WSSN Stories

By Lou K Coleman-Yeboah

“I am about to do a shocking thing… I am going to carry out all my threats … I have warned continually that judgment is coming [1 Samuel 3:11-14] but they have squandered the opportunities, I have given them to repent. How long will the simple ones love their simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? [Proverbs 1:22]. Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.” [Jeremiah 5:21] the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. You have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment. The time of trouble—trouble such as was not since there was a nation [Daniel 12:1]—is right upon you, and you are like the sleeping virgins. Awake from your slumber because soon great trouble will arise among the nations— [fire, flood, earthquake, war, and bloodshed]. Heed the warning before it’s too late!

Remember the word came to Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark”; The message came to Lot, “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” [Genesis 7:1; 19:14]. So now we are given warning of Christ’s second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Run, run to Jesus NOW, for those who heed the warning will be saved. God’s judgment on the earth is a fact. Don’t ignore the warning. The flood is the past example of God’s judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed when God rained fire and brimstone on them. God ordered Israel to destroy the Canaanites because of their sin. Israel itself was judged by the Babylonian captivity. Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 because of rejecting the Messiah. There are many more examples in the Bible. But no other judgment in history was as widespread and severe as that of the flood. As such, the flood stands as the past example, bar none, of the fact of God’s judgment on the whole earth, and just as He judged the whole earth with the flood, so He will judge the whole earth in the end times, and none will escape. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Heed the warning NOW for God’s grace is seen in not closing the door until the last possible moment. Understand God’s future judgment will be historical, universal, and will come suddenly. He who testifies to these things say, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” [Revelation 22:20]. So don’t wait until it is too late. You must take the means of escape God has provided NOW.

The people watched Noah working for 120 years. They watched the animals streaming in from all parts of the globe. They watched Noah and his family board the ark. The door was still open for any to come aboard. Nobody did. They watched as the Lord shut the door [Genesis 7:16]. The rain started. It was too late.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

The El Camino Community College District, California State University Dominguez Hills, and the aerospace industry have lost a great leader and advocate with the passing of Kenneth Brown on March 23, 2023.

Brown was a pioneer in his fields, and his work as an educator, scientist, engineer, and trustee impacted countless lives.

Born and raised in Carson, CA, Brown attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he earned his B.S. in Computer Science and B.S. in Physics. He later went on to earn his M.S. in Applied Physics from Clark Atlanta University.

“As a Morehouse alum, Ken upheld the tradition of striving to make a positive difference in the world, especially for the Black community. He had a keen analytical mind and he eagerly engaged in discussions in a variety of subjects, including politics and social issues that challenged you to think critically,” said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rupert Byrdsong, a friend and college classmate.

Brown’s career in aerospace spanned over three decades. He worked for over 20 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, where, as a System Engineering Analyst for the Mars Science Laboratory, he worked on some of the most groundbreaking missions in the history of space exploration.

He was last employed as Operations Manager for Northrop Grumman Missions Systems Engineering & Sciences (E&S) Maritime Land Sensors and Systems/Field Engineering, at Space Park, Redondo Beach. where he was the lead for a major new enhancement to the program, driving technical integration to meet performance and functional requirements.

In recognition of his contributions, Brown received the Black Engineer of the Year Modern Day Technology Leader Award in 2019.

Brown’s passion for teaching led him to serve as an adjunct professor of Physics at Cal State University Dominguez Hills. For more than 20 years he taught undergraduate physics, physical science, and math courses. Because of his exceptional ability to connect with his students, his dedication to teaching, and his caring nature, he had a reputation for being a devoted and well-admired instructor.

For the California Department of Education, Brown served as a Content Review Panel expert and helped author “Next Generation Science Standards,” which is being used in K-12 classrooms in over 40 states.

In addition to his work in aerospace and as an education practitioner, Brown was President of the Governing Board of Trustees at El Camino Community College in Torrance. He had been a Board member since 2010.

“He never stopped advocating for students’ needs to ensure they found success in higher education, their chosen career fields, and in their personal lives. He inspired us to become extraordinary,” Brenda Thames, Ph.D., El Camino College Superintendent/President reflected on her connection with Brown. “He led as an unapologetic advocate for equity and the expansion of educational opportunities for all students. The legacy of his work will impact millions of students for decades to come.”

Vice President of the Board of Trustees Trisha Murakawa told The Union, El Camino College’s student paper, that she and Brown “‘were making good trouble, to truly help’ with education and equity at the statewide level and at El Camino.”

“Brown was a champion for students in everything he did …. and his legacy and commitment will empower generations of leaders to come,” Daisy Gonzales, the interim chancellor of California’s community college system, said in a statement.

Brown was elected to the California Community College Trustees Board in 2016, and in 2020 was elected to serve as President of the CCCT Board. He served as President of CCCT’s Board Financial Aid Implementation Committee as well as the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative Change Leadership Committee.

“I don’t think he had “no” in his vocabulary,” said Pam Haynes, President Emerita, California Community College Trustees Board and Los Rios Community College District Trustee. “He was unwavering in his steadfast advocacy for students of color, especially Black and Brown students within our community college system.”

On a national level, Brown served on the Association of Community College Trustees Public Policy and Advocacy Committee.

Brown also served on the Da Vinci Schools Board of Trustees from 2019-20 in the Wiseburn Unified School District, El Segundo and on the Da Vinci Schools Fund Board.

A true renaissance man, Brown’s accomplishments extended beyond his professional life. He was an accomplished athlete, twice named All-American in Track & Field at Morehouse College and he played in the NCAA Div. II Basketball Final Four. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials and Pan AM Games in the high jump.

Brown, 54, lived in Inglewood with his wife of 25 years, Dr. Karla Harness Brown, a teacher, counselor, and child welfare and attendance advisor for 30 years at the Inglewood Unified School District. He is survived by two sons, Kenneth II, a Morehouse graduate who is now attending UCLA and Kaleb, a freshman at Howard University. He is also survived by his mother, Dr. Martha Brown, a retired professor of music and his mother-in-law, Gloria Armstrong, a retired Inglewood city employee. His father Keith Brown (deceased) was a Probation Officer.

From the outpouring of condolence messages and personalized tributes Brown’s family is receiving from the Inglewood community and beyond, it is certain that he will be deeply missed by his family, colleagues, and the countless students whose lives he touched through his work in education.

SB 673 would increase awareness, response and resources

SACRAMENTO – Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) has introduced SB 673 to create an “Ebony Alert” notification system to address the often ignored or lack of attention given to Black children and young Black women that are missing in California.

According to the Black and Missing Foundation, 38% of people reported missing in the U.S. are Black, which is double the U.S. Black population which is about 14%. Black children are disproportionately classified as “runaways” in comparison to their white counterparts who are classified as “missing” and, therefore, many Black children do not receive the Amber Alert.

Black women and girls are at increased risk of being harmed and trafficked. A recent report on human trafficking incidents across the country also found that 40% of sex trafficking victims were identified as Black women.

SB 673 would authorize a law enforcement agency to request that an Ebony Alert be activated if that agency determines that it would be an effective tool in the investigation of a missing Black youth or young Black women between the ages of 12 – 25 years. SB 673 would encourage news organizations including television, cable, online, radio and social media outlets to cooperate with disseminating the information contained in an Ebony Alert.

“The Ebony Alert would ensure that resources and attention are given so we can bring home missing Black women and Black children in the same way we would search for any missing child and missing person,” said Bradford.

“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time. They vanish from the police detectives’ workload. They vanish from the headlines. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing. How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them,” said Bradford.

The Ebony Alert legislation is sponsored by the NAACP California Hawaii State Conference.

“Black women and girls are at increased risk of harm and make up a disproportionate percentage of all missing people. The NAACP California Hawaii State Conference considers missing Black women and girls an epidemic and necessary for its own safety alert.” said Rick Callender, NAACP California Hawaii State Conference President. “SB 673 will create the Ebony Alert, providing law enforcement with additional tools and resources to help locate missing Black youth and adults through cooperation with the community and the CHP.”

Senator Bradford is Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications, and represents the Los Angeles County communities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, San Pedro, Torrance, Watts, Willowbrook, and Wilmington.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Black women in the Golden State trail behind their counterparts from other ethnic groups in median wealth and a lower percentage of them have obtained higher education degrees. Black mothers and their babies have mortality rates that surpass women from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute (CBWCEI) President and CEO Kellie Todd Griffin said the state of Black women in California is troubling.

“There is so much work to do,” she explained. “There is a gap with Black women. Without immediate interventions from a policy and practice transformation standpoint, we’re not going to be able to change the trajectory.”

Griffin’s remarks came a day after the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University released its 12th annual “The Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California” on March 22.

The 40-page report, with the tagline “Advancing Equity: Leading With Meaning and Purpose,” is the Los Angeles university’s assessment of the state of women in California based on a number of social and economic indicators.

It is “what women need in order to attain agency for themselves, add meaning to their lives, and contribute fully to their families, communities, and businesses,” wrote Mount Saint Mary’s University President Ann McElaney-Johnson in the document’s opening pages.

The report highlights issues affecting women and girls in California post-COVID-19 pandemic. The trends documented pertain to women’s education, economic security, health, household labor, and wage and wealth divisions.

The paper’s authors and staff at Mount Saint Mary’s Center for the Advancement of Women are advocates who push for changes in legislation to help women and girls in the state.

Robin L. Owens, Interim Director, Center for the Advancement of Women and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary’s University, said all of study’s findings need to be addressed.

“My personal opinion, wealth impacts everything, so that is the one that struck me the most,” she emphasized. “The differences in the wealth gap between men and women, but also between African American women and other races. That was striking.”

The wealth gap among women is vast, according to the study. For every $100 owned by a White woman, Latinas own $10, and Black women own $9. Twenty-four percent of households led by single Black women and 25% of Latina households are more likely to live in poverty than single White (14%) and single Asian (15%) women households.
In corporate leadership, 5% of the women in management positions and CEO chairs are African American. In comparison, 46% of women in management positions are White and 86% of women CEOs are White.

Black women hold 4% of the bachelor’s degrees obtained by California women, while White women have 47%. Among women holding graduate and professional degrees, 52% are White women, whereas African American women make up only 5%.

There is a connection, Griffin stated, between Black women’s trailing in education and wealth figures.

“We’re the smallest population amongst the groups that were assessed, however we shouldn’t be 4% of the bachelor’s degree holders,” she noted. “It’s disheartening. How do you get into corporate leadership if a majority of good paying jobs require a degree? We can’t get in the door to be able to accelerate up.”

Black women are more than four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes then White women, and Black babies are more than twice as likely to die within one year than White babies.

The maternal death rates African American women and their babies have are still comparable to numbers from decades ago despite funds and efforts put into improving that rate for all women, Griffin said.

“That is not an improvement,” she deemed.

CBWCEI is focused on using the numbers from the report and other statistics they have gathered to shine a light on the challenges Black women in the state have and to uplift their voices.

The group advocated for and received state funds to create the California Black Women’s Think Tank at Cal State Dominguez Hills, which focuses solely on Black women and girls through research and leadership development. The nonprofit organization is also conducting other African American women-geared initiatives.

“We are focused on Black women, Black girls, Black joy, Black advancement,” Griffin stated. “We understand if we invest in Black women, then we invest in Black communities. We are investing in Black California.”

Owens hopes readers of the report take actions like the CBWCEI.

“I hope people read the report and really give some thoughtful consideration to how they can add to the advancement of women in general and African American women in particular,” she said. “Even if it is in a small way. Sometimes we tend to think we have to fix the whole problem. If we could just find out in our own corner of the world, how we could make a small increase in helping African American women and women in general that would make a difference.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey and Manny Otiko | California Black Media

The San Francisco Branch of the NAACP is engaged in a public information blitz to clarify a press release it sent out urging the San Francisco city government to reject a proposal to pay each qualifying Black city resident a one-time lump sum reparation payment of $5 million.

The Rev. Amos Brown, a member of the San Francisco reparations board, pastor of Third Baptist Church, and the president of the San Francisco NAACP, released a March 14 statement before the recommendations were presented to the supervisors rejecting the $5 million payout.

Reparations should focus on investments and opportunities” in five areas: education, employment, housing, healthcare, and a culture center for San Francisco’s Black residents, the prepared statement reads.

“We strongly believe that creating and funding programs that can improve the lives of those who have been impacted by racism and discrimination is the best path forward toward equality and justice,” Brown stated. Brown is the vice-chairperson of the California Reparation Task Force, which is proposing recommendations for two million Black residents in California.

The NAACP’s press release was met with immediate backlash by supporters in the movement for reparations across the country who have, for decades now, invested time, energy and money in bringing the issue to national attention. In 2020, California became the first state to set up a task force to investigate the state’s involvement in slavery, state-sanctioned atrocities against African Americans and all other forms of discrimination and discriminatory policy that excluded Black Californians from state benefits or protections or that prevented them from gaining social or economic power.

In several public appearances, Brown clarified that he is not against the idea of a cash payout but only wants the recommendation to be a reasonable compromise – one, he says, that does not give the city’s Black residents “false hope.”

“We don’t want to get set up for another study or for them to put this up on a shelf to collect dust,” said Brown in an interview with Roland Martin. We must have action. We believe in cash-plus – not either or.”

Eric McDowell, chairperson of the African American Reparations Advisory Committee (AARAC) — a task force set up by San Francisco city government — said that recommendations presented to the Board of Supervisors is an “appraisal” and he is “hopeful” that the city will deliver much needed compensation for Black community.
McDowell made the statements in an interview with San Francisco’s KRON 4 News on March 24. AARAC presented recommendations on March 14 to address the harms and struggles Black Americans have endured since they began migrating west after the Civil War.

“What the city will decide to do is fully in the hands of the supervisors, mayor’s office, and full leadership of the city,” McDowell said in the six-minute segment. “We’re hopeful as a committee that they will take up the charge and do what they believe both is right to do and have the capacity to do.”

The recommendations, McDowell said, are only in “draft” form at this stage. They cover economic empowerment, education, generational wealth building, and public policies for the benefit of Black San Franciscans. McDowell referred to the recommendation as an estimation of value.

“Our task (AARAC) was to do the appraisal and it’s the city’s task to determine, based upon recommendations, what they decide to adopt,” McDowell said.

“Once again, that conversation is yet to come: the determination of how it will get financed and made possible,” McDowell continued, talking about reparations payments to San Franciscans who are Black American descendants of enslaved people.

The 14-person reparations committee advises the Board of Supervisors, Mayor London Breed, the Human Rights Commission, and the public on the development of a San Francisco Reparations Plan. The plan features ways that San Francisco’s policies have harmed Black lives.

Paying qualifying Black residents individual payments of $5 million, the elimination of personal debt and tax liabilities of African American households and securing annual incomes at a minimum $97,000 for 250 years are part of the package the committee is proposing.

San Francisco’s Black population consists of 6% of the city’s total number of residents and they make up 38% of the city’s homeless population.
The AARAC has documented decades of policies and laws that systematically affected Black Americans in San Francisco, limiting their access to productive employment property, education and the ability to build generational wealth.

A decision by the Board of Supervisors on the amount of compensation owed to Black residents or the form it will take is not expected until June. Meanwhile, the city is mulling over the fact that providing financial compensation will push it deeper into the red, a point that has been made by some city officials that many who oppose reparations for Black Americans have latched onto and referenced in their arguments.

“I wish we had this kind of money in San Francisco’s general fund, but if we want to maintain the services that exist today, we do not,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen in a San Francisco Chronicle interview.

San Francisco is currently facing a deficit of more than $720 million over the next 24 months. Supervisor Dean Preston told the San Francisco Chronicle that reparations are warranted but not financially feasible for the city.

$3.8 billion in investment scams and $2.6 billion in impersonator scams topped the list. Most money lost through bank transfers and crypto currencies.

By Peter White

Ever get an email about an extended car warranty or a free gift from Home Depot? What about online service to flush out malware from your computer? It’s hard to avoid these unsolicited offers. Fraudsters send texts, they call you on your phone, and sometimes use AI to mimic a relative’s voice who says they have an emergency and please send money.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says what you don’t know can be expensive. They received 2.4 million complaints last year compared to 2.9 million in 2021 but the total amount lost in 2022 was $2.6 billion more than in 2021.

“The dollar loss reported was staggering. Consumers reported that they lost more than $8.8 billion to fraudsters, the most ever reported,” say Maria Mayo, Associate Director for the Division of Consumer Response and Operations in the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The FTC maintains a database of consumer fraud reports. Report a scam here.

“We know that fraud affects every community and that scammers are running their scam in the languages that people speak at home. And that’s why the FTC now has information in a dozen languages to help people spot and avoid these scams,” says Cristina Miranda, Consumer Education Specialist with the FTC’s Education Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Scammers targeting ethnic communities

During an March 10 Ethnic Media Services briefing Miranda briefed reporters about how to protect against fraudsters. She said that recent refugees and immigrants are frequent marks for scammers who use their native language to steal their money.

“We have a downloadable publication called Spotting, Avoiding and Reporting Scams: a Fraud Handbook. It helps people learn to spot some of the scams related to looking for a job, going through the immigration process, or just trying to figure out how things work in this country,” she said.

“Scammers are targeting ethnic communities and they speak your language. They target ethnic communities in unique ways,” says Rosario Mendez, an attorney with FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The Latino community filed a higher percentage of reports relating to problems with banks and lenders, related to debt collection, auto issues, and also business opportunities.

“And we’ve had several cases related to bogus business opportunities, bogus work at home, specifically targeting Latinos. We know from our data analysis and from also our casework that business opportunity, moneymaking schemes, are also something that is impacting the Latino community.

In terms of the black community, the largest number of reports were about payday loan applications, and also student debt relief programs,” Mendez said.

An October 2021 FTC report, Serving Communities of Color, detailed the extent of fraud affecting ethnic communities and the FTC’s efforts to combat it.

Scams vary widely

Mayo said a lot of people fell prey to get-rich-quick schemes last year and the average median loss per consumer was $5,000.

“Consumers reported losing money to investment scams more than any other type of scam, and the amount lost in 2022 more than doubled what was lost in 2021. Consumers reported losing $3.8 billion in investment scams, most of which were lost to crypto currency scams.

These scams often started on social media where consumers were enticed to invest in crypto currency in an attempt to make money. Consumers invested, and the scammers were so savvy that they often presented websites that actually showed how the consumer’s money had grown. But it was all fake,” Mayo said.

Con artists have not given up on romance scams, a staple in the field of fraud. These scams are aimed at older Americans who lost $139 million in 2020 up from $84 million in 2019. For the most part, scammers operate with impunity and many of them are based overseas. That makes it hard for them to be prosecuted. But sometimes they get caught.

One case involved an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who was swindled out of his life savings by a Florida woman, Peaches Stergo. She was arrested January 25, 2023.

The FTC stopped a large-scale fraud of students enrolled at the University of Phoenix (UOP) and made them pay. The FTC is sending nearly $50 million in payments to more than 147,000 UOP students who may have been lured by allegedly deceptive advertisements.

The 2019 settlement also required UOP and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, to cancel $141 in student debt.

The FTC alleged UOP falsely touted its relationships and job opportunities with companies such as AT&T, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Twitter, and the American Red Cross. The FTC also alleged that UOP’s advertising gave the false impression that the online school worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students and tailor its curriculum for such jobs.

Consumers can get email alerts from the FTC regarding the latest imposter, real estate, and investment scams. Sign up here.

By Lou K Coleman

Regardless of what the wolves in the pulpits, the TV preachers, and the workers of iniquity in the churches claim, the Bible is clear; when it comes to the things that we have to know, believe, and obey in order to be saved and live according to the will of God. So don’t be fool by the wolves in sheep clothing. It will cost you dearly. I didn’t say it, Jesus did!

Know the truth and the whole truth. Your survival and salvation depend on your understanding of such. Know that God is the one Source and sole Author of truth. Sin is whatever God says it is. Judgment is whatever God says it is. Salvation is what God says it is. Heaven and hell are what God says they are. It matters not what man says but simply what God says.

Truth has the final word in all matters, telling us how to worship and how to walk. It tells us how to follow Christ. It is the final arbitrator on any subject. It is the final judge of every life. All people are measured by the truth. Every life is weighed in the balances by the truth. Every destiny is marked by the truth. And truth will have the final say in every life. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, which will enable you to know truth, live by truth, and not be destroyed in your soul by lies that make it into your heart. [Ephesians 6:14].

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. [2 Timothy 4:3-4]. To their own detriment.

Sad!

By McKenzie Jackson |California Black Media

Last summer, the White House offered Southern California small business owner Kerman Maddox a unique opportunity to serve on a national committee set up to advise President Joe Biden’s administration on educational matters.

The Los Angeles resident declined.

Maddox, who is also a communications specialist — most recently a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s transition team — felt he did not have enough expertise in the educational space.

Then, this month, the right opportunity came for Maddox to take his expertise, passion and ambition to Washington. The White House appointed Maddox, along with 14 others, to serve on the United States Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

“I’m an African American male. I’m a small business owner. There is nothing in my background that ever would have indicated this was even in the realm of possibilities,” he stated. “I am going to do the best to represent other African American small business owners. When you get an opportunity like this, you want to do a good job — not embarrass folks.”

Maddox, president and majority owner of K&R Hospitality and managing partner of Dakota Communications, told the official he would be interested in serving on any commission that dealt with United States’ commerce, small business, trade, or other related fields if a position became available.

Maddox, who President Barack Obama once appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee, says he is excited about his new role.

The other new advisory body appointees are Revathi Advaithi, Manish Bapna, Timothy Michael Broas, Thomas M. Conway, Erica R.H. Fuchs, Marlon E. Kimpson, Ryan LeGrand, Sean M. O’Brien, Javier Saade, Shonda Yvette Scott, Elizabeth Shuler, Nina Szlosberg-Landis, and Wendell P. Weeks.

Along with the other appointees, Maddox will provide policy advice to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who spearheads American trade policy across the globe.

The new committee members were recommended by Tai’s office and appointed by Biden. They make up one of several advisory committees established by Congress to ensure U.S. trade policy and trade negotiating objectives adequately reflect American public and private sector interests.

In a March 10 statement announcing the appointees, Tai said she looked forward to working with the new appointees.

“Developing a worker-centered trade agenda means bringing together a range of perspectives and backgrounds to design and implement our policies,” she stated. “The Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations is an important forum to guide USTR’s work and ensure that the benefits of trade are equitably distributed across our economy and to all people. President Biden has nominated a diverse group of men and women that will help us carry out his vision for sustainable, inclusive and durable trade policy in 2023 and beyond.”

Maddox wants to align with the trade agenda set by the Biden administration. He also has his own objectives he aims to rally for.

“Number one, I’m really going to play a space as a small business guy to see if we can get small businesspeople to export products overseas — whether it is technology or manufacturing or retail or professional services,” he noted. “Number two, figure out a way to rein in climate change. What can we do to get people to understand that it is real and what should we be doing by the way of trade polices to combat the escalation of global warming and climate change?”

Maddox received a call from the White House late last year inquiring whether he would be interested in joining the committee. He jumped at the opportunity. In January, he learned his position on the panel was finalized.

Maddox now has a lot of homework to do on trade policy before the group meets in April. Tai’s office is introducing the new committee members to trade experts.

“I’m trying to quickly study to get up on this,” Maddox noted.

Maddox founded Dakota Communications, the marketing, public relations, and public affairs consulting firm, in 1996. In 2010, he started K&R Hospitality, a food and beverage concession business. He had a role in Obama’s historic 2008 campaign and was part of Biden’s presidential campaign 12 years later. Maddox worked as an aide and advisor to past L.A. mayors Tom Bradley and Antonio Villaraigosa and for Bass when she was in Congress. He was also an adjunct professor of Political Science at USC and a full-time Political Science professor for the L.A. Community College District. Maddox has several honors from community service organizations and radio and television awards under his belt.

Maddox described himself as an “activist entrepreneur.”

“I do a lot of community stuff,” he said. “I’m very active in my church, but I’m also a businessman. I’m interested in making money, but I’m also interested in hiring as many people that look like me as possible. I’m interested in growing my business and bringing people along at the same time.”

Due to his business experience, Maddox brings a breadth of viewpoints to the commission.

“I have a unique perspective to talk about professional service businesses and how that works and discuss retail, food, and beverage concussion-oriented businesses,” he explained. “One is people, food, merchandising, quality standards, and more. The other is professional services — you are brainstorming and creating.”

Maddox will meet with other committee members via video conference, but expects to also assemble with the group in Washington, D.C.

He said being involved with Obama’s initial presidential run was his greatest professional experience. However, having the chance to pitch Biden, who Maddox has met before, trade policy insights is a close second.

“There is nothing in my background that would indicate I would be talking to the president, let alone advising the president,” Maddox declared. “If I can make it, anyone can make it. I’m a pretty regular guy that worked his way up.

SACRAMENTO, CA— As part of an annual recognition of Women’s History Month in the State Capitol, Assemblymember Chris Holden announces the University of La Verne President, and first woman president, Dr. Devorah Lieberman as the 41st Assembly District’s Woman of the Year.

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Devorah Lieberman as Woman of the Year for the 41st Assembly District,” said Assemblymember Holden. “She has contributed to the well-being of the university’s students, the scholarly activity of the faculty, and the vitality of the surrounding community while also advocating for engagement, inclusivity, and respect among all.”

Dr. Devorah Lieberman, the University of La Verne’s 18th and first female president, brings more than three decades of higher education experience, scholarship, and leadership to the institution. Among Ms. Lieberman’s accomplishments are raising $128 million in the largest comprehensive campaign in the university’s history; significantly increasing funding for student scholarships; expanding the international student population; increasing the number of named colleges, endowed deans, and endowed faculty positions; and, significantly increasing the institutional endowment from $36 million to $151 million. Under Lieberman’s leadership, the university launched the La Verne Experience, a curriculum where students connect deeply with each other, with faculty, with staff, and with the greater community. Through the La Verne Experience, students “major in a mission”. Currently, she is leading the university’s establishment of a College Health and Community Well Being to help address the region’s critical need for healthcare professionals.

Women of Distinction from throughout the district include Veronica Jones, Town Council Member (Altadena), Terry Grill, Director of Sustainability for Sealed Air Corporation (Claremont), Caroline Anderson, LCF School Board Member (La Cañada Flintridge), Cynthia Cannady, Attorney and Community Advocate (Pasadena), Lois Gaston, Community Advocate (Monrovia), Jennifer Oglesby, Founder Community Services of America, (Rancho Cucamonga), Kris Boneman, Director of Educational Tech for Bonita Unified School District (San Dimas), Julie Bencosme, Small Business Owner & Community Volunteer (Sierra Madre), and Linda Clinton, Community Volunteer (Upland), and Desirea Haggard, Director of Environmental Affairs at CalPortland (Pinon Hills). Over 100 nominations were sent to Assemblymember Holden for the honor.

“The 2023 Women of Distinction are dedicated leaders who improve the lives for thousands of individuals and families in the 41st Assembly District and beyond,” said Holden. “Their commitment to excellence and service has left an indelible mark on the San Gabriel Valley and the people who call it home.”