WSSN Stories

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

If you haven’t already done so, get under the Umbrella of the Almighty God NOW to keep yourself safe from the impact of what is about to happen. Maximum readiness and an immediate response is required. Be vigilant. Dangerous times are imminent and inevitable. Follow the advice of the Almighty God. Repent NOW before it is TOO LATE!

The Bible makes it very clear that there is a time coming when you won’t be able to be saved. [Hebrews 12:17]. Do not to take for granted the grace of God. These are the End Times, the Time of Great Tribulation, when God will pour out His wrath and judgment on an unbelieving world. The Bible says God will give them up. They will curse God as they are being scorched with hailstones. [Revelation 16:9-11]. They will try to hide from His wrath in vain, they will seek death, but death will flee from them. [Revelation 9:6]. This is GSWS – the Official God Severe Warning Service. Follow the advice of the Almighty God. Repent NOW before it’s TOO LATE! Don’t gamble with your soul. God hand is outstretched, find grace in the eyes of the Lord today.

For thus saith the Lord, If you do not repent, when you spread out your hands in prayer, pleading for My help because of your rebelliousness and stubbornness, I will hide My eyes from you; I will not be listening. It will be too late! [Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 8].

Don’t be like Belshazzar. [Daniel 5]. When Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall, he realized that judgement had been declared. It was TOO LATE! That night Babylon fell, and Belshazzar was slain. The Bible records his trembling, his fear, his knees smote together in terror. He found no place of repentance, he found no mercy, he found no grace. God was done with him forever. You think you have all the time in the world to decide. Not so! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. [James 4:14]. The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. [Mark 1:15]. Repent NOW!

In Genesis, when the angels came to Sodom, judgment had already been declared. Their fate was sealed. The angels came to save Lot and destroy the city. All the inhabitants were dead men walking even before the angels arrived in Sodom.

The longsuffering of God in Genesis with the old story of Noah. The invitation to be saved and avoid judgement was extended for many, many years. But one day, the offer was withdrawn. It was over, even before the raindrops began to fall, before the fountains of the deep were broken up, before there was any sign of the impending deluge. One can only imagine the icy hand of terror which took hold of their hearts as the rain fell and the water exploded up from underneath. Pleading to be let in. Noah, Noah, let us in! Noah, Noah, we believe you now! The door was shut forever. They took God’s grace and longsuffering for granted.

The sheer terror of realizing one having refused God one too many times. Listen, if God did not spare the angels, nor Sodom, God will not spare this current world. [2 Peter 2:45; Genesis 18:16-33; Romans 11:21]. God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. [2 Peter 3:9]. Don’t delay coming to Christ. Satan whispers “some other time”—but the Bible says, “NOW is the time of God’s favor, NOW is the day of salvation.” [2 Corinthians 6:2].

Jesus says of those who refuse to be saved, “These shall go away into everlasting punishment and be lost forever.” [Matthew 25:26].

God has commanded you to repent. [Acts 17:30]. Surrender your life to Jesus immediately and be saved. [Revelation 3:19]. If you do not, know that He has bent His bow and made it ready. [Psalms 7:12] and you shall go away into everlasting punishment and be lost forever. [Matthew 25:26].

This is GSWS ? The Official God Severe Warning Service – State of Alert! Defcon 2! God’s Army is ready and prepared.

Like the boy who cried “wolf,” the people dismiss God’s warnings. They say, “Time passes on, but these threats never happen.” They felt quite justified in ignoring the Word of God because they thought it would be no downside for disobedience.

To this God says “Enough.” He will withhold their punishment no longer and will fulfill all that He said. There will be no more delays. [Ezekiel 12:21-28; Revelation 10:6; Jeremiah 30:24].

Defcon 1 – War is imminent!

Though “they sought for it with tears”, they discovered that no matter how “sorry” they were, like Esau, “there was no place for repentance” — it was too late. [Hebrews 12:17].

By Good Black News

Born in 1875 in Virginia to formerly enslaved parents who were never taught to read and write, Carter G. Woodson often had to forgo school for farm or mining work to make ends meet, but was encouraged to learn independently and eventually earned advanced degrees from the University of Chicago and Harvard.

It was at these lauded institutions of higher education where Dr. Woodson began to realize these new educational opportunities for Negroes were potentially as damaging as they were helpful, if not more so, as much of the curriculum was biased and steeped in white supremacy.

In 1916, Dr. Woodson helped found the Journal of Negro History with Jesse E. Moreland, intent on providing scholarly records and analysis of all aspects of the African-American experience that were lacking in his collegiate studies.

As Dr. Woodson researched and chronicled civilizations in Africa and their historical advancements in mathematics, science, language and literature that were rarely discussed in academic circles, he also criticized the systematic ways Black people post-Civil War were being “educated” into subjugation and self-oppression:

“The same educational process which inspires and stimulates the oppressor with the thought that he is everything and has accomplished everything worthwhile, depresses and crushes at the same time the spark of genius in the Negro by making him feel that his race does not amount to much and never will measure up to the standards of other peoples. The Negro thus educated is a hopeless liability of the race.”

In 1926, Dr. Woodson began promoting the second week of February as Negro History Week. He chose this week in February intentionally, as it overlapped the birthdays of abolitionist activist Frederick Douglass (February 14) and President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) aka “The Great Emancipator.”

Supported and cross-promoted by several African American newspapers in the U.S., recognition and celebration of Negro (or African-American) History Week was slowly adopted through state departments of education (eg. Delaware, North Carolina, West Virginia) and in city schools (eg. Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City).

Dr. Woodson spent decades advocating for excellence in the education of Black students and demanding school systems across the U.S. eliminate curricula designed deliberately to “mis-educate” Black children while promoting the fallacy of white superiority.

In 1933 he published a collection of his articles and speeches titled The Mis-Education of the Negro (available to read for free in the public domain), spreading his message and mission for unbiased and expansive education even further.

“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it.”

By the time Dr. Woodson died in 1950, a significant amount of mayors across the U.S. supported and acknowledged Negro History Week.

By February 1969, more than a decade into the Civil Rights Movement and less than a year after the assassination of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students and educators at Kent State University proposed the first Black History Month — then celebrated it in February 1970.

Six years later, after meeting with civil rights leaders Vernon Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height and Jesse Jackson, as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations, it was President Gerald Ford (a Republican!) who officially acknowledged and co-signed the significance of Black History Month for all U.S. citizens:

“In celebrating Black History Month, we can take satisfaction from this recent progress in the realization of the ideal envisioned by our founding fathers. But, even more than this, we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

So, even though this year the current administration has dusted up a pause on the celebration of Black History Month within federal agencies (don’t let the doublespeak of a Proclamation fool ya), Dr. Woodson’s good and lasting work of a lifetime will continue to be acknowledged, shared and celebrated this year, on its official centennial next year, and for all time — for the people, by the people.

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Sources:

• https://goodblacknews.org/2022/02/02/gbn-daily-drop-podcast-carter-g-woodson-the-father-of-black-history-listen/
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/us/politics/trump-holiday-mlk-black-history-dei.html
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/history-of-black-history-month.html

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media?? 

In May of 2023, California launched an anti-hate hotline and resource network, California vs Hate, to address a sharp rise in reported hate crimes targeting racial and ethnic minority populations. While data has shown reported incidents nearly doubled since 2019, rural areas of California continue to be underreported.

Kevin Kish, Director of the California Civil Rights Department, recently spoke at an Ethnic Media Services webinar offering his observations and highlighting the importance of spreading the word about California vs. Hate’s resources.

“That lack of reporting out of rural areas is not a good thing. And that lack of reporting out of rural areas of our state is also reflected in the Attorney General’s hate crime report,” Kish said.

“Many of these counties are reporting zero or very few hate crimes. We know that when people are afraid, when they feel isolated, it is unlikely for them to turn to government, at least not without a trusted intermediary, a trusted person or organization who helps them do that,” he added.

The issue is particularly concerning for Black Californians as increasing numbers of Black individuals and families have moved from coastal cities and suburbs to exurbs rural areas over the last 40 years in counties and inland areas, including Riverside, San Bernardino, and Kern counties in Southern California and Solano County, San Joaquin and Kings counties in Northern California.

In fact, some rural cities now have higher percentages of Blacks per capital than urban areas. For example, Rio Vista, a rural area in Solano County has a Black population of over 10% and Weed, a town in Siskiyou County, has a Black population of around 8%.

Some barriers to reporting, Kish shared, were language limitations, mistrust of local government and lack of knowledge of what qualifies as a hate crime.

“California versus hate was designed to overcome these barriers specifically. It is designed to help everyone who experiences hate, no matter who they are, no matter where they are in our state, and no matter whether what they experienced was in fact a crime.”

In the hotline’s first year of existence, it received over 1,000 reports. The most commonly cited form of hate was based on race and ethnicity. 560 of those reports were confirmed incidents and race and ethnicity made up 35% of the reports. Of those, anti-Black bias was the most common, followed by anti-Latino and anti-Asian bias.

After race and ethnicity, the most common frequently cited basis was gender identity and sexual orientation.

Marlene Thomas, Executive Director of the Imperial Valley Social Justice Committee, also spoke at the webinar to shed light on what it is like to offer services in a rural county of California that experiences incidents of hate yet experiences low numbers of reporting.

“We had a Stop the Hate conference and the chief of police and the sheriff who were there and presented. They went through the whole reporting process that you have to, to do, but they had only two complaints. And I feel, and I know that they had to have more than that, but they didn’t. But why? The reason is lack of awareness of what the people can really do. And then believe it or not, as small as rural communities are, we are not getting information. And we have to increase public awareness to that fact.”

Thomas shared that the most common incidents of hate in her county are directed towards the trans community.

The hotline operates as a tool to connect people who experience hate with culturally competent resources in the communities where they live to the resources they need. If the reported incident requires police assistance, the hotline can provide this. Grassroots organizations across the states have also partnered with the hotline offering legal services, counseling, financial assistance and more.

If you, or someone you know, has been the target of hate or witnessed an act of hate, you can call the hotline at 833-866-4283. It is open Monday to Friday from 9 a. m. to 6 p. m. You can also leave a message, or you can report online at any time by visiting CaliforniaVsHate.org. You can report in 15 different written languages and operators can talk to you in over 200 languages.

 

 

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

You know, there is a story told of a vessel that was wrecked and was going down at sea. There were not enough lifeboats to take all on board. When the vessel went down, some of the lifeboats were near the vessel. A man swam from the wreck to one of the boats, but they had no room to take him on. When they refused, he seized hold of the boat with his right hand, but they took a sword and cut off his fingers. When he had lost the fingers of his right hand, the man was so earnest to save his life that he seized the boat with his left hand. They cut off the fingers of that hand too. Then the man swam up and seized the boat with his teeth. Now they had compassion on him and relented. They could not cut off his head, so they took him in, and the man’s life was saved. Why? Because he was in earnest.

Why not seek your soul’s salvation as that man sought to save his life? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Time is running out for our world. Consider today with some urgency your eternal life. For as Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his I have a dream speech in August 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C, “We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW.” What a phrase that is. “The FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW.” Some things simply can’t be put off forever. Sometimes we must RESPOND NOW, we must ANSWER NOW, we must ACT NOW, we must NOT WAIT or DELAY or put things off.

Run to the only refuge there is, the refuge of Jesus Christ. If you go there, you are going to be safe from the coming judgment and the coming wrath. But, if you go outside of it, you’re going to be killed. You’re going to perish. [2 Thessalonians 3:3].

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through Jesus. [1 Thessalonians 5:9]. Run – Run for your life! There is no time to waste! For the Bible speaks of a time at the end of the present age in the books of Daniel, Revelation, and Matthew, among others — when there will be seven years of tribulation culminating in the battle of Armageddon in Israel and the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, in which right now, the stage is being set by Satan and his puppets. [Revelation 13].

Remember the Bible spoke of the Antichrist – a man who will appear on the world scene in the Last Days just before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. Described in both the Old and New Testaments, he will be the very incarnation of evil cleverly disguised as a dynamic, charismatic, visionary leader. He will astound the world with his solutions to human problems. His empire will span every continent, and his rule will be the most demonic individual the world has ever experienced. He will rise to world domination by declaring himself a Man of Peace [Daniel 8:23-25; Daniel 9:26-27; Daniel 11:36-39; Revelation Chapter 6; Ezekiel 38; 2Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:2,4,5; Matthew 24:15].

But will later plunge the world into global war. Eventually his true character will be revealed. He will be opposed to Jesus Christ and will offer himself to the world as the savior of humanity. Together with his False Prophet, he will control the global economy and force his followers to receive a mark on their hands or their foreheads which most of the world will willingly follow him. [Revelation 13:16-17]. But after 3.5 years of his reign, all Hell will break loose. Talking about a fierce urgency, I tell you, NOW is the time run for safety. Repent before it is too late and get under the Umbrella of the Almighty God. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge. [Psalms 91:4]. Don’t wait any longer but put your life in God’s hands TODAY!

[Echoing]: US President Donald Trump on Monday cast himself as a peacemaker in his second inaugural address, pointing to the hostage release-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on Sunday. “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That’s what I want to be — a peacemaker and a unifier,” he said after being sworn in inside the US Capitol.
In parroting, let me say this. “The Bible predicts that the Antichrist will come to power as a peacemaker. He will be firmly committed to globalism, the belief that the massive problems in the world can only be solved by bringing all nations under one banner. Through economic, political, and religious reform.

While we don’t know who the Antichrist is or will be, Scripture provides a few explanations of his characteristics and actions. We should always ask God for revelation and wisdom to be able to discern correctly. May we be those that can hear and then respond accordingly. [Revelation 13:9].

For terrible are the days which lie ahead. The rumblings of the coming judgment can be heard in the distance. The clouds are gathering. There is only one way out, and that is through Christ, who is the door to absolute safety. Those who receive Him and enter through the door by faith are safe. They are described as those whose names ‘are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.’ Is your name written there? Are you ready for His coming? If not, will you turn to him [Christ] and be saved now?” [M.R. DeHaan].

Will you?

This is critical for this day as we see the mystery of lawlessness at work and we see the chess pieces fall into place.

Even then, they would still not believe. [2 Timothy 4:3-4].

So, Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the DOOR. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. [John 10:9].

Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.” [Jeremiah 17:23].

These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship other gods. Therefore, they will become like this loincloth—good for nothing! [Jeremiah13:10].

 

 

By Jasmyne Cannick

What do Snoop Dogg and Caitlyn Jenner have in common? No, this isn’t the setup for a bad joke—it’s a tragic reality. They’ve become poster children for the misguided belief that cozying up to power structures that openly despise them will somehow buy them a permanent seat at the table—or at least a pat on the head from the same people pulling the strings. Spoiler alert: it won’t.

Take Caitlyn Jenner, for example, who’s stanned for Trump who continues to actively work to push legislation that threatens her very existence. While she’s off applauding his presidential win, the ink is barely dry on his executive orders mandating she be referred to by her birth name, Bruce.

Rather than taking a stand against these policies, she’s leaned into her wealth and privilege, banking on it to shield her from the harm those same policies inflict on the trans community. Why? Because she’s rich and insulated from the struggles and discrimination most trans people face. She can retreat to her Malibu mansion and comfortably tune out everyone else’s reality. Because as long as Trump is coming up with ways to keep her rich–that’s all that really matters. Newsflash: privilege isn’t bulletproof, and proximity to power doesn’t erase the hate aimed in her direction.

Then there’s Snoop Dogg and his ilk, rappers who once stood as cultural titans now bending over backward to cozy up to the Trump tax bracket. After years of using the community to build their stacks, they are perfectly content to throw the same people who put them in their comfy tax bracket under the bus for a front-row seat at a table that was never built for them. They’ve swapped authenticity and influence for the illusion of inclusion, all while pretending the check is worth it. It’s not–they know it, we know it. It’s the reason at the domino table we say, “All ain’t good money.”

What they don’t seem to realize—or flat-out refuse to—is that their proximity to whiteness (in the case of Snoop and company) or wealth and privilege (in Caitlyn’s case) doesn’t shield them from
the systems they claim to have transcended. Those systems will gladly facilitate (and celebrate) their selling out while continuing to dehumanize and disenfranchise the very communities they come from and should be fighting for. It’s not respect they’re earning—it’s betrayal.

It’s not just disappointing—it’s dangerous when public figures like Snoop Dogg or Caitlyn Jenner trade their influence for proximity to power, they’re not just letting down their communities–they’re actively legitimizing the systems that harm them. They’re showing the next generation that progress is negotiable, everyone can be bought, and that fighting for equity can take a back seat to personal gain.

There’s a gut-punch of disappointment we feel after building up people like Snoop, only to watch them back systems that harm their own. And the pity for someone like Caitlyn, who thinks her money outweighs her self-respect. We need to hold folks accountable—mark this date on your
calendar. So when these celebs inevitably flip-flop and come crawling back for the community’s support–be it a new album, reality television series, film–whatever–we remember, decline the call, and leave them on read.

Selling out isn’t just a choice for them—it’s become their brand.

Singing the hook to Chris Brown’s “Loyal,” “Aww, these h–s ain’t loyal.”

A member of hip-hop generation, Jasmyne Cannick is based in Los Angeles and is an award-winning journalist and political commentator who speaks and writes to challenge, critique, and hold the culture accountable.

Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen

Every day or so, he will deliver another controversial Executive Order (EO) that cuts into the infrastructure of our laws and the Constitution. These EO’s are designed to keep us so confused, that we shift our eyes away from what appears to be his real goal! We know Mr. Trump loves his cult supported power! Some say that he intends to be President for life.

I suggest that his cult members will soon be seeking relief! The poor and hungry among them are going to get poorer and hungrier. The middle class among them will not enjoy the restraints of inflation and the loss of government agencies that facilitate access to their middle-class lifestyle. I predict that many of the Trump cult members will soon be seeking a way to spit-out the Kool-Aid! His Anti-Christ-Economy will definitely hurt them, and they are going to raise hell!

However, they, like the unfortunate members of the Jim Jones Cult, need our help! We should take care to not ridicule them. They need a clear lane to redemption! I look forward to and will accept and support their shift to reality.

We should consider supporting them in an impeachment wellness campaign, as opposed to the civilian war that the Anti-Christ is fostering! A civilian war would become his ultimate shield of chaos. No matter who the combatants, his chaos-based opportunity would crystalize!

I expect that chaos is his chosen route to an extended reign on his seat of power! There will be no need to discuss or vote on it. A declared State of Emergency and Martial Law will become the anti-law of the land.

He will create chaos to justify a State of Emergency Declaration, which he will manipulate into more chaos, generating his obvious step to dictatorial power. He will declare Martial Law, and as Commander in Chief, will have the world’s mightiest military to enforce it!
His most recent actions show that he is actively securing the bureaucracy. He has the Court. He has the Military, and a deadly Militia, and most alarming, he has the audacity!

Our Congress and Senate have the power to take charge. Impeachment needs to be a talking point!

By Bo Tefu | California Black Media?? 

On Jan. 7, 2025, Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12), who succeeds former Congresswoman Barbara Lee, was sworn into office by former Vice President Kamala Harris in a ceremony held in the Vice President’s office in the U.S. Capitol. The event marked a significant milestone in Simon’s career, which has been closely influenced by her decades-long professional relationship and friendship with Harris.

Simon was accompanied by her friends and family, as she reflected on the moment’s significance.

“I am so honored to have my mentor and former boss, Vice President Kamala Harris, administer this oath. She has been instrumental in shaping my public service career and paving the way for women like me to serve at the highest levels,” said Simon.

The relationship between Simon and Harris began in the late 1990s, when Simon worked at the Young Women’s Freedom Center and Harris was an Assistant District Attorney in San Francisco. Their collaboration deepened in 2005 when then-District Attorney Harris tapped Simon to lead the “Back on Track” program. This initiative, designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for first-time, nonviolent offenders, gained national recognition and inspired similar programs across the country.

Simon serves a constituency that includes the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, Piedmont, and parts of San Leandro. She has pledged to advocate for social justice, equity, and progressive policies as a member of Congress.

By Bo Tefu | California Black Media?? 

Recovery efforts in Los Angeles and Ventura counties faced setbacks last week as powerful winds — up to 70 mph — created extreme fire danger through Wednesday. Red flag warnings, signaling high fire risks due to low humidity and dry conditions, were in effect, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported. Firefighters and officials also made urgent preparations, with resources positioned to mitigate the risks of new wildfires.

The Eaton and Palisades fires have claimed 27 lives and burned over 60 square miles, destroying over 12,000 structures, including homes and businesses. As of Jan. 19, the Eaton Fire was 81% contained, while the Palisades Fire was at 52%. Residents under evacuation orders have dropped to 92,000, but officials warn new orders may be issued.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass emphasized proactive measures, including strategic deployment of firefighters and water tankers.

“L.A. City firefighters and firefighters from across the county, state and nation and even overseas are in a proactive and strategic posture to save lives,” said Bass, reinforcing that city officials are making urgent preparations to mobilize resources.

The L.A. Department of Water and Power has made over six billion gallons of water available for firefighting and addressed prior water supply issues. Meanwhile, drinking water advisories remain for affected areas, including northern Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.

Safety measures are in place, including a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in evacuation zones to prevent looting and burglaries. Officials have also warned against price gouging, with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman pledging legal action against violators.

Authorities are also addressing the health impacts of smoke exposure, urging residents to limit outdoor activities and use N95 masks or air purifiers. The NWS has labeled the current conditions a “particularly dangerous situation,” urging vigilance and evacuation readiness as high winds persist.

Search and rescue operations for missing persons continue, with 23 people unaccounted for in L.A. County. Officials remain focused on containment efforts, protecting communities, and preventing further destruction.

By Reginald S. Webb, Jr. | California Black Media

On January 7, when the Eaton fire ignited in the foothills of Eaton Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains. Fueled by wind gusts of 80 to 100 miles per hour and dry weather conditions, the fire forced the evacuation of most of Altadena’s 43,000 residents.

Among them were thousands of Black families and individuals who have lived in the racially diverse hillside suburb for generations. Blacks make up about 18% of Altadena’s population and their homeownership rate of more than 80% far outpaces other places in the state and country.

A few days later, many of the Altadena evacuees returned to smoldering or completely burned down remains of their homes destroyed in raging fires that have killed 17 people, charred over 14,000 acres, and damaged 9,300 homes, businesses, places of worship and more.

Zo Williams, an author, radio host and of Altadena told California Black Media (CBM), “My childhood is gone. The city will forever be changed by this horrific event,”

Like Williams, many of Altadena’s Black residents are confronting the devastating loss they’ve just experienced and exploring what steps they need to take to move forward.

On Jan. 14, the California-Hawaii State Conference of the NAACP held a virtual town hall to advise fire victims on their legal options. The event was organized in partnership with the law firm Singleton Schreiber.

The NAACP and Singleton Schreiber have filed a lawsuit  against the power company Southern California Edison. The complaint accuses the power utility of starting the fire due to the company’s failure to take “adequate precautions” and improper maintenance and management of electrical equipment it owns.

Gerald Singleton, Managing Partner of the law firm, told CBM, “After a disaster occurs sometimes, people don’t know where to go for resources. The NAACP is on the ground guiding people in the right direction.

The NAACP and Singleton Schreiber, the nation’s leading and largest fire litigation practice, have scheduled a second town hall for fire victims on Jan. 21.

“For over a century, the NAACP has shown up for our community in times of crisis, and this is no exception. Altadena – a community deeply rooted in Black history and homeownership – deserves justice,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson in a statement.

The lawsuit focuses on victims of the Eaton and Hurst fires who own or rent properties in Altadena and Pasadena. Those fires are two out of six in broader firestorm complex that has caused extensive damage across L.A. County. The others were the Pacific Palisades, Lidia, Sunset and Kenneth fires.

On Jan. 17, a town hall was held at a Pasadena Church in Pasadena. Political and civic leaders, businessowners, grieving residents and more came together to share information, reflect on the past, talk about the way forward and assess the damage from the blaze that CalFire has described as the second most destructive wildfire in California’s history. The deadliest and most destructive fire in California history was the Camp Fire, which broke out in Butte County in 2018, claimed 85 lives and caused damage totaling $16.65 billion.

At the meeting, L.A. County supervisor Kathryn Barger said of the Eaton fire damage, “It looks like a warzone, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Veronica Jones president of The Altadena Historical Society says, “some of the homes that burned down were over 100 years old. This was a tight knit community linked through generations, and more than half the Black residents were homeowners.”

The Eaton fire destroyed important pieces of Southern California’s Black history. The city of Altadena was one of the first places in Southern California where Black families were allowed to buy homes in the Los Angeles area.

Blacks began moving to the incorporated area in L.A. County as early as the 1920s but their numbers grew from about 4% in the early 1960s after the passage of the Civil Rights and Fair Housing Acts to about 20% in the 1980.

Jones said many famous Black Americans have called Altadena home. Willa Beatrice Brown, the first Black woman to earn both a pilot’s license and a commercial license, lived there. So did Jackie Robinson, the first Black man to play in major league baseball. Octavia Butler, world renowned science fiction writer also grew up in predominately Black neighborhoods in Altadena and Pasadena. And Charles White, one of the most important and socially conscious artists of the 20^th century, lived in Altadena on Kent Street in 1959. Two of his most famous works are, “Our War”, and “Mother Courage II”. The city of Altadena named a park after him for his contributions and impact on society called, Charles White Park.

President-Elect of the NAACP-Pasadena Branch Brandon Lamar has started the Dena-Relief Drive. He organized the effort to supply everyday essentials to people impacted by the fires.

“This is a close-knit community of Black Americans who’ve had homes passed down through generations and we want to protect for the generations to come,” said Lamar, who is passionate about residents holding on to their properties and rebuilding.

Some fire victims are reporting that people have already begun to reach out to them trying to purchase their lands and damaged properties.

Pastor Kerwin Manning of Pasadena Church says he didn’t sustain damage to his church or his house but, he and his wife have not been able to return home since they evacuated on Jan. 7. Other members of his congregation were not so fortunate. Seventeen of them lost their homes.

Manning’s church, located at 1515 N. Los Robles Ave. in Pasadena, has become a distribution center for resources going to families impacted by the fires.

Manning says he’s unofficially calling the recovery process, “Operation Beauty Will Rise.”

He quotes Isiah 61:3, “To provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes.”

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

More than 100 reparations advocates and supporters from nearly 20 grassroots organizations across California gathered at the State Capitol on Jan. 7 for the first-ever Reparations Education and Advocacy Day (R.E.A.D) event.

Led by the Coalition for A Just and Equitable California (CJEC), the event took place in the same location where, just a few months ago, advocates protested after two reparations bills where denied a floor vote on the Assembly floor.

“The last time we were here was Aug. 31 and it was a shame (those bills did not get a floor vote),” said Los Angeles-based attorney Kamilah Moore, who served as chairperson of the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, established by Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, from May 2021 to June 2023.

Moore told California Black Media (CBM), “This day speaks to the resiliency of descendants of American slaves. We are not taking no for an answer. We came right back once the doors opened to the capitol. We came back and we mean business.”

This time, the advocates say, they returned to Sacramento with a message and a mission to educate others that they will not be deterred in their efforts to reintroduce the reparations bills in the Legislature this year.

CJEC is California’s statewide leading grassroots of advocates, organizers, and mobilizers for reparations and reparative Justice. They have been meeting privately after two bills Authored by former Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) — Senate Bill (SB) 1403 and SB 1330 — stalled in the Assembly.

SB 1403 proposed the creation of a new state agency called the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency (CAFAA). It would’ve been accountable for determining eligibility for reparations and administering government processes related to compensation.

SB 1331 was designed to build an account for reparations in the State Treasury for the purpose of funding reparations policies approved by the Legislature and the Governor.

Chris Lodgson, leader of CJEC, and other advocates visited the offices of almost the entire body of120 State Senators and Assemblymembers, urging them to introduce or support 2025 Reparations bills. The group spent the day knocking on the doors of the lawmakers housed in the State Capitol Annex Swing Space.

Marcus Champion, a Los Angeles community activist, photojournalist, and reparations advocate made the trek from Southern California to Sacramento. He shared his impression of the roles of the lawmakers, particularly members of CLBC.

During the last legislative session, leaders of the CLBC cited that they had “structural” concerns about the reparation bills. Therefore, they voted against advancing the legislation for a floor vote by their colleagues.

The advocates say they expect to bring the bills back under a new leadership that includes CLBC chairperson Sen. Akilah Weber-Pierson (D-La Mesa) and vice chair Issac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights).

“It was a good day to send a message to the folks inside that we are here for business,” said Champion. As we have mentioned several times, Aug. 31 was unacceptable. We’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Champion continued, “The legislators in there are supposed to represent us and if they can’t get the job done, we will find folks who can.”

Advocates say the reparations bills they support are proposing a state agency to verify lineage-based reparations eligibility; a reparations fund in the state Treasury; and funding for reparations activities in the 2025 Budget, including direct cash payments to qualifying Black Californians and restitution and compensation for stolen property.

Lodgson said that they are prepared to have discussions with the CLBC, Republicans, and Democrats as a whole to form a consensus to support the bills.

Lodgson and others who support reparations for Black Californians based on lineage say that they are willing to discuss their goals with other factions of reparation supporters who advocate for compensation to be based on race.

If approved, lineage-based reparations would be limited to Black Californians who can trace their ancestry back to enslaved or free Black people in the United States before 1900.

Race-based reparations would open up the eligibility pool for reparations to include anyone in California who identifies as Black as opposed to Californians with a direct connection to a person who was enslaved in the United States.

“Our specific work and our specific focus is on those of us whose ancestors were enslaved and emancipated in this country,” Lodgson told CBM. “We are willing to work with anybody who supports that, but we are not moving off that square. We are our own people. No one has done what we’ve done for this country.”