone, will be characterized by “urgency and unity” as his top priorities.

“California is still the greatest state in the union. But if we in this room do not act and do not act with greater urgency, it will get more and more difficult to build a good life here,” Rivas said. “I feel, and I know that you all do, too, a great sense of responsibility because we are the ones who can keep the door open for the next generation.”

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11), U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass were among politicians, state officials, family members, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and others were present to witness 43-year-old Rivas take his oath of office.

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) said the day celebrates “the new season of leadership under the Honorable Robert Rivas” and all members of the Assembly hearts’ “should be filled with joy” about a man who came from humble beginnings.

“On behalf of the Black caucus, congratulations on your success,” Wilson, the chairperson of the CLBC said to Rivas. “We look forward to working with you on monumental legislation to ensure equity for all and continue dismantling systematic discrimination and racism.”

Civil rights icon and labor rights advocate Dolores Huerta, Rivas’ mother Mayra Flores, his grandmother and about 30 farmworkers from his district were “scattered throughout the chamber” to see the swearing in ceremony along with his wife Christen and their daughter Melina, Rivas said.

The three African American state Constitutional officers Controller Malia Cohen, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and Secretary of State Shirley Weber also attended the proceedings on the Assembly floor.

“California is still the greatest state in the union. But if we in this room do not act and do not act with greater urgency, it will get more and more difficult to build a good life here,” Rivas told the audience. “I feel, and I know that you all do, too, have a great sense of responsibility because we are the ones who can keep the door open for the next generation.”

Raised in Paicines, a small town in San Benito County with a population of under 700 people, Rivas says he watched his grandfather as a child stand side by side with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers (UFW) as a leader in the movement that won equal rights and fair contracts for farmworkers.

Rivas attended local public schools in San Juan Bautista and Hollister. During his inaugural speech, he mentioned that along with his mother and brother, he once shared a house of “three beds” with five other family members, including his cousins.

In 1988, Rivas’s grandparents, aunts and uncles pooled together money to purchase a small house for $140,000 in the city of Hollister, a community established by ranchers and farmers in 1872.

“It was a massive investment, but it was doable,” Rivas remembered his family’s ambition to own a home of their own. “It gave us a sense that our future was not so precarious and that there was a place for us in in the greatest state in country in California.”

Rivas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government from California State University Sacramento and later earned a master’s degree in public administration from San Jose State University.

A lifelong resident of the 29th Assembly district, Rivas served two terms on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors prior to becoming an Assemblymember in 2018.

During his first term in the Fall of 2020, Rivas was appointed as the Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee and elected as Vice-Chair of the influential Latino Legislative Caucus.

Rivas’ priorities are directed at tackling California’s housing and homelessness crisis, battling climate change, and enhancing public services and infrastructure.

“I am excited for the future of this body and even more excited for the future of this great state with Robert as our speaker,” said Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), who is also a member of the CLBC. “So, congratulations to our speaker designate and my good friend Robert Rivas.”

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and Edward Henderson | California Black Media

In recognition of Father’s Day this year, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) introduced House Resolution (HR) 36, legislation declaring June “Fatherhood Well-Being Month.

Last week, at Ted Watkins Park in South Los Angeles, Gipson joined residents in his community to highlight the importance of fathers and father figures in collaboration with a South Los Angeles community initiative called Project Fatherhood.

“This elevates the work of Project Fatherhood that is originally from this Watts community; that goes out and provides skill building for fathers, giving them experiences they need to be great fathers in this community,” said Gipson. “It’s a great blessing for me.”

By Lou K Coleman

For I Daniel saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.”

“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

“After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.  I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words…

“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.  As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time…

I came near to one of those who stood by and asked him the truth of all this. So, he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: Those great beasts, which are four, are four kingdoms which arise out of the earth.

“Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

“Thus, he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it, and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, as well as persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. [Daniel 7:2-8, 11-12, 16-17; 23-25].

I say, and I say again; Wake-up and Pay Attention! End-time events are unfolding right before our eyes. The King of the West who is identify as the Antichrist and who will lead the ‘revised’ Roman Empire [the seventh kingdom/European Union and its western allies] in transition and the King of the South, Egypt and its southern Islamic allies with the King of the North, Russia described as Gog in Ezekiel who will lead the nations of the Black Sea region and Caucasus Central Asis [Ancient Scythia], and Iran [Ancient Parthia] and the King of the East, China and its Asiatic allies HAS ALREADY formed an alliance. Wake up!

It is no coincidence that the Middle East is a powder keg awaiting only the proper spark to explode; it is no coincidence that radical Islam has become a global terror threat; it is no coincidence that Iran is threatening to wipe the nation of Israel off the map; and it is no coincidence that Israel exists as a nation, once again back on some of the very same Biblical land that God deeded to Abraham thousands of years ago. It is all part of a pattern. None of this is coincidence; it is the fulfilling and unfolding of God’s Word. It is setting the stage for the fulfillment of coming events written about in the Book of Revelation. Awake from your slumber!

Note: The identities of the King of the North, South, East, and West are described in the Book of Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelation.

By Pilar Marrero

Many are vowing to continue the fight to protect diversity in higher education and warn policy makers and educators not to overreach in interpreting the controversial ruling.

Civil rights leaders joined together to denounce last week’s Supreme Court decision ending Affirmative Action. Many are warning of the negative effects the ruling will have on students of color.

“Race is still relevant, racial discrimination is still relevant,” said Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

Saenz pointed to the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, which states that college admission programs can consider how race has affected an applicant’s character specifically, but that race cannot be a general consideration in admissions.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“That is a clear indication that this is not a mandate or even an invitation to ignore race in the context of higher education,” explained Saenz in an interview with Ethnic Media Services.

The June 29 decision overturned 45 years of precedent by ruling that Affirmative Action policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Saenz and others warned policymakers and higher education leaders not to overreach in their interpretation of the ruling. They also urged students of color not to “adjust their ambitions in any way” because of this decision.

“Policymakers cannot use this decision as some excuse to ignore racial disparity or to ignore the imperative to address it,” said Saenz. “This doesn’t change regulations under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), notes that race can still be taken into account for college admissions, as it relates to an applicant’s life experience.

Racial gaslighting

Colleges and universities across the country – particularly those states where, before this decision, race was still used as part of the criteria in college and university admissions – should evaluate their practices for equity, said leaders in the higher education access arena.

“We know that Affirmative Action was one of the best tools to ensure there was a diverse student body,” said Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “SCOTUS should have also banned legacy (admissions), which makes up more than a quarter to a third of the class at some selective institutions, including Harvard.”

She added the practice of granting admission to the sons and daughters of alumni, along with early decision admissions and the extensive use of standardized tests, “do not expand opportunities to low-income Black, Latino and Asian American Students.”

Several groups in Boston filed a complaint with the Education Department on Monday requesting that it review the practice of legacy admissions, arguing it discriminates against students of color by favoring the children of alumni at elite schools, most of whom are white.

Author and education scholar J. Luke Wood described the ruling as “racial gaslighting at its best.” Wood is the incoming president at Sacramento State University.

“If they are concerned about discrimination, they should move away from standardized testing, which is a better indication about a student’s resources” and not his or her capacities. “This will definitely have an impact on access to colleges and universities by students of color,” said Wood.

Sending a message to students of color

Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), discusses the Asian American response to the ban on affirmative action and notes that Asian Americans did not initiate the lawsuit, nor were there any student plaintiffs in the case.

All of those interviewed said they worried about students getting the wrong message from the ruling and the impact this could have on students of color already in higher education institutions.

“We want to make sure that students of color know that they still belong, that we will be fighting for you, and we encourage you to apply to the school of your choice, don’t be scared off by this opinion,” said Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives with Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).

Etcubañez, like other Asian American civil rights leaders, also expressed concerns about arguments that Affirmative Action policies unfairly discriminated against Asian students. “This is simply false,” she said.

“The District Court examined all the evidence and found no evidence to support the claim that there was discrimination against Asian Americans,” said Etcubañez. “I also want to make sure people know that Asian Americans were not behind this case.”

In fact, the case was brought forward by a group called Students for Fair Admissions led by conservative activist Ed Blum, who Etcubañez noted “has engaged in a campaign to systematically take down Affirmative Action for years. This was not an organic case to right a wrong.”

Blum is a Republican financier who was also behind the 2013 Shelby v. Holder decision, which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, eliminating the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination targeting voters of color seek federal preclearance for any changes to their election laws.

In a scathing dissent to the majority’s ruling, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: “The three Justices of color on this Court graduated from elite universities and law schools with race-conscious admissions programs, and achieved successful legal careers, despite having different educational backgrounds than their peers.”

In her opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who joined Sotomayor in her dissent, offered a fiery exchange with conservative justice Clarence Thomas, who is also African American and leads the ultra-conservative wing of the court.

‘We will be watching’

Michele Siqueiros, President of The Campaign for College Opportunity, says affirmative action advocates will continue to fight for fair admissions to colleges and to ensure that campuses remain diverse.

“Thomas went to Yale Law School, my alma mater, at a time when almost certainly the law school was using an Affirmative Action system that benefited him,” said Saenz from MALDEF. “This indicates how much of a limitation this could be for our future. Future justices, future leaders, elected leaders, and future professionals will be diminished in their ranks by the court’s wrongheaded decision.”

Michelle Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said that her organization and many others would fight to counteract the effects of this ruling as they have done in California and other states where local laws limited the use of race in admissions over the years.

“We won’t accept a return to the 1940s and 1950s when colleges blatantly discriminated against women, African Americans, Jewish Americans, Latinos, and Indigenous folks at their campuses,” said Siqueiros.

“We will be watching,” she added, noting that at a time when more than 50% of students in K-12 schools are students of color, “we are hopeful that college leaders know and support and value providing opportunity for all Americans.”

By Nekima Levy Armstrong, Esq

(BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION (BET)—On this third anniversary of the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd, one is left to ponder whether any real progress has been made regarding increased police accountability and improving the lives of Black folks in this country.

By Maxim Elramsisy | California Black Media

Civil Rights and personal Injury attorneys Benjamin Crump and Carl Douglas announced a $100 million lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles last week for the death of Keenan Anderson, a high school English teacher visiting Los Angeles from Washington D.C.

The attorneys are representing Anderson’s son, Syncere Anderson, and Syncere’s mother Gabrielle Hansell.

The complaint alleges civil rights violations, assault and battery, false imprisonment, and negligence on the part of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the death of Anderson.

“They are trying to George Floyd me,” Anderson said as he lay face down on the street in Venice, California on January 3. The 30-year-old died later at a hospital after body-camera footage shows him being tased at least six times by LAPD officers.

“[He is] calling out to the public when he’s on the ground being tased and squashed. He’s calling for help. He was anticipating his own injury,” Douglas, said to California Black Media (CBM).

“When you think about Black people, our fear is that every time police stop us, they might do us like George Floyd,” Crump said to CBM.

The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner reported in early June that Anderson’s cause of death was an enlarged heart and cocaine use and reported manner of death as undetermined.

The attorneys argue the report is irrelevant.

“After they assassinated him, they tried to assassinate his character. That is the strategy, tried and true, in America when the police kill Black people,” Crump said. “Look at that video, your eyes are not deceiving you. What killed [Anderson] was an overdose of lethal force, it’s that simple. If he were not tased, he would be here today.”

They believe the video shows that the use of force by police was inappropriate in this situation.

“It matters not whether there was cocaine in his system, because the actions of the officers were wrong. It matters not why he was in distress, because it’s clear from the body camera footage that he was never a threat. He spoke to the officers politely. He was always compliant; he never balled his fist, he never kicked. He never did anything to give an officer the belief that he was a threat.

Instead, these officers acted like hammers. And when you send a hammer into a garden, they treat all the flowers like their nails,” Douglas said to CBM.

“They did not know that Keenan Anderson was a schoolteacher of high school students. They didn’t know he had a five-year-old boy who loved him and he was engaged in his young son’s life. They didn’t know he was a role model to dozens of other kids across the country.”

“It resonated with me because I was so close to George Floyds family,” said Crump, who represented the family in a lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis.

“The one thing that I think is similar is just the fact that Black people who have mental health crises, man, we get the death sentence,” Crump said. “When White people have mental health crises, everybody is trying to help them.”

This month the U.S. Department of Justice released a report outlining systemic problems in the Minneapolis Police Department. It said police officers used “unjustified deadly force” and other types of force, and that they “unlawfully discriminate” against Black and Native American people, violate the rights of people engaged in protected speech, and discriminate against people with behavioral health issues.

There were similar findings in Los Angeles Police Department after the Rampart Scandal uncovered corruption.

“20 years ago, there was a finding that there were systemic problems in the Los Angeles Police Department and there was a consent decree,” Douglas said. “The problem is there is a warrior mentality that envelops law enforcement: us versus them; military equipment against citizens instead of a guardian mentality to protect and serve, to help.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discussed the incident with CBM in February.

“People have died at the hands of the LAPD. You had those three deaths in one week, which was really horrific from my point of view,” Bass said. “With my medical background, I looked at those tapes unedited, and I saw two people in serious crisis.”

Bass also described assurances she received from Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore. She said, “Part of my agreement in supporting him was that we identified a group of objectives of what I want to see done. I am insisting that every officer be trained in mental health to spot crises.”

“The Commitment I made to the chief was to work to increase the funding for mental health, social workers, so that they can go out and be part of these assessments, because I believe if those officers had been accompanied by a mental health professional that it may not have escalated the way it did.”

A June 23 statement from Mayor Bass’ office to CBM stated, “The Mayor’s approved budget has money to continue funding the SMART teams. The primary challenge isn’t lack of funding for these positions but a shortage of licensed clinicians who work alongside the officers to respond to people experiencing mental health crises. The Mayor’s Office is working with our partners at LAPD and LA County Department of Mental Health to pursue strategies to hire additional licensed clinicians.”

The LA City Attorney declined to comment for this article, citing pending litigation.

By Dominique Ulloa and Lori Condinus | Special to California Black Media

As industry insiders, advocates for change, and social justice activists, we are joining forces in this Op-Ed to shed light on the critical need to strengthen California’s Film Tax Credit program through community and stakeholder participation and oversight.

Thankfully, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) have been spearheading this effort in the Legislature, calling for a Film Tax program that reflects the diverse landscape of the California workforce.

The motion picture industry is grappling with a multitude of challenges, including strikes, COVID-19 disruptions, and fierce competition from other states offering enticing tax incentives.

To address these issues and support the ever-evolving industry, California plans to extend the $1.2 billion film tax credit for another five years. While we applaud the commitment of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to retain jobs in our state, it is essential that we seize this opportunity to bring about real change for disadvantaged and underrepresented workers.

We can’t afford to settle for mere job retention or isolated success stories from underrepresented workers; this moment calls for us to strive for true accountability and inclusivity within the industry.

Looking to the future, the very essence of Hollywood as we know it may be at stake. Other states, including Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Missouri, have embraced film tax credit legislation, luring productions away from California.

According to McKinsey & Company’s 2021 Study on Black representation in film and TV, addressing persistent racial inequities could unlock an additional $10 billion in annual revenues for the industry. This presents an incredible opportunity for California to not only lead by example in equitable representation, but also bolster our economy and help shield ourselves from recession.

Throughout history, the motion picture industry has lacked the necessary mechanisms to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in hiring practices. Version 4.0 of the California Film Tax Credit presents us with a fresh chance to make significant headway in this regard.

Previously, the industry operated mostly within the private sector, making it difficult for the state to evaluate compliance, progress, and enforce reporting requirements as it does with public sector jobs.

Under Version 3.0 of the California Film Tax Credit, the implementation of a Diversity Requirement aimed to increase employment opportunities for underrepresented workers. Unfortunately, this program fell short due to its lack of meaningful reporting requirements, community and stakeholder participation, and institutional support.

Studios receiving the tax credit were allowed to devise their own diversity plans and benchmarks.

We firmly believe we can change this by implementing a community- and other stakeholder-led film tax credit task force. This task force would be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the diversity plans of tax credit recipients, using certified payroll data to verify that the industry’s efforts to promote diversity lead to tangible changes in its workforce demographics.

The task force would also provide productions with resources to help them implement these requirements through partnerships with nonprofits like Ujima Entertainment Coalition – a Black entertainment professionals staffing liaison, networking alliance, and advocacy group – as well as by offering guidance in using the ‘Inclusion Rider’ as a process for inclusive hiring.

As the state prepares for Version 4.0, let’s make sure that the creation of high-quality film and television content right here in Hollywood is an attainable goal for all aspiring creators, free from the confines of an antiquated ‘old Hollywood’ model that continues to perpetuate exclusion. We want to ensure that the real stakeholders—the workforce and community — are given a prominent seat at the table. We can’t sit on the sidelines as passive observers; we have to show up as active participants who hold the power to enact change. So today, we are using that power to demand community- and stakeholder-led oversight as part of California’s Film Tax Credit Proposal.

As an editor, and the Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition, I, Dominique Ulloa, remain committed to advocating for a more inclusive and equitable television and film industry.

And, I, Lori Condinus, a labor leader and activist for over 30 years and the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles, have witnessed, firsthand, the amazing progress that is possible through labor-management-community collaboration, and I look forward to a fruitful endeavor with the Legislature and the other motion picture industry stakeholders. Let’s seize this opportunity to shape the future of California’s production landscape together.

About the Authors

Dominique Ulloa is a Peabody-Award winning editor and Founder of Ujima Entertainment Coalition.

Lori Condinus is the President of the National Action Network Los Angeles.

By Lou K Coleman

It ain’t gonna be nothing nice. Mercy would have left the building, and each man and woman will be judged according to their works which will culminates in the fierce wrath of God with unending torment [Revelation 20:12-15]. Yes, America the sister of Sodom and Gomorrah, who leads the world in every abomination known to man will be destroyed by God for their wickedness and rebelliousness. For God raised up many prophetic voices to call America to repentance and to warn that continued rebellion will lead to doom. America has refused to listen. Because of that, America has passed the point of no return, the point of “dread release”. Therefore, America will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning, and a horror to the rest of the world, declares the Lord. [Ezekiel 5:15]. From judgment to wrath, from discipline to doom. America, a nation that CANNOT be saved even by the prayer of the Righteous! Read [Ezekiel 14:12-20].

For as Nahum pronounced it is one thing for a nation to ignore God and another for it to rebel against God. Both actions will provoke the judgment of God. But when a nation goes to war with God, that nation beckons the wrath of God and thus seals its doom. America is in trouble. God has lost His patience with His unfaithful, disobedient, and covenant breaking people. As God informed Abraham in [Genesis 18:16-21], that a great outcry against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah had come up before Him, and so He was going to destroy the cities if they were as wicked as He had heard, and so will it be for America, who hate God, who hate the things of God, who are filled with their own lust and with their own desires. America will be transformed from a lush and fruitful ground to a place which just screams death. For as surely as I live, declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, surely Moab [America] will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah?a place of weeds and salt pits, a waste land forever. [Zephaniah 2:9].

Oh, When the Wrath of God Touches America!

Then Abraham started negotiating with the Lord. He said, “If you can find fifty righteous people will you spare the city. The Lord said if I find fifty righteous people in the city, I will spare all the people for their sake. [Genesis 18: 26]. Abraham continued to negotiate with God. He dropped the number of righteous people to forty, then to thirty, then to twenty. Then in [Genesis 18:32], Abraham said to the Lord, “If I can find ten righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah will you spare the cities? The Lord said if He could find ten, He would not destroy it for the ten’s sake. But not even ten could be found in these cities. Tragic!

Consequences of Distracted Driving and Speeding disproportionately impact Black lives

ELK GROVE, CA— June marks the beginning of summer and the observance of National Safety Month. The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are calling on all drivers to prioritize safety and help raise awareness about current dangerous driving behavior and its disproportionate impact on Black communities in California and across the U.S.

According to the latest projections from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 4,400 people were killed in traffic crashes in California in 2022, or 12 people every day. A disproportionate number of those deaths affect Black communities and people walking and cycling. People outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as people riding inside vehicles.

A recent study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that, on a national level, Black people experience a passenger vehicle fatality rate 73% higher than their white counterparts, with the highest overall traffic fatality rate per mile traveled and across all modes of transportation, including walking, cycling, and driving. In California, Black pedestrians have a 65% higher fatality rate compared to white pedestrians.

In an era where screens dominate our attention, distractions behind the wheel have become an alarming issue. Using a phone to dial, talk or text doubles the risk of a driver getting into a crash. Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. In 2020, 3,142 Americans were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.

Other dangerous driving behaviors like speeding have also become increasingly normalized. Whether it involves exceeding the posted speed limit, driving too fast for conditions or racing, speeding was a factor in 29% of all national traffic fatalities in 2021. In California, 1,509 people were killed in speeding-related crashes in 2021.

To address the dangers of distracted driving, speeding and the disproportionate impacts each dangerous behavior has on Black lives, the OTS and Caltrans launched a call-to-action campaign that aims to establish a strong safety culture in California. You can join the Go Safely Movement and become a traffic safety champion by taking a short Community Call to Action survey to share what issues you are experiencing in your everyday travels. Your answers will assist the OTS and Caltrans in strengthening connections with communities, providing access to resources, and promoting traffic safety across transportation systems.

The OTS and Caltrans encourages everyone to prioritize safety by reminding drivers to practice the following behaviors:

• California has a hands-free cell phone law, which prohibits drivers from holding a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel.
• Drivers under the age of 18 may not use any mobile communications device at all, whether hands-free or hand-held.
• If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over and park at a safe location.
• Be Work Zone Alert. When you see flashing amber lights ahead and you’re approaching a work zone, slow down and Move Over a lane if it is safe to do so. It’s the law.
• Avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving altogether. Put the phone in the glove box, trunk, or back seat; anywhere you cannot reach.
• Remember, there are other distractions: eating, grooming, reaching for something that fell on the floor, putting on or taking off clothing, deep conversations with passengers, or fussy children in the back seat. If you find yourself in any of these situations, find a quiet, safe place to park and address the distraction.
• Know and respect the speed limit. It’s not worth pushing the envelope to save a minute or two.
• Be aware of your surroundings: Look out for pedestrians, cyclists, and obstructions in the road, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.

Let’s work together to create safer roadways this National Safety Month and beyond. To learn more about the Go Safely Movement, visit gosafelyca.org/thegosafelymovement, and follow Go Safely on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @OTS_CA and @GoSafelyCA.